He eased away and stood before his mind could carry that thought further. He had work to do. If he was ever going to prove himself worthy—even as a simple companion—he had to get them to safety before the weather turned worse.
CHAPTER8
Even under cover of the blanket, Katie's breath clouded in front of her face as the wagon bumped and jostled along. She didn't dare lift a corner of the shelter to see if snow still fell outside. It had started hours ago, and with the first flakes, she'd placed one of their blankets like a tent just over her head to keep the wind and wet away from her daughter.
Though Katie hadn't been warm since they started out yesterday, she’d started keeping Sarah tucked under her dress where her body heat should add to the protection of the blankets. It had the extra benefit of making nursing easier, and her daughter shifted between sleeping and eating without having to move far.
Aaron's voice shouted from outside her cover, and the wagon bumped to a stop. Had something happened? Or maybe they'd finally reached the cabin where they would find shelter.
She reached up and moved the side of the blanket so she could see out. White powder sifted in, brushing her face with its icy fingers. The view through the opening only showed falling snow thickening the air. As she widened the opening, she adjusted her position to keep the baby underneath the shelter.
An old cabin stood to the side of the road. It leaned a little, probably thanks to rotting logs. Or maybe the ground beneath it slanted. Either way, would it be safe for them to enter?
"We made it." Aaron's voice sounded rougher than usual as he traipsed along the side of the wagon.
And no wonder, for he’d been awake two days straight, working hard to get them to this place of protection. As soon as they got a fire started and carried in enough blankets and food to last them, she would make sure he slept.
She eased upright, moving carefully so she didn't wake Sarah. She should help Aaron bring things in, but that would require taking her daughter out of the warm cocoon. Either way, she would have to be careful climbing down from the wagon.
As Aaron rounded the back corner of the conveyance, his head disappeared, and he shouted.
Her heart lurched. Had he fallen? She scrambled to the side and peered down.
Aaron lay sprawled in the snow. Groaning as he pushed himself up on one arm.
"Are you hurt?" She had to get down to him. What if he'd broken his leg again?
"I'm all right." But he paused, braced on one elbow. Maybe he couldn't stand.
She rose up and climbed over the rear of the wagon, gripping Sarah with one hand and the wood with the other. The falling snow made the ground slippery, so she moved slowly. She couldn't risk injuring Sarah.
As soon as her feet landed in the thick icy crystals, she spun to Aaron and dropped to her haunches. "Where does it hurt? Your leg?" The dog had approached on the other side, closer than usual, as though ready to help where he could.
"I'm all right." Aaron pushed up to sitting, though the movement clearly pained him.
She placed a hand at his back. Now that he sat upright, he seemed steadier. "Sit for a minute and see if any damage has been done. Is your leg broken?"
He sent her a scowl. "It's not broken. Stop fussing."
She pulled back. Aaron had never spoken to her like that. The tone sounded too much like Neil’s. In those early days when she'd tried to get close, he'd rebuffed her with nearly those exact words.Stop fussing.So she had.
And now from Aaron. At their core, men really were all the same. Her father. Neil. Even Aaron.
"Katie, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that." Aaron's tone shifted to apologetic, something Neil's and her father's never had.
She made herself look back at him.
He ran both hands through his hair. "I'm sorry. I just hate that I’m so…" He dropped his hands and found her gaze with his. "I want to be strong. Capable." He nodded to where Sarah squirmed under her gown. "You were so brave during the birth. I wasn't that way with my leg. I let pain in those dark days smother me. I thought I'd put all that behind me. Let God make me new, a better man. But sometimes that darkness closes in again. And I just can't…"
His eyes pleaded with her. For understanding? Maybe for a hand to reach in and pull him out of the shadows.
She could do that. She'd been there herself, and not very long ago.
She reached out and gripped his hand in hers. "I understand the darkness. I've come through it too. In fact, Sarah's birth was the first hard thing I've been able to face without slipping into that despair. I think it's because you were there with me. When things were hardest, you made the pain more bearable."
His eyes softened a little. "I was praying so hard the entire time. God gave you the strength you needed." His gaze dropped again to Sarah’s form under her dress. "And a beautiful healthy girl."
His fingers tightened around hers, and his thumb caressed the back of her hand.
