Dinah couldn't help peeking through the open front door again as she scrubbed the long wall along the back of the cabin. This was Jericho's first day back out working with the animals, and he might return home early. He would likely be tired, and a little part of her wondered if he would find an excuse to come for another kiss.
They'd not had a second alone since his brothers and nephew rode in with the weaned calves yesterday evening. After the commotion of settling the mournful animals down, it had been time for the evening meal. Then when she'd hoped to sneak out with Jericho for a walk under the wide starry sky, Lillian and Sean begged for everyone to play a round of charades.
Watching all those grown men act out the professions written on cards had been a sight she wouldn’t have wanted to miss. And Jericho had sat near her, though not so close they could touch. They were still careful not to do anything that might arouse the others' suspicions. When should she and Jericho tell them?
She should probably speak with Naomi privately. Her sister had never shown a hint of affection toward Jericho, once they met him and learned of the mistake. But she’d come all the way from Virginia thinking she’d be his bride.
Dinah still hadn't told her about the sapphires either. She and her sister clearly needed a long talk.
She glanced over her shoulder to where Naomi stitched in the chair beside Jonah's bed. Now that she'd finished the clothing for Lillian and Sean, she was spending every spare moment on baby clothing. Perhaps tonight, they could tuck themselves away in the bed chamber for a sleepover like they used to do. The kind where they stayed up late and talked of all the things one doesn't share in passing. Dreams and disappointments. Secrets and secret attractions. Sapphires and kisses.
The sound of hoofbeats outside made her turn, maybe too fast, for the others might realize her eagerness. Jericho had come after all. She tried to keep her step to a walk as she strode to the door.
Naomi was watching her, and even Jonah had awakened from his doze.
She peered outside. Two riders. But they weren't coming from the direction Jericho and the others had ridden out that morning. In the barn, Lillian poked her head through the open door way, and Sampson stepped past her into the sunlight.
One of the riders was definitely native. Something about that fact eased the tension in her chest. She might have had a very different reaction two months ago, before coming to this land and getting to know Two Stones’s family and neighbors.
This man looked familiar but she couldn't...
Two Stones's cousin. The one who'd been with the hunting party she and Jericho met on the wagon ride back from Missoula Mills. The one who'd smiled at the puppy.
Sampson met the men in the yard, and she stepped outside to greet them as well. The other fellow was a white man.
"Who is it, Di?" Naomi's voice followed her out, but Dinah was already several steps from the house, and the men had seen her. Even turning toward her.
Something about the white man looked off. He leaned forward in the saddle, almost sideways. Was he hurt? She scanned both sides of him now that he rode straight toward her. His face was pale, his hair wet like he was sweating.
Two Stones's cousin rode closer, swung to the ground, and grabbed the other man's reins. He turned the horse so she could better see the side the man leaned toward. Her gaze locked on a wad of cloth—maybe a flannel shirt—wrapped around the hand. Blood smeared up his arm.
Dinah's heart kicked into a run and she hurried to his side. "What happened?"
"Bear." The man grunted through his clenched jaw.
He braced his elbow while she unwrapped the cloth. Under the first layer, the blood soaked the flannel. He must have cut an artery.
The man's face was pale as she unrolled more fabric. "Is the bone broken?" That might not be a pleasant thing to bring up, but she needed to know before she peeled off all the fabric that might be supporting it.
He was breathing hard, sweat beading down his face. "I don’t know. Flesh is gone."
Better be careful then. She would prefer to wait and examine the wound inside with her supplies, but she might be able to stop the bleeding here, before they moved him again.
One look at the wound made her belly twist. The bear had ripped through muscle, but she couldn’t determine about the bone. She had to get him inside. At the very least, she would need to stitch these tendons and muscles back together.
She turned to Two Stones's cousin. "Can you help me get him down and inside?" She'd never heard him speak English, so he might not understand.
He moved forward though, and Sampson came to the horse's head. Working together, they lowered the man to the ground, and she supported his wrist while they helped him walk into the cabin.
"I have a blanket on the floor. Or do you want him on the bed?" Naomi stood near the door.
"The floor in here. I need lots of light. And clean water."
They guided the man to the wool cloth her sister had spread near Jonah's bed. This room was becoming a hospital ward.
"Lie down and I'll give you something for the pain before I stitch." As she helped him lower onto the quilt, Naomi brought Dinah's case. Dinah glanced up at her sister. "That box of bandages in the corner of our room too."
Naomi nodded. "Sampson's getting water. Do you want it hot or cold?"
