He tried to gentle his voice. "Of course not." He bit back everything else. She didn't need him making her day harder, but he would be watchful and protect his family, no matter what he had to do.
CHAPTER21
Dinah gathered the stained bandage and pushed up from Mr. Chalmers's side. "Rest now. When you're ready, you can eat again." After a day, her patient had regained enough awareness to tell them his name and a few details about his plans, but not much more.
She sent a smile to Jonah, who lay in the bed on the other side of Chalmers. "Can I get you anything?"
He smothered a yawn. "Nah, thanks. It's about time for my mid-morning nap."
"Sweet dreams." She turned to carry the bandage to the work counter.
As she scrubbed the blood out of the cloth, Jericho came in with Lillian and the pup. He'd not gone out with his brothers today, to keep an eye on their visitor, no doubt.
Dinah smiled at Lillian. "The cream has separated from the milk, so we can make butter now. Wash your hands and I'll show you how to scrape it off."
While she worked with Lillian, Jericho climbed up to the loft. After a few minutes of rummaging sounds, he descended the ladder. She needed to talk with him, to break the tension that had hung between them since Mr. Chalmers's arrival yesterday.
He stood in the middle of the room, looking a little lost.
"Would you like that haircut now?"
He turned to her. "I guess. Thanks." His manner still felt...distracted.
She touched Lillian's shoulder. "Just keep shaking that jar."
"Can I take it outside to play with Apple?" She lifted pleading eyes.
Dinah nodded. "As long as you don't stop shaking."
While Lillian scampered outside, she turned to Jericho. "Should we take our work outside? It looks like the sun's out."
He shook his head. "A cold wind's blowing."
She motioned to his chair at the table. "Settle in while I get my tools."
When she returned with scissors and her spare shirtwaist to protect his clothes from loose hair, she glanced at Jonah and Mr. Chalmers. It appeared both were sleeping, though sometimes she wondered if Jonah feigned sleep so he could hear what happened around him. Or maybe to make the time pass. He had to be bored out of his mind, in bed so long.
She placed her comb and scissors on the table beside Jericho. "Later this week, we'll get Jonah up and see if the leg hurts when he doesn't put weight on it. He'll need a pair of walking sticks. Do you think you could find two sturdy branches about the same length he could use?"
"I can find you better. Dat made a pair of walking sticks when he broke his leg right after we finished the cabin. I think they're still in the barn."
She grinned as she placed the extra shirtwaist over his shoulders. "That's perfect." She took a moment to rest her hands on his upper arms, relishing the power there, reminding herself of the feel of him.
His strength rippled beneath her hands as he lifted the sleeve of her old shirt to his nose. He sent her a sideways look, his eye twinkling, still keeping the cloth against his face. "It smells like you. Like fruit and lye soap."
Her smile turned sheepish. "I'm not sure that's good."
He leaned back in his chair, turning toward her more as he reached for her hand. "It's very good."
Too much of her wanted to settle into his lap, wrap her hands around his neck, and kiss him the way she had in the yard. But there were others in the room, and even if both men slept, Naomi could step from the bedroom or Lillian in from the yard at any moment.
So she tightened her grip on his hand and moved behind him, pressing their joined hands against his chest. She stroked her free hand through his hair. "I'd better get to work."
He released her with a grumble, but she could feel the warmth of his body as she trimmed his hair. She worked in silence, doing her best to focus on the task, yet far too aware of his every movement. His every breath. She needed something to distract herself.
She'd planned to use this chance to help him feel better about the situation with their guest. "Mr. Chalmers said he'll be heading back to Fort Benton as soon as he can travel again. He has friends waiting for him there."
Jericho's lashes drifted closed while she worked the scissors around his ear. "The sooner the better."
