But she’d done the right thing. He’d been pointing a gun at Lorelei first, then White Horse. He had to be stopped. At that range, he would have killed White Horse.
Juniper’s tender heart would still grieve, though.
Riley touched her sister’s arm, then slid his hand around her back. “Let’s get you inside.”
Lorelei moved to June’s other side. “Yes, let’s go in. We have cool buttermilk now. And so much to tell you.” Hopefully news about the trading post and all the other changes would help distract her sister.
Lorelei sent Riley a smile to tell him they would take good care of Juniper. But either he didn’t understand, or he wasn’t ready to relinquish his bride yet. The two had only been married six months.
The five of them walked toward the house as Faith began to pepper their sister and Riley with questions. “How far did you make it? Why did you turn back so soon? Did you stay at the top of the mountains the entire time, or did you have to ride down into valleys? Did you find enough food to eat along the way? Was there snow on the mountains still? The farthest range we can see from here still has snow. Did you find any sign of Steps Right?”
At that last question, Riley shook his head and shot a glance back at White Horse. “No one had seen or heard of her.” Steps Right was the Peigan woman the four of them had come west to find last year, but instead they’d met White Horse, her son. Steps Right had been sent away from her tribe, and White Horse was convinced she was hiding out somewhere in the mountains. Their search for her hadslowed through the winter as they built the ranch, and then the foals started coming as soon as the weather warmed. There had been a hope Riley and Juniper would meet someone on their journey who’d seen or heard of her.
As they walked, Riley answered a few of Faith’s other questions, though still no word about why they’d set aside their quest so early. This expedition had been a dream of his, and Juniper had been beside herself with excitement about the journey before they left.
Maybe the travel had been harder than they expected. Riley had been concerned about the two of them going on without a larger group of seasoned mountain men. He’d thought perhaps they might find more companions along the way, but that didn’t appear to be the case.
When they entered the cabin, the dimness of the room was a stark contrast to the bright sunshine outside. Juniper didn’t even pause to take in the space but moved toward the line of mattresses they stacked along the far wall during the day. Since it was just the three women who slept in here, they hadn’t bothered to build walls yet. White Horse stayed in his own lodge out beside the barn.
Riley seemed to understand his wife’s intent, for his long strides moved ahead. He picked up the nearest mattress and laid it flat before his wife sank down onto it. He sent an uneasy smile toward the rest of them. “You don’t mind if she rests here for a minute, do you?”
Rosemary moved into action first, striding to Juniper’s side. “Of course not.” As she sank onto the edge of the mattress, her voice gentled. “June, what’s wrong. Are you ill?”
Lorelei glanced at Faith, who looked just as concerned as she felt. Was Juniper’s weakness from more than the eventsoutside? Her belly twisted as this entirely new worry took root.
Juniper motioned for them all to gather around, as though she had an announcement to make. The knot in Lorelei’s middle balled tighter as she and Faith stepped forward to join Rosie, kneeling beside Juniper’s mattress. Riley positioned himself on the other side.
Juniper’s skin had paled even more than before, but a soft smile curved her mouth as she reached for her husband’s hand. Her gaze swung from Rosie to Lorelei, then over to Faith. “We have good news.”
Lorelei tried to breathe out the tension inside her, but couldn’t manage a full exhale. Her sister didn’t look well. How could that be good?
As if to prove that concern true, a flash of panic crossed June’s expression. She clapped her free hand over her mouth and turned, rolling onto her side.
Riley sprang to his feet and leapt toward the kettle sitting on the hearth, the one with the leftover coffee they’d brewed that morning.
As he scooped the container up, sounds from the bed jerked Lorelei’s attention back to Juniper. She twisted so her head hung off the edge, and her body now convulsed.
Helplessness washed through Lorelei as she moved to Juniper’s head. What could she do? Rosie was already sitting there, rubbing Juniper’s back and murmuring quietly.
Riley moved to kneel at her sister’s side, coffee sloshing out of the kettle as he tucked it beneath her face.
She spewed the contents of her belly into the container. Once. Then again. More convulsions racked her shoulders,then a third time she heaved into the kettle. Not nearly as much as before, though.
As Juniper hovered over the dish, Rosemary continued to rub her back, and Riley held the stray wisps of her hair away from her face. Helplessness mixed with fear in Lorelei’s chest. Something must be terribly wrong with Juniper. A cool wet cloth would help, and some water to sip.
As she moved to gather those things, Rosie’s voice sounded from the bed. “What is wrong with her, Riley?” Her tone said she would be delayed no longer.
Lorelei scooped a cup in the clean water, then turned back to the group so she could hear his answer.
Riley still crouched at Juniper’s head, but he turned to look at the three of them. “A baby. We’re going to have a baby.”
A gasp slipped out from Lorelei. Her mind worked to make sense of the words. Juniper was with child? Already? No wonder they’d returned early.
But this sickness ... Their family had known expectant mothers who suffered from nausea, but what Juniper had just experienced was more extreme than usual. She looked near death, especially now that she’d sunk back against the mattress. June worked for a smile, though it trembled.
Lorelei moved around to the side of the bed not quite so occupied and sank down beside her sister. “Would you like a drink of cool water? And here’s a wet rag.”
Juniper’s weak smile turned on her as she took the cup and sat up enough for a small sip.
