Pain had etched deep lines at the corners of Jonah’s eyes and shadows beneath them. “What would you do if you were me?”
"I'll do my best to make sure I get everything out. There's a chance the wound’ll fester, but there's more of a chance of thatif’n we leave the bullet in. And that’s prob’ly what’s painin’ the most. The hardest part is the hurt while I’m workin’."
The weight on Naomi’s chest made it hard to breathe. This was Jonah’s choice, but letting a mountain man dig a bullet out of his shoulder? New tears pressed at just the thought of how horrible that would feel. Would he use his hunting knife? Dinah was always so meticulous about keeping her doctoring tools clean.
“Mr., ah…Silas?” When he turned to her, she pressed on. “Have you dug a bullet from flesh before? How would you do it?”
He dipped his chin in a nod. “Yes’m. Probably half a dozen times, though only once in the shoulder. I’ve a kit I picked up in Benton from a gunsmith. Use it to keep my Hawkins in good order, but it’s got the right little tools I need fer this kinda work.”
At least he wouldn’t be digging with the tip of his bloodied knife. He did seem to have experience. She turned to Jonah, who was watching her with pain-clouded eyes. That pain would be much worse while Silas worked, but then maybe he could start healing. She did her best fill her gaze with encouragement. “Seems that’d be the best decision.”
He turned back to Silas. “Get it done.”
CHAPTER 25
Eric stood at the edge of camp, watching the group settle in for the night. They’d built a second campfire so everyone could stay warm, and it heated his frontside. He should move closer. He should join them.
But too much unrest still coiled in his body to bed down.
Jonah’s surgery had been awful.
Silas had sent the women to tend the horses while Eric and Two Stones held Jonah down. Coulter took the pain like a man, no doubt about it, keeping his jaw locked tight, though his face turned white and sweat trickled down his skin. There near the end, Silas must have pressed on a nerve, for Jonah bellowed, then passed out from the pain.
Small mercy, that.
Poor fellow. He came to as Silas was wrapping the shoulder with the extra shirt they’d found in Jonah’s saddle pack. Now, he lay bundled in his bedroll between the fires, sleeping once more.
At least the worst was behind him.Let that be so, Lord.
No matter how strong Eric wanted to be, seeing all this pain ate at him. He stared into the fire as Naomi’s confessionreplayed. Once they had Harvey tied to a tree with a rifle aimed at him, he’d admitted to interfering with the letters and telegrams. He’d even come all this way and lied about Eric’s father’s illness, just to get Eric to come back with him. His plan had been shrewd, even paying off a clerk in the telegraph office back home to respond to Eric’s wire with more of the same falsehood. Of course, he’d not accounted for the river freezing and the treacherous conditions involved in a journey overland.
Could it really all have been about jealousy? Separating him and Naomi, inflicting such pain on her, then coming all this way to the Montana Territory just to tear them apart again? Only a madman could develop such a hatred he’d be willing to tear apart lives, including his own.
Naomi had been the one to suffer the most. Even now, he wanted to stride over to where his cousin sat tied to a tree and pummel him into unconsciousness.
That wouldn’t help Naomi though.Help me, God. Help me be the man she needs me to be. And show me what that is.
As though he’d called her with his thoughts, Naomi stood from where she’d been rummaging through her pack and came toward him. Weariness lined her eyes, pressing another weight over his spirit. She looked like she might appreciate comfort. He would give all he had to offer.
When he opened his arms, she stepped into them, leaning on him as though her legs couldn’t bear the weight any longer. He soaked in the warmth of her, the softness, the rich scent of her hair. The feeling of home that always eased through him with Naomi in his arms.
He let his cheek rest on her head, breathing deeply to fully experience this moment. He would do anything for thousands more like it. Naomi and Mary Ellen were the best part of him. He’d thought he knew that before, but after the threat of losing Naomi, of knowing how deeply his own cousin had hurt her, he could see things so much more clearly. If Naomiwanted to stay in the mountains, he’d make his life there too. His father would have to understand. Wasn’t there a verse in Scripture that talked about how a man should leave his father and mother and be united with his wife?
More than anything, Eric wanted to be united with this woman, their lives woven together with God as their center. A three-strand cord that could never be broken.
In his arms, Naomi inhaled deeply, which was followed by a shuddering exhale. Was she crying, or simply letting out pent-up tension?
He stroked her back with his fingertips. He needed to bring up what Harvey did and apologize for his own blindness. They hadn’t had a chance to talk since she told him, and the last thing he wanted was for this to become an invisible boulder between them, something they never spoke of.
"Naomi." He kept his voice just loud enough that only she could hear him. “I’m sorry. So sorry for what my cousin did. For all you’ve had to endure.” His voice broke, but he pressed on. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there when you needed me. I’m sorry we’ve missed out on our life together. And I’m sorry I didn’t believe you when you told me Harvey was the one intercepting our letters.”
Did he feel her tremble? He tucked her a little closer, pressing his warmth around her. Wrapping her in his love. “You’re my love. My heart. And it tears me up that I wasn’t there to protect you.”
Her shoulders lifted as she took in another deep breath, and he eased his hold a little so she had room to breathe. But she burrowed deeper in his arms. Maybe air wasn’t as important as comfort right now.
Heal her wounds, Lord. Give her the comfort of the Spirit that Jesus promised.He kept up a steady litany of prayers as he held her.
When finally Naomi spoke, her voice was a whisper barelyaudible above the crackling of the fire and the distant sounds of the night settling around them. “I’ve forgiven Harvey.” She sniffed, giving him a moment to take in her words.
