Page 34 of Scarlett

Whatever happened to his wife had upset her greatly and he didn’t like that someone had hurt her to the point of sobbing. Once they sat down to supper, he’d demand she tell him. Whoever hurt her would hear from him.

Once they settled at the table. Emmett was not able to eat much. He did so because she’d gone to the trouble of cooking despite her obvious despair.

Unlike him, Scarlett pushed food from one side of the plate to the other. She wasn’t a big eater, but today she didn’t eat at all. Emmett studied her and noted she’d lost weight since coming to Laurel. How had he not noticed before?

“Are you ill?” He put his fork down. “I’d like to examine you. You’ve lost weight.”

Her composed expression was irritating. “Not at all. I’m perfectly fine. I must admit to not being particularly fond of my cooking.”

“Why were you crying?”

She started, her eyes meeting his and for a couple beats, her façade slipped and she blinked to keep tears at bay. “It’s nothing of importance. I didn’t mean for you to see it.”

“Stop it,” he gritted out the words barely able to keep from taking her hand to make his point. “What happened to you today?”

Scarlett swallowed visibly. “It’s silly. I fell, it hurt. I feel childish about being so upset about something so superficial. I suppose...it was embarrassing more than anything.”

No one had mentioned her falling. It was then he noticed a scrape on the knuckles of her left hand. He took her hands and turned them over. Both palms were scratched. Nothing too deep, but it had to have smarted.

“Any other scrapes?”

“No my skirts kept my knees from it.” She pulled her hands free of his hold. “Like I said, I was embarrassed more than anything.”

It was obvious there was something more she didn’t share. However, he wasn’t sure how to get her to open up.

“I fell down once,” he started. “I was walking out of the mercantile with parcels. George Walker came out behind me holding an item I’d left behind. When I turned, I tripped over my own feet and fell onto the road. All the bundles went everywhere. It was quite awkward.”

Scarlett remained quiet, for a bit, as if she wasn’t sure how to respond. “I fell walking out of the seamstress shop. Sheriff Blake helped me up and walked me here. I went to the back of the house and sat in the garden.”

Garden? “I must have missed you there. I went to search for you.”

She let out a long sigh. “I saw you rinsing clothes. When you left, I waited a bit to start supper since I was unsure when you’d return.”

They had no communication. Emmett wanted to ask why she’d not said anything upon seeing him earlier. Of course she had no way of knowing about the injured man at the clinic since he’d made it clear he preferred she not come there.

When she remained stoic, like a child hoping to be excused, he pushed his plate away. “Thank you for supper. It was delicious.”

Scarlett promptly stood, picked up the plates and rushed back to the kitchen. She’d barely eaten anything.

The next dayat the clinic, it was quiet. The patient’s family came for him and taken home. Emmett ran out of things to do after straightening up. He walked out the front of the clinic, considering if perhaps he should take Scarlett for a ride. Since arriving she’d not left town and not seen the surrounding areas.

Although several people had visited, not once had he taken her anywhere. Admittedly, she’d not asked and seemed to not like his company.

Just then the sheriff headed toward the clinic. The tall man stopped to speak to someone and then laughed at whatever they said. Colton Blake was likeable and well respected by the town’s people.

“How are you today Doc?” The sheriff pushed his hat back. “Too warm to almost be autumn wouldn’t you say?”

They exchanged small talk interrupted once by a young boy racing by and tripping. The kid jumped up and raced away.

His brother, Evan, rode up on horseback, a wide smile on his face. “I got away for the day,” he announced. “Needed to ride for a bit. Been cooped up too many days in a row.”

When he dismounted, Evan and Blake shook hands, both smiling widely. “Good to see you sheriff. Miss our daily chats. Glad you’re continuing the tradition with Emmett.”

“Not so much so,” Blake said with a chuckle. “Doc’s not much for conversation.”

“Don’t know if it’s me, but people seem to be awkward or fall when I’m around,” Blake said with a chuckle. “I hope your wife is not suffering from her fall yesterday. She was quiet upset about it.”

“She’s fine. Other than a couple scrapes on her hands.”