A Love of Her Own (26 page)

She nodded. It seemed everyone knew her brother, but she wasn’t surprised. People liked Josh’s easygoing, good nature.

“I’m Ben Wilson, the sheriff here. Can we go sit down and talk about what happened?”

“I need to see about the horses—”

“No need to worry, ma’am. One of my men drove the stage on over to the depot. They’ll help Billy see to that.”

“Okay then.” She turned to Lenora. “Will you be all right for a few minutes?”

Lenora waved her off. “You go ahead and tell him everything. I’m not moving from this spot until Mark comes through that door with news of my husband,” she said, her voice faltering.

By the time April had given a statement to the sheriff, Mark had emerged from the operating room and closed the door behind him. Lenora popped out of her seat to meet him. “Dr. Mark—”

Mark reached out and touched her shoulder. “He’s lost a lot of blood, but he’ll pull through. The bullet just missed his heart. Morgan’s tough and he’ll bounce back, but I sure am glad you’re here to nurse him, Lenora.” Mark paused. “I’m sorry about Leon. He was a good man.”

Lenora grabbed his hands in hers and held them in gratitude. “Thank you! When will I be able to take him home?” Her eyes were shining with tears.

“Let’s leave him here a few days. He’s over the worst of it. We just need to make sure no infection follows.” Mark ran his hand through his dark hair and added, “You can come tomorrow and check on him. I have a nurse now, Beth Reed. She’ll be here with him when I can’t be.”

“I can’t leave him tonight, Doc.”

April touched her on the arm. “Lenora, we both need to get some sleep and rest. I know Beth, and she’ll give him good care until you arrive in the morning.”

“She’s right, you know,” Mark said. “You won’t be much help to him if you’re exhausted.”

Eventually the two of them talked Lenora into going to Morgan’s apartment over the depot. “May I see him before I go for just a few minutes?” Lenora asked.

“By all means,” Mark answered, then moved aside to let her pass. Once she was behind the closed door, Mark looked over at April, his voice tender. “That had to be a terrifying time for you. I’m sorry you had to deal with all of it.”

She smiled at him, still feeling a little shaky. “I’m just thankful I could handle those horses. I was only going for the ride out of sheer boredom, you know. But now I’m glad I did. I’m not crazy about staring down the barrel of a gun,” she said with a nervous giggle. “I’m more at home at the other end of the barrel.”

“Well, I’m proud of how you handled it, and I’m sure Morgan will be too.”

Mark’s praise warmed her heart. It felt good to finally do something worthwhile, but never had April expected to save someone’s life.

Lenora emerged with sagging shoulders but managed a weak smile after having seen her husband. “You’ll come and get me if there is any change at all?”

Mark smiled at her. “You know I will. Try to get some sleep. I promise I’ll be right here and I won’t leave him.”

“God bless you. I’ll be here bright and early,” Lenora assured him, looking worn out. She allowed April to steer her to the front door.

When April walked through the door of the boardinghouse, the word had already spread about the stagecoach robbery. Miss Margaret was pacing the hardwoods, tapping her cane and waiting for April to arrive.

“Thank God you’re all right!” Miss Margaret rushed toward her. “If my hair wasn’t already white, it certainly would be turning now!” Miss Margaret continued to cluck like an old hen. “I never should have let you go on that trip, not that I have any power over what you do.”

April was too tired and frazzled to even laugh at her comment. “I’m all right now that it’s all over with, though I left Billy with a heartache at the depot. He’d taken to Leon immediately when he first arrived in Lewistown, and poor Leon . . . he . . . I just don’t want to think about it now, Miss Margaret. It’s just too sad . . .” April’s voice trailed off.

Louise and Natalie came hurrying downstairs, already dressed for bed in their robes. April almost laughed when she saw the white cream on their faces. “April, we heard what happened. You look a fright!” Natalie said.

“You would too if you’d just driven a team of horses with an injured man all day and into the night,” Louise admonished her sister. “How do you think we must look with our faces covered in thick cream?”

“Well . . . thanks for the compliment, I think,” April said. “But if you don’t mind, I really must go to bed now.”

Miss Margaret stopped her. “I’ve kept a plate warm for you on the stove. Don’t you want something to eat?”

April looked at the older lady, patting the hand that rested on her cane. “I really couldn’t eat a thing right now . . . You understand, don’t you?” Without waiting for a response, she wearily climbed the stairs, grateful for her own room and somewhere to lay her head. April pulled her boots off but didn’t even bother to remove her clothes. She dropped onto the bed facedown and let her aching muscles slump in exhaustion. Right before she closed her eyes, she wondered what Morgan could have possibly done with the money.

Margaret prepared a tray with hot tea and toast with a bowl of oatmeal and placed the tray on the dumbwaiter. Her daughters were busy attending to chores. Louise was at the market for tonight’s supper, and Natalie was cleaning the Wingates’ room. May had taken Willard out for a visit with their daughter and grandchildren.

Margaret carefully climbed the stairs to the end of the hallway where she unloaded the tray onto a cart Louise had left there. She almost hated to knock on April’s door. The poor dear had been through so much. Certainly life had been an adventure for her since arriving in Montana. Margaret had promised Josh she’d watch over April until Josh returned, and she intended to keep her promise as best she could.

Margaret knocked softly, and April answered the door, looking less enthusiastic than the person Margaret had come to know. April’s eyes were swollen—from crying or lack of sleep, Margaret wasn’t sure. “Good morning, April. I’ve brought a little nourishment for you.” April murmured hello, then waved her arm for her to enter.

“Are you feeling rested? As if I even need to ask. One look at you and I know the answer.” April was still dressed in her dirty jeans and shirt, and Margaret made a clicking sound and shook her head. “Have a seat over there next to the dressing table.” Margaret rolled the tea cart next to it, lifted the teapot cozy, and began pouring the steaming brew into a china cup.

April watched and accepted the cup of tea. “Miss Margaret . . . why do you treat me so well? I’m certainly not worth all your attention.”

Margaret lifted her eyes from the tray and looked at April. “Oh, but you are, my dear. Everyone has value and worth. Just look at what you did. If you hadn’t been along on that route yesterday, we may have lost Leon
and
Morgan. And you drove that stage safely to Lewistown.”

“I don’t know . . . I only did what anyone would have done.” April sipped her tea.

Margaret adjusted the spectacles on her face before responding. “I don’t believe that for one moment. You kept your head and were able to think clearly about what to do, and you gave support to Lenora. I think that was God-ordained.”

“Mmm . . . don’t count on that, Miss Margaret. I still didn’t return with the strongbox full of money, only the mail. So I’m afraid that I’m still going to be beholden to you awhile longer. I’ll understand if you want me to look for another place to stay.” She reached for the toast and took a small bite.

“You’ll do no such thing. I thought the sheriff said no one made off with the money?”

“That’s true. They didn’t, but I don’t know what became of it. I guess we’ll have to wait until Morgan wakes up and tells us.”

“Then that’s what we’ll do.” Margaret reassured April with a quick hug. “I wanted to personally thank you for giving Louise just the right push that she needed with her appearance. She would never listen to her mama. Since you took her in hand, Louise has a bounce in her step and a smile most of the time now. I wish I knew if the kind doctor was really interested in her.” Margaret knew she couldn’t interfere, but she wanted to see her daughters happy before she died.

April shrugged. “Time will tell. We mustn’t let her run after him. He has to see what he’s missing.”

“Spoken like someone who’s had some experience with love.” Margaret’s interest piqued, but she simply opened the curtains and pretended to look out at the street below.

“Only a little, yet enough to know that I forced my love on someone who had a hard time saying no, but he loved another,” April blurted out.

Margaret jerked around to look at April, beginning now to understand what made April tick. “April, I’m so sorry.”

April tossed her hair. “Don’t be. I’m finally over him now, but I won’t be letting that happen again.”

Margaret watched as April added sugar to the oatmeal and poured cream over the mixture. Changing the subject, she asked, “How did the riding lesson go with Jane?”

“Ha! It was really something, I’ll tell you. I’ve not had much experience with children, but she can be a little conniving.”

“I thought as much. I believe Cynthia needs to be firmer with her. Tell me about Wes. Was he good with her?”

April squirmed in her chair. “To a fault he was. He was very tender and encouraging with her, and she caught on quickly.”

“Were you able to get to know Wes a little better?” Margaret watched April’s face for clues, but she stared down at her bowl of oatmeal.

“You might say that . . . but I hardly think we’re a match just because we share a common love of horses. I already told you my father would never approve.” April stirred the oatmeal before scooping a spoonful to her mouth. “This is so good.”

Margaret wouldn’t be deterred. “You’re very lovely, April, and I know he’s attracted to you. So what did he say to you? That he wanted to court you?”

April smacked her lips, then blotted them with a napkin. “He did more than that—he kissed me!”

Margaret pretended shock before suppressing a smile. She poured another cup of tea for April. “Did you like his kiss?”

“Miss Margaret, do you
really
think you should be asking me that?”

Margaret smiled and said, “Probably not, but I’m an old lady with nothing else to be concerned about except other people’s welfare. And Wes and you, my dear April, are at the top of my list.”

April gave her a funny look. “I suggest you take me
off
your list. I couldn’t care one whit what you do about Wes. He hasn’t two pennies to rub together and lives in a run-down ranch on a few meager acres.”

Margaret looked at her sharply. “May I remind you that you don’t have two pennies to rub together either?” she said, poking April gently in the side with her cane. “If it wasn’t for the kindness of Wes, you wouldn’t have even had a clean dress to wear.”

April blushed to the roots of her blonde head. “If it wasn’t for Wes, I wouldn’t have lost my boots and belt to a spoiled child either. My situation is temporary and you know it,” she snapped back.

Margaret walked to the door and opened it. “Forgive me if I was a bit too inquisitive. I’ll leave you to finish your breakfast now. But everything in this world is temporary, April. Try to remember that.”