Give My Heart to Kaitlyn (2nd in Outlaw Series)

Chapter Twenty-Six

"Pa, you don't look very good," Kaitlyn warned as she took in the pallor of his skin and the sweat on his face. Blood was dripping on the snow beneath him and he seemed to be having trouble drawing a decent breath.

"I'm not feeling very good," he admitted. "I think I might be in need of you and the doc's attention."

Without warning, Marston fell backward into the snow. Rose cried out and dropped to her knees beside him. "Marston, you're gonna be fine," she promised.

Doctor Rankin pull back Marston's coat to reveal the wound low on the right side of his chest. Marston smiled up at Rose. "I came home just like I promised I would."

Rose cried out his name when his eyes slid closed. Doctor Rankin pulled back his eyelids and turned his attention to a panicked Rose. "I think he'll be okay. He's just lost a lot of blood and we need to get that bullet out and close the wound."

Doctor Rankin stood up. "Langley, Jeremiah, help me get him inside. Kaitlyn, get some water heated and go get your bag of supplies."

Kaitlyn nodded and scurried away, her mind racing. Her pa may very well be dying and her husband was still in town. Was he really okay or had her pa merely been telling her what she wanted to hear? Were all those other men truly dead?

There were so many unanswered questions but none of them could be answered until she helped Doctor Rankin make her pa okay.

***

"He's gonna be just fine, mama," Kaitlyn said as she wiped her freshly washed hands on her apron and stepped into the hallway.

Rose stood up off the floor and wiped her pale face with her trembling hand. "Kaitlyn, are you sure?"

Kaitlyn nodded. "I'm sure. His rib stopped the bullet. He's going to be down for a while and he'll have to take it easy. I'm sure he'll be sore and grouchy as a bear but he'll be okay."

Rose's body sagged with relief. "I don't care if he's grouchy. I'll gladly deal with his grouchiness if it means he's alive."

"Where's Lucy?" Kaitlyn asked.

Rose pointed down the hall. "In the den playing cards with Langley and Jeremiah."

Kaitlyn bit the inside of her lip. "Has Pete come back yet?"

"No, not yet sweetheart. Duke said he's fine and Duke wouldn't lie to make us feel better. I need to be getting to your pa now."

Rose walked around Kaitlyn and went into her bedroom, closing the door behind her. She slowly made her way to the bed where Marston was laying. He had a piece of white linen tied around his middle and it contrasted sharply with his tanned skin. He appeared sound asleep so she gently smoothed a lock of brown hair from his brow and kissed his temple.

"You scared me, outlaw," she whispered, her hands trembling as all her fear came rushing back. Rose would not have lived through losing him a second time.

"Sorry, ma'am," Marston's voice was weak and tired but it was music to Rose's ears just the same. "I didn't mean to worry you."

Rose curled up on her side and propped herself on her elbow. "Marston, I thought you were going to die."

He smiled. "I did too there for a minute."

Rose's fingers traced his jaw. "How did you get shot?"

"Somebody pulled the trigger on a gun and I just happened to be at the other end of the barrel." Marston wasn't about to tell her that he had taken that bullet to save Pete. All that confession would lead to was hugs and thank-you's and talk about him being a good person. It would be sure to have his head pounding and his stomach churning.