Chapter Seven
Ellie pulled on the simple, floral patterned, yellow cotton dress and smiled. It was short sleeved and ankle length. It was tight up top and flared at the waist. It was just like the dresses her mama had always worn. She looked in the mirror and sighed. Would it hurt to be Ellie Thompson for the next few days that she was here? Sure she would still have to say her name was Alice Bradshaw but the temptation to be able to act like herself was too strong.
Would Jacob like the real Ellie? Or was he another man that was only impressed with the prim and proper, fancy dress and corset wearing lady? She pulled the bun from her hair and used her fingers to comb out the tangles. Her hair hung nearly to her hips when it was let down. She used a couple of pins, just to hold it away from her face.
She felt foolish for passing out the way she had. She should have realized those dresses would be too hot for walking around in this heat but all she'd been thinking about was the image she wanted to portray. She walked back out into the sitting room to find Jacob sitting in an armchair with his face in his hands and Brody leaned against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest.
"Has the doctor said anything about her?" she asked. Brody shook his head and his eyes burned holes through the still closed door. Jacob jumped to his feet at the sound of her voice and he found that he had forgotten how to speak.
Perfect. She was perfect. Gone was the fancy dress and the ridiculous bun in her hair. The soft cotton of her dress hugged her upper body and revealed the curves of her breasts. Her hair was black as night and hanging to her waist, shining like silk when the sunlight struck it through the windows.
He chose to forget about the glasses in his pocket. He would worry about that later. Right now he was worried and scared to death for his sister and just wanted Alice's comfort, "Not yet," Jacob said, his voice full of the worry that was showing in his eyes.
Ellie stepped closer to him and laid her hand on his bare forearm. She felt the hard muscles of his forearm tense beneath her fingers, "Is there anything I can do?" she asked gently.
Brody's eyes narrowed. She was speaking differently then she had just yesterday. She sounded less sickly sweet, nails on a chalkboard and more like a normal woman. Maybe Jacob was right and she had been putting on an act to impress all of them. If that was the case then Brody was damn glad she finally decided to drop it.
"Just seeing you makes all the difference, Miss Bradshaw." Jacob replied as he covered her hand with his.
Brody rolled his eyes, grumbled something under his breath and walked outside, "Call me..... Alice," Ellie said and she bit her lip and looked away from him and the way his green eyes were burning into hers. Why was lying to him so hard? She had never found it hard to lie to anyone before.
She pulled her hand away from his arm and Jacob looked down to see if her hand had left a visible mark on his skin since it felt as if she had branded him with her touch, "Then you call me Jacob." he replied, clearing his throat when he realized how gruff his voice sounded. He cursed his nerves as his palms again began to sweat.
He would be willing to bet that Brody had never once been nervous around any woman. As a matter of fact Brody had probably just grabbed Liz and taken what he had wanted without worrying for a single second about what she would think.
"Do you want me to go in and check on your sister, Jacob?" Ellie asked. "I might be able to help the doctor."
Before Jacob could reply they heard yelling coming from outside, "Damn you, woman! How many times have I told you it ain't safe to be coming into town by yourself?!" Brody's angry voice demanded.
"Damn you, man! How many times have I told you not to tell me what to do?!" Elizabeth's voice replied, sounding annoyed. "Besides I'm not alone. Susie and the babies are with me."
"That just makes it worse!" Brody exclaimed.
"What were you thinking, Brody Atkinson? Leaving Susie scared to death and alone at that house?" Elizabeth demanded as she came into doctor's house with Lexi held against her chest. Susie was following behind her and Brody was bringing up the rear with Bryant in his arms.
Brody looked as if he had just been thoroughly put in his place, "I was just thinking about getting Sally here. I wasn't thinking about nothing else."
Elizabeth turned and put her hand on her husband's rough cheek, "I know. I'm sorry I got angry and I'm sorry that I came to town alone. But I have my revolver."
Brody's eyes softened, just a bit, as he looked down at her. Ellie suddenly felt awkward as she watched them. They clearly were only seeing each other right now.
"I done lost you once, cowgirl." Brody whispered, "I don't like the thought of losing you again."
Elizabeth pressed a gentle kiss to his mouth in response and then turned her attention to everyone else in the room. She smiled with triumph when she saw how closely Alice and Jacob were standing, "Has the doctor said anything yet?" she asked.
"She's going to be alright." Doctor Montgomery replied, stepping into the room. "She's still asleep but she did wake up momentarily after I set her leg. She's going to be in a lot of pain but I don't want to give her much morphine or laudanum."
"Her leg?" Elizabeth asked.
Doctor Montgomery wiped his brow, "Broken. I'd like her to stay here for the night so I can keep an eye on that head but she should be able to go home tomorrow. She's going to be stuck in the bed or chair for awhile until that leg heals."
"Thank you, Doctor," Jacob said.
Brody growled and kissed his sons dark hair, "If I had shown up just two minutes sooner, I could have stopped her."
"Don't blame yourself, Brody. Sally knew it was dangerous. We all warned her. She just doesn't listen," Jacob assured his brother as he laid a gentle hand on the small of Ellie's back.
She stiffened at first at the intimacy of the contact but then she found herself leaning into his hand and enjoying the warmth it provided... Warmth, hell, she was surprised she didn't melt to a puddle right there where she stood.
"I'm going to go check on her and then I'm going to get the supplies and Alice back to the house," Jacob stated. Elizabeth smiled at hearing Jacob used Alice's first name.
Ellie followed Jacob into the room and she stood in the corner while he went to the edge of the bed, "You are one stubborn girl, Sally Atkinson," he said and he bent and kissed her bandaged head.
He smoothed his hand over her blond hair and then turned, "Come on, I'll get you back to the house."
Ellie could see worry and concern etched into his face and all she wanted to do was ease his mind. She went to him and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tight. She felt his arms close around her waist and then she felt his lips press against her hair. She'd never been kissed this way before, never been shown this kind of affection. She felt her heart break a little more.
Damn that Otis Black.
***
"Dammit, where is that fool girl?!" Thomas demanded as he burst into Doctor Montgomery's home later that evening.
Brody had had to leave to go settle a dispute over grazing land outside of town. Susie had taken the babies and gone home with Jacob. Elizabeth was sitting beside Sally's bed waiting on Brody to get back and take her home.
"She's in here, Thomas." Elizabeth said standing up. His boots stomped across the floor and when he came into the room his gray eyes instantly went to Sally, sound asleep on the bed., "She hasn't woke up since the doc finished patching her up," Elizabeth added.
Thomas nodded, "Brody is down at the jail. He said for me to send you down there and he'd take you home."
Elizabeth nodded as she stood up, "Are you coming?"
Thomas shook his head, never taking his eyes off of the bed, "I'll be along later."
Elizabeth felt bad about leaving Sally alone here for the night but Doctor Montgomery had made it clear that overnight guests weren't allowed and Elizabeth had to get home to her babies before they got hungry. She gave Thomas a hug and then left.
Thomas could hear Doctor Montgomery walking upstairs and he moved to Sally's beside and sat down in the chair that Elizabeth had just gotten out of. He looked down at Sally. Her head was bandaged, her skin was pale and there was a bruise on her cheek.
"Wake up now," he urged.
Her eyelids fluttered open and her blue eyes filled with tears when she saw him, "It hurts," she whispered brokenly.
Thomas nodded as he felt his throat tighten with emotion, "That's what happens when you don't listen and do what you're told," he scolded. She frowned and turned her head so she could look at the wall. Thomas hated how pale and weak she looked. He was used to Sally being full of fire and spirit.
"Where's the horse?" she asked.
"Dead. Brody killed him."
"He shouldn't have done that!" Sally exclaimed. "It's my fault! It's all my fault! That was a good horse!"
"I don't think anybody's worried about the horse," Thomas replied gently. "They're more worried about you."
Sally turned to look at him, "What about you? Were you worried about me?" she asked softly.
Thomas took a deep breath, swallowed hard and then stood up, "I gotta go, Sally." Nothing he was feeling was right. He was nineteen. She was thirteen. Hell, she was just a kid! He shouldn't want to kiss her or hold her tight and comfort her. Her blue eyes filled with hurt.
"Where the hell you going?" she demanded.
"You shouldn't cuss, Sally. It ain't proper."
"Shut up, Thomas. You don't care." she said turning her eyes away from him again.
Thomas sighed, "I do care. I care too much."
Sally didn't understand what he meant and so she continued to stubbornly stare at the wall. Thomas reached out and pushed a stray strand of hair from her face and then took a step back, "I just wanted to check on you, Sally. Go back to sleep. You'll need it to put up with the lecture you're sure to get from both Brody and Jacob tomorrow. Hell Liz might throw one in there too."
"I'll see you tomorrow, Thomas," Sally said.
"Yeah sure," Thomas replied and then he quickly left the doctor's home. He flopped himself down on a bench and put his face in his hands.
What kind of messed up man was he? Falling in love with a kid? He had tried to tell himself it wasn't love but seeing her in that bed took away all doubts. He had felt his heart break at the sight of her so weak and vulnerable. When her eyes had filled with tears and she had told him she was in pain he had wanted nothing more then to scoop her up into his arms and rock her gently until she fell back to sleep safe and warm in his arms.
He stood up and knew what he had to do. He had to leave the ranch and the town. He couldn't hide the way he felt about Sally anymore, even though he knew it was wrong and he knew that if Brody or Jacob caught wind of how he felt he would probably die a very slow and painful death. He'd go to the ranch, pack up his stuff and leave out at first light. He'd travel the country, see everything there was to see and he was sure that eventually he'd forget about whatever sick love he had for Sally.
***
Jacob and Ellie barely spoke the rest of the day. Ellie was busy helping Susie cook and clean and trying to keep the young girl calm and occupied so she wouldn't worry so much about her sister and Jacob had gone out in the fields. Ellie was about to make her way to bed that night after she and Susie got done cleaning up from dinner when Jacob walked into the kitchen.
"Alice," he called. "Alice?" he repeated when she didn't turn right away.
Ellie mentally kicked herself for not remembering that she was Alice. She turned to him, "Sorry, I was lost in another day dream," she apologized as she dried her hands on a rag and looked up at him.
"Good day dreams?" he asked.
She blushed when she remembered just how good the daydreams had been, "I think so," she replied.
Jacob reached in his pocket and Ellie's eyes widened when he held up her glasses, "You forgot these at the doctors."
Ellie reached out with a trembling hand and took them from him, not bothering to put them on before sticking them in her pocket, "Thank you." She looked up into his green eyes and saw the concern in them, "Is there anything you want to tell me?" he asked.
She shook her head quickly. Too quickly, "No of course not," she said. "I don't need the glasses all the time. Mostly just to read."
Jacob nodded, seeming to take her answer for what it was, "I'm glad that you're here, Alice. Sally is hard to deal with when she's in perfect health. I can only imagine how hard it will be deal with her injured."
"I'm just thankful that she wasn't hurt worse," Ellie replied, smoothing out the skirt of her cotton dress.
She didn't bother telling him that she wouldn't be staying much longer. Just the thought of leaving made a dull ache form in her chest and caused her stomach to grow sick. She didn't want to leave Jacob. She was sure that they could have something special. Or at least they could have if she hadn't come here posing as someone else.
"Yes, it could have been much worse. Thank God that Brody showed up when he did." Jacob saw the paleness on her face and mistook it for fatigue, "I'll let you get to bed, Alice. I'll see you tomorrow."
He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, that nearly made her legs buckle beneath her and then he walked away. Ellie turned and grabbed the back of the chair. She gripped it tightly until her knuckles were white and her fingers were aching. She wished for the millionth time that things were different. That she wasn't tied to Otis through her sister. But if she turned her back on Otis now he would quit paying for Liza's schooling, and worse, he would go after her. Of that Ellie had no doubts.