Page 81 of A Whiskey River Princess

At that moment, Dirk understood. “Doc, I don’t envy you your job.”

“And I don’t envy you yours.”

“Will she live?” Dirk asked as he watched her sleep.

Micah nodded. “Yes, thanks to you.”

“I wouldn’t say that.” Then he looked in Micah’s eyes. “You should have seen her, Doc. She was amazing.”

Micah smiled as he raised an eyebrow. “A woman like her only comes along once in a lifetime.”

Dirk nodded as a smile lit his lips, knowing that he was right.

Chapter 20

Gabriella

Gabriella waited by the carriage that Manfred Carlo had rented, bound for Laramie. She didn’t remember it, but after Dirk had cauterized her shoulder, Doc Morgan had insisted they take her to his clinic in town so he could keep an eye on her.

She woke up the next morning in Doc’s small hospital, aching and sore, wondering where Dirk was. Doc Morgan had given her morphine for the pain every few hours, making her so groggy that she couldn’t stay awake. Members of the town had come to visit her, but never stayed too long.

Dirk had come to visit, too. The first few visits, she was barely coherent, unable to carry on a decent conversation.

Then one morning she woke, and Manfred Carlo was there to take her back home. Gabriella didn’t know how he had found her, but found her he had. He didn’t say much, but she didn’t want to argue with him, either.

After he was apprehended, Harley was taken to Laramie to stand trial. When she asked, Daxton had told her that it wasn’t necessary that she stay for the trial. Millie had agreed to testify to the kidnapping, and Doc Morgan had agreed to testify to the attempted murder. Sheriff Clark said that he would probably be hanged and would join his brothers and father soon, bringing an end to the Dougherty Boys.

Gabriella hated the thought of anyone hanging, especially over her.

Over the course of the few days that it had taken for Manfred to find her, she never had another moment alone with Dirk. She never had the chance to tell him who she was—not that it mattered now as she waited by the carriage in front of the general store in Whiskey River, dressed in a white dress, short coat, and muff in just her size that Manfred had bought from Kenzie. When Kenzie came to visit her in the makeshift hospital, she had told her that she had designed it especially for her.

Gabriella had made such good friends while she had been there in Whiskey River that she hated to leave. But as she stood by the carriage that Manfred had rented waiting in front of the general store, there was only one person that she wanted to see… and he was nowhere to be found.

“Are you ready?” Manfred asked, extending his hand to help her into the coach.

Gabriella’s heart sank as she looked around one last time, hoping that Dirk would come to say goodbye, at least, but she guessed that maybe it was probably just too much for him.

“Be sure to write,” Kenzie cooed behind her. Gabriella turned around, happy to see her. Kenzie pulled her in for a hug, careful of her shoulder.

Gabriella nodded, her voice filled with emotion. “You write, too.”

“I will,” Kenzie replied, taking a step back. “Have a safe trip.”

Gabriella smiled. “Well, at least it finally stopped snowing.”

Kenzie giggled. “It’s been snowing for the last month. I thought it’d never stop.”

“Daxton said that the pass just opened up.” Gabriella let out a deep breath. “It’s hard to believe that it’s only been a month since I arrived. So much has happened that it seems more like a lifetime.”

Gabriella took Manfred’s hand, and was about to step inside when a yell stopped her.

“Stop! Don’t go!”

Gabriella’s heart leaped in her chest when she saw Dirk running toward her.

He stopped in front of her, breathless. “Gabby, please don’t go,” he blurted out, trying to catch his breath. “I know that I don’t know much about you, but I don’t care. I know what’s important.”

On the porch, Mrs. Carson elbowed her husband as she looked at a copy ofThe New York Times,and then held it up to show him. His eyes grew wide, and they both looked over at Gabriella.

---