Page 297 of Conveniently Wed
Aundy pointed to a bag sitting next to the broken trunk.
Nora took out the hairbrush and a length of black ribbon. “Come sit here and I’ll brush it for you.”
Aundy quietly sat in the chair Nora indicated while the woman brushed her long hair. Although not curly, it wasn’t exactly straight either, and most often took on a life of its own. Nora brushed until she was satisfied with her efforts then pulled it back and tied a ribbon at Aundy’s nape to hold the hair out of her face. Enjoying Nora’s efforts at pampering her, Aundy couldn’t think of the last time someone brushed her hair. It was probably Ilsa back before their parents died.
“Your hair is lovely, honey. So long and thick, and such a pretty color.”
“Thank you, ma’am. I appreciate you helping me.” Aundy rose to her feet and dug in a trunk for a pair of slippers. She slipped them on, instantly warming her cold toes. “May I sit with Erik, please?”
“Certainly,” Nora said, smiling at Aundy and patting the girl’s cheek. Traveling across the country to marry a man she’d never met had to be frightening. To have the horses spook and wreck the wagon before they even got home from the wedding must be terrifying. She was very impressed with Erik’s bride. Although her arm had to ache, she hadn’t uttered a single word of complaint.
Together, they walked down the hall to the front room. Aundy looked up when Garrett opened the front door.
“Ma, I thought…” Garrett lost his ability to focus as he noticed Aundy, clean and fresh, with her blonde hair hanging in golden streamers down her back.
“You thought what, son?”
“Um… I… we might need a couple of sticks for a splint for Mrs. Erickson’s arm.” Garrett handed Nora two thin but sturdy sticks, recalling why he’d come to the house. He hadn’t counted on Erik’s bride being so young, tall, or attractive. Garrett gave himself a mental shake and reminded himself the woman just married one of his very good friends.
“I was hoping to wait until the doctor arrives, but maybe we should go ahead and set it,” Nora said, eyeing Aundy’s arm.
“I can wait.” Aundy wasn’t anxious to have anything done to her arm. She’d seen plenty of accidents at the factory. It was going to hurt like everything to pull her arm back into place if that was, in fact, what needed to happen.
Still carrying the sticks, Nora led the way to Erik’s bedroom where he rested, pale and unmoving, on the bed.
Aundy stood at the door, listening to his labored breathing. His chest rattled with every effort he made to draw in air. Although a blanket covered him to his waist, she could see Nora tried to bandage the multiple scrapes and open wounds that were bleeding. A red spot soaking through the blanket on his thigh indicated more wounds. Aundy hoped the doctor would soon arrive.
She approached the bed and gratefully sank down on the chair Garrett placed behind her. Gently, she picked up Erik’s hand.
“Erik, it’s Aundy.” She lightly rubbed her fingers on the back of his hand. Garrett and Jim did a good job of removing the mud that covered him from head to toe. Even his fingers were clean and he smelled faintly of soap. “Please wake up. Please?”
Aundy felt a hand on her right shoulder and lifted a teary gaze to meet Nora’s. The woman nodded her head, indicating Aundy should keep talking to Erik.
“If you’d told me you were going to plan so much excitement for my first day here, I might not have been so willing to come.” Aundy tried to add a touch of humor to her voice, although she fought down her tears. “Next time, I’d appreciate a little warning before the horses run off like that, if you please. I’d at least take off my best hat before it ended up looking like a plucked chicken.”
Garrett chuckled and took his mother’s arm, pulling her out of the room.
“Let’s leave her be until the doc comes,” Garrett whispered as he and Nora returned to the kitchen. Jim rode out on Jester to see if he could find any of Erik’s hands. The ranch foreman, an older man everyone called Dent, didn’t usually get too far from the home place.
Nora prepared a cup of tea for Aundy and handed it to her. Aundy had just taken a sip when they heard the jingle of aharness. Garrett greeted the doctor and pastor at the door. Tom took the doctor’s buggy and horse to Erik’s barn for a little feed and rest after the trip out to the farm. The sun was nearly set and the night looked like it would be dark and cold.
The doctor removed his coat and hat, hanging them on the hall tree near the front door as he spoke. “Tom wasn’t sure what happened, just there had been an accident.”
“Erik’s horses spooked, flipped the wagon over on him,” Garrett said as the pastor shook his hand and followed the doctor to Erik’s bedroom. “This is Aundy, Erik’s bride. We think she’s got a broken arm, but haven’t been able to talk her into letting us set it yet.”
“Mrs. Erikson, it’s nice to meet you, although I’d prefer to have done so under other circumstances. I’m Doctor Reed, but everyone calls me Doc.” The doctor set his bag on the end of Erik’s bed and rummaged inside.
When she got to her feet, the doctor looked at her in surprise, not expecting her to be taller than his average height.
“Thank you for coming,” she said, stepping aside so the doctor could get close to Erik.
Pastor Whitting put his hand on Aundy’s shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Why don’t we wait in the front room while Doc takes a look at Erik? Garrett will help him.”
Aundy nodded her head and followed the pastor to the front room where Nora set a tray laden with cups of tea and a plate of cookies on a low table. Aundy accepted a cup and sipped the flavorful brew. For the first time since she walked inside the house, she noticed the nicely furnished room, done in shades of brown and tan. Although masculine, the space was inviting and welcome heat filled the room from a large fireplace.
Pastor Whitting and Nora chatted while Aundy waited for the bedroom door to open and the doctor to give her some good news.
From the moment she realized Erik was hurt, a gnawing sense of foreboding clawed at her mid-section and filled her with dread. She had no idea what she would do if something happened to Erik. He wasn’t just a man who’d sent for a mail-order bride. Through their letters, he had become a friend. One she cared for even if she couldn’t profess to love him.
