Page 5 of Conveniently Wed
“I need the doc,” he returned, looking down on a child with an obviously broken arm.
He bent to comfort the small boy, at the same time looking around for a mother or father to match with the tyke. Voices called out from farther down in the car, but it would take some doing to get to those folks, blocked off as they were.
Matty turned and shouted down, his words distorted because of the distance, but clearly relaying Edgar’s need. Hopefully Doc Powell, Maxwell’s father-in-law, had arrived with the other men.
Matty lowered his bottom half through the opening and dropped inside, his boots clanging against the inside wall of the passenger car. He quickly joined Edgar at the boy’s side, shouldering aside a large valise without being asked. That was one thing to like about his brother. He did what was asked without complaining.
“Doc’s on his way.”
“The cattle?” Ed grunted, dislodging another trunk until they could wiggle the boy free of his former seat. “And where’s Ricky?” Matty, Ricky and Seb had all been pushing the cattle to town.
“Don’t know about Rick, but Seb and I heard the train crash and tucked the cattle into ol’ Mr. Fredrick’s south pasture. We might have to round up a few strays tonight, but they should mostly stay put. Doubt the train is going to run this afternoon anyway.”
Edgar should’ve known his brothers wouldn’t just turn the cattle loose. They all owed as much to their pa as he did. But Matty’s conclusion about the train troubled him. They only had a few days to get the cattle to his pa’s buyer. If the train was out, what were they going to do?
He worked to keep a single-minded focus on that thought, on his task. But he couldn’t quite ignore the tightening of his gut when thoughts of the pretty young woman crept back in.
Emma was one of the last ones off the train.
But when Emma’s feet hit the ground and she ran toward Fran, blinding relief rushed through her.
They embraced, Fran squeezing her sister as tightly as she could. “Are you hurt?”
Emma shook her head. She was trembling, whether from fright or from the adrenaline of the wreck and its aftermath, Fran didn’t know.
She watched as the cowboy and two others with him who were dressed similarly—although notably better groomed—jumped off the overturned train. They were the last three off.
The rest of the passengers had disembarked, and now so had the three cowboys who’d come to their aid. She wished she could thank them.
But Fran clutched Emma’s hand in hers, not daring to move from beneath the watchful eyes of the orphanage’s assigned chaperone and the sheriff.
Her sister was scratched and bruised, same as Fran was, but had no major injuries. It was much to be thankful for.
But being discovered in her deception was a disaster. One she hadn’t prepared for.
“I want her arrested.” The matron’s voice rang out, hushing the rumble of other voices as passengers loaded up in wagons all around.
Fran winced.
She attempted a brave smile at her sister and sent a fervent prayer winging upward. The Lord hadn’t helped her any in Memphis and she questioned whether He would now, but she vowed to make herself like the annoying widow in that parable and keep on petitioning until she got the help she needed.
She didn’t know if what she’d done was enough to be jailed and punished for. It wasn’t as if she’dstolenfrom the orphanage. But as Mr. Underhill had threatened her before she and Emma had snuck out of Memphis, an orphan like her didn’t have a lot of credibility. His threats and his crazed obsession with her sister had made it necessary to leave, and without any money, the orphan train had given them their only option.
The sheriff’s sudden shrill whistle broke into her wildly racing thoughts and brought the cowboys into their periphery. The two younger men came first, while the blond man who’d taken her off the train seemed almost reluctant, his steps dragging.
“Doc’s going to be tied up with those last two gals and I’ve got to help get the rest of these folks to town.” The sheriff motioned around.
Several wagons had already departed, following the railroad tracks. Two empty wagons remained, one waiting for the injured girls lying next to the train car.
“Can y’all help me keep track of these two? Deliver them to my office?” The sheriff jerked his thumb toward Fran and Emma.
Fran saw the tension of the moment in the set of the bigger cowboy’s jaw. Even unkempt as he was, the rugged lines of his face showed a stark handsomeness.
Not that she needed to be noticing. She should be worrying about the predicament she’d found herself in. At least she and Emma had made it a far piece from Memphis before she’d been found out.
But was it far enough? It had only been a day since she’d overheard the man on the Lincoln platform. He’d been looking for her and Emma by name, but they’d managed to avoid him and get onto the westbound train without being seen. No doubt he was one of Mr. Underhill’s henchmen, hired to find them.
“These two gals in trouble?” the youngest of the cowboys asked curiously.
