Page 35 of A Forgotten Heart
Ed married. To Rebekah Edwards.
Elsie was biting her lip. “You mean the lady who runs the newspaper is your wife?” she asked quietly.
“Yes…” Ed drew out, a frown deepening across his features.
Elsie turned her face away. Ed watched her like he was trying to figure out who she was. What was going on?
Nick fumbled for the buttons on his shirt when his fingers wouldn’t work right. Ed stood close and buttoned for him. “I knew something was wrong when Patch showed up at the newspaper office.”
Elsie was moving around. Picking up again? He couldn’t pry his eyes open to see.
“When he was shot, he fell and hit his head.” He heard Elsie’s voice as if it echoed around an empty chamber. “He’s lost some memories.”
“Where was he when he was shot?” Ed sounded gruffer than usual.
More rustling from Elsie. “Right when the storm started to pick up, Nick and I were having, well, a discussion on the boardwalk, then someone started shooting at us.”
“Who?” Ed barked. He patted Nick’s chest when he was finished with the buttons.
“We don’t know.” Elsie sounded uncertain.
“First, you’re missing in a blizzard, then I find out someone was shooting at you.” Ed was really riled up.
Nick’s eyesight blurred. “Hey, ease up, will ya?”
When he forced his eyes open, Elsie was standing half in and half out of the doorway to the hall. Nick remembered her urgency last night. She’d wanted to leave to get help. This morning, she’d been ready to leave from the moment he’d woken up. He had a sudden fear that if she left, he would never see her again.
Ed didn’t notice. He was staring at the front window. “Quade. It had to be. Him or one of his hired guns.”
Nick pushed off the wall, more concerned about Elsie, who’d gone pale at Ed’s words. “Quade holed up at the saloon during the storm.”
Ed strode to the window and peeked out. “You sure?”
“That’s what the kid told us.” Hadn’t he? Nick’s head hurt worse.
Elsie knew. She was watching him. Still poised for flight. “He did.”
Ed glanced over his shoulder at her. “What kid? And who are you?”
An expression Nick couldn’t identify flitted across Elsie’s face. He shuffled toward her, one slow step at a time. “Ed, you know Elsie. My wife.”
Ed moved toward Nick, bristling with protectiveness. “Nick, you aren’t married.”
As if in slow motion, something settled into place in Nick’s brain. Elsie was staring back, tears brimming in her eyes.
A muscle ticked in Ed’s jaw. “I thought you were the nurse?—”
Nick saw Ed’s protective, angry words hit as Elsie flinched. He held out one hand to stop his brother. His thoughts whirled, but there was still too much missing.
Ed didn’t know Elsie? How could that be?
“The doctor said his memories will likely return. Said to keep him calm so he wouldn’t injure himself.” The words spilled out of Elsie in a rush.
“So you lied and told him you were married?”
“She didn’t,” Nick blurted as the realization dawned on him. From the moment he’d come to on that exam table, she’d done her level best to keep him at arm’s length. Until that kiss.
Determination rose. Just because they weren’t married didn’t mean that they didn’t love each other. He couldn’t have mistaken that. It was there in her touch. In her kiss last night.
