Page 71 of A Forgotten Heart
Rebekah looked alarmed. “I thought he was better.”
Elsie felt the same fear slither through her as she had when the doctor had explained the severity of Nick’s injury. She knew he was still having headaches. He wasn’t completely healed. What if…
Elsie edged toward the door. “If it’s Patch?—”
“What if it isn’t?” Rebekah demanded.
Elsie reached for the nearest thing she could find—a sturdy rolling pin.
If Nick needed help, they couldn’t just leave him?—
She was reaching for the door’s latch when there was a sudden rush of noise. Whispered voices from outside the door, rustling of clothes and footsteps.
“It’s not Nick!” she whispered frantically to Rebekah, who waved her to retreat to the living room.
But it was too late—the door was already opening.
Elsie raised the rolling pin, fear nearly choking her.
And David and Eli tumbled inside.
Chapter 14
Shock held Elsie immobile for a moment as the two boys rushed inside, making about as much noise as two boys could. They stamped the snow from their feet and shucked their coats.
Nick was right behind them. Patch followed, then shook and skirted into the front room, probably to the warmth of his blankets.
Nick’s eyes met hers as a wave of relief swamped her. He took her in at a glance, one eyebrow rising when he registered the rolling pin in her hand. She quickly thrust it onto the counter. He stood rigid, the tight set of his jaw betraying his upset.
Rebekah was moving toward the boys. “What in the world?” she asked at full volume.
Footsteps approached from the living room. Perhaps Clare was coming to reprimand everyone. It was as if they’d forgotten the rest of the household was asleep.
“We went to help Uncle Nick,” Eli said with an almost belligerent tone and a jut of his chin.
“They snuck out,” Nick said gravely.
Clare appeared in the doorway, mouth set. She must’ve heard what he’d said. “Eli Barlow!” There was no mistaking the fury in her voice, and Eli wilted a bit.
David ducked his head.
Was this the reason for the tension in Nick? Surely if he’d had to track down two energetic, ornery boys, he was half frozen and likely frightened for them.
Elsie moved toward the stove. Coffee. A pot of hot coffee would warm Nick up and maybe erase the tightness around his mouth.
“We helped!” Eli protested, though it was a little weaker than his first statement.
Water. Coffee beans.
Elsie listened even as she checked items off on the list in her mind. She bent to check the fire in the stove, stirred it a little.
“Can you douse the lamp in the other room?” Nick asked Rebekah, and the sense of urgency in his voice sent the other woman scurrying to do what he’d asked.
“What’s wrong?” Elsie asked Nick.
His eyes flicked in her direction, but then he spoke to Clare. “They did help,” he said grimly. “There were men on our property—more than one and in more directions than I could scout.”
Eli’s chest puffed out now. “We sneaked up on ’em and watched a couple of riders out past the gully.”
