Page 40 of Redeeming the Outlaw
“Where did the other woman go?” Annamae asked as she returned, putting the bowl on the table next to the bed.
“She left to go home.”
“I didn’t even learn her name.” Annamae tore a piece of cloth and dunked it in water before handing it to Esther.
“Sarah Brown.” Esther started wiping away the blood and dirt from Whit’s face. “Big Joe and Marshal Briggs called her different names.”
“What were those?”
“Marshal called her Vangie, and Joe called her Evangeline.” Esther shrugged. “Then Briggs mentioned something about Whit being her brother. Once he mentioned that, she brought him here. I don’t know anything else. Today was all very confusing.”
Annamae’s hand slipped on the edge of the bowl, causing the water to spill on the floor. “Are you sure that’s what they said?”
“I’m pretty sure.”
Annamae sat the bowl aside and bolted out the door. A few minutes later, she returned, her face pale, and her eyes downcast. She quietly closed the door behind her and slumped against it. “She’s gone.”
“I’m sorry, Annamae.”
“Let me help get him cleaned up and then you can sit with him. There’s hot coffee in the kitchen.”
As Annamae carefully tended to Whit’s wounds, Esther’s nerves were on edge. She paced back and forth, wearing a hole in the rug with her anxious steps. Despite her worry about Whit’s well-being, she couldn’t shake the feeling of guilt that weighed heavily on her conscience. She shouldn’t have left him; and now he might die.
The door snicked open, and Annamae came into the hallway.
“Can I go in now?” Esther asked.
“For a bit. I’ll fix you a bed in one of the other rooms.”
Esther’s eyes glistened with unshed tears as she nodded in response. She couldn’t bear the thought of being separated from Whit, her protector and comforter. As he lay on the bed, his once tan skin now a sickly pale color, she vowed to protect him while he healed. She reached out to caress his cheek, feeling the coldness of his skin against hers.
Slipping off her boots, she crawled on top of the covers next to him. “Dear Lord,” she whispered, her hand resting on Whit’s chest. “Please guide us through this darkness and bring us into the light. Thank you, Father,” she breathed, her heart swelling with gratitude. “I know You are with us, even in our darkest hour. I ask for complete healing for my pretend husband, and may he know how much I truly love him.”
With her prayer complete, Esther opened her eyes and looked at Whit’s profile.
She watched the gentle movement of his lips as he breathed, each exhale a small sigh. She took his hand in hers, feeling the warmth and strength of his fingers against her skin. Leaning closer, she rested her head on his shoulder, familiar with the comfort of being near him. As she held him, she couldn’t helpbut think of all the times he had protected her from harm. Now it was her turn to protect him as he healed.
With tears in her eyes, she whispered, “I love you, Whit Hartman,” and begged him not to leave her. The only response was the sound of his soft breathing and the slight curl of his fingers around hers.
Chapter Eleven
“Esther. Wake up, Esther.”
Esther’s eyes fluttered open to see a blurry figure leaning over her. She squinted, trying to focus, and reached out her hand to brush away the person who was gently shaking her shoulder.
“Leave me alone,” she murmured as she closed her eyes and snuggled back next to Whit.
She awoke with a jolt, her heart racing as she realized she wasn’t in the familiar confines of the tent. She sat up abruptly, sending a bowl of water flying from Annamae’s hands and splattering onto the floor.
“Oh, my goodness. I am so sorry, Annamae.” Esther’s feet touched the floor as she sat up on the bed. She stood and felt the warmth of the water seeping through her stockings. “I must havefallen asleep, and you scared me.”
Annamae put the empty bowl on the table and dropped the linens on the floor, moving them around to soak up the extra water. “It’s all right, Esther. I wanted to let you know the doc is on his way here, and you probably wanted to get dressed before he arrived.”
Esther looked down at her dress. “I have nothing else. Sarah gave me this dress because mine was covered in blood.”
Annamae dumped the wet rags into a basin and straightened up, her gaze flicking between Esther and Whit. “You are about the same size as Tilly. She has a dress you can borrow,” she said, gesturing toward the bedroom door. “I had Rex fill a tub in the room down the hall so you can bathe and change.”
Esther felt Annamae’s hand on her arm, comforting and understanding. “I know it wouldn’t be proper for us to stay in here together,” she explained. “Whit protected me during my time with the gang. He told them we were married so no one would touch me. I’m afraid...”
