A Texan's Luck (20 page)

She shoved her hair back and searched the settee. "I've lost—"

He opened his hand, and she saw her hairpins.

"My hairpins," she finished needlessly.

"I took them out," he said simply.

Lacy grumbled as she grabbed them. "You pulled my pins out while I was asleep?" She acted as if she was accusing him of something when he was standing right in front of her showing her the evidence. "You touched my hair?"

Walker shrugged. "Guilty."

Lacy arranged the pins in her hair as she walked toward Nell. "Do me a favor, Captain, and don't touch me when I'm asleep."

He thought of all the times he'd touched her in the past nine days, and she hadn't objected most times. Maybe she had a thing about him being near when she slept, or maybe it was her hair. He'd heard women can feel strange about such things. Or maybe she woke up on the wrong side of the settee. It didn't matter, he'd wait and ask her about it later.

She glanced back at him as if expecting him to argue.

He didn't say anything. He planned on making no promise he couldn't keep. The woman slept almost on top of him. He saw no harm in removing the pins to make her more comfortable. If he happened to touch her hair, well, it was part of the service.

He barely hid his grin. In truth, he'd played with her hair most of the time she'd been asleep, enjoying the way it felt.

"Well, do you have anything to say?" she snapped.

"No."

Maybe he should not only stop answering her but stop talking to her altogether. They seemed to do better without words. He'd enjoyed every moment of watching her sleep, but as soon as she woke, she numbered the things he did wrong. Which, he'd decided, might be her favorite pastime.

After tossing another log on the fire, Walker ventured a few steps closer to Nell. The girl was as white as the sheets covering her. He heard her mumble during the hours Lacy slept, but she hadn't cried out. She must not have been in a great deal of pain. They had her packed in among so many blankets that she couldn't have been uncomfortable or cold. Now she looked even younger than her seventeen years.

For a few minutes he watched Lacy's hand gently wrap a bandage across Nell's arm.

When Lacy looked up and saw him, she surprised him with a smile. "There's very little blood, and what's there is drying over the wounds," she whispered, her mood shifting like the wind. "Except on the shoulder where Timothy dug a bullet out." She pushed a stray strand of hair from her face. "I don't think that's anything to worry about. Timothy says the wound needs to bleed a little to clean itself out."

Walker touched the back of his hand to Nell's forehead. "I don't feel any fever." He acted like he knew what he was doing.

Lacy smiled again. "She's going to get through this and be just fine, you'll see. You wouldn't believe what she's gone through in her life. She'd never let a few bullets slow her down."

"I hope not," he added even though he wasn't as sure as Lacy seemed to be. "I don't like seeing her hurt."

"Me either." She touched Nell's cheek. "But she's in good hands. It won't be long before she's whole once more."

Lacy pulled the blanket to Nell's chin and tucked it in with care.

Walker picked up his uniform jacket and dusted invisible dirt off it. "It's long after midnight, and I haven't eaten since those potato pancakes this morning," he said without looking at Lacy.

She tilted her head and watched him. "They're probably still on the table if the cats haven't eaten them. I'm sure they're still just as good."

"How about you stay here while I slip across the alley and check?"

Lacy nodded. "Please, I'm starving."

He placed his rifle at Lacy's side. "If you hear anything, lift this gun and have it already pointed before someone can get to the examining room door. I swear, I'll be back as fast as I can with food, but I need to know you're prepared to defend yourself."

She nodded, frightened by his warning.

A few minutes later he darted up the back stairs to Lacy's apartment. When he entered, he left the door open, despite the cold. Walker could see the back door of the doctor's place, and he didn't want to let it out of his sight even for a moment. The odds were no one knew Lacy was even in the doctor's office, but he still didn't like leaving his post.

Just as Lacy had suspected, her breakfast was still on the table. The cats had finished off the eggs but left the pancakes. Walker glanced at the one-eared Andy. "Traitor," he mumbled. "You could have eaten them, too."

The cat appeared only mildly insulted. Walker grabbed the plate and tossed the leftovers to the stray dog in the alley that had followed him without barking. Walker then collected an armful of food and rushed back to Lacy.

When he passed the dog, the animal was sniffing the potato pancakes.

"There just as good as they were yesterday," Walker mumbled in encouragement, but the dog only watched him pass.

Walker stepped inside the kitchen and set down his load.

"I'm back," he said, locking the door before he crossed the office to where she was.

He found Lacy cleaning the dried blood from Nell's fingers.

She talked to her friend as if Nell could hear. "Now don't you worry, you'll be right as rain in a few days, and then what a story you'll have to tell that ranger of yours who thinks he has all the adventures."

Walker cleared his throat and stepped closer. "You were right," he lied. "The cats finished off our breakfast, but I could scramble some eggs. I brought over the bread and eggs left in the storage chest."

Lacy nodded without much interest. Walker went back to the kitchen. While the stove warmed, he checked the doctor's supply cupboard and found it empty except for three cans of peaches and a few spices. No wonder the doc was so thin.

Walker scrambled a half-dozen eggs and cut thick slices from a loaf of bread. He shoved the doctor's desk in the front office almost to the examining room's door so that they could eat and still see Nell.

The food was cold before Lacy washed her hands and sat down, but neither of them noticed. They ate in silence. Without asking, Walker stood and refilled her coffee, then pulled his chair closer to her so he wouldn't have to raise his voice.

"We have to talk," he began while she sweetened her cup. "Carter and I have a strategy."

Lacy raised one eyebrow.

"All right, I had a plan after seeing Carter's place, but he agrees with me."

She drank her coffee, waiting for him to explain.

"Right now there is a good chance that whoever shot at Nell thought that they were killing you. Maybe they even think you are dead."

"Maybe," she echoed, following his reasoning.

"Whoever it was may not even know about Nell. After all, she came to town and as far as we know only a handful of people even noticed her. It was your buggy, your horse, and Nell bundled up in blankets could have passed for you driving."

"So what do we do?"

"First we get you out of town and let them wonder. It might not be a bad idea if the ambushers think they got away with killing you. They might even come to town to find out, and all they'll hear is that you seem to have vanished."

"All right." She surprised him by agreeing.

"Then you'll go with me to Fort Elliot?" It was the nearest fort and, once housed there, she'd be safe. "And Carter thinks we should get Nell away as fast as we can."

"I agree, Nell would be safer there, but I'm not going to the fort."

"You have to, Lacy."

"No," she answered as casually as if he'd offered more sugar. "I want to stay close to Nell. I agree I need to disappear, but not so far from home."

Walker thought about arguing, but Carter had already told him Lacy wouldn't consider the fort. "You'll be safer at Fort Elliot."

"I could go to the gypsies who live on the land behind Carter's. They mostly keep to themselves, but I think they'd let me cross their settlement that backs up to Carter's land."

Walker was one step ahead of her. "Carter and I talked about that. He agreed Bailee will want Nell back at their place to recover. So, at the same time we make you disappear, we have to get Nell to McKoy's. The doc's not set up here as a hospital. She'd be safer at Carter's."

Lacy nodded. "Once I'm at the gypsies, I could cross the trees and join you at Carter's place. Between Bailee and me, she'll have the best of care."

He leaned closer, touching her arm with his hand. "Getting you out of town shouldn't be all that difficult. Knowing the way my father never threw anything away, I think I may still have some old clothes in the storage room at the shop. We can dress you up like a boy and slip you out of town after dark tomorrow night. Anyone seeing you will just think a kid is heading home. Once you're on the road, I'll join you and provide escort."

Lacy frowned.

"It'll work. No problem. But the next step is getting Nell out. As soon as the doctor says it's safe, Carter plans to send his wagon to town with an old man who works for him named Samuel driving. He says Samuel comes to town for lumber all the time and drives so slow Nell will think she's still in her bed. They've probably already started building a sling that will fit in the bed of his wagon. We can put her in there, and she'll rock like a baby all the way."

Lacy didn't look like she was buying any part of the plan. "Why can't I ride with her?"

"We thought of that, but it would be risky. You're the one Whitaker wants. If someone did notice Samuel, or stop him on the road, he'd just explain that he was taking Nell, ill with a fever, to Bailee. That should keep anyone from getting close, but if you were in the wagon, it might draw more attention." Walker didn't want to add that whoever shot Nell might not hesitate to kill to get to Lacy.

"But, I—"

"Don't worry, the sheriff and I will stay in sight of the wagon the entire way. Carter said once we're on his land, he'll make sure the wagon isn't followed. Then I'll come back, wait until dark, and ride out again behind you dressed as a boy. Only, I agree, this time we take the south road to the gypsies' settlement."

The doc interrupted them as he tromped down the stairs, pulling his clothes on as he called, "How is she?"

"Better." Lacy stood. "But I want you to take a look at that shoulder."

Walker watched Lacy hurry off, no longer interested in his plan. An hour later, when they returned and sat down at the desk, the doctor surprised Walker by saying that he thought they should get the women out of town as fast as possible.

Now Lacy looked interested.

"Is it safe to move Nell?" Walker wanted to make sure.

"It won't be good for her," Timothy admitted. "But here in the center of town it will be impossible to keep her presence a secret for long. It's lucky that no one stopped by the office yesterday. As soon as word gets out, it's only a matter of time before the outlaws find out about her."

Dr. McClellan appeared to have given considerable thought to the problem. "Then they might come in to finish the job," he continued. "It would take several men to defend this place with a back door, two front doors, and windows easy to get to on the second floor. All anyone wanting Nell dead would have to do is set fire to the businesses on either side of the office. This whole block might go up in flames before we could get her out of my examining room."

Walker agreed.

"It's a risk to move her, but it may be the only way to keep her alive."

Walker stood. "If you'll keep an eye on her for a while, Doc, I'll see if I can't find Lacy some riding clothes." He offered Lacy his arm.

The doctor waved them away as he poured himself a cup of coffee and returned to Nell.

Ten minutes later, Walker pulled an old trunk from the back shelf of the storage closet. He carried it to Lacy's little office and sat it atop her desk, then decided to risk lighting one small lamp. "I think we'll find what we need in here." He pulled down the shade of the office door, even though it only led to the shop.

"This won't work." Lacy shook her head.

"Put all your hair up while I search." He half expected her to argue or complain about being ordered, but she must have been too tired.

Walker tried to make out each piece of clothing while he watched her bend and brush her hair into a bundle of curls atop her head. "I think this is one of my old shirts," he said when she straightened. "I was a few sizes smaller when I packed these." He noticed several moth holes, tossed it in the trash, and reached for another piece of clothing.

"Don't throw that away. I can cut some squares from it." Lacy shook her head like some kind of windup toy caught in a wind. She'd given up trying to get her hair to stay up in favor of examining the old shirt.

Walker resented her total lack of faith in his plan. He and Carter had it all thought out. "You're short, but you can wear the clothes of a fifteen-year-old boy. If we stick a hat on you, no one will know."

He tossed her a pair of trousers. "Put these on while I find a good shirt."

Giving her plenty of time to follow his first order, he tossed back a shirt without turning around and told her to put it on also. If she had to change with him present, the least he could do was be gentleman enough to keep his back to her.