Rocky Mountain Dawn (Rocky Mountain Bride Series Book 1) by Lee Savino Page B
Authors: Lee Savino
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as she laid her head on his knee, but said no more, too worn out to speak.
Esther shut her eyes for a moment. If all went well, her husband had saved a young girl's life. He would go on to minister to people's bodies and souls alike.
Anything she did couldn't compare. What help was she? How could she make a difference?
The fever broke around noon, and Johnathan finally stood. Esther tucking herself into his side so he could lean on her.
"It's in God's hands now," he told the parents.
"Thank you," the mother said. The father could barely speak, but he nodded, tears in his eyes.
Esther helped her husband all the way to their room, and their bed. By the time he reached it, he was so tired. She slipped her arms around his shoulders and bid him drink some water, then let him sink back into the pillows. Drawing off his boots and socks, she went to help him remove his shirt and trousers, but he was already fast asleep.
Restless, Esther tidied the room, then took a rag and washed and buffed her husband's boots.
He was a hero, she decided. Perhaps her only role was to be his helper. If so, she would do her best for him. Watching him sleep, the lines of his face softened, she wished she could ease him further. Her small actions didn't seem enough to serve him.
Finally, she crept into bed and curled up beside him.
*****
He woke a few hours later, and she opened her eyes when he swung his legs out of the bed.
"Husband?"
"I must check on the child."
Esther rose, her hair tumbling down her back. "I sent a boy to the family, and he returned saying all is well."
"I must see her." He frowned. "Where are my boots?"
"Here." Esther came and knelt before him, putting on his socks and lacing up his now gleaming boots. She felt very small beside him, and honored to help him in any small way.
"Dearest." He drew her up and kissed her. "Stay in bed. I will return soon."
But she could not sleep. She paced in the room, and at last sent for a meal, laying the trays on the small table squeezed next to the only chair.
When Johnathan re-entered, she couldn't keep the question off her face.
"All is well." He closed the door carefully, and leaned against it until she came to help him. "She's sleeping normally."
"No more leaving," she said, guiding him to the chair. Bending over him, she fed him soup, coaxing him until he finally took the spoon from her.
"You're the best nurse I've ever had." He smiled at her. "The prettiest too."
"I only wish I could do more."
An hour later, a knock on the door sent her scurrying to give the intruder a piece of her mind. Johnathan pulled her back and took her place. Biting her lip, she hoped it wasn't another patient to draw her tired husband into the night.
The father of the sick girl stood outside the door, hat in hand.
"Doctor," he greeted Johnathan with a rough voice. "Kirsty is up and asking for her meal."
"Nothing but broth for a day," Johnathan said. "And plenty of water. She should recover enough to eat bread tomorrow, and be running about in no time."
"The missus and I thank you," the man said gruffly, and handed over a burlap bag stuffed full with something.
"You're welcome." Johnathan waited until the man was down the hall before shutting the door and checking the bag.
"What is it?" Esther came closer.
"My payment," Johnathan said with a grin. "Dried venison. Exactly the provision we'll need on our journey."
*****
After a week on the trail West, Esther hated the sight, smell and taste of venison jerky, though her hungry stomach didn't complain. By day they rode for miles in a long, dusty caravan. By night, Johnathan worked throughout the wagon train, checking blisters, giving medicine for aches and pains, even delivering a baby. The patients often paid in jerky. Esther was grateful when their supplies ran out, and dinner was more often a rabbit or a quail one of the men had trapped.
Esther was one of the few women on the trail, and when the family with the new babe
Esther shut her eyes for a moment. If all went well, her husband had saved a young girl's life. He would go on to minister to people's bodies and souls alike.
Anything she did couldn't compare. What help was she? How could she make a difference?
The fever broke around noon, and Johnathan finally stood. Esther tucking herself into his side so he could lean on her.
"It's in God's hands now," he told the parents.
"Thank you," the mother said. The father could barely speak, but he nodded, tears in his eyes.
Esther helped her husband all the way to their room, and their bed. By the time he reached it, he was so tired. She slipped her arms around his shoulders and bid him drink some water, then let him sink back into the pillows. Drawing off his boots and socks, she went to help him remove his shirt and trousers, but he was already fast asleep.
Restless, Esther tidied the room, then took a rag and washed and buffed her husband's boots.
He was a hero, she decided. Perhaps her only role was to be his helper. If so, she would do her best for him. Watching him sleep, the lines of his face softened, she wished she could ease him further. Her small actions didn't seem enough to serve him.
Finally, she crept into bed and curled up beside him.
*****
He woke a few hours later, and she opened her eyes when he swung his legs out of the bed.
"Husband?"
"I must check on the child."
Esther rose, her hair tumbling down her back. "I sent a boy to the family, and he returned saying all is well."
"I must see her." He frowned. "Where are my boots?"
"Here." Esther came and knelt before him, putting on his socks and lacing up his now gleaming boots. She felt very small beside him, and honored to help him in any small way.
"Dearest." He drew her up and kissed her. "Stay in bed. I will return soon."
But she could not sleep. She paced in the room, and at last sent for a meal, laying the trays on the small table squeezed next to the only chair.
When Johnathan re-entered, she couldn't keep the question off her face.
"All is well." He closed the door carefully, and leaned against it until she came to help him. "She's sleeping normally."
"No more leaving," she said, guiding him to the chair. Bending over him, she fed him soup, coaxing him until he finally took the spoon from her.
"You're the best nurse I've ever had." He smiled at her. "The prettiest too."
"I only wish I could do more."
An hour later, a knock on the door sent her scurrying to give the intruder a piece of her mind. Johnathan pulled her back and took her place. Biting her lip, she hoped it wasn't another patient to draw her tired husband into the night.
The father of the sick girl stood outside the door, hat in hand.
"Doctor," he greeted Johnathan with a rough voice. "Kirsty is up and asking for her meal."
"Nothing but broth for a day," Johnathan said. "And plenty of water. She should recover enough to eat bread tomorrow, and be running about in no time."
"The missus and I thank you," the man said gruffly, and handed over a burlap bag stuffed full with something.
"You're welcome." Johnathan waited until the man was down the hall before shutting the door and checking the bag.
"What is it?" Esther came closer.
"My payment," Johnathan said with a grin. "Dried venison. Exactly the provision we'll need on our journey."
*****
After a week on the trail West, Esther hated the sight, smell and taste of venison jerky, though her hungry stomach didn't complain. By day they rode for miles in a long, dusty caravan. By night, Johnathan worked throughout the wagon train, checking blisters, giving medicine for aches and pains, even delivering a baby. The patients often paid in jerky. Esther was grateful when their supplies ran out, and dinner was more often a rabbit or a quail one of the men had trapped.
Esther was one of the few women on the trail, and when the family with the new babe
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