The Fire in Ember - DiAnn Mills [61]
“I’m so sorry.” Ember shook her head. “If only I could help.”
“Taking care of sick children is one of those parts of motherhood. Davis seemed to be fine when I left. I hope the other boys don’t get it, especially with John needing my attention.” She paused and touched Ember’s face. “Sweet girl, do you want to come back too?”
A single tear slipped from her eye. “It’s best I stay here with Bess. She has a job for me, and I can pay John back with my earnings.”
“But I missed you as soon as you left.”
“Miss Leah, neither you nor I want John and Evan fussin’ over me. This is better.”
“Doesn’t mean I like the arrangement.”
“Why must men be so difficult?”
“I have no idea,” Leah said. “But they certainly are a handful.”
Bess called out a greeting. “Do you have time for some fresh coffee? No charge.”
“No, thank you. I need to hurry back to Doc Slader’s and get John home. But it smells good. Is that potatoes and ham?”
Bess beamed, her face red from being in the hot kitchen. “Your nose tells you right. Is John better?”
“He’s a bit disagreeable.”
Bess laughed. “He’ll be up and about in no time. I want to thank you for sending Ember my way. My, but she’s a hard worker.”
Leah wrapped her arm around Ember’s waist. “She’s a fine one. Don’t be motherin’ her too much. I’m rather partial to her.”
Another tear slipped down Ember’s cheek. Hadn’t anyone ever told her how special she was?
CHAPTER 27
A week had slipped by since John was shot, and Bert thought about him every moment of the day. The words he’d spoken when he chased her down that night repeated in her mind. They had feelings for each other, and the thought warmed her and alarmed her at the same time. He said the situation with Evan would work out. But what about Simon? Dwelling on how her heart swelled with the memories marked a foolish road. She and John could never be together.
Bert hurried down the street to get the flour and sugar Bess needed from the General Store before the afternoon cooking and baking began. She’d struggled with Leah’s invitation to live at the ranch again. The woman knew the source of problems between John and Evan, and yet she wanted Bert at the ranch. How very dear of Leah. If Bert was ever to escape Simon, she’d welcome a home and a family. She’d tell her husband and her children every day how much she loved them.
A dream … how sweet a life with John would be. Ah, the child in her still lived in a fantasy world.
Bert stared up at the sun directly overhead and shielded her eyes beneath her bonnet. The brilliant light blinded her, but she liked the heat. She’d spent most of her life cold, and the hot days of summer had quickly become her favorite.
“Excuse me, Miss,” a man said.
Bert gasped and held her breath. The sound of the familiar voice made her dizzy with terror. She whirled around. Simon!
“I bet you didn’t think you’d see me today.”
Her chest hurt from its rapid pounding. “What do you want from me?”
He leaned on one leg. “The twenty dollars you took and my mare. A few other things would be nice.” He sneered.
“You stole the horse,” she said, too frightened to speak above a whisper. “I’ll get the money back to you.”
“I’ve added interest.” His gold-brown eyes glared, reminding her of a mountain cat.
“Leave me be, Simon. Please.”
“You owe me, little sister. And I’ve been watching you.”
An eerie chill crept up her neck. His threats had haunted her for six months. She wanted to get as far away from him as possible. She wanted to scream. But would anyone help her escape her cruel brother? If only she could gather the courage to bury her fists into his callused flesh.
He was still her brother. Gideon had said families stick together ‘cause they had no one else. But now she had the Timmonses, Bess, even Marshal Culpepper, and Doc Slader. They’d been kind, caring.
Simon laughed. “Since you don’t have anything to say, let me tell you what you’re going to do.”
“No.” Her voice sounded flat and ragged, but she’d not