A Mail-Order Dawn Page 2

  She limped to one of the chairs and collapsed, relieved there was nothing else for her to do. “My leg”—she gasped—“fell into the river when my horse tried to rear.”

  “Take off your boot and sock now!”

  She didn’t need him to tell her twice. She cried out as she pulled it off, pain coursing through her. What worried her most was she couldn’t feel her toes. She couldn’t even wiggle them.

  Through his shaking, Tom tossed the blanket part way off him, and he scooted over on the mattress. “Come here.”

  She didn’t move toward him. She’d never lain with a man before.

  His eyes blazed. “If you don’t want to lose your leg, get in bed.”

  His words spurred her across the room, and she slid in next to him on the mattress. Though she kept quite some distance between them, he wouldn’t allow it. Wrapping her in his arms, he roughly pulled the front of her body against his, then covered them both with the blanket.

  She gasped as his still-frozen skin touched her arms. She could feel the chill from his body through her clothes as it seeped through her dress.

  “Body heat will warm us faster than the blankets and fire,” he explained. “I won’t try anything.”

  As if he were in any condition to. The bed shook with his chills, and she wondered how body heat was going to help them, when neither of them had any.

  He was far worse than she was. She untangled his arms, shushing him when he warned her against leaving, and wrapped her arms around him. “I’m warmer than you are at this point. Tuck your arms between our bodies.”

  He hesitated a moment, looking deeply into her eyes, before finally moving his arms and carefully nestling them by her stomach. In return, he snagged her right leg with his and tucked it between his calves.

  They were entwined like lovers as they used each other’s body for heat. This was purely for survival, so why her body started to heat from the inside, Rosalie didn’t know.

  This means nothing, she thought, nothing beyond warming each other.

  Her rationalization helped her relax, and she soon closed her eyes, allowing the howling outside to rage while they nestled together.

  She wasn’t certain how long they lay there, or when she’d at last began warming up, but her leg and foot slowly came back to life...and the pain that hounded her was intense. She shook her leg a little, hoping to ease the stabbing, but it only made it worse. She grimaced, and tears smarted her eyes, but she remained silent.

  “What is it?” Tom asked, his eyes open as he studied her. “Are you in pain?”

  She nodded.

  “You’re leg?”

  He sat up and tucked the blanket around her again to keep her warm, before reaching over the blanket for her leg.

  She sat up a little straighter. “What are you doing?”

  “I’m going to help ease the pain.” He took her leg and massaged the muscles through the blanket.

  She tried to swat his hands away as the pain intensified. “That hurts!”

  He continued to massage, ignoring her protests. “I know. You’re feeling pain as more blood moves through it. In a minute, it’ll feel a little better. Even though it hurts like crazy, it’s a good sign, because it means you won’t lose your leg.”

  She hadn’t thought about that, only the pain. So even though it hurt, she let him continue rubbing her calf.

  “Can you feel your toes?”

  She wiggled them and winced when the pain felt as if it shot straight up her body and burst from the top of her head. “Yes.”

  “Good.”

  If she was feeling this because of the river, she couldn’t even imagine how much pain he was in. “Are you hurting too?”

  “Waist down probably feels the same as your leg.”

  Her mouth fell open. “Then why are you massaging me? I should be massaging everything past your waist.”

  He made a choking sound, and she realized what she’d said. “Oh! I didn’t mean—” She glared at him. “You know what I meant.”

  “I do,” he said, with a suspiciously straight face.

  She waited for him to crack a joke or something else to make her feel uncomfortable, but he didn’t say another word, and she realized he wasn’t going to. She relaxed under his hand, and after a minute, the pain was bearable like he’d said it would be.

  “It’s a little better now.” She shook her leg out of his grasp, and her eyes darted to his. They were brown, but not as dark as she’d first thought. More like fine whiskey, but she’d mistaken the color because his eyelashes were black and thick. “I want to return the favor.”

  He hesitated a moment, before stretching his legs out, still under the blanket. He watched her closely as she positioned herself between his legs. “Is this all right? It’ll be easier to rub both legs at once.”

  He swallowed hard and nodded, but didn’t look away from her.

  She placed her hands on his thighs on top of the blanket as he’d done to her leg, and he hissed out a breath at her touch. She yanked her hands away in horror. “I’m sorry!”

  Gritting his teeth, he said, “Go ahead. It hurts, but it’ll help.”

  She placed her hands on him again, gingerly applying pressure in an attempt to avoid hurting him so much.

  Even though he was in pain, he chuckled. “You’re going to have to do it harder than that if you want it to help.”

  “I don’t like hurting you.”

  His eyes softened. “It’s all right.”

  She looked down at the blanket and mumbled, “None of this is all right.”

  His snort told her she’d amused him, and she wondered how he could be amused by any of this. They were stranded in a drafty cabin, and after looking through their bags, she knew there wasn’t much food. Depending on how long the storm lasted, they could be in big trouble soon.

  Feeling his muscles bulge and flex beneath her hands, her stomach fluttered. He was so strong. She’d never seen a man with muscles like his. She’d always known a blacksmith’s job was physically taxing, but now, she had an even greater appreciation for the job.

  She moved down the ropes of muscles and did her best to remain detached as she touched him. This should be an act of necessity and not something which brought her pleasure.

  She moved down his legs to his calves, continuing to rub him until her fingers and hands ached.

  “Enough.” His voice was gruff as he captured her hands.

  “Are you sure? I could do your feet.”

  He shook his head, but didn’t release his hands. “I think we warmed everything in time. I can feel my toes and the pain is easing.” He finally released her. “Thank you for that.”

  She could feel a blush stain her cheeks. “It was the least I could do. I’d be dead if you hadn’t come along.”

  He nodded seriously. “It’s a miracle I found you.”

  They once again snuggled under the blankets. Although the fire had raised the temperature in the room, the cabin was still drafty and far too much cold air seeped through the cracks in the walls, and she had no desire to leave the warmth they’d created on the moth-eaten mattress. “Thank you for all you’ve done.”

  “I didn’t do much.”

  “You went into the river, you guided us here, you massaged my leg... You’ve done a lot.” She gave him a grateful smile.

  He grinned in return and said, “The last was certainly not a hardship. I’m Tom Brewer, by the way.”

  “I know.” She ran her palm over the coarse blanket. “I’ve seen you in town. You’re the blacksmith.”

  “I am. And you’re one of Ivan’s brides.”

  She shook her head while smiling. “That’s what we’ll forever be known as, won’t we? It won’t matter when we’ve all been married thirty years and have broods of children. People will still call the ten of us Ivan’s brides, even though not a single one of us actually married the man.”

  “Ten? I thought there were only nine of you.”

  That’s what th
ey’d all thought, until recently. “I guess you haven’t heard the big news. Apparently, there was another bride. Number ten. Ivan asked her to come later for some reason, and then she was kidnapped from the train.”

  His jaw dropped. “You’re kidding.”

  “Nope.”

  “That man was crazy.”

  She couldn’t deny it and said with a laugh, “Completely.”

  Chapter 2

  As Tom listened to Rosalie laugh, the last of the adrenaline left his system. From the moment the first snowflake had landed, he’d run on survival mode. He knew better than to venture into the pass this time of year, when storms blew in before you could blink. And today, going against his better judgment had almost killed him. Though if he hadn’t, Rosalie most likely wouldn’t have survived.

  He shifted under the blankets, getting hotter by the moment as the rosy-cheeked woman sat in front of him. Hoping for a distraction, he asked her, “Why were you in the pass?”

  She looked down. “I was going to visit a friend. I thought it would be okay, because it was so sunny this morning. Obviously, I was wrong.”

  She wasn’t the first to make such a blunder. He’d fallen for it as well. “The weather changes quickly during the winter. You can’t be too careful. I made the same mistake,” he added, just in case she thought he was criticizing her.

  “I think a lot of people would. I thought I was prepared though.” She pinched a piece of lint. “Yet I didn’t even have a blanket.” She made a sound of disgust.

  “Don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s your first winter here.”

  She shrugged. “Still, I should’ve known better.” She gave him a small smile. “So aside from being one of Ivan’s brides, I’m Rosalie.”

  “I know.”

  She cocked her head to the side. “You do? We haven’t met, have we?”

  “No. But when nine single women move into a town like this, it’s impossible not to know.”

  “I guess that’s true.”

  Her laugh floated over him, warming him more efficiently than the blanket ever could. He’d seen her around town, and while her light brown hair, blue eyes, and wholesome frame greatly appealed to him, he wasn’t looking for a wife. His business kept him busy from sunrise to well past sunset, and he hadn’t the time to even think of starting a family.

  But having her here, talking with her like this while under the blankets, he wondered if he should have made the time. Perhaps he’d been missing out on something.

  As her chuckles slowed, she glanced around the room. “So, what now?”

  He shrugged. “Not much. We need to wait until it passes. Then, depending on how much snow there is, we’ll decide when we can get back to town.”

  “Looks like there’s going to be a thick blanket of the stuff before it’s all done.”

  He nodded grimly. He expected there would be enough to keep them there for a few days at least. And that was if the storm was short-lived.

  “Well, we have plenty of water.” She rolled her eyes. “More snow than we’d ever want to melt. But what about food? I have a little, what I was bringing my friend, and I saw the few things in your saddlebag, but it won’t last us long.”

  He shook his head and glanced around. There was a cupboard by the fireplace that might have a can or two in it, but he doubted it. “Did you check the cabinet?”

  She looked to where he gestured. “No.”

  “We’ll look in a minute.” He didn’t want her to get out of the blankets just yet. “Unless it’s filled to the brim, we’ll need to forage or hunt. Do you have a gun?”

  She shook her head and her shoulders slumped.

  “It’s okay.” He reached out and took her hand, waiting until she looked up. “We’re going to get through this. We didn’t brave through whiteout conditions, cross a river, and fall into bed together only to starve to death.” His words had the desired effect, and he enjoyed the sight of her blush. Lord, but she was gorgeous. “Besides, I have my shotgun by my saddle.”

  Her brows furrowed, and he didn’t think she realized she was rubbing her thumb against his palm. “You do? I didn’t see it.”

  “Did you take the saddles off?”

  “No.” She looked sheepish. “I wasn’t thinking. I just wrapped the blankets around the horses and came back.”

  He squeezed her hand. “You did great. In a bit, I’ll go out and see to them and get it. At least the blanket you put on will give it extra protection against moisture. I can hunt, and with any luck, we’ll find enough food to last us.”

  Her shoulders relaxed, and he was grateful she believed him. “I’ll bring in some more wood when I see to the horses. Hopefully by the time we need it, it’ll be dry.”

  She let out a heavy breath. “I know I already said it, but I’m so glad you’re here. No matter what happens, I’m in this with you, and I’ll do whatever I can to help.”

  Her eyes shone with determination, and he admired her spirit. She was the perfect woman for the West. She was strong, resilient, and not afraid to work.

  Whomever she ended up marrying, would be one lucky man.

  Once Tom’s clothes were dry, he reluctantly left the bed and gingerly put them on. He was still a little sore, but he was too grateful he hadn’t lost a limb to care. The pain would ease in time, and luckily, he had plenty of it now.

  He glanced over at the mussed woman on the bed and his blood warmed. He’d never lain in bed with someone just to hold them and take care of them, and it had affected him more deeply than it should have. He tried not to read into it, but it was difficult not to. Tom never did anything in half measures. When he created something out of iron or steel or gold, he didn’t stop until it was perfect, until every blemish was removed. And while many of his items were then sold off or given to whoever had ordered the work, he still kept a part of it inside.

  He had that same feeling right now as he watched her eyes study the parts of the cabin away from where he stood dressing.

  He smiled, charmed. She’d already seen him with his clothes off, in fact, she had taken his clothes off, but that didn’t seem to matter. “I’m dressed now.”

  Her gaze finally met his, and she smiled shyly. “Was I that obvious?”

  “Well, the cabin really isn’t that interesting.” He reached for his coat and put it on as quickly as his body would allow. “I’m going to go take care of the horses and fetch the shotgun and some more wood. Will you be all right?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’ll only be a moment,” he reassured her, because while she’d said she was okay, she still seemed out of sorts. Who wouldn’t be? They’d almost died. He’d be more worried if she acted like everything was just fine, but he wanted her to know he would protect her.

  Bracing himself, he opened the door against the raging storm and stifled a stream of curses. He closed it quickly, wanting to preserve as much heat as possible. They had enough leaks as it was.

  The snow was already a foot high, so he tried to step in the thinnest patches. He rounded the side to the lean-to and looked at the two horses grazing on bits of hay the previous occupant had left.

  “Hey there, Forge,” he said, speaking softly to his pure black horse. He raised a hand to the horse’s flank and was relieved that, though chilled, the animal was warm enough. Forge shifted his weight and appeared not to be suffering any ill effects from the cold. “Looks like you’re doing all right.” Tom patted his horse another minute before removing the blanket and saddle. He leaned his rifle against the wall, then covered his horse with the blanket again. He moved on to Rosalie’s horse, checking the animal for injuries, and removed the saddle. When he was satisfied with the condition of the horses, he went to the woodpile and said a silent thank you to whomever had taken the time to stock up. He shouldn’t need to chop any more while they were there.

  He slung his rifle onto one shoulder and carried an armful of wood toward the cabin, but just as he was about to enter, a howl sounded in the distance, and t
he hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.

  Wolves. They could cause problems, but he’d deal with them if it became necessary.

  He opened the door and entered quickly, happy to see Rosalie standing by the fire. “You all right?” he asked.

  “I’m feeling a lot better. While you were out, I looked over the cabin for anything we could use.”

  He placed the timber in a box by the fireplace and brushed his hands off. “Yeah? Did you find anything?”

  She walked over to the cabinet and opened it. “Looks like we’re having beans for supper.” She pulled out one of the two cans and blew dust off it. “I have no idea how old it is, but with any luck, they haven’t gone bad.”

  It was a start, but two cans wouldn’t hold them over for very long. “I’ll put traps out tomorrow morning. With any luck, we’ll capture some small game for dinner tomorrow night. We’ll need to make the food we do have stretch until then.”

  She nodded in understanding, but he wished he could give her more, an entire feast to fill her. Was he feeling this overwhelming need to take care of her because he’d saved her? He’d never felt anything like this before, so he figured it had to be the extreme situation. “If the traps come up empty, I’ll hunt a deer, but considering we won’t be here long, I’d hate to waste the meat.”

  “I understand.”

  And he could see she did.

  Using her skirts, she cleaned off the rest of the can, then looked around for something to open it with. When she came up empty, he handed her his knife.

  “Thank you.” She opened the can much more efficiently than he would have. Intrigued, he wanted to know more. “Where are you from? I know Ivan wrote to you ladies all over the country, but that’s about it.”

  She snorted, glancing at him as she reached for the pot. “I can’t even begin to know what Ivan was thinking. Anyway, I’m from Ohio and grew up on a farm there.”

  That made a lot of sense. She didn’t appear to be a frivolous type, quite the opposite, in fact. She looked strong and capable. “What kind of farm?”

  “Mostly corn, but Pa did a little bit of everything. Some cows, pigs, chickens and the like. Sometimes we’d grow wheat or hay, but it was mostly corn.”