Page 44 of The Gold Rush Bride

“What is it that has you contemplating so hard?”

She thought quickly. “I was just thinking about Seth. I wonder if he’s all right. I didn’t have time to tend his wound.”

“He’ll be fine. No need to worry about Sam. He’s been in worse situations and come out just fine.”

She looked up at him. “How would you know? Did you know him from before?”

“Yes. He’s my friend. We’ve known each other since the California gold fields.”

She stopped, put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes. “But why haven’t I known this? We should have had him over for dinner after you went hunting. I’m sure he would have appreciated it, and his presence would have added to our conversations.”

He started to touch her and then looked down at his clothes and stopped. “It wasn’t something I was keeping from you. I just didn’t think about it. We talked occasionally, and that was all we needed.”

She shook her head and started walking again. “Men!” Stopping abruptly, she turned toward him. “Did you ever think I might need a friend up here? You’re my husband, but I could still use a friend, man or woman. But since I’m the only woman around here, it would have to be a man.”

Barnaby growled and took her by the upper arm. “You’ll have no man friends.”

Sadie slowly curved her lips into a smile. She was aware he was restraining his strength, for he wasn’t hurting her in the least, just stopping her from walking away. “You’re jealous.”

“I’m not. I’m just your husband. You shouldn’t need any other man.”

“I’m not proposing that I have relations with him, just that I can visit him if I want, especially if you’re off hunting. I’ll feel safer knowing I have someone I can count on.”

He released her. “Well...I suppose that makes sense. We’ll stop and see him on the way home anyway, and see how he is. He might need some doctoring.”

“And I want to thank him. He was wounded because he helped me.”

They started walking again and came to Seth’s camp first. It was quiet.

Then Sadie heard a moan from in the tent.

“Barnaby. Seth.”

“I heard it.” He rushed and opened the tent flap. “Seth. Seth. Talk to me. It’s Barnaby.”

The man opened his eyes. They were bright with fever.

Barnaby looked over at Sadie. “I’ll get some water from the river. You light the stove and start that bucket heating.”

She had already started for the stove. Wood and kindling were stacked neatly next to the wall of the tent. Sadie built a fire and put the half-full bucket of water on the stove.

Then she looked for clean washcloths but didn’t see any.

He had a metal locker under his cot. She opened it. There, folded neatly, were washcloths, towels, a couple of shirts, a pair of long johns, several pair of wool socks and a pair of wool pants.

She grabbed out the washcloths and then pulled his shirt all the way open.

Barnaby returned with the bucket of icy river water and set it on the floor near the flap.

“I need your help with his shirt. The wound must be cleaned.”

“Earlier, I checked him and found out the bullet had passed through his body. Therefore, he requires the front and back cleaned and then sewn shut.”

“I can stitch him up if you’ll hold him after I get the dirt and blood cleaned away.” She dipped one washcloth into the heated water and scrubbed at the wound below his left ribs until the blood that oozed out was clean and red. Then she did the same with the back wound.

She found a sewing kit in the metal locker. She had Barnaby hold him still while she stitched up both wounds. Then she rinsed a clean washcloth in the icy water and wiped down Seth’s chest, arms, neck and face.

Through all of this, Seth remained blissfully unconscious.