Page 90 of Colorado Bride

ChapterFifteen

Two weeks had passed since Doris’s attack on Emily.Since the first night, she’d remained subdued.She didn’t pound the walls at night, but went to bed without any questions.

All they had to do was watch her for a few more days.The little house was almost done.

Ben and Rory took turns every day, watching Doris and keeping Emily safe.Today it was Ben’s turn to stay with the women while they did their chores.

Emily couldn’t wait for the companion to arrive for Doris.Ben took Maggie Black’s advice and advertised for one in the same publications where Maggie advertised for brides—basically all the big papers back east.

They’d gotten a response from a Miss Alexandra Grayson.She had experience caring for an older woman and sounded like a good match for Doris.

“I’ll be right back.Are you all right with Mother for a moment?”

Emily looked over at Doris who was loading a basket with clothes to go outside and hang on the clothesline.

“I’m fine.I’m all healed and she’s been acting normally for a couple of weeks now.”

“Okay.”

Ben turned and walked outside.

Emily returned to cutting the chicken for soup.She finished with the meat, put the cleaver aside and took the cutting board full of meat to the stove and it in the waiting stock pot.

She heard a step behind her, turned and saw Doris with the cleaver.

She slashed at Emily.

Emily, her hands on the pot of chicken and vegetables, turned, threw the pot and ran to the sink.

“Doris, you crazy bitch.What is wrong with you now?”

Doris ducked and swung the cleaver wildly, skimming Emily’s shoulder.

Emily screamed, turned and shoved Doris with all her might.

Her mother-in-law lost her balance in the chicken and vegetables spreading across the floor.She slammed into the hot stove, hitting her head and bouncing backward onto the floor.The woman landed on her back, a large, bloody gash across her forehead.

She lay still.Not moving.

Emily went to her mother-in-law and dropped to her knees next to the unresponsive woman, taking the cleaver still gripped in her hand and shoving it across the floor out of reach.

Blood ran down Emily’s arm, over her fingers, and mingled on the floor with the blood from Doris’s head wound.

“Doris.Doris.Don’t die on me.Please.I never wanted you dead.”

Ben will hate me.He’ll hate me.He’ll think this is my fault.I didn’t do this.It wasn’t my fault.

Emily got up and ran out the back door, headed she didn’t know where, just away from the blood.

Ben returned from the ice house with a large block for the icebox.When he entered the kitchen, he saw his mother on the floor amidst a mess of vegetables and chicken.Emily was nowhere in sight.And blood.Lots of blood.

He let go of the ice and ran to his mother.Ben dropped to his knees and checked her but found no heartbeat.He looked around the kitchen for some clue as to Emily’s location and saw the blood on the door.He ran out and looked down at the ground.Blood.Emily was bleeding she’d been wounded again.

Why did I leave her alone, even for a moment.I was supposed to protect her.What kind of husband am I?

Ben followed the blood to the barn, to Champagne’s stall.

Emily sat in the corner, Snowflake laid beside her, his white coat stained red where Emily held him.The two horses had probably been skittish because of the scent of blood, but Emily must have talked softly to them and they settled, letting her in.