No. He would not think the worst.
Though nothing could be as bad as what he’d seen two years ago. The fire. The—
He would not, could not, think of it.
They headed for the river. A dozen possibilities rushed at him, none of which he hoped to find.
“There she is.” Eleanor pointed. With a cry, she broke free and rushed to the figure facedown on the ground.
Blue’s heart flipped over. His breath stuck in his chest.
Libby stopped, pulled Blue to a halt. “She won’t wake up,” the child wailed as she turned and pressed herself to his side.
He couldn’t move with her clinging to him. But he must check on the woman.
“Eleanor, see to your sister.”
Eleanor stepped back and pulled Libby to her. The pair stood with their arms around each other, eyes as wide as moons as they watched him.
He knelt at Mrs. Weston’s side and pressed his fingers to her neck to check for a pulse. Good, she was alive.
Seeing no sign of injury, he rolled her over. “Mrs. Weston, wake up.” No response. He patted her cheeks. She felt cold. So very cold.
“Clara.” He spoke louder. It wasn’t right to use her Christian name so freely, but if it got her to wake up, she’d surely forgive him.
She stirred, tried to raise her eyelids and failed, then mumbled something.
He bent closer. “What did you say?”
He made out the words. “My girls.”
“They’re here. They’re fine.” Then she stilled, and he could get nothing more from her. “Gather up your things,” he told the girls. “We’re going back to the church.” He considered his options for about two and a half seconds. What he was about to do seriously crossed the boundaries he had built around his life as well as overstepped rules of proper conduct. But he didn’t see what other choice he had. He scooped Clara Weston into his arms and trotted back to the church. The two little girls tried to keep up but were burdened down with carrying their bags. He didn’t wait for them; he rushed into the building.
He began to lower Clara to the floor, then realized it was bare and cold. His bedroll was nearby, and Blue kicked it toward the stove and used his boot to spread the bedding. He’d expected he might see some cold weather, so he had brought a supply of furs. Now he saw how right he’d been in thinking ahead, though never in his wildest imagination did he think he might need them to warm up a sick or injured woman.
He lowered her to the padding just as the girls entered, yelling for their mama.
“What’s wrong with her?” Libby demanded, her hands on her hips as if she held Blue responsible.
Eleanor hushed her and knelt by her mother’s side. “Mr. Blue, is she gonna die?”
He wanted to assure them otherwise, but he’d never offer false hope when their mother lay before them so still, her skin so pale it was transparent. “I think the first thing we need to do is get her warmed up. Why don’t you two bring me some more firewood?” Eddie Gardiner, owner and operator of Eden Valley Ranch where Blue worked, was always organized and had put a supply of firewood inside, near the back door, so Blue would have dry wood to last him a few days.
The girls hustled over and filled their arms. Two chunks of wood each was about all they could carry. He could have done three times that in one trip but that wasn’t the reason for getting them to help. The girls needed to be kept busy.
He knelt at Clara’s side. My, wouldn’t she be offended at the familiar way he thought of her and addressed her, but it was hard to be proper and formal when the woman looked ready to expire. “Mrs. Weston. Clara.” He rubbed her shoulders, held her icy hands. Why was she out in this weather without adequate clothing?
He pulled one of the furs over her and threw some of the wood the girls brought into the stove.
“Has your mama been sick?”
Libby began to say something, but Eleanor grabbed her hand and jerked it. She spoke for the pair of them. “She’s not been sick.”
He knew everyone in town and the surrounding area. These people were new. Must have been dropped off from the last stage earlier today. Petey, the driver, had immediately headed back to Fort Macleod with four important British investors of one of the nearby ranches.