meal Rainey had had in two days.
Mike disappeared, saying he'd be back in a few minutes.
The two friends both talked at once, telling each other what had happened while they were apart.
'We're heroes.' Dottie laughed. 'Everyone in town knows about us. We're all the talk.'
Rainey found that hard to believe.
Dottie shoved around food on her plate, trying to catch it using the fork in her left hand. 'It's true. Everyone has stopped by to check on Sage and to tell me how brave I was having a shoot-out with the Norman boys. Even Judge Gates stopped by twice. He sat by me on the couch and patted my hand.' She giggled. 'I don't know if he likes me, or if he figures he was next on their list.'
Rainey found it all too much to take in. 'Where are the McMurrays?' She thought Sage at least would have greeted her. In fact, now that she noticed it, the entire house seemed empty.
'Travis came in half an hour ago. He told us he got you safely to the Ranger station, then said he wanted to see the doctor right away.' Tears bubbled in the widow's eyes. 'He collapsed a foot inside the door and Ranger Saddler had to carry him to his room with a little help from Sage and the Baileys. They're all in there now, I think. He's hurting bad.'
Dottie gripped Rainey's hand. 'I was so excited to see you, I forgot about him. I'm sure he'll be fine.' When Mike came through to answer the knock, he nodded and said, 'Travis is in good hands. Dr. Bailey is the best in Texas.''
'But he never complained, not once.' Rainey lost her appetite. 'I knew he was hurting, but I didn't know…'
The widow stopped her rant. 'Now, don't you worry, dear. Men can be all brave and silent for just so long. As soon as they get home, they let a wall down and stop pretending they're invincible. He had a job to do, and he did it.' She smiled. 'And I'm guessing he didn't want you to see how badly he was hurting. You should have seen the look on his face when he discovered you'd been kidnapped. I almost felt sorry for the outlaws.'
Rainey watched the door as she nibbled at her food. She wanted to run and find Travis, but maybe Dottie was right. Maybe he didn't want her to see him as less than her man-of-oak.
After dinner Rainey curled into the chair feeling warm and safe. For a while, they didn't talk, they just relaxed. Then the housekeeper came in to tell Rainey that her room was ready.
'But I have to go back to the boardinghouse.'
'It's been closed,' Dottie whispered. 'The three sisters refused to stay there after the kidnapping. They moved into their half-finished living quarters over their shop. The last I heard they were helping with the hammering.'
'What about Mrs. Vivian?'
'She refuses to leave her home. The sisters said she was bolting all the doors and windows as they were leaving.' Dottie shook her head. 'She thinks her husband is coming back to that house and nothing short of a fire will get her out of there.'
'But I can't afford to live here.' Rainey looked around her at the fine furnishings.
'There is no charge,' the housekeeper said. 'Dr. and Mrs. Bailey would like you and Mrs. Davis to stay here as their guests.'
'Really?'
'I have the room next to Mrs. Davis made up for you and a bath is waiting.' The housekeeper smiled a true welcome that Mrs. Vivian would have never given away.
Rainey almost said she would sleep here in the chair, but a bath sounded wonderful. She followed the housekeeper up a flight of stairs and into a bedroom four times larger than her little place at the Askew House. It had curtains over the windows and a rug that almost touched the walls on all sides of the room. A big bed with a nightgown folded atop the covers stood to the left, a tub in front of the fire to the right. A teapot warmed on the bricks and crisp white bath sheets waited in a chair next to the tub.
'Will there be anything else?' the housekeeper asked.
Rainey turned to thank the housekeeper. 'Would someone let me know how Ranger McMurray is when they know something?'
'Of course,' the housekeeper said as she pulled the door closed behind her.
Rainey slowly removed her clothes, feeling every sore muscle and bruised place on her body. She looked in the mirror, seeing a dark spot along her ribs and an almost black circle on her hip. Her cheek had turned several different colors of skin and her left eye had a mark so black it looked like she'd spread a finger-width of coal across it.
Slipping into the tub, she let the warm water wash across her tired body, soothing all the aches. She washed her hair and scrubbed the dirt from her hands with a soap that smelled like a flower garden. Her feet were finally warm. She leaned back in the tub and closed her eyes.
She was almost asleep when she heard a knock at her door.
Rainey jumped, surprised that the water had grown cold. Splashing out, she wrapped in a towel, then crossed the room and slipped into a nightgown that someone had laid out for her. 'Yes?' she said, finally answering the door.
'It's me, Sage McMurray.'
Rainey opened the door, and the strange thing that had happened to her very few times in her life before today happened again. Sage rushed toward her and hugged her.
'Thank God you're safe,' Sage said when she stepped back. 'I was so worried about you.'
When Rainey only stared, Sage's eyes widened. 'You are Rainey Adams, aren't you? Don't tell me I got the wrong room.'
Rainey smiled. 'I am.'
Sage relaxed. 'I can't believe you were so brave. I'm so glad Travis found you. I wanted to come along, but he wouldn't let me. You could have been hurt or killed.'
'I'm fine,' Rainey answered. 'How is Travis?'
Sage put her arm around Rainey as if they were old friends. They moved to the fire. 'He's sleeping. The doctor gave him something to help him rest. We'll know tomorrow if he did any damage to the muscles, but Dr. Bailey is having his leg wrapped in hot towels every two hours to increase the blood circulation. After seeing him hurt months ago, I should have been prepared, but I swear I feel his pain.' Sage rambled on. 'He's my big brother and I can't stand it when any of them are hurt.'
'He shouldn't have come after me,' Rainey whispered.
'No one could have stopped him,' Sage answered, her eyes wide with surprise that Rainey didn't seem to understand. 'He said you were his.' She said the words slowly, watching Rainey's reaction.
'I am his friend,' Rainey managed to say.
'Would you mind if I stay for a while?' Sage tilted her head. 'You look familiar.'
Rainey pulled a lap quilt around her shoulders and pointed to the two chairs by the fire. She was glad for Sage's company, but she needed time to figure out how to tell Sage that their paths had crossed once before. 'Please, sit down. We have lots to talk about.' She didn't meet the girl's gaze. 'I think the housekeeper left tea in that pot. Why don't we have a cup?'
Sage looked nervous but got right to the point. 'You mean a great deal to my brother. Have you known him long?'
'No.' Rainey wasn't surprised by Sage's directness, and she had no idea how to answer the girl.
'You don't have to tell me anything, you know.' Sage laughed. 'We're going to be best friends either way.'
Rainey handed her a cup of tea.
Sage smiled. 'Mrs. Bailey does love her tea. Travis hates the stuff, you know.'
'I know,' Rainey answered before she thought and caught Sage's blink of a smile at her words.
As they drank Sage talked about all that had happened after Rainey had been kidnapped. Finally she noticed Rainey fighting to keep her eyes open.
'We'll talk tomorrow. Or maybe I'll listen tomorrow because tonight I seem to be the one doing all the talking.' Sage stood.
Rainey nodded and walked her to the door. She said good night and climbed into bed without turning off the light. Before her body warmed the covers, she fell asleep.
