He grimaced and gestured to the bed. “I’m definitely not using it right now.”
“Is there anything else you need? You see I’ve left the headache powders near the pitcher of water and glass?”
“I used some as soon as I woke. I feel much better since that delicious breakfast.”
“If the pain is too intense I have laudanum. Dr. Ross didn’t think you should sleep too deeply until you’d woken up at least once. Call out if you need anything. I expect the doctor will be by soon. I’ll leave you to go through your things.”
He began with the saddlebags. He found wrinkled but apparently clean clothes. There were papers. Sure enough, apparently he was Bret Craig. Oh, here it was, he was from Fort Worth. He’d forgotten to ask where he was now.
He sifted through the papers. A will left everything to his sister, Phyllis Martha Craig, at the same address as his in Fort Worth. So, he wasn’t married.
That was a relief anyway. Now why had he thought that? He suspected because the widow was so pretty and kind. Drat, he hoped to the devil he wasn’t a womanizer.
He tried to call up an image of his sister. Shouldn’t he remember his own sister? This void was maddening.
A man appeared at the door. “Good morning, Mr. Craig. Nice to see you awake. I’m Dr. Ross.”
“Come in if you can get in. The children brought in my things. With all this stuff I must have intended to travel for a long distance.”
The doctor picked his way across the room. “Let me take a look at my handiwork on your head.”
He opened his medical bag and took out his scissors. After cutting away the bandage, he examined the back of Bret’s head. He tentatively probed the wound.
“Ouch.”
“Sorry, looks as if it’s healing up nicely. Charlotte… Mrs. Dunn had already cleaned and dressed it when I got here. She knew I was coming so she waited for me to take the stitches.”
After the doctor had wrapped a fresh bandage around Bret’s head, he asked him to follow his finger with his eyes. He examined Bret’s pupils.
“Looks as if you’re doing well. Mrs. Dunn said you’ve lost your memory. Don’t worry. I’m sure it will return as you heal. Don’t push yourself. When you feel like doing so, you can move around but don’t over-exert yourself. A little walk to the kitchen should be enough for a day or two more. I’ll stop by later in the week and see how you’re faring.”
“Thank you, doctor.”
When the doctor had gone, Bret tried to stand. The room spun so he quickly sat down on the edge of the bed. He pulled his saddlebags toward him and replaced the papers he’d read. A few more caught his eye. Apparently he and his sister owned a business, Craig Foundry and Metal Works. Their parents must have passed away since they weren’t mentioned.
Mrs. Dunn—he thought of her as Charlotte now that he knew her name—came to check on him. “The doctor said you’re doing well. Any luck with your saddlebags?”
“I learned I’m not married and I have a sister in our Fort Worth home. I’ve neglected to ask where exactly I am.”
“You’re on the Dunn Ranch near Palo Pinto in the county by that name. We’re west of Fort Worth… about sixty or seventy-five miles. I’m not sure. I rode the stage coach here from Fort Worth and it seemed at least a thousand.”
“Where did you start?”
“In South Carolina. My parents died and I had no family left. That’s why I applied to be a mail-order bride.”
“You had a long journey. Oh, I guess I know where South Carolina is.”
“That’s reassuring. I’m sure you’ll remember everything soon. I came to see if you need anything. I see you have clothes there. I’ll do laundry on Monday and can wash whatever you need clean. In the meantime, you’re the same size as Ike so you’re welcome to help yourself to anything of his. I’ve meant to go through them and give most of his clothes to the church.”
“You’re a generous woman. The doctor said I can get up some. I tried as soon as he left but things spun around.”
“Let me arrange your space in case you wish to try later.” She shifted the various bundles the children had brought inside. He hadn’t noticed a trunk in the corner until she scooted it beside the bed and set his bundles on top. She stood the rifle between the lamp table and the bed, leaning it against the wall.
“Now, I think you can reach your things without falling over them. I’ll check on you later.”
He opened a bag and found it filled with money!
Chapter Ten
Bret stared at the cash in his hands. He counted it and wondered why on earth he was carrying so much with him. The boy—he must know about the money if he’d checked Bret’s belongings for camping gear versus personal items.
Bret was lucky the Dunn family members were honest. They could easily have finished him off and kept the money. He didn’t think he’d ever before been vulnerable but he sure felt it now.
He tried standing again. This time he’d been sitting before he stood instead of lying down and he didn’t get dizzy. He wasn’t certain how far he could walk.
Aiming for the chair, he made it slowly and sat for a few minutes. Gradually standing, he walked back to the bed and sat down. Man, his head was pounding again.
He prepared a dose of the headache powder in a glass of water and drank it. Maybe he should rest a little while. All these
