Read Online Rocky Mountain Dawn (Rocky Mountain Bride Series Book 1) by Lee Savino - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Lee Savino
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of the bedroll and walked, bent over, back to the stream. Her gut was a solid stone of pain, more intense than anything she'd felt before. Even her time of the month wasn't this bad. A week ago, she'd thought she was pregnant, but a few days later sharp cramps and a few spots of blood in her drawers heralded the return of her menses. Other than the spotting, her bleeding hadn't started, but she'd forgotten about it.
Until now.
Forcing herself to drink some water, then walk up and down, she breathed hard against the pain, hoping it would end before dawn came up and her husband found her. Their medicines were low; she did not want to waste them, and knew Johnathan would insist on relieving her pain.
Finally she lay down on a rock, to try to sleep. Her husband found her just after dawn. The cramps still wracked her body, the pain now a growing fire in her belly.
"Esther. Darling, what's wrong?"
Fitful moans escaped her lips, but she couldn't speak.
"Stop the wagons," she heard him cry. "My wife is ill."
"We cannot linger here. Injuns use this water. We've stayed far too long as it is."
Licking her lips, Esther tried to tell her husband to leave her, but her voice came out a wheeze.
"Hang on, Esther," Johnathan said to her. Her dress ripped under his knife, and then his hands moved over her bare skin, checking her body. "You have a fever."
"Hurts. Here."
His hands touched her stomach and the pain nearly drove her off the ground. Johnathan took off his jacket to prop under her head.
"How long?" he asked, face grim.
"Last night."
"Darling, why didn't you wake me?"
Her vision swam, and she forgot to answer. As she shut her eyes, her husband shouted for his medicine bag. She heard men come closer and leave again, and then their shouts above the unmistakable sound of wagons creaking down the trail.
Her husband settled beside her and she grabbed his hand.
"You must go," she croaked.
"I'm not leaving you here, Esther." Frowning, he bent his head to his work.
Pain shot through her, and she cried out, gripping his hand harder.
"Breathe," Johnathan said calmly, though he looked frantic, hair standing up on end.
"You must go on," she said, when the fierce cramp passed. "Your work is too important. I am a burden."
"Esther, how can you think that?"
She shook her head against the pain. "I have nothing to give."
"Not a day has passed that you haven't given everything of yourself. Your love, your passion, your beauty. You give to everyone you meet. You have given everything to me."
A giant cramp shook her, and she felt him lift her into his arms and cradle her.
No, she wanted to say. Leave me. But the fire in her belly roared and everything faded to black.
*****
When she woke again, the pain was gone, shut away behind a wall. She felt it lurking, though, ready to take her. Above her, stars sparkled in a rich night sky.
Her husband leaned over her, trickling a little water into her mouth. "Drink, Esther. The worst has passed. You must hang on for me."
She moved her lips, trying to tell him she would try, but no sound came out.
He bent down and kissed her head. His lips lingered, and she was surprised to feel tears falling on her face.
"You must hold on, Esther. If God takes you, he slays a part of me. The best part." He lay down beside her and gathered her into his arms. "Do not leave me."
She faded out of consciousness, still hearing him plead.
"I need you."
*****
Esther opened her eyes to a brilliant sky filled with pink and orange light. Her bed was moving with a slow, creaking motion. Then the wagon inched round a bend and the mountain range came into view.
"We're here," she said in awe.
The driver twisted back. "That's right, ma'am. Them be the Rockies." He gave her a single tooth grin, and she did her best to return it.
"Gave us all a scare. Glad to see you're still with us. Wagon master took most of the train ahead, but we stuck by you. Your husband wouldn't leave your side."
Lying
Until now.
Forcing herself to drink some water, then walk up and down, she breathed hard against the pain, hoping it would end before dawn came up and her husband found her. Their medicines were low; she did not want to waste them, and knew Johnathan would insist on relieving her pain.
Finally she lay down on a rock, to try to sleep. Her husband found her just after dawn. The cramps still wracked her body, the pain now a growing fire in her belly.
"Esther. Darling, what's wrong?"
Fitful moans escaped her lips, but she couldn't speak.
"Stop the wagons," she heard him cry. "My wife is ill."
"We cannot linger here. Injuns use this water. We've stayed far too long as it is."
Licking her lips, Esther tried to tell her husband to leave her, but her voice came out a wheeze.
"Hang on, Esther," Johnathan said to her. Her dress ripped under his knife, and then his hands moved over her bare skin, checking her body. "You have a fever."
"Hurts. Here."
His hands touched her stomach and the pain nearly drove her off the ground. Johnathan took off his jacket to prop under her head.
"How long?" he asked, face grim.
"Last night."
"Darling, why didn't you wake me?"
Her vision swam, and she forgot to answer. As she shut her eyes, her husband shouted for his medicine bag. She heard men come closer and leave again, and then their shouts above the unmistakable sound of wagons creaking down the trail.
Her husband settled beside her and she grabbed his hand.
"You must go," she croaked.
"I'm not leaving you here, Esther." Frowning, he bent his head to his work.
Pain shot through her, and she cried out, gripping his hand harder.
"Breathe," Johnathan said calmly, though he looked frantic, hair standing up on end.
"You must go on," she said, when the fierce cramp passed. "Your work is too important. I am a burden."
"Esther, how can you think that?"
She shook her head against the pain. "I have nothing to give."
"Not a day has passed that you haven't given everything of yourself. Your love, your passion, your beauty. You give to everyone you meet. You have given everything to me."
A giant cramp shook her, and she felt him lift her into his arms and cradle her.
No, she wanted to say. Leave me. But the fire in her belly roared and everything faded to black.
*****
When she woke again, the pain was gone, shut away behind a wall. She felt it lurking, though, ready to take her. Above her, stars sparkled in a rich night sky.
Her husband leaned over her, trickling a little water into her mouth. "Drink, Esther. The worst has passed. You must hang on for me."
She moved her lips, trying to tell him she would try, but no sound came out.
He bent down and kissed her head. His lips lingered, and she was surprised to feel tears falling on her face.
"You must hold on, Esther. If God takes you, he slays a part of me. The best part." He lay down beside her and gathered her into his arms. "Do not leave me."
She faded out of consciousness, still hearing him plead.
"I need you."
*****
Esther opened her eyes to a brilliant sky filled with pink and orange light. Her bed was moving with a slow, creaking motion. Then the wagon inched round a bend and the mountain range came into view.
"We're here," she said in awe.
The driver twisted back. "That's right, ma'am. Them be the Rockies." He gave her a single tooth grin, and she did her best to return it.
"Gave us all a scare. Glad to see you're still with us. Wagon master took most of the train ahead, but we stuck by you. Your husband wouldn't leave your side."
Lying
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