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Authors: Jodi Thomas
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make a sound.
Wolf lifted her off the ground and moved to the kitchen. “Your foot’s bleeding,” he said as he sat her on the counter. “You should have said something.”
She watched, disinterested, as blood trickled from her foot.
Wolf pumped enough water to dampen a towel and wrapped it around the cut. Then he stepped into the drugstore and collected all the supplies he needed. When he returned, she was still sitting on the counter.
As tenderly as he could, he checked the sole of her foot to make sure there was no glass left in the wound. With skill he cleaned the cut, then carefully wrapped a clean dry cloth around her foot.
Callie Ann followed him from the store and sat watching while he did his best to doctor Molly. “A man shouldn’t see a lady’s feet before they’re married,” she said matter-of-factly.
Wolf raised an eyebrow. “That so?”
“That’s so. My grandma told me. I think it’s a law.”
“Sounds like a good one to me,” Wolf answered. “After all, a woman who’ll show a man her feet will show him practically anything. The next thing he knows, he’ll be staring at her elbows or knees.”
He finished tying the bandage and glanced at Callie Ann. “You stay here. I’ll carry Molly to the stairs, then you can help me clean up the glass.”
Callie nodded as Wolf lifted Molly. He walked carefully across the floor. When he sat her on the first step, he whispered, “Don’t worry about the child or the store. I’ll keep her busy and run off any customers who wander in.”
Molly smiled at him. “Thanks,” she whispered as she moved away. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. I have to wash Ephraim’s body and give him a shave. He wouldn’t want to meet his Maker withoutpassing muster.”
“I’ll help if you like.”
Molly shook her head.
It was afternoon when Callie Ann walked between Wolf and Molly to the cemetery at the end of Congress Avenue. A preacher read from his Bible while huge raindrops plopped atop the box, which had been constructed with little skill or patience. Molly had dressed the old soldier in his Union blues. She placed a folded Stars and Stripes beneath his arm just before Miller lowered the coffin lid.
Three mourners, a preacher, and the undertaker were all who attended the service. Ephraim’s death wouldn’t even be recorded in the paper, the
Statesman
. He died, as he had lived, a soldier on unfriendly ground.
When the prayers were over, Wolf lifted Callie Ann in one arm and the three of them walked back toward town. If Molly noticed the rain, she made no comment. She seemed lost in her own thoughts. Wolf wrapped his leather coat around the child and let Molly set the pace. The low clouds brought an early dusk and the drizzling rain kept folks inside, giving the town a deserted look.
Wolf wanted to ask her what her plans were now. He knew the main reason she’d come west was for Ephraim’s health. Or at least that was what she said. He couldn’t help but wonder if there weren’t other factors. Would she be going home now? Or staying? And could he let her go without saying anything to her?
They stopped for an almost silent meal at the cafe. Callie Ann talked to Uncle Orson, telling him all about death and dying. Since she’d been to two funerals in as many weeks, she considered herself an expert.
It was obvious the waitress thought Callie’s chatter a game they all played with the invisible relative. She set a place for the imaginary man and offered him dessert.
Wolf thought of putting a stop to the game but decided tonight was not the night. And if Molly didn’t come out of her silent trance, he might start talking to Uncle Orson himself.
Twice during the meal she reached for his hand and held it between both hers as if needing to hold to the living. Wolf read her thoughts and touched her as often as he could without causing others to notice.
Wolf paid their bill and was about to walk out when Josh rushed into the cafe. “Captain,” he
Wolf lifted her off the ground and moved to the kitchen. “Your foot’s bleeding,” he said as he sat her on the counter. “You should have said something.”
She watched, disinterested, as blood trickled from her foot.
Wolf pumped enough water to dampen a towel and wrapped it around the cut. Then he stepped into the drugstore and collected all the supplies he needed. When he returned, she was still sitting on the counter.
As tenderly as he could, he checked the sole of her foot to make sure there was no glass left in the wound. With skill he cleaned the cut, then carefully wrapped a clean dry cloth around her foot.
Callie Ann followed him from the store and sat watching while he did his best to doctor Molly. “A man shouldn’t see a lady’s feet before they’re married,” she said matter-of-factly.
Wolf raised an eyebrow. “That so?”
“That’s so. My grandma told me. I think it’s a law.”
“Sounds like a good one to me,” Wolf answered. “After all, a woman who’ll show a man her feet will show him practically anything. The next thing he knows, he’ll be staring at her elbows or knees.”
He finished tying the bandage and glanced at Callie Ann. “You stay here. I’ll carry Molly to the stairs, then you can help me clean up the glass.”
Callie nodded as Wolf lifted Molly. He walked carefully across the floor. When he sat her on the first step, he whispered, “Don’t worry about the child or the store. I’ll keep her busy and run off any customers who wander in.”
Molly smiled at him. “Thanks,” she whispered as she moved away. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. I have to wash Ephraim’s body and give him a shave. He wouldn’t want to meet his Maker withoutpassing muster.”
“I’ll help if you like.”
Molly shook her head.
It was afternoon when Callie Ann walked between Wolf and Molly to the cemetery at the end of Congress Avenue. A preacher read from his Bible while huge raindrops plopped atop the box, which had been constructed with little skill or patience. Molly had dressed the old soldier in his Union blues. She placed a folded Stars and Stripes beneath his arm just before Miller lowered the coffin lid.
Three mourners, a preacher, and the undertaker were all who attended the service. Ephraim’s death wouldn’t even be recorded in the paper, the
Statesman
. He died, as he had lived, a soldier on unfriendly ground.
When the prayers were over, Wolf lifted Callie Ann in one arm and the three of them walked back toward town. If Molly noticed the rain, she made no comment. She seemed lost in her own thoughts. Wolf wrapped his leather coat around the child and let Molly set the pace. The low clouds brought an early dusk and the drizzling rain kept folks inside, giving the town a deserted look.
Wolf wanted to ask her what her plans were now. He knew the main reason she’d come west was for Ephraim’s health. Or at least that was what she said. He couldn’t help but wonder if there weren’t other factors. Would she be going home now? Or staying? And could he let her go without saying anything to her?
They stopped for an almost silent meal at the cafe. Callie Ann talked to Uncle Orson, telling him all about death and dying. Since she’d been to two funerals in as many weeks, she considered herself an expert.
It was obvious the waitress thought Callie’s chatter a game they all played with the invisible relative. She set a place for the imaginary man and offered him dessert.
Wolf thought of putting a stop to the game but decided tonight was not the night. And if Molly didn’t come out of her silent trance, he might start talking to Uncle Orson himself.
Twice during the meal she reached for his hand and held it between both hers as if needing to hold to the living. Wolf read her thoughts and touched her as often as he could without causing others to notice.
Wolf paid their bill and was about to walk out when Josh rushed into the cafe. “Captain,” he
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