Summer Dream by Martha Rogers

Author:Martha Rogers
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ebook, book
Publisher: Charisma House
Published: 2011-05-25T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER

THIRTEEN

RACHEL GASPED AS her father stepped inside holding Micah. Another man fell into the entryway behind him. She reached down to remove his hat. “Nathan Reed! Oh my, Papa, what happened?”

Papa thrust his bundle toward Rachel. “Nathan found Micah, and we found them both. You take Micah and warm him up. Felicity, you see to Mr. Reed.” He turned to Noah. “Son, take care of the horses. I’ll be out to help after we get this boy into the parlor. Make sure they have plenty of feed and blankets. Tie the rope from the barn to the house. From the looks of this snow, we’ll need it to find our way to take care of the animals later.”

Rachel peered down at Micah’s still face. She hugged him to her chest and hurried into the kitchen where the warmth of the stove would help revive him. Her parents carried Nathan’s limp form into the parlor, where a fire blazed on the hearth. Rachel prayed for both the boy and the man.

Miriam joined her in the kitchen with fear in her eyes. “Is Micah dead? He’s so white and still.”

“He’s alive. His heartbeat is slow, but I can feel it beating, and he’s breathing. Heat up water in the kettle while I check him over.” She carefully removed each piece of clothing. His toes were white and limp with frost nip, but she didn’t think they had frostbite. His hands looked fine thanks to the thick woolen gloves Mama knit for him.

The first order of business was to get him warm inside and out. Miriam put a kettle of water to warm on the stove.

“Thank you,” Rachel said. “Now run up to Micah’s room and bring me down some heavy socks and dry clothing.”

Her sister ran to do the task, and Rachel tended to Micah. She blew her warm breath over his feet and face, but concern for Nathan in the parlor filled her. How had he happened to be back in Briar Ridge, and how had he found Micah? The last time she had seen him at the Anderson farm, he left in such a hurry to get to Hartford, she feared never seeing him again. What reason would he have to come back, especially at this particular time?

Miriam’s return interrupted her thinking about Nathan. “Here’s everything you need. What else can I do?”

“Heat up a few bricks. I want to put them by his feet to keep them warm.” She pulled dry socks over Micah’s feet, which were no longer as white as they had been. The color returned to his face and hands as Rachel rubbed them and breathed on them. Each article of wet clothing was laid out to dry and replaced with a warm, dry, flannel nightshirt. She wrapped a blanket about him and held him close to the stove.

Everything in her wanted to jump and run into the parlor to see how Nathan fared, but her mother’s treatments would take care of him. Her responsibility lay with caring for her young brother.

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