The Westward Christmas Brides Collection: 9 Historical Romances Answer the Call of the American West by unknow

Author:unknow
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781630585747
Google: MIcXBAAAQBAJ
Publisher: Barbour Publishing
Published: 2014-08-31T14:00:00+00:00

Chapter 6

Beth felt herself falling and jumped. She reached out and grabbed hold of the bedside table to keep from tumbling out of the chair. She blinked the sleepiness from her eyes and focused her gaze on her patient. Had he moved? Or did she just imagine it as she was jerked from her sleep?

She rose and carried the lamp across the room, casting flickers of light all around, to check the time on the mantel clock. Four o’clock. After she returned the lamp to its table, she stretched the kinks out of her back then took a drink from the glass she’d left on the table. Since she was awake, this was a good time to check on the girls. Beth reached for the door handle, and a groan emanated behind her.

Beth rushed back to the bed and set the lamp down. “Cade?”

His head slowly turned toward her. He lifted his arm and covered his eyes. Beth quickly turned down the lamp, leaving only a small flame.

“Where am I?” His voice sounded deeper—huskier—than ever.

“You’re in our rooms at the boardinghouse in Advent.”

“Who—who are you?”

Beth gasped. “You don’t know? I’m Beth, Dr. Ruskin’s daughter.”

“Water, please.”

Beth quickly poured a glass from the pitcher then lifted Cade’s head and helped him drink. “Not too much.”

After several swigs, he lay back, squinting. “How did I get here?”

“A neighbor, Mr. Duffy, brought you.”

Beth pulled her chair close to the bed, hoping—praying—he hadn’t forgotten her. “Do you remember what happened?”

“I remember flying through the air.”

“Mr. Duffy said you fell off of your ranch house roof.”

Cade lifted his hand to his head. Beth stood and tugged it away. “Don’t. Poppa had to suture your forehead. Does it hurt? I can give you some more of the pain powder.”

“It hurts some, but I don’t want any medicine.” His eyes suddenly widened, and he started to sit up but grimaced and fell back. “Annie—is she all right?”

“She’s fine. She’s sleep—” Beth gasped. “You remember Annie?”

Cade slid his gaze toward her. “Of course. You might think I’m a hardhearted curmudgeon for giving her up, but did you really think I could forget her?”

Beth dropped into her chair, smiling. If he remembered Annie, then he couldn’t have forgotten about her. “No, it’s not that. When you asked my name, I thought you had amnesia.”

He turned his head toward the wall and mumbled, “I couldn’t forget you any more than Annie.”

Warmness flooded Beth’s heart, but she forced herself not to get her hopes up. Just because he hadn’t forgotten her didn’t mean he cared for her. “Ease your mind. Annie is doing well, although she has asked for you probably a hundred times.”

“You know how to make a man feel guilty.”

Beth reached over and laid her hand on his arm. “That wasn’t my intention, Cade. I just thought you’d like to know she missed you.”

He rolled onto his back again, looking at her. His expression made her ache for him. “Did I do the wrong thing?”

She shrugged. “Only you can answer that.

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