Mail-Order Cousins 2 by Joyce Armor

Author:Joyce Armor
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: historical, ranch, oregon, mail order bride
Publisher: Joyce Armor

Chapter 5

The week Per had to remain stationary was the longest week of her life. She gained an all new appreciation for anyone who was bedridden or unable to move every part of the body. She read Thomas Bailey Aldrich’s The Story of a Bad Boy and The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Charles Dickens. She also spent hours studying Gus’s book of maps. It was fascinating to see just how far she had traveled from Elizabethtown to Oregon, but even that couldn’t eat up the endless hours of the day.

Gus was kind and thoughtful, although abrupt at times. She could tell he was chafing at needing to stay at or near the campsite and couldn’t wait until she could release him from that obligation. He had been fashioning her a crutch, and today was the day she could finally get upright—with restrictions, of course. One fall off the crutch on the unsteady ground and she could be bedridden for who knew how long. She wasn’t going to risk it. Still, even sitting in a chair or on a log would be an improvement over lying down.

The leg was not nearly as painful as it had been, and her hands were just about healed. Gus had taken off the splints several times over the week to check on and treat the puncture wounds, which had gotten infected initially but at this point were coming along nicely. Now that she could move more, surely she could entice her husband to enjoy some more consummation. He looked like he yearned to at times. At other times he looked like he didn’t want to want to. She had a dim recollection of saying something about love when he was setting her leg and supposed that must be why he was struggling. Why didn’t he want to be loved? Or was it that he didn’t want to love her back?

“What are you doing up?” He held out a cup of coffee, which she gratefully took.

He looked so handsome and rugged in his black trousers that hugged his behind and a blue and black plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up as usual, exposing those beautiful muscular forearms. He had several days’ growth of beard, which only made him look manlier. The thought of those finely dressed society fops compared to this specimen of maleness was laughable.

“I’m not up. I’m sitting in a chair. You said I had to lie down for one week. It’s been a week. Or a year. I’m not sure which.”

He chuckled. “I finished your crutch, but I’m not sure it’s a good idea to use it. The ground isn’t level.”

“I know. I’ll be careful.” She took a sip of coffee. “Just like I like it. Thank you.”

“I have to check the traps and I may have to hunt today, depending on what I find. We’re almost out of meat. And I’m going to start on the foundation of the cabin, so I’m going to have to move the tent.”

She smiled. “Just let me know what I can do to help.

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