AN: So, because I think people have been waiting for this chapter, here is another update. If you are looking for the Journey update, that will be late tonight or tomorrow morning.
Lillian sat at a table in the mostly empty hotel dining room, a half empty cup of tea sitting in front of her. Most people had left after the prayer meeting. A few ate lunch at nearby tables. Though Eleanor had taken Mary Louise back to the orphanage, Christian and Vincent sat at a table near the window with Billy. Vincent sat next to Billy, his arm around the latter's shoulders. Billy stared out the window, watching the comings and goings. Christian sat across the table from the other two. All three boys were unusually quiet, but Lillian knew that Christian and Vincent just being there would benefit Billy.
Maggie had brought Billy to the prayer meeting but had been called out to deliver a baby. After checking with Billy, Maggie had left him with Lillian, promising him that she would be back as soon as possible. It was because Billy did not want to leave town that Lillian had elected to stay at the hotel. She did not see the benefit of trying to pull Billy away from town when it was clear that he was desperate for information of Gabriel. Lillian knew exactly how the boy felt.
"Can I get you a new cup of tea that would still be warm?" Grace asked as she sat across the table from Lillian. Grace was actually managing the hotel for Ronnie today as the hotel owner had gone out with Tess today to search. Knowing Ronnie was not the most comfortable on a horse, Lillian knew the duo would not be covering a lot of ground but she did appreciate them going out. If it wasn't for the children, Billy included, Lillian would have gladly gone out on horseback herself.
"Maybe later," Lillian informed her sister, glancing down at the tea cup before looking back up at Grace.
"How are you doing?" Grace asked, reaching out and taking her sister's hand.
"Probably a lot better than Gabriel right now," Lillian admitted softly, not wanting the boys to overhear her words. "He would have come home on his own if he was able to. He would not worry us like this. That means he is detained somehow or hurt or possibly both."
"They are going to find him," Grace said, repeating words she had said before, but somehow Lillian found them soothing to her troubled spirit. "Between the Mounties that are out there and all the towns people, someone will locate him."
"I know," Lillian said. "I just feel so helpless right now. I feel like I am doing nothing."
"You are doing something," Grace said, pointing to Billy. "You are watching, Billy. That boy needs us right now. With all that he has lost, this has got to be scary for him. He needs to know that he is not alone right now, and you are helping to do that."
Lillian nodded, her eyes falling on the boy in question who continued to stare out the window.
"Perhaps I will go sit with them," Lillian told her sister, getting to her feet.
"Do you want the tea?" Grace asked her.
Lillian shook her head, before going over to the table the boys were sitting at. She sat down in the chair beside Christian, putting her arm around the boy. Christian leaned toward her, resting his head on her shoulder.
"Miss Walsh, what happens if they do not find Gabe today?" Billy asked, looking across the table at her.
It was a thought that Lillian had let herself dwell on too much. She did not think she could endure another night of not knowing that Gabriel was okay. However, there was no doubt at all as to what the answer to Billy's question was.
"Then everyone continues searching tomorrow," Lillian told him. "But you know what? I have faith that someone will find him today. God will answer our prayers and lead someone to Gabriel."
"I do not think God likes me," Billy said, sounding guilty as he looked down at his hands.
Christian lifted his head from her arm, as Lillian got to her feet. Going around the table, she moved between the chairs Vincent and Billy were sitting in and the chairs of the next table and knelt between Billy's chair and the wall. Laying a hand on the boy's shoulder, she asked. "Why do you say that, Billy?" wanting to understand what was going through the lad's head before trying to reassure him.
"Something happens to everyone who cares for me. First my dad, then my mom, and now Gabe. What if Maggie does not come back?"
"Maggie will be back as soon as she delivers the baby," Lillian assured him. "What happened to Gabriel is not your fault nor did it happens because God does not like you. My birth parents died when Grace and I were younger than you. Grace and I got separated and I got adopted but Grace never did. My adoptive family loved me very much, and I had a wonderful childhood, but I lost both of them when I was a teenager. I know it is hard to loose people Billy, but you did not loose them because of anything you did or because God does not like you. Things like that happen but if we trust in God and the people who care about us, we can make it through."
"I had no one after my parents died. I was alone."
"You were," Lillian agreed. "At least until God led you here and now you have people who care about you, Billy. Just look around you. Three of us are right by your side right now."
Billy did look around, looking first at Vincent, then Christian and finally at Lillian. "Why are you so kind to me after all the times I have pushed you away?"
"Because trust in others is a hard thing to manage when someone has been hurt as badly as you have, Billy. The only way to earn that trust is by showing that person that you are there for them no matter how many times they try to push you away. Vincent and Christian did not trust me at the beginning."
"I was going to run away the first night I came to be with Miss Lillian and Miss Grace," Christian admitted. "Miss Lillian caught me getting some food together. She started to make her own bundle of food together. When I asked her what she was doing, she said 'if you are going to leave, then I am going to follow you until I convince you to come back.' I think she would have to."
Lillian looked over at Christian. "I would have," she assured him before looking back at Billy. "And it does not matter how long it takes you to trust me, Billy, I am going to be right here with open arms for however long it takes."
Billy nodded as he continued to look at his hands.
Instead of going to back to the other side of the table, Lillian pulled one of the chairs from the other table closer. Placing it perpendicular to the wall, she settled into it and reached out to place a hand on Billy's shoulder as the boy went back to looking out the window.
Nathan scanned the area as he continued to make his way slowly toward Brookfield. They were probably still over an hour ride from the town, despite having been riding since first light giving the indirect route Nathan had taken. If Carson had a problem with it, the doctor had not uttered one word of complaint.
Chuck's message had said that the town people were starting their own search. Nathan assumed the Mounties had joined that search by now. The fact that they had not heard or seen any members of that search party told Nathan that they had not yet made it out this far. Or perhaps Gabriel had already been found. Perhaps, Gabriel was already back in Brookfield getting whatever care was necessary.
Yet Nathan knew he would feel guilty if he simply rode to Brookfield and Gabriel had not been found. Looking at the sky though, Nathan knew that soon they would need to make that ride. If Gabriel had not been found, he would help the efforts of the locals tomorrow, but he at least needed to let Elizabeth know he had made it to Brookfield, good news or not. His wife would be expecting that message.
"Gabriel," Nathan called out, on the off chance that Gabriel might be able to respond to the call if he heard it.
After a brief pause, his call was echoed from a little way behind him as Carson repeated the call. Nathan had to admit that he was grateful for the doctor's presence.
There was no reply to either call. Nathan was getting use to it. However, with the sun going down and the temperature dropping, the silence only increased Nathan's worry. It was approaching forty-eight hours since Gabriel had last been seen. They were running out of time.
"We're going to be losing light soon," Carson commented as he rode his horse closer to Nathan. "Maybe we should head to town. Maybe Gabriel turned up since we left Hope Valley."
"Maybe," Nathan said, bringing Newton to a stop. Nathan surveyed the area. Carson was right. It would be dark soon. Continuing the search in the dark would be dangerous and increase the chance that they could miss some sign that might lead to locating Gabriel. They also could be wasting their time out here if Gabriel had already been found.
Indents in the snow not far away caught his attention. Dismounting Newton, Nathan led his horse in that direction.
Though he watched Nathan, Carson remained quiet for now, seeing that something had attracted Nathan's attention.
Reaching the prints, Nathan easily saw that they were hoof prints, the horseshoes making a telltale mark in the snow. The trail was coming from the general direction of Brookfield. Letting his eyes follow the path away from the town, Nathan tried to recall what was in this area from the time he had spent tracking the train robber in this general area. If he recalled the area correctly, there was a hunting cabin in the general direction the trail was leading.
Looking to his left, Nathan saw another trail of indentations in the snow. Heading closer to examine them, he was able to determine that two horseback riders had made their way parallel to the first set of prints, one generally following the other. One set of prints was deeper, suggesting that one horse was carrying more weight than the other.
Nathan knew he needed to check out that cabin. Perhaps it would be as futile as the rest of their day had proven to be, but Nathan knew he wouldn't rest easy tonight if he ignored the feeling. Turning to look back at Carson, Nathan said, "I think there is a hunting cabin up ahead. I'd like to check it out and if there is nothing there, we can head to Brookfield and get an update."
Carson nodded. "Lead the way," the man replied, true to his word of the night before that he would follow Nathan's lead as they conducted their search.
Nathan mounted Newton, and the two men continued on their way, both searching the area around them for anything that seemed out of place. Nathan did notice yet a fourth trail of prints off further to the left, which remained parallel to them. Every now and then they called out Gabriel's name to no avail. Eventually the cabin came into view.
Nathan reigned Newton in again, motioning Carson up beside him. "Chances are the men that robbed the hotel didn't hang around the area, but we don't know that for sure. Let me check out the cabin alone, just to be safe," he suggested. Though Carson had been with him when they had checked other cabins, those cabins did not have trails leading toward them. Nathan wasn't about to put the doctor in any unnecessary risk.
"If you think that is best," Carson said with a nod.
The two rode a little closer to the clearing the cabin was in before Nathan came to a stop again. Dismounting, he handed Newton's reigns to Carson. Taking his gun from the holster, Nathan approached the cabin cautiously. From what he could tell, the cabin didn't currently look occupied. Still, as these cabins were here for anyone's use, Nathan called out hello as he approached, not wanting to surprise a hunter or trapper who was simply seeking shelter.
Getting no response, and hearing no movement from within, Nathan cautiously approached the cabin. Reaching the door, he slowly pushed it open. The fading daylight gave him enough light to see in the one room cabin. At first it appeared to be empty. The gun still at the ready, Nathan stepped inside, pushing the door as far open as it would go to make sure no one was hiding behind it. As he did so, the cabin's bed came into view.
"Carson, he's in here," Nathan called out the door as he put his gun in his holster and rushed forward.
Gabriel was lying on his right side on the bed, which meant he was facing the door. Nathan could see that Gabriel's ankles were bound with rope. As his hands were behind him, Nathan assumed Gabriel's wrists were bound as well. His friend's eyes were closed but as he approached, Nathan noticed a slight up and down movement of his chest as Gabriel took a breath. That small movement helped push the dread of his dream from the night before becoming a reality from his mind.
"Gabe, can you hear me?" Nathan said as he knelt down beside the bed, his hand reaching out to rest on Gabriel's arm.
Gabriel's eyes fluttered open briefly at the question. The slight acknowledgment to his words gave Nathan a feeling of hope that they had found Gabriel in time. As Carson came into the cabin, Nathan got to his feet and headed toward the kitchen area in search of a knife to cut the ropes.
"He is still alive," Nathan said to Carson.
"Gabriel, can you hear me?" Nathan heard Carson ask behind him as he looked for a knife. Finding one in a drawer, he returned to the bed. Carson was kneeling at the bedside, listening with his stethoscope. As he approached this time, Nathan noted that along with Gabriel's wrists and ankles being bound, there was a rope linking the bonds on his wrists and ankles. There was enough tension on it to have kept Gabriel from stretching his legs out completely. It was clear that Gabriel's captors had not wanted him moving around much.
Reaching the bed, Nathan first cut the rope running between the wrist and ankle bindings. He then cut the ropes binding Gabriel's ankles first and then the ones binding his wrists. Gabriel's wrists were raw, telling Nathan that at some point Gabriel was aware enough of what was going on to have been struggling to free himself. Though his eyes remained closed, Gabriel let out a moan as parts of his body tensed up. Nathan looked to Carson.
"Muscle spasms," Carson explained, even as he began rubbing Gabriel's back to relieve the tension there. Without being told, Nathan mimicked the motion with Gabriel's calves. "Between being bound for so long and the dehydration, his muscle's are protesting even the slight movement of cutting the bindings."
"Carson, how is he otherwise?" Nathan asked, even as he tried to relieve the tense muscles in Gabriel's legs.
"His breathing is fine, lungs are clear and the pulse is strong though elevated. He's suffering from dehydration and the exposure to the cold is not helping anything," Carson reported. As the muscles in Gabriel's back had relaxed some, Carson lifted Gabriel enough to free the arm that was trapped underneath him.
Gabriel gave another moan of pain, and tired to open his eyes.
"You're safe now, Gabriel," Carson assured the Mountie, not sure if Gabriel would comprehend the words or not. Still, any bit of comfort he could give was worth the effort. Carson glanced at Nathan. "Can you get our canteens?"
"Of course," Nathan said, stopping his administrations and getting to his feet. He knew his friend was in good hands.
Once outside, Nathan went to the horses. He moved both horses closer to the cabin before retrieving both the canteens and the blankets from the gear. Nathan returned inside to find that Carson had left the bedside and was trying to start a fire in the fire place.
"I'll do that," Nathan told him, crossing over to the doctor. He handed both canteens and blankets to Carson and then set about the task.
Behind him, he heard Carson's footsteps return to Gabriel's side. Nathan listened to what was going on as he got a fire started.
"Gabriel, I need you to try drinking a bit of water," Carson stated. There was a brief silence and then a softly murmured, "that's it."
Once the fire was going in the fireplace, Nathan returned to the bedside. Carson was perched on the side of the bed now. Lifting Gabriel's head and shoulders with one hand, the doctor put the canteen to Gabriel's lips and tipped it a bit. Though his eyes were still closed, Gabriel instinctively swallowed the water.
"How bad is it, Carson?" Nathan asked, noting that Carson had covered Gabriel with the blankets.
Carson looked up. "His condition is serious. He could have been without food and water for at least forty-eight hours. The fact that he is responding a little to our voices is a good sign, but he's weak. Dehydration can cause a lot of complications. Getting water into him is the first priority, though his wrists need to be treated and wrapped. An infection will just put further stress on his body."
"Should I rig up a travois so we can get him into town."
Carson shook his head. "I think it might be best to keep him here for now. Moving him will just put more stress on his body. Not to mention, further exposure to the cold right now will not be good. He's stable and takings sips of water. Once I can get him hydrated more, I'm hoping he'll come around some. I think the best thing to do is for you to go into town and let them know we found him. See if the hotel or someone else can provide some soup. Even if I can't get food into him right away, the broth will start helping with getting nutrition in him. Some more blankets would be good as would having a wagon on hand. Though I would like him to be stronger before moving him, having the means to do so if it became necessary would be beneficial."
Nathan nodded. "Okay. I'll be back as soon as I can."
"Can you bring in my gear before you go and fill some pots with water if the pump outside is working?" Carson asked. "Once the chill is out of the air in here, I'll examine him closer for other injuries, get him cleaned up and in a fresh change of clothes."
"You got it," Nathan said, turning to go carry out the tasks. The sooner he got into Brookfield, the sooner he could make it back. Not to mention there were people waiting anxiously for news about Gabriel.