Chapter 8
Elizabeth opened her eyes to the sound of two male voices. Turning her head, she saw Will talking to Doctor Bingley and the events of the afternoon came flooding back. She had been running away from her husband when her foot had caught in a gopher hole. She remembered falling, pain in her ankle, and then someone carrying her back to the house.
Looking around her, she realized that she was not in her room, but in Will's. A dull throbbing was coming from her ankle and she wished it would go away.
"Mrs. Darcy, I examined your ankle and found that you only sprained it. I wrapped it, so it wouldn't move much. You need to stay off it for a few days. I will leave some laudanum in case it starts hurting again. How are you feeling?"
"I feel fine, but my ankle is throbbing."
"It will be like that for a few days. I will leave now and stop in to check on you tomorrow. Remember to stay off your feet." He grabbed his bag and followed Will out of the house. Setting the bag on his saddle, he turned to his friend. "It looks like you are going to have to do the cooking for a few days."
Will chuckled at his friend's comment, "I was doing the cooking long before I married Beth. I just hope she doesn't get mad about being off her feet for a few days. I will see you tomorrow, Charles." He shook his hand and watched as he rode his horse out of the yard.
Walking to his own horse, he led the tired animal to the barn. Once inside his stall he striped the saddle and bridle off. Rubbing him down, he thought to what he had to accomplish in the next couple of days. I still have to finish all of the planting and find the paint I have stored away for the house. It looks like we won't be able to paint the house and barn for a few days. I will send a letter to her sister and see if she wants to come out and visit.
Walking out of the stall, he set the saddle and bridles in the small tack room. Shutting the door behind him, Will walked outside and back up to the house. He hung his hat up and quickly washed the dust from his hands. He made his way to his bedroom and stopped in the doorway.
Anna was chatting with Elizabeth and moving her hands around. He smiled when he realized she was trying to tell a story in her own words. He turned his attention to his wife and the smile faded. She could have broken her ankle instead of only spraining it. Why did she try and run from me?
Will walked in to the room and pulled up a chair that was in the corner. Sitting down in it, he reached over and grabbed Scout who was trying to climb over Elizabeth. Setting him on the floor to play for a few minutes, he looked at his wife. "Would you like to write to your sister? I can bring it in to town tomorrow and have it sent."
"Yes I would."
"I will be right back with some paper and a pencil." Standing to his feet, he made his way to his desk, and grabbed the writing materials. Walking back to the bed, he set a small writing desk on her lap.
She took the pencil and started writing. Looking up when she heard the chair being moved, Elizabeth saw Will walking out in to the kitchen. Turning her attention back to her letter, she thought about what to write.
Will made his way in to the kitchen and saw that there were still some dishes not washed. Moving over to the counter, he took them out of the cold water, and carried the tub outside. Throwing the water out the front door, he carried fresh water in to the kitchen and dumped it in the tub.
Plunging his hands in to the soapy water, he quickly finished the dishes and set them on the counter to dry. Will walked around the kitchen and realized that he would have to make supper tonight. Heading out the door, he walked down the cellar steps, and found a few things he could throw together without ruining anything.
Walking back in to the house, he set the items on the table, and strolled back to his bedroom. Grabbing the same chair he had sat in before, he settled beside the bed. "Are you finished with your letter, Beth?"
She handed him a folded piece of paper. He took it and set on the night stand. "Are you tired or can we talk for a little while? I still have about an hour before the animals needed to be fed for the night and I have to start on supper."
Elizabeth looked at him with a puzzled frown. "What are you making for supper?"
"I brought up some fruit from the cellar, along with some salt pork. We will have that for supper."
"That sounds good. Were you quiet as a child or just as an adult?" she asked with a small smile.
"I was never quiet when I was child. Being the oldest, I always got into trouble." He said and soon he found himself talking about his childhood. How him and his little brother would play pranks at town gatherings and get yelled at by their father. Their father would stay mad at them for about an hour, before chuckling at their antics, and saying they were only boys.
Elizabeth listened to him tell stories about him and his siblings. She smiled when she realized he was a natural storyteller. "Did you ever get hurt?" she asked after he had finished a story about getting stuck in a tree for two hours.
Will nodded his head. "I was twelve and my brother was nine. My father had just bought a new stallion and no one had been able to go near him. He told us boys to stay away from the corral and leave the stallion alone, but being two curious boys, we didn't listen."
"My younger brother persuaded me to go in by the horse and try to jump on his back. I made it on his back, but he threw me, and I broke my leg." He smiled at the memory of being in a cast for the next month.
"That must have been hard being in a cast. Most young boys love to run and go fishing. What did you do while your leg was healing?"
"I know you are going to laugh at me when I tell you. So I am going to keep that one a secret."
She laid a hand on his cheek and said seriously. "I will not laugh at you."
He took a deep breath and told her something only his mother and Gina knew about. "My mother taught me how to sew. She said that I might never get married and would need to know how to mend my own clothes."
Elizabeth tried to keep a straight face, but a giggled squeaked out, and soon she was laughing. Tears streamed down her face as she saw her husband's hurt expression. "I am sorry Will. I said I wouldn't laugh at you, but it just came out."
He placed a kiss on her cheek. "I am not made at you, but promise you will not tell anyone what I just told you."
"I promise." She said and turned to look out the window. The sun was starting to make its descent in the sky, but it wouldn't be completely dark for a few more hours. "I think it is time for you to feed the animals and make supper. I am getting hungry and I think this little girl could use something to eat too." She gave Anna's nose a tweak before smiling.
Will stood to his feet and stretched. He had never spent that much time talking to someone, but Beth was easy to talk to and he found he could tell her anything. "I will be back in a little while." He placed a kiss on Anna's cheek before placing one on his wife's cheek.
Walking out of the bedroom, he grabbed his hat and pulled it low over his eyes. Opening the front door he stepped outside and strolled to the barn. Stepping through the door, Will waited for his eyes to adjust to the sudden dimness. The horses reached their heads over the stall doors and neighed when they saw him.
He walked to the grain bin and scooped out grain for the horses. Dumping it in to the pail, he grabbed the handle, and made his way down the aisle of stalls. Dumping some of the grain in each of the horse's pails, Will gave them each a pat on the nose. He pitched each of them some hay in their mangers.
After that was finished, he walked to the stall that housed the milk cow. Putting his hand on Star's flank, he set the milk pail down, and pulled up the stool. Sitting down, he started milking the cow, and listening to the milk squirt in to the pail.
I need to tell her my suspicions. I know that it might not be the best thing to do, but she should know. There has never been a person I was able to let my guarded self-fall apart and show the real me. I want to show her the real me more often.
The pail of milk was soon full and he grabbed the handle. Giving Star one last pat on the side, he made his way out of the barn and to the house. Setting the milk pail on the table, Will walked around it, and grabbed the salt pork. Rinsing the extra salt of the meat, he set it in a frying pan, and put it on the center of the stove.
Opening the stove door, he checked to make sure there was enough wood. Satisfied that there was, Will grabbed the cans of fruit, and dumped them each in to a separate bowl. Turning his head, he saw that the pork needed to be flipped. Moving to stand in front of the stove, he flipped the meat, and watched it sizzle.
Little footsteps sounded behind him and he turned around to find Anna looking up at him. Kneeling down, he motioned for the little girl to come closer. "What are you doing out here Anna? I thought you were keeping Aunt Beth company."
She laid a hand on her stomach, "Me hungry."
"Supper will be ready in a few minutes. Would you like to take a bowl of fruit back with you?"
She nodded her head and smiled. He reached up on the table and grabbed a small bowl of fruit. Handing it to her, he made sure she had a firm hold on it before she left. Standing to his feet, he watched as she walked slowly back to the room, making sure not to spill any of the contents.
Turning back to the stove, Will grabbed the salt pork out of the frying pan, and set it on the plates. He had found a tray sitting in the corner of the counter and set the plates on it. Pouring three glasses of milk, he set them on the tray. Picking it up, he carried it to the room.
"I brought you supper, Beth." Placing the tray on nightstand, he handed the plate he had made for Anna to his niece. "Here you go Anna."
He grabbed another plate and handed it to his wife. He grabbed a few extra pieces of meat off the tray and set them on the floor for Scout, who eagerly ate them. Sitting down in his chair, Will grabbed his own plate.
"Thank you for making supper Will. I should have asked this question when I first came here, but I didn't. Did you build this house yourself?"
Swallowing his mouthful of food, he answered, "I did build it myself, but I also had help from my friends. I have a question for you. It is about earlier today. Beth, why did you run from me? I only wanted to talk to you."
She turned her head and looked at him. "I didn't want to talk to you then. I could tell you were not going to open up to me and I was tired of trying."
He grabbed one of her hands and gave it a small squeeze. Taking a deep breath, he realized he would have to tell her what was bothering him. "I will tell you what is bothering me, if you promise to stay in bed for a few days. I don't want you hurting that ankle any more than it already is."
Elizabeth could see in his eyes that what he was going to tell her was important. "I promise."
"Do you remember when I first introduced you to Bingley?"
She nodded her head yes and he continued. "He mentioned how they have not found the outlaw who killed Anna's father. I have had my suspicions since I found out about the shooting. It is someone who I trusted and thought wouldn't do this to our family."
Laying a hand on her arm, she whispered, "Who do you think it is?"
Will took a deep breath and pressed his eyes closed. After a few moments he opened them and gazed at her. "The person who shot my brother in law was my own brother."
Her eyes opened in shock at his words. She had wanted him to tell her what was bothering him, but she didn't expect it to be something like this. "Why did he do it?"
"My brother had been running with the wrong crowd since he was seventeen. My father and I tried to get him to walk away and make something of his life, but he wouldn't listen to anyone. He was wanted for a stagecoach robbery when Richard tried to arrest him."
"Do you know where he is now? You would be able to turn him over to the sheriff."
He set his plate aside and racked a hand through his hair. "I haven't seen him since that day. I don't really even want to see him now."
"But he is your brother."
"I know he is my brother, but I have you and Anna to worry about right now. If and when he does show his self around here again, then I will deal with it. Now finish your supper and I will read a story to my two beautiful girls."