“W...who are t...they?” he asked as his eyes returned to the silver haired woman.
“They’re your friends, Chris,” she explained. His eyes were glazed and she knew he didn’t understand what she was telling him.
“C...can’t r...remember...head h...hurts. Gonna be sick, A...Abby,” he felt someone place something in front of him and he cried out as dry heaves racked his body. He lost count of the voices talking to him. His body trembling as they eased something to his mouth and he swallowed automatically. The taste was heavy and he recognized what Abigail was giving him as the Osha syrup. Something replaced it and he swallowed the water gratefully. His head was eased back to the pillows and he looked around the room. His eyes grew heavy and he fought to keep them open. He turned to the woman sitting beside him on the bed and smiled. “T...thanks, Abby,” he mumbled as sleep took him once more.
“You fellas wanna tell me who you are?” she asked tiredly.
“You know my name, Ma’am...”
“Yes, Mr. Jackson, I do. Who are these other men and how do you know Chris?”
“We’re from Four Corners, Ma’am. We were hired by Judge Travis to help keep the peace.”
“Four Corners?” her eyes lit up and she looked at the five men in the room and the two that entered. “The Magnificent Seven. Are you telling me you boys are the Magnificent Seven I keep hearing about?”
“Some people call us that,” Dunne told her.
“That’s JD Dunne, Ma’am. The tall fella in the serape is Josiah Sanchez. The Fella beside him is Ezra Standish. Next to him is Buck Wilmington. The man standing beside ya is Vin Tanner.”
“If you’re friends of Chris then you’re welcome in my home, but if you’re lying to me then you’d best leave right now and let me tend to him,” Abigail told him.
“We’re friends, Ma’am. Josiah, did you find any Aloe?” Jackson asked, all business again.
“We’ve got plenty, Nathan. It grows in abundance here,” Sanchez explained.
“Ezra, hand me my saddlebags,” Jackson ordered. He took the bags from the gambler and looked into the face of the woman once more. “Thank you for getting him to drink, Ma’am, but you need to get some rest.”
“What are you gonna do to him?” she asked.
“I’m going to put some Aloe on the burns. Drain the wound in his shoulder again and see if we can get him to drink more water.”
“I’ve made some broth for him. You fellas help yourself to whatever you need. Make sure you come get me if he needs anything,” Abigail told them. She suddenly realized she knew their names but she hadn’t told them hers. “My name is Abigail Newman,” she told them.
“Thank you for taking care of Chris, Mrs. Newman,” Sanchez said as she stood away from the bed.
“He seemed like a good man when I first saw him. He was already feverish and sick that night,” she said sadly. “I did everything I could to help him.”
“You did a lot, Ma’am. You used the Canaigre and that’s stopped him from blistering badly. The Osha you’ve been giving him should help his chest,” as he talked he pulled the scalpel and bandages from his bag. “You get some rest, Ma’am. I got a feelin’ we’re gonna need your help with him when he wakes up.”
“If you need me before that come get me,” she told them as she left the room. Her eyes wondered to the area where she’d shot and killed a man. The body was gone, and someone had cleaned up the blood. She let a soft sob pass her lips as she headed for her own bedroom. Now that the Sheriff and his men were no longer a threat and Chris Larabee’s friends were here she felt the heavy weight of exhaustion on her shoulders. She sank to her bed and slowly cried herself to sleep.
Vin heard the soft sobs from the woman’s bedroom and wished he could help her. He knew she was tired, he’d seen it in her expressive eyes. He listened as the sobs turned to soft breathing and he knew she was sleeping. He returned his attention to the man lying on the bed in the room he was standing in. He moved back towards the bed and sat opposite Nathan Jackson. Blue eyes met brown across the bed and the two men worked to make Larabee more comfortable.
Buck placed the basin of hot liquid next at the foot of the bed and watched Jackson cover Larabee’s groin area with a towel. He watched the blond’s face as a soft sigh escaped his throat. Somehow, even in his sleep, Chris felt his dignity returned to him with the simple gesture from the healer. He looked at Standish and realized the conman had seen the same reaction. The two men smiled as they watched Jackson and Tanner working on the fevered man.
Josiah had also seen the slight movement. He turned to the Bostonian and spoke softly. “How would you like to help me get some supper going, JD?”
“Sure, Josiah,” the kid answered, wanting to get his mind off what was happening in the room.
Jackson finished spreading the Aloe over the angry burns and signaled the sharpshooter to turn Larabee on his left side. He smoothed the soothing lotion over the back and legs, thankful there were no new blisters forming. He turned his attention to the wound in the right arm and signalled for Buck and Ezra to join them.
“I’m gonna have ta drain that wound. Ezra, I’ll need something to put under him. A towel or another sheet. Anything you can find. Buck, he’s weak, but he may jump when I start working on him. I need you to hold his legs and make sure he doesn’t move. Vin, you’ll have to hold his shoulders and upper body...”
“Will this do, Mr. Jackson?” Standish asked as he returned with a clean towel.
“That’ll be perfect, Ez. Help Vin keep Chris on his side while I finish this up. Josiah!” he called and smiled as the ex-preacher immediately poked his head in the door. “I need ya to steep me some Willow bark tea. He’s burning up and we gotta get that fever down!”
“It’s already steeping, Brother,” Sanchez answered and disappeared once more.
“All right, let’s get this done. Ez, you got your flask?” Jackson asked.
“Right here, Mr. Jackson.” The gambler passed his silver flask and watched as the healer poured some of the whiskey over the scalpel. He smiled inwardly as he realized a short year ago he would have balked at the idea of his finest whiskey use in such a manner. Now he was only to glad he was of some help. He watched as Jackson pressed the scalpel against the swollen flesh and wrinkled his nose as blood and pus seeped from the wound. He felt the body beneath his hands buck and he held on tightly.
Jackson knew he was causing the semi conscious man more pain, but there was nothing else he could do. The wound, if left untended, would fester and cause more problems than it already had. He closed off his emotions until he finished cleaning the bloody pus from the wound. He picked up the gambler’s flask and poured it directly into the wound.
“We got ya, Chris,” Tanner spoke softly as the green eyes shot open and a weak cry came from his throat.
“S...stop, p...please...s...stop,” the blond whispered as Tanner continued to talk to him.
“Almost done, Chris,” Jackson said as he wrapped a clean bandage around the wound. He tied it at the back and helped turn Larabee onto his back once more. The fever bright eyes remained open, but were set at half mast. “Sorry, Chris, I know that hurt, but I needed to make sure it’s clean. It needs stitches, but I wanna make sure it doesn’t need to be drained again before I do that.”
“Nathan, I’ve got the tea,” Dunne said as he walked to the bed.
“Thanks, JD,” Jackson took the tea from the younger man and turned back to the bed. “Chris I got somethin’ here for you to drink.”
“W...where’s Abby?” Larabee rasped, he still couldn’t remember who these men were. He shivered as he lay on the bed with just the small towel covering his groin area.
“She was tired and went to get some rest,” Jackson asked.
“Abby’s o...okay?”
“She’s fine, Chris. She’s sleeping,” Tanner said. “You need ta drink what Nate’s got fer ya and go ta sleep.”
“Need to see A...Abby. S...sheriff’s gonna try to k...kill her f...for h...helping me. Need to s...send a t...telegram to F...four Corners.” The fever continued to cloud his mind and his memories were jumbled. He had a feeling he should know these men, but something blocked their names.
“Chris, we’re here, Pard,” Wilmington tried. “We’re your friends remember?”
“D...don’t know y...you. C...can’t seem to t...think straight. So hot,” Larabee rasped.
“Drink this, Chris. You’ve got a fever and we need to get it down. You’ll feel much better once you drink this,” Jackson held the cup towards the blond.
“M...makes me s...sick.”
“We’ll just go slow. Come on, Chris.” Jackson thought he was going to refuse once more, but the mouth opened slightly and Larabee sipped the Willow Bark tea. It took nearly half an hour to get the half cup of brew into the injured man, but they were glad when he took the last sip.
Chris let his eyes close and knew the familiar strangers in the room were watching him with worried eyes. He felt himself drifting and fought to keep the liquid in his stomach. He knew he was weak and wondered if he’d ever have his strength back. He coughed and tried to roll onto his side. Strong hands clasped his shoulders and eased him onto his left shoulder. “T...thanks,” he mumbled. He knew instinctively it was the long haired man who helped him. There was something about him he trusted. He coughed and held his arms to his chest as someone washed the sweat from his brow.
Buck watched his friend as Jackson washed the perspiration from his brow. He knew the healer was doing all he could, but the blond’s memory loss worried him. He stood away from the bed and left the room. He knew the horses needed to be taken care of and smiled as the gambler joined him.
Tanner saw the abrasion on his friend’s neck and realized a rope could only have made it. He knew sometime during the last few days Larabee had felt a rope pulled tight around his throat. He clenched his fists in anger and frustration as he watched the healer tend the blond’s injuries.
Abby woke to weak cries coming from the other bedroom. She jumped from her bed, startled to see a large man standing in her door.
“Ma’am we could use your help,” Sanchez said softly.
It took a few more seconds for her mind to catch up to the rest of her wide awake body. She looked down at the dress she’d worn earlier and realized she’d been so tired she didn’t bother to undress. “Chris?” she asked as she hurried past him.
“Yes, Ma’am,” Sanchez said as he followed her into the room.
Abigail moved to the bed where the sick man was trying to get away from the dark skinned man and the long haired man. She could hear his hoarse voice calling for Sarah again and knew his fever was sending him into the past once more. As she’d done before she slid onto the bed and lifted his head onto her lap. “Chris?” she whispered.
“S...Sarah, Buck, help her. H...help, A...Adam. C...can’t s...save t...them...to h...hot. God...dammit...Fowler...you k...killed them. M...murderin’ son of a bitch...K...kill you....b...bare hands.”
She knew he was forcing the words past his tortured throat and rocked him gently in her arms. “Come on, Chris, its Abby.”
“H...hot...b...burns. C...can’t s...save them. M...my fault,” he gasped as he struggled feebly.
“It’s not your fault, Chris, it never was,” Wilmington tried to get through to his friend. “Sarah and Adam wouldn’t want you blaming yourself for what happened.”
“Your friend is right, Chris. It wasn’t your fault,” Abigail soothed.
“NO! Oh, God, they can’t get out! He’s b...burning them alive. I h...hear them s...screaming,” his hands came up to his ears as he tried to drown out their tortured cries.
Tanner slid in beside the woman and took the gunslinger’s hands from his ears. He wasn’t expecting Larabee’s reaction and ended up on the floor as the blond conjured up more strength than they thought possible and shoved him away.
“Y...you,” Larabee didn’t see Vin Tanner anymore. All he saw was Cletus Fowler as he stood framed in fire. “Y...you murdered them!” He pulled away from the soft hands holding him and threw himself at the man he hated above all else. “K...kill you f...for what you’ve done!” his fingers wrapped around the sharpshooter’s throat before the others had a chance to react. Strong hands clasped his blistered shoulders, but he fought with animalistic strength. Nothing else mattered to his fevered brain but vengeance against the man who’d taken so much from him. His fingers tightened and the drumming in his ears intensified. A voice cut through his fevered mind. Not so much the voice, but the word he used.
“I...it’s me, Cow...boy,” Tanner squeezed out, amazed at the strength in the hands cutting off his air. He felt the fingers loosen slightly and sucked in air.
Larabee frowned as the face below him blurred. “N...not, Cow...boy,” he hissed.
“Let him go, Chris.”
Larabee released his hold and looked into the face of the woman who helped him when he stumbled into her yard. “Abby, not a cow...boy,” he said as he sank to the floor beside her.
“Nathan?” Wilmington cried as his friend collapsed.
Jackson felt the bruised neck as Tanner sat up beside them. “He’s still with us. Vin, are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” the sharpshooter assured the healer.
“Ezra, Josiah, help me get him back on the bed,” the former slave ordered of the two men closest to him. The two men helped lift the unconscious blond back into bed. Jackson covered him in the thin sheet and blanket and felt his friend’s forehead. The heat was still there, but didn’t seem as pronounced.
“I’ll sit with him for a while, Mr. Jackson,” Abigail said. “You boys look like you could use some rest.”
“Thank you, Ma’am. Vin, let me take a look at your neck,” the dark skinned man ordered.
Tanner was about to balk at the idea, but thought better of it. He tilted his head back while Jackson examined his neck for serious trouble. Jackson could see the clear imprint of a thumb on the tracker’s neck, but his breathing sounded normal.
“All right, Vin, you just make sure you tell me if you have any problem breathing. Drink as much cool water as you can to keep the swelling down. I don’t think he did any serious damage, but I want you to take it easy.”
“I will, Nate,” the Texan drawled.
“There’s plenty of extra blankets and pillows in the chest at the foot of my bed. I’ll wake you if he needs anything otherwise I’ll wake one of you in four hours,” Abigail told them.
“Thank you, Ma’am,” Jackson smiled as he lead the six men from the room.
“Maybe one of us should stay with her,” Wilmington said as they walked into the outer room.
“She’s got him this far, Buck. I have a feeling that woman can be quite formidable when she wants too,” Sanchez said, admiration apparent in his voice and eyes. “She’ll come get us if she needs us.”
“Josiah’s right, Buck. It’s late and we’re all tired. Mrs. Newman will call us if she needs us,” Jackson assured them. He stretched his back and felt the pull on his spine as he did so. He looked towards the second bedroom and walked towards the open door. It wasn’t long before blankets were spread on the floor and the six peacekeepers lay down to rest.
Abigail watched as the tired green eyes opened and looked around. She waited for Larabee to finish his search and look at her. When his eyes finally met her own she smiled at him. “How do you feel?” she asked softly, not wanting to disturb the men in the other room.
“H...hot...thirsty,” he gagged against the dryness in his throat and coughed harshly.
“I’ve got more of the Osha syrup for you,” she explained as his eyes watered. She knew how much the coughing hurt him and eased him forward.
Chris drank the small amount of syrup and gratefully accepted the glass of water. He drank slowly, knowing if he went to fast he’d lose it as quickly as he drank it. Once he finished the water he smiled at the woman he owed his life to. “T...thanks,” he mumbled.
“I should be thanking you, Son, you saved my life...”
“N...nearly cost you your life w...when I c...came h...here. S...should’ve k...known Burke w...would f...find me h...here and blame y...you.”
“Burke would’ve come out here anyway. We never did see eye to eye. Him and his men broke more laws than they kept while they ran Haven. Now maybe that town can be the place Will and I were once proud of.”
“From what I saw there wasn’t much ta be proud of.”
Abigail looked to the door and smiled at the longhaired man standing there. “You’re probably right there, Mr. Tanner, but now Burke’s out of the way we just might get some real law in Haven. Maybe that Judge Travis you told me about could find someone to become sheriff in Haven. I’m sure the people in town are ready for some real law.”
“Burke and his men k...killed a lot of people, V...Vin,” Larabee rasped.
“Chris? Ya know who I am?”
“Of course I do. Who else gets away with calling me Cowboy?” Larabee smiled weakly at his friend. “G...gonna shoot you for t...that someday.”
“I’ll leave you boys to talk,” Abigail said. “Chris?” She waited for him to look at her again. “Feel up to some broth?”
“Think so,” Larabee told her.
“Mr. Tanner, can I get you some coffee?”
“Yes please, Ma’am,” Tanner said as he slid into the chair the woman vacated. “had me worried there for a while, Cowboy,” the sharpshooter grinned as Larabee tried to look fierce. “Sorry, Chris, it ain’t workin’. You look like yer blushin’ from head ta foot.”
“Shut up, Vin,” Larabee smiled in spite of the pull it caused to his healing skin. He saw the thumb shaped bruise on Tanner’s throat and reached up to touch it. “S...sorry,” he muttered tiredly.
“Ain’t nothin’ ta be sorry for. Ya weren’t yerself when this happened. Hell ya didn’t even know it was me.”
“Thought you were Fowler. I w...wanted to strangle the life from you.”
Tanner rubbed at his throat. “Good thing ya were so weak or I’d probably have a permanent Larabee choker around my...”
“Scrawny neck,” Larabee finished. The two men smiled and felt the silence stretch out.
“Thought ya were dead, Chris. Young feller in town told us the sheriff hung ya?”
Larabee’s eyes met the trackers as he spoke, “he was going to, Vin. The son of a bitch framed me for murder and convinced the people in Haven they shouldn’t wait for Judge Wilcox. I don’t know if he knew Wilcox died three or four years ago, but I think maybe he did and that’s why he wouldn’t wait for the judge. Wilcox was a hard man, but he was fair. He’d’ve sent the telegram to you guys and Judge Travis to verify my story. Burke couldn’t afford to take that chance. He needed the ‘murderer’ dead and I was the quickest method to do that,” Larabee coughed again and turned onto his right side. He grimaced as his arm came in contact with the bed, but remained in that position.
“How’re you feeling, Chris?” Jackson asked as he joined the two men in the room.
Larabee forced a weak imitation of his cocky grin to his face and spoke softly. “I’m fine, Nathan.” He was rewarded by Jackson’s smile and knew the healer appreciated his attempt at humor.
“Glad to hear it,” Jackson smiled as Tanner moved out of the way so he could examine his patient. He placed a hand on the blond’s forehead and smiled. “Temperature’s coming down a bit. Any pain?”
“I’m f...fine,” Larabee hissed as Jackson examined the broken blisters on his shoulders.
“Now, Son, you need to be honest with Mr. Jackson. He can’t do his job if he doesn’t know the truth,” Abigail warned.
Larabee couldn’t help but smile at the woman. “S...sorry,” he mumbled.
“Well?” Jackson asked, his arms folded across his chest.
“Hell...”
“Chris!”
“Sorry, Abby,” he apologized, glad his sunburned skin would hide the heated flush he felt rising to his cheeks. He scowled as Jackson and Tanner exchanged sly smiles. He knew he’d never hear the end of this.
“Now how’s the pain?” Abigail asked.
“It’s not good right now,” he answered sheepishly.
“I’ve got some laudanum for you, Chris. It should help,” Jackson explained as he readied a mild douse of the drug. He held it in front of the blond and watched as he grudgingly took it.
“Okay, Son, it’s time for you to have some broth,” she sat in the chair and went to feed him.
“I can do it myself,” he rasped.
“Yeah, you probably could, but if you spilled it we’d have to change the sheets and I don’t have any clean ones. Now you don’t want these old hands to have to wash linen at this hour of the night do you?” Tanner and Jackson watched in amazement as the woman chose the perfect words to ensure Larabee’s cooperation.
Chris drank the broth and eased back on the pillows. He felt a cloth wash over his face and mumbled thanks. He slowly drifted towards sleep as Jackson changed the Osha water. The cough was slowly easing, but the healer wanted to make sure he kept on top of everything. He felt the forehead again before turning to meet the tracker’s worried eyes.
“The fever’s coming down, Vin. It’s not gone, but it’s getting better. I’m gonna put the stitches in his arm tomorrow.”
“I’m gonna sit with him for a while, Nathan. Mrs. Newman, ya look like ya could use some rest as well.”
“You saying I look my age, Mr. Tanner?” she asked and laughed at the blush that rose to his cheeks.
“Ah, no, Ma’am, that ain’t what I m...meant at all,” the sharpshooter stammered.
“It’s okay, Mr. Tanner. I know how I must look. I’m going to follow my own advice and sleep for the next ten hours or so. You boys help yourselves to anything you need.”
“Thank you, Ma’am,” Jackson watched the woman leave the room. He could see Wilmington, Standish, Sanchez and Dunne watching them and knew they’d been awake the whole time.
“Vin’s taking the first shift. The rest of you get on back to bed or none of us’ll be able to relieve him,” Jackson ordered.
Buck was the last to turn away. His eyes met those of the tracker and he smiled. There was no one else he’d rather entrust with Chris Larabee’s care than the man seated beside the back. ‘Watch his back, Vin,’ he thought as he walked back to his makeshift bed.
Larabee opened his eyes and groaned as his skin tingled. He felt someone gently rubbing something into his skin and he watched the woman seated beside the bed. She didn’t seem to know he was awake and he studied her face. There were few wrinkles present and again he saw the beauty in the calm face. He couldn’t suppress the groan as her hands came in contact with the blistered area of his shoulders.
“Sorry, Son, I’m almost done.”
“I’s okay. Just wasn’t ready for it.” His voice was still raspy and she knew he was far from well. Despite the diminishing fever he was still shivering and she knew it would be a long time before the heat of the sunburn left his body.
“Would you like some water?” she asked.
“Y...yeah,” he groaned as he tried to pull himself up in the bed.
“You really are a stubborn man,” she said in exasperation.
“Is he giving you any trouble, Mrs. Newman?” Wilmington asked, a smile on his face as he crossed the distance from the door.
“Is he always too stubborn to ask for help.”
“Stubborn. Mule headed...” he looked at the two people as the laughed. “What’d I miss?”
“I know why Chris and I get along so well. My Will used to call me stubborn and mule headed,” Abigail laughed.
“You’re a wonderful lady, Abby,” Larabee told her.
“That may be, but you’re still stubborn.” She passed the glass to him and watched him slowly sip the water.
“Thanks,” he said as he passed it back.
“You’re welcome. Feel up to eating anything?”
“Broth?” he asked disinterestedly.
“What about some fruit. I’ve got a couple of jars of fruit in the cupboard. How does that sound?”
“Sounds great,” Larabee answered as Jackson, Sanchez and Standish entered the room.
“Chris, I need to put stitches into that shoulder.”
“Hell, Nathan...”
“I heard that,” Abigail’s voice came from the other room.
“Sorry,” Larabee apologized and shook his head.
“Okay, Chris, I’ve got some laudanum here for you and some Willow Bark tea. You’ve nearly got this fever beaten, but I want to make sure it doesn’t come back.”
The gunslinger took the laudanum and sipped at the tea. he knew what was coming and tried to make the tea last as long as he could. The cup was removed as soon as he took the final sip.
“Alright, Chris, I need you on your left side. Buck, Josiah, I need you to hold him still for me. Ezra, stay close in case I need you.”
“I shall remain in this position, Mr. Jackson.”
“Ez?”
“Yes, Mr Larabee,” Standish asked.
“Got your flask?”
“Yes, he does, but you’re not getting any. Okay, Chris, I’m all set.”
Wilmington and Sanchez held him on his left side and watched as Jackson put in stitch after stitch. They could feel the lean body shaking under their hands, but the man held his position.
Chris stayed on his side, breathing heavily, trying to suppress the cough he felt building in his chest. He knew he had to remain still as the needle bit into his tender flesh. He bit his cracked lip and tasted blood in his mouth. He could hear Sanchez, Wilmington and Standish talking to him, but couldn’t understand their words. All he knew was the agony of the needle as again and again it sank into his shoulder.
“That’s it, Chris. All done,” Jackson said as he took the clean bandage from the conman. “Mrs. Newman is here with your breakfast. So you feel up to eating it?”
Larabee trembled as they turned him onto his back. His stomach churned and he felt the water he drank earlier come up in his throat. His eyes opened wide as pain lanced through his chest. He sat forward as the basin was placed before him and he vomited into the clean bowl.
“N...not right now, Nate,” he finally answered as he lay back in the bed. He drifted towards sleep as the laudanum finally took the edge off the pain.
“Let him sleep,” Jackson ordered and motioned everyone out of the room.
For the next seventy-two hours Chris Larabee continued to sleep most of the time. He’d wake long enough to eat, drink, take whatever they forced on him and slowly drift back to sleep.
The six men and one woman tended his every need. They cooled him down when his fever returned. They fed him when he was too weak to do it himself. They talked to him and soothed his nightmares when they returned to haunt him.
On the morning of the forth day since Jackson put the stitches in his arm Chris opened his eyes to bright morning sunlight shining through the window. He looked at the chair beside his bed, not surprised to see a pair of blue eyes looking at him.
“Mornin’, Cowboy,” Tanner greeted his friend, glad to see the green eyes were lucid for the first time in days.
“Vin? How’d you get here?” he asked confusedly.
“We got in six days ago, Chris. Ya’ve been pretty out of it most of the time. How da ya feel?”
“Tired. Weak as a new born pony. Vin, Pony?”
“Relax, he’s back in Four Corners. Yosemite’s probably spoilin’ him.”
Larabee’s eyebrows narrowed as he asked, “how’d he get back there?”
“Kid by the name of Jamie Warren found him caught in some brush. He took him home ta his father and they came ta Four Corners for supplies. He showed me where he found Pony and his father told us about the town of Haven.”
“I never want to see that town again,” Larabee mused.
“I can understand that. The people there weren’t real friendly. We did get some help from a fella who couldn’t talk. JD used some kinda hand signals and we found out the sheriff arrested ya. Thought we was too late when he said they took ya out ta the hangin’ tree.”
“Thought I was gonna die there, Vin. I knew I had to get away or they’d kill me,” Larabee coughed and held his hands to his chest. It still hurt, but not the same type of knifing pain it was before. His arm felt stiff, but also lacked the throbbing pain. He could see skin peeling off his arms and chest and rubbed his fingers against it.
“No scratching, Chris,” Tanner warned.
“Damn chest is itching.”
“I heard that, Son,” Abigail smiled as she joined the two men in the room.
“Well it is,” Larabee returned her smile. He owed his life to this woman and knew he’d never be able to repay that debt.
“That may be, but you’re still not allowed to scratch at it. Relax for a few minutes and I’ll put some more Aloe on it. That should help.”
“Better do as she says, Cowboy. I think she’s stronger than you are,” Tanner grinned at his friend.
“You got that right, Mr. Tanner. I can whip him good if he misbehaves. Now you get on out with the others and eat breakfast before the others eat it all.”
“Yes, Ma’am,” Tanner smiled. “She makes the best flapjacks.”
“Bring me a stack, Tanner,” Larabee ordered sharply.
“You’re not getting any flap jacks just yet, Chris. As soon as I’m done with this I’ll get you some broth and a little peppermint tea.”
“Rather have the...”
“Flapjacks. I hear ya, but the answer is still no.”
“You’re as bad as Nathan!”
“Thank you. I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“Shoot!”
“No gun, sorry,” she shrugged her shoulders, smiled and pulled back the blanket. She spread the aloe over his rough skin and smiled at the young man who meant so much to her. She owed him her life and that was a debt she’d never be able to repay. For now she would have to be content with helping him get his strength back.
A week passed before Chris Larabee was strong enough to get out of bed. he was eating real food now and agreed with the other men that Abigail Newman was the best cook in country. They made her blush with their praise, and each man saw the beauty hidden behind her age. This was a woman who’d lived most of her life in the west, buried her husband and watched her sons leave to lead their own lives.
It was late in the evening and Chris was lying in the bed. Josiah, JD, and Buck had left for Four Corners earlier that day. They’d be stopping by Haven to let the townspeople know they’d be needing a new sheriff and offer to have Judge Travis contact them about getting real law into the town.
Chris heard the front door open and knew who it was. He slid his legs over the edge of the bed. Most of the dry skin was gone now, leaving in its place new pink skin. Nathan still insisted they rub Aloe into it in spite of Chris grousing that his skin was soft like a woman. This brought a smile to Abigail’s face and he knew he was being mule headed again. He reached for the pair of blue jeans and pulled them on. They were a little big for him, but a belt kept them on his slender hips. He pulled on the soft flannel shirt, but left the buttons undone. Both items belonged to Will Newman, but Abigail insisted he have them. He slowly made his way out of the room, stepping lightly so as not to awaken the others. He knew Tanner was awake in spite of the darkness. He raised his hand to his mouth in an effort to tell the tracker to be quiet.
Chris opened the door and stepped onto the porch. He heard soft sobs from the swing and moved to sit beside the woman. He reached out and wrapped his left arm around her, drawing her close in the cool night air. He felt her hand reach out and clasp his right one softly.
“Thank you, Chris,” she whispered.
“Anytime, Abby. Feel like telling me what’s wrong?” He waited patiently, knowing she’d talk if that’s what she felt like doing. He was a private man and respected when others felt the same way.
“We would’ve been married forty three years today. Will loved this house and he carried me over the threshold each and every year on this date. It may seem like a silly thing, but for me it one of the things he did to show his love. He was a quiet man and rarely put his feelings into words. It was the little things he’d do that showed me just how much he cared for me,” she sighed and felt his hand wipe the tears from her eyes. “We shared a cup of tea in this swing every night before he died. Even when the kids were young this was our special time. We’d come out here and just gaze at the stars. Sometimes we’d talk, but most times we just sat together. That tiny Rose bush came with us when we moved her. Will laughed and said it was a puny thing and would never survive, but it did and blooms every year. The most perfect red roses you ever want to see. I put them on Will’s grave every year.” Again she went quiet and he thought she was finished, but her next words were whispered in the same soft tone. “We talked about our dreams and the dreams we had for our kids. We saw those dreams come true, Chris, and now I miss him so much. I’m so tired of being alone out here. I want to join my Will.”
Chris heard the wistful sigh in her voice and felt her body go rigid in his arms. There was no warning, but he knew Abigail Wilson had just been granted her wish. He felt her head roll gently on his shoulder and felt the tears flow from his eyes. He sat in the swing, holding the woman close, as a falling star streaked across the sky. “You found him, didn’t you, Abby?” he asked softly.
The chill seeped into his body and still he held his guardian angel in the protection of his arms. He looked at the two cups of tea cooling on the porch rail and felt the tremors rack his body. He knew in his heart she was happy now and he placed a soft kiss on her forehead. “Goodbye, Abigail Newman, thank you for my life,” he whispered.
“Chris?”
Larabee looked up to see the sharpshooter standing in the open door. “She’s gone, Vin,” he said simply.
“Who? What?”
“Abby’s gone. She’s dead,” Larabee’s voice trembled with sorrow as he held her tight against him.
“Hang on, Chris. I‘ll get Nathan.”
“He can’t help her, Vin. She’s where she wanted to be now.”
“Chris, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. It was her wish. This was their anniversary and she was ready to go. I’m gonna put her in her bed till we bury her.” Larabee stood up and reached for the woman. He lifted her into his arms, feeling the tears flow from his eyes once more. He ignored the pain in his body as his strength ebbed, but this was one thing he could do for Abigail Newman and he was going to see it through. “I may not be Will, Abby, but I can carry you over the threshold one last time,” he said as he walked on unsteady legs into the house, past the two men sitting on the floor and into her room. He placed her on the bed and kissed her forehead once more.
“Chris, are you alright?”
The blond turned to see his friends standing in the doorway. He knew the tears were still flowing from his eyes, but it didn’t matter if they saw them. He was tired, weak and in pain, but he needed to take care of things for this woman. “I’m f...fine,” he stammered and stepped towards the door. His legs gave out and he dropped to his knees. He swallowed, painfully aware of the others watching him.
“We’ll take care of her, Chris. You need to lie down for a while,” Jackson warned. He could see how pale the man was going.
“No, Nathan. I need to do this. You have to understand. For her. I have to.”
“You will, Chris, but first you’ll rest. Vin and Ezra can take care of most of the arrangements. You rest until daylight and we’ll make sure you’re with us when she’s laid to rest.”
“I assure you, Chris, we’ll find the perfect resting place for the wonderful lady,” Standish assured him.
“Thanks, Ezra,” Larabee said as the tracker pulled him to his feet. He couldn’t find the energy to argue anymore. Every ounce of his strength was used in putting one foot in front of the other. He didn’t feel them ease his body to the bed or the removal of his clothes. He shivered as the blankets were drawn up over his body. He was lifted forward and something warm was pressed to his lips. He drank the warm tea not tasting the laudanum Nathan laced it with. He felt detached from what happened, yet he knew from experience that he’d more than make up for it when he woke up. His eyes drifted shut and he slept.
Chris lay back against the pillows and kept his eyes closed. Abigail Newman’s smiling face was all he could see. Her dry wit and easy charm made him feel warm inside. She’d helped him heal and would forever be a part of him. He opened his eyes and knew he was alone in the room. The sun shining through the window told him he’d slept longer than he planned. He remembered little about the night before except carrying Abby to her bed and saying goodbye.
He sat forward in the bed and slid his legs over the side. The pain was still there, but it was overshadowed by the sadness in his heart. He reached for the jeans and pulled them on. The flannel shirt soon followed and his trembling fingers buttoned it. He pulled on a pair of wool socks and found the soft moccasins Abigail had given him the day before. He looked at the intricate detail and traced the lines with his finger. These were a gift he’d always have to remind him of this precious woman. He heard footsteps and looked up to see Vin Tanner enter the room. He forced his emotions aside and pulled the moccasins on his feet.
“How are ya feein’?” the sharpshooter asked softly.
“I’m okay, Vin. Did you guys find a place for A...Abby?”
“There’s a grave up on the hill. It’s shaded by trees an’ surrounded by the purtiest wildflowers you ever saw, Chris. There’s a fence around it and it looks like she’s been tendin’ it since he was put there. There’s a cross there says William Newman.”
“He was her husband. We’ll bury her next to him.”
“Ezra and me already dug it.”
Larabee swallowed deeply, holding his body rigid as he stood up. “Show me where it is, Vin.”
Tanner watched his friend and in spite of the blank look on the gunslinger’s face, knew he was keeping it all inside. He stood up and walked out of the room, knowing the lean blond would want to see her final resting place.
As the sun began its final journey down the sky four men stood beside a newly covered grave. The pale blond held two red roses in his hand as he watched Tanner drive the cross into the ground beside its twin. He read the words carved into the cross, words he’d placed there himself.
Abigail Newman
Beloved wife
Cherished mother
Guardian angel
Larabee swallowed the lump in his throat and tried to form his thoughts into words. “Lord, I know I don’t have a right to ask, but I’m gonna ask anyway. Abigail Newman is in your hands now and I’d appreciate it if you took good care of her. She’s probably with her Will now and I know they’ll be happy together. I’m not much for words, but I want to thank you for giving me the chance to know her. She’s a good woman, Lord, and deserves happiness. T...take care of her...” his voice trailed off as he knelt between the two graves. He placed a rose on each and silently said his final goodbye to the woman who saved his life. Tears formed in his eyes and he did nothing to stop them. He felt no shame at showing this side of himself. He had no idea how long he knelt there, but a hand on his shoulder told him it was time to go.
“Thank you, Abby,” he whispered as he stood up and lead the others away from the graves.
They stayed at Abigail’s farm for two more days. Jackson wanted them to wait a little longer and give the gunslinger more time to regain his strength, but Larabee refused.
Chris spent the two days searching through the piles of letters in a small box he’d found in her closet. He found two letters and knew they were from her sons. He sat up half the night forming his thoughts into words and putting them on paper. He explained to both men how their mother died peacefully and that he’d buried her beside their father. He told them she was his hero and how she’d saved his life. He called her his Guardian Angel and told them he’d forever be grateful for the kindness she’d shown a complete stranger. He sealed the identical letters in envelopes and addressed them to William Newman Jr. and Paul Newman. He would telegram them from Haven before leaving for Four Corners and tell them about her death, but the letters were his way of making it seem more personal.
“Are you ready ta go, Chris?”
Larabee looked up from the letters to see Vin Tanner standing in the door. “I’m fine, Vin.. Where’re Ezra and Nathan?”
“Outside with the horses. Nathan says if’n yer not out in two minutes he’s gonna make us stay ‘ere fer another two or three days.” The tracker smiled as his friend hurried out the door. He knew Larabee had good memories of this house, but it was also a reminder of another loss in his life. He followed the gunslinger out the door and closed it softly behind him. He stopped and shook his head as Abigail’s soft voice seemed to float on the wind.
‘Take care of him, Mr. Tanner!’
‘I will!’ he thought as he moved to follow the others. Chris was already mounted on the sheriff’s horse and was looking towards the hill. Tanner knew he couldn’t see the graves from here, but he had a feeling Larabee was saying goodbye once more.
“Take care of her, Will,” he whispered and somehow knew the man was doing just that. He smiled at the thought of Will carrying Abby over a new threshold. He sighed heavily and knew someday he’d be doing the same thing with Sarah and Adam. Until then he was content to be part of the family formed by the six men he rode with. A silent tear slipped from his eyes and he smiled as he turned the unfamiliar horse away from the small farm. They’d make sure someone from town looked after the animals until Abby’s sons made the final arrangements.
“You ready, Chris?” Jackson asked.
Larabee smiled and pushed his black hat down over his eyes. He’d been shocked when Standish came back from Haven the day before with his clothes, gun belt and hat. Standish had gone to telegram Josiah and the others they’d be leaving for home the next day. His colt was resting in its holster and he felt whole once more. A cocky grin spread over his face as he said, “Let’s ride!”
The three men with him smiled and followed the man away from the farm. They knew he’d have good and bad memories of his time here, but the healing was on the way and The Magnificent Seven were whole once more.
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