Chapter Fourteen
Teaspoon, Jimmy, and Buck had joined Noah, Cassie, and Quinn in the parlor as the wait for news of Kid’s condition continued. It seemed like Doc Barnes had been upstairs with Kid forever. Rachel and Lou were with him; Rachel helping the doctor and Louise keeping vigil at her husband’s side. No one uttered a word about the morning’s circumstances that had led them to this point.
Everyone tried to keep busy to take their minds off what was happening upstairs. Teaspoon paced, which was very unlike the marshal, who was more inclined to relax, his legs up and his round hat covering his face. Buck stood gazing out the window, a stunned look on his face. He couldn’t fathom the fact that he could lose two of his closest friends in less than a year. Jimmy sat cleaning his guns, as if he could somehow undo the havoc that had be wreaked by making sure they were in top-notch shape. Quinn had enticed Noah into a game of cards, but the dark rider didn’t appear to be enjoying himself. His mind was on the previous night, wondering if his words had influenced Rosemary in some way to do what she’d done. Even Cassie seemed troubled. She sat near Noah mending clothes for Rachel, occasionally jamming the needle into a finger, which was not ordinary for the accomplished seamstress. Each could only imagine the pain Louise was enduring, seeing Kid in the condition he was.