This year was particularly special for he’d been courting one of the prettiest girls who had just settled on a small spread with her parents on the outskirts of town. Her folks were old friends of the Barkleys and their young daughter Sandra had instantly caught Heath’s eye. Every man in town was swarming around the her like bees to honey but she had chosen Heath above all of her suitors. He was the happiest man in the world and the gleam in his eyes was hard to miss.

After spending the first day cleaning and arranging furniture, Victoria and Heath settled down to supper during which she invited her son to confide the true nature of his happy mood.

« Well, if ya’ must know Mother, I’m kind of …in love, » he admitted shyly.

« I already know that. »

Heath looked up at Victoria with an air of surprise. « You know? »

She smiled and cupped his chin. « A mother knows when her children are in love. That beaming smile of yours alights the entire room. It’s Sandra Bates, isn’t it? »

« Yeah. »

Victoria nodded and smiled wistfully as she recalled the young girl’s expression when she first set her eyes on Heath. « That explains it then. »

« Explains what? » Heath queried.

« The sparkle in the girl’s eyes when I mentioned that you’d be free to help with the arrangements for the social dance in two weeks. »

« So ya’ believe she feels the same ‘bout me? » Heath questioned with wide expectant eyes.

Victoria laughed at the obvious answer. « There’s no doubt about it, son. The feeling is mutual. »

Heath sighed with relief. « Thank ya’ for telling me. I wasn’t sure. »

« So, are you planning to ask her to the dance? »

« I reckon I will, soon as I get back from Coreyville. »

« Do you absolutely have to go to that rowdy town? Couldn’t you meet with Harold somewhere more civilized? »

Heath chuckled. « Now ya’ know Coreyville is a more friendly town since we rid the folk of the corrupt judge Colter. »

« Still, I’m worried, Heath. Perhaps Jarrod and Nick ought to go with you. »

« Mother, stop. I’ll be alright, » Heath took Victoria’s hand and squeezed it as he threw her an impish wink.

Two days later, Heath arrived in Coreyville. After renting a room at the hotel and unpacking his belongings, he went to the telegraph office to wire his family of his safe arrival. As he passed by the bank on his way to the saloon, he heard a gun shot followed by a woman’s shrill scream. He instantly unsheated his gun, cocked it and plastered his back against the wall, poised ready to burst in on the robbers. Before he could surprise them, the masked men grabbed a woman by the waist and dragged her out of the bank. Heath pounced on one of the men while the second one knocked him over the head with his gun butt. Heath was momentarily dazed, long enough for the robbers to mount their horses with the thrashing and screaming girl and hightail it out of town in a cloud of billowing dust.

Heath staggered to his feet and grabbed the reins of the first available horse tethered to a hitching post and spurred the animal at a full gallop after the robbers. He managed to pick up their trail and maintained a reasonable distance to avoid being spotted. However, one of the men suggested to his partner to make sure they weren’t followed by hiding behind a shrubbery and when Heath trotted by, he shot him out of his saddle. He joined his partner, leaving Heath unconscious on the ground. The woman ordered her captor to stop his horse. She ran up to where she’d heard the shot and met with the other man riding up to her. « What did ya’ do? » she upbraided menacingly.

« A man was followin’ us so I shot ‘im dead. »

« Ya’ nitwit! » She shouted at the top of her lungs before she dashed off to where Heath had been shot. The two men followed on their horses and removed their masks. She knelt down beside Heath, lying face down on the ground and rolled him onto his back. His left shoulder was sweating blood but he was still alive. She felt his pulse. « He’s alive. Barely but I can feel a pulse. Come one Buford, help me git ‘im on his horse. »

« What for Molly? I say we finish ‘im right here, » Buford said with a devilish grin as he cocked his gun at Heath’s head.

Molly slapped the gun right out of Buford’s grasp. « I told ya’ I didn’ want anybody to get hurt. We got the money and that’s all. »

« He can make us out, Molly. We cain’t take that chance. »

« He don’t know who ya’ are. Ya’ were both wearin’ masks. As for me, he don’t know I’m yar’ kin. He thinks I’m just an innocent girl who got snatched by the big evil men. I reckon he came to my rescue and for that I owe it to ‘im to keep ‘im alive. » She turned to Heath and studied his facial features with a lecherous smile. « He ain’t bad lookin’. »

« Come on, Molly. Let me kill ‘im, » Buford said.

« No! Let’s take ‘im back to the shack. »

« What d’ya’ wanna do with ‘im? »

« Don’t know yet, » she said with a sly smile as she stroked Heath’s cheek.

Molly’s brothers slung Heath over his horse and climbed their respective mounts. Molly grabbed the reins to Heath’s horse and swung on the croup of Buford’s horse. They ambled away at a steady pace.

When they arrived at their rundown shack, the two men carried Heath inside to Molly’s bedroom where they laid him down on the bed. His shoulder was bleeding profusely and his breathing was growing labored. Molly ran her hand across his burning forehead. « He’s burnin’ up with fever. That bullet’ll have to come out. »

« We cain’t fetch the doctor. »

« We don’t need to. I’ll dug it out myself. I’ve done it for ya’ dozena times and yar’ still alive, ain’t ya’? »

« Awright. What d’ya’ wannus to do? »

« Boil plenny of water and git me som’ clean rags and a kitchen knife. »

The two brothers buckled down to their tasks while Molly carefully removed Heath blood-drenched shirt. She glanced at the blond man’s face, smiling at the thought of having him to herself once she nursed him back to health. There was no doubt in her mind that he’d be grateful to her for saving his life and she to him for coming to her rescue. A heroic deed that no man deigned to do for her. She relished in the thought of having finally found her savior, a man who would sweep her away from that wretched existence she’s been living since she was a toddler.

When her brothers returned with the requested items, she ducked the knife into the hot water and proceeded to removed the bullet in Heath’s shoulder. She bit her lower lip as she cleaved through the flesh to reach the pellet deeply embedded in the muscles « Dammit! I cain’t see the slug. It’s too deep. »

« Why don’ ya’ leave it there? » Buford suggested, grimacing at all that blood pouring out of the open wound.

« I cain’t or he’ll die from the fever. »

She took a lungful of air and cut deeper. Heath started to moan his discomfort. She stopped momentarily and then resumed when her patient appeared to slip back into unconsciousness. When she opened the wound further, Heath groaned and his face puckered. Her lips curled up in disgust as she made a last attempt at extracting the bullet. Heath started to stir, trying to escape the pain but Molly’s brothers were instructed to keep him still while their sister finished the job. She finally dug out the bullet and sponged the excess blood oozing from the wound. Heath was grimacing, his lips slightly parted as he strived to breathe. Molly feared she might lose him to the scalding fever consuming him. « Git som’ cold water. We have to cool ‘im down, » she instructed her brothers. She applied a clean rag over the wound to stem the bleeding. Her brothers returned with a pitcher of cold water in which she dipped a small towel and placed it across Heath’s forehead.

« Why don’ we put ‘im out of his mis’ry right now, » suggested Buford as he pulled out his gun from its holster.

Molly slapped the gun right out of his hand. « Don’t ya’ touch ‘im! He’s mine. » she barked, glowering at her brother.

« Cain’t ya’ see he’s dyin’? »

« He’ll be awright once the fever breaks, » she said confidently. She bent closer to Heath and stoked his clammy flushed cheeks. « Now git and leave me alone with ‘im. »

The brothers looked at each other and shook their heads in exasperation.

The next morning, Heath began to stir. His moans and groans awoke Molly who had fallen asleep in a chair by the bed. She jumped to her feet and sat on the edge of the bed to feel Heath’s forehead. She signed with relief at the absence of a fever. Her patient had survived a rough night and he was clearly on the road to recovery. Heath opened his eyes and focused on Molly’s broad smile. « Hi there, stranger, » she greeted. « How d’ya’ feel? »

Heath swallowed dryly. « Thirsty, » he said weakly in a raspy voice.

Molly poured a glass of fresh cold water and assisted Heath in drinking by holding his head with one hand and lifting the glass to his lips with the other. When he nodded that he had enough, she eased him back onto the pillow.

« Thanks. »

« Whacha name? »

« Heath, » he breathed out. Then he inhaled to finish his sentence, « Heath Barkley. »

« Barkley? Of the Stockton Barkley ranch? »

Heath closed his eyes and nodded feebly. Then he looked down at his bandaged shoulder. « What…what happened? »

« Ya’ got shot. Me and my brothers got ya’ back to our shack and I removed the bullet. »

« Thanks. Ya’ saved my life. »

« It was nothin’. »

« How…how did ya’ get away from the robbers? »

« Euh…they let me go after they shot ya’, » Molly emoted.

« Ya’ alright? »

« Course I’m awright. Why would ya’ care anyway. Ya’ don’t know me. »

« Stranger or not I couldn’t let those men hurt ya’ » Heath explained with his last speck of energy before he closed his eyes and drifted off.

« Why? » She realized Heath had fallen asleep and didn’t insist. She bent forward and gently pressed her lips against his. ‘Barkley. I cain’t believe my luck,’ she thought to herself as she gazed at Heath. She stroked his damp hair back and pulled the covers up to his shoulders before she left the room.

She found her brothers sitting at the table, counting the stolen bank money. « D’ya’ wanna know who we caught in there? Heath Barkley. »

« Barkley of Stockton? »

She nodded with a sly smile. « Yep! »

« He’s trouble, Molly. When his kinfolk find ‘im missin’ they gonna be out lookin’ for ‘im. »

« Oh he ain’t gonna be missin’ coz I’m gonna brin’ ‘im back to ‘em. »

« What? » Buford exclaimed in shock.

« Are ya’ outta yar’ cotton-pickin’ mind? » Rueben added.

« Look here! He don’t know who we are. He thinks we just saved his life and he’s grateful. I aim to take advantage of the fact his family’ll be mighty glad to have ‘im back in one piece. »

The brothers exchanged cunning smiles.

« They might even ask us to stay in their big palace where we can do a lil’ nosin’ »

« I like yar’ thinkin’ sis. »

« That’s why I’m the brains of this here outfit, boys. » Although Molly had convinced her brothers of her plan to rob the Barkleys, she had different designs when it came to Heath. Much to her astonishment, she found herself drawn to the blond cowboy in a sincere way and vowed to make him see that she’d be the perfect wife. Heath was her ticket out of this snake pit.

By afternoon, Heath’s fever broke. Although his stomach felt a bit queasy, he was able to keep down the broth Molly had fed him earlier. She convincingly played the part of the concerned damsel who was obliged to her hero for coming to her rescue, and made certain Heath knew she was as much grateful to him as he was to her for saving his life.

At night, she lulled Heath into a peaceful sleep. As she gazed at the sleeping form, she felt her heart throb with passion. She wanted that man so desperately. She kissed him gently on the lips and began caressing his chest. When a moan escaped Heath’s lips, she stopped, afraid that it might wake him and that he would spurn her affection. She found it hard to put a bridle on her emotions, but deemed it necessary to avoid destroying the web she had so wickedly weaved around the unsuspected victim.

In the morning, Heath awoke and found Molly sleeping in the same chair by the bed. He smiled at her solicitude for a moment before he painfully hauled himself out of bed. He started slipping his clothes on when Molly opened her eyes. She jumped to her feet when she saw Heath getting dressed. « Whacha doin’? Git back in that bed, » she ordered.

« I have to get back home. »

« Yar’ in no condition to travel, darlin’. Come on. Lie down. » She took Heath by the right arm and led him to the bed where she pushed him down. « Look at ya’! You ain’t well, » she observed while she pushed him down on the bed once more.

Heath sighed with despair. He held her hand and stared at her with pleading eyes. « Please, will ya’ help me? »

An atypical blissful smile crossed Molly’s lips as she looked at her hand in Heath’s. For a brief moment, she felt like a princess and wanted to bottle the feeling of elation that the warmth of Heath’s touch aroused in her. She gazed into his deep blue eyes and nodded in agreement. She took care of binding the wound before she put his arm into a makeshift sling, while her brothers were busy stashing the loot in a safe place. They helped Heath up on his horse and all four trotted toward their destination.

Heath’s frail condition compelled them to make a few stops along the way. Too eager to get home, Heath refused to climb down his horse and beckoned them to continue. When they were about a mile off the entrance to the ranch, Heath lost consciousness and slumped to the ground. Molly rushed to his side and instructed her brothers to go to the Barkleys for help. She peered at the blood-soaked bandage and discovered that the wound had reopened.

Minutes later, Buford and Rueben led the way for Nick and Jarrod in the wagon. They both jumped down and dashed to their brother, cradled in Molly’s arms. She had torn off her shirttail and was applying pressure on the wound. « Yar’ the Barkleys? »

« Yeah, I’m Nick and this here is my my brother Jarrod. What happened? »

« Got shot in the shoulder two days ago. I dug the bullet out and wanted ‘im to git som’ strength back fore travellin’ but he insisted on gettin’ home. »

Nick felt Heath’s forehead. « He’s burning up with fever. »

« He was fine when we left this mornin’ and then his wound started bleedin’ again, » Molly explained as she let Nick examined his brother’s wound.

« Jarrod, go get the doctor. I’ll bring Heath back to the ranch. »

Molly’s brothers helped Nick carry Heath to the back of the wagon where they laid him on a blanket. Molly climbed in the back with Heath to keep pressure on the bleeding wound.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, Victoria and Audra set up Heath’s bedroom with blankets, towels and washcloths while Silas boiled water in the kitchen. Nick and Buford carried Heath up to his room and gently laid him down on the bed. Molly wanted to remain with Heath but Victoria beckoned everyone out of the room to preserve her son’s dignity while she removed his clothes. When the task was done, she invited Molly back into the room to keep the pressure on the wound while they awaited Dr. Merar’s arrival.

« I didn’t catch your name, » Victoria asked Molly as she placed a cool cloth on Heath’s forehead.

« Molly Morgan. »

« Well Miss Morgan, could you tell me what happened? »

« There was a bank robb’ry in Coreyville and I was took hostage. Yar’ son chased after the robbers and got shot. For som’ reason, they let me go and I took Heath back to me and my brothers’ house. I dug the bullet out and tried to nurse ‘im back to health. Then he told me he had to git back home. » She turned to Victoria with tears steaming down her cheeks. « I swear I didn’ want ‘im to git on a horse ‘fore he was well enough to ride but he insisted. »

Victoria smiled at Molly and placed a hand on her arm to appease her twinges of conscience. « I’m sure you did everything you could, but my son can be stubborn at times. »

« He said ya’d worry. »

« I did, when he didn’t show up last night. I had hoped there would be a telegram this morning explaining why he was going to be late. »

« He’s lucky man. He has a mother who worries ‘bout ‘im, » Molly said with a touch of melancholia. « I never had that. »

« What do you mean? »

« My ma and pa was killed when I was only two. My brothers took care of me the best they could but it ain’t the same as havin’ a mama care for ya’. »

A silence fell between the two women as they both gazed at Heath, one that was soon broken by Dr. Merar entering the room with Nick and Jarrod in tow. Victoria vacated her seat for the doctor. He first took the patient’s pulse and then checked the eyes « How long has he been unconscious? »

« Close to an hour, » Molly informed.

Dr. Merar shook his head and went to the other side of the bed to examine the injury. He carefully removed the blood-soaked bandage and found a putrid wound. « Infection is setting in. »

« I cleaned it the best I could, » Molly defended, afraid that he might blame her for not doing a good job.

« I’m sure you did and you probably saved his life by removing the bullet. I just need to desinfect the wound with alcohol and do a couple of stitches. »

« Will he be alright, Doc? » an anxious Nick asked.

« It’s still too soon to tell, Nick. We’ll know in a few hours. First he needs a blood transfusion and then we’ll work at keeping his fever down. » He turned to Nick. « Nick, if you’re willing?»

« Of course, Doc, » Nick replied firmly as he rolled up his sleeve.

« Ok, I’d like everyone out of the room, except for Nick. » Dr. Merar beckoned the concerned people out of the room to leave him alone with his patient.

Molly bent forward and kissed Heath on the lips. « Don’t ya’ worry none darlin’. Yar’ gonna be just fine. »

Jarrod, Nick and Victoria all exchanged quizzical looks at Molly’s behavior. It was obvious Heath had conquered another heart, but was the love really requited since it was known that Heath had seriously been courting Sandra Bates.

Molly returned downstairs with Victoria and Jarrod. They walked into the living room where they found Buford and Rueben making sweet talk to Audra while she was serving them drinks.

« How’s Heath? » Audra asked.

« We don’t know yet. Dr. Merar is giving him a blood transfusion. »

« Oh Mother, I’ve invited the Morgans to stay at the house tonight. »

« We sure don’t like to impose none ma’am but it’s been a long ride from Coreyville, » Buford stated with emphasis to make certain Victoria would not contradict her daughter’s decision.

« And I wouldn’t want you to ride back in the dark. You are welcomed to stay. I’ll ask Silas to prepare the guest bedrooms. »

« We appreciate yar’ hospitality, Mrs. Barkley, » Molly said.

« It’s the least I can do after what you’ve done for my son. You will join us for dinner? »

« Don’t mind if we do, ma’am. I’m powerful hungry after that ride. But first we gonna clean up som’, » Rueben said.

« Certainly. Audra would you mind showing them to the bathroom? »

« Bathroom? Ya’ve a bath in the house? » Buford exclaimed.

« Of course. Come, I’ll show you, » Audra offered.

Jarrod watched the three bedraggled drifters follow Audra up the stairs.

« Something wrong, Jarrod? » Victoria asked after noting a slight dubious expression in her son’s eyes.

« Can’t help get the feeling I’ve seen those men before. »

« Where? »

« That’s just it I can’t jab my finger on it, but their faces look familiar. »

« Could they be witnesses you once interrogated? »

« Maybe. I’ll look into it. »

« Right now they are our guests. They saved your brother’s life and we owe them a debt a gratitude. »

« You’re right. » Jarrod kissed Victoria on the cheek. « They can’t be bad people. »

During the night, Molly offered to keep a vigil at Heath’s bedside. She found it hard to sleep with all the day’s events and therefore sat by her handsome prince’s bed and gazed at him sleep. She began stroking his cheek and with her fingers, she lightly traced the lines of his jaw, neck, shoulder and arm, all the way down to his hand where she cradled it in hers. She was startled by her two brothers slouching into the room.

« Molly, they all sleepin’ like logs, » Buford whispered.

« So what? » she whispered back.

« It’s time. »

« To do what? »

« To do what we came here for. »

« Ya’ crazy? It’s too soon. » she warned with a voice slightly above a whisper.

« We ain’t gonna be here long. I’m sure they’ll kick us out in the mornin’. »

« They won’t. They too happy to have their kin back alive. They owe us. Now git back to yar’ rooms, » Molly ordered.

« Molly, this here’s our chance to git som’ pricy stuff. »

« You ain’t gonna touch anythin’ in this house, ya’, hear? Not now anyway. »

« Then when? »

« When I say so. »

« Sis, what is the heck matter with ya’? Ya’ dig this fella, don’ ya’? »

« I do. Told ya’ I want ‘im. Now git back to yar’ rooms and we’ll decide in the mornin’. »

Molly’s brothers grudgingly obeyed and returned to their rooms while Molly turned her attention to Heath. Seeing how he was fast asleep, she was confident he hadn’t heard a word of the conversation.

In the morning, Molly and her brothers were invited to join the family for breakfast. Molly preferred having a tray up to Heath’s room so that she could eat while keeping an eye on him, and be the one to apply cold compresses on him. She wanted to be the first one there when he opened his eyes.

After breakfast, Nick went up to check on his brother. He felt his forehead and shook his head. «Fever’s back.»

« We should git the doctor, » Molly suggested.

« I’m on my way into town. I’ll ask him to come by to check on him. »

« Meanwhile I’ll stay with ‘im. »

Nick raised an eyebrow in suspicion. Somehow Molly didn’t appear the type of woman Heath would go for. He was sure Heath was grateful to her for saving his life and perhaps she had mistaken that gratitude for love. Nick recalled how such misunderstandings often led Heath in hot water and feared that history was about to repeat itself. Could it be that Heath had truly come to love Molly during those last few days? What was to become of Sandra? Nick cast those thoughts out of mind as he swore not to get embroiled in his brother’s romantic entanglements.

He arrived in town where he inadvertently ran into Sandra coming out of the seamstress where she had a fitting for the dress she intended to wear at the dance. She knew it was only a matter of days before Heath would summon the courage to ask her to accompany him. She rejoiced at the thought of being the envy of every girl in town as she walked inside the grand hotel ballroom on Heath’s arm. Nick tried his best to avoid her on purpose but it was too late; she had already spotted him. « Nick! »

« Miss Bates, » Nick greeted with a tip of his hat.

She smiled at his ceremonious greeting. » Nick Barkley, you know you can call me Sandra. Where’s Heath? »

« He didn’t come with me. »

« That’s strange. He said he’d be coming by this morning to start working on the arrangements for the social dance. »

« Well…you see, he’s…well…he’s a little indisposed at the moment, » Nick hemmed and hawed with a touch of embarrassment.

« Nothing serious, I hope? »

« Kinda. He was shot. »

Sandra’s face dropped to the ground and her heart sank at the thought of Heath dead. She put her hand over her mouth. « Oh my God! Is he…? »

« No, he’s not dead but he’s pretty bad off. I’m here to get Dr. Merar. »

« He’s not in his office. I saw him leave about thirty minutes ago. »

« Where did he go? »

« I’m not sure but I heard some poeple talk about Mrs. Evans having her baby. My guess would be that he went to their farm. »

« Bad timing. »

« Nick, I know a bit about medecine. My grandfather was a doctor. Perhaps I can help while we wait for Dr.Merar to finish with the delivery. It’s her third child so it shouldn’t take very long. »

Nick dithered over whether Sandra should show up at the ranch while Molly was roaming about. It was bound to create some tension. But his brother’s health was a greater concern and therefore agreed to ride back to the ranch with Sandra.

...Continued