Chapter 14
"How are you doing this morning?" Phineas asked as he handed Theda a cup of coffee. She’d had a restless night, and her head ached.
Theda accepted the coffee and wrapped both hands around the tin cup. They sat beside the morning fire while the camp slowly came to life around them. Men checked wagons and harnesses. Teams were fed and watered. People moved with a little more caution than usual after yesterday's crossing.
"Better." She took a sip of the coffee. It was strong and far too hot. She was the one who usually made the coffee.
"I'm sorry about yesterday. At the river,” her brother said gruffly.
"Nothing to apologize for." Theda stared into her cup. "I wasn't myself."
Phineas was quiet for a moment.
"You were exactly yourself," he said. "That's not a bad thing."
She glanced over at him. He was still watching the fire.
“I still think about that day too, when Nick…”
“We don’t have to talk about it.” Theda interrupted. There may come a day when she’d be ready to discuss Nick easily, but that day wasn't there yet. No matter what happened at the river the day before.
For a while, they sat in silence. The morning was cool and clear. Theda was finally beginning to feel settled again. She had managed to put her thoughts about Nick and the past back in the corner of her mind where they belonged. Locked away safely.
A scream split the air, sending Theda to her feet. It came from the direction of the river. Phineas was already moving. Theda gathered her skirts and hurried after him.
A small crowd was gathering near the river. It took Theda a few minutes before she spotted Nora Crenshaw sitting in the shallows. The girl's face had gone pale, and she was clutching one arm tightly against her chest.
Jem was already beside her. By the time Theda reached them, he had a torn piece of cloth and had it pressed firmly on Nora's arm. Bright red bloomed across the girl's arm and ran down onto her dress.
Jem looked up at Theda as she approached.
"What happened?" Theda took in Nora's trembling lip as she reached to help her up.
“She must have fallen. When I saw her, she was on the rocks. I came down to help.” Jem looked as worried as Theda felt.
"My wagon," she said. "Bring her to my wagon." She was already turning away when Jem lifted the girl. Theda hurried ahead, she made her way past the onlookers, and toward her wagon.
By the time Jem arrived carrying Nora, Theda had her supplies ready. She had spread a clean cloth across the seat and opened her medical kit.
Jem carefully set Nora down.
"Nora." Theda kept her voice calm. "Can you sit very still for me? I have to take a look at your arm and see how badly you’re hurt."
"Yes, ma'am."
Mrs. Crenshaw hurried up moments later and immediately took her daughter's free hand. Mr. Crenshaw arrived right behind her.
"What happened?" Mrs. Crenshaw shook her head in shock as she took in the blood all over her daughter's arm and dress.
"She fell on the rocks by the river. I saw her down there and got to her as soon as I could." Jem stood nearby and came closer. He looked like he wanted to jump in and help but also didn't know how he could.
Others gathered nearby as well. The Hendersons. Greer. One of the Farley brothers. Jem stood near, ready to help with anything Theda needed.
Theda pulled back the strip of cloth Jem had used on Nora's arm and grimaced at the sight. The cut ran along the inside of Nora's forearm. It was deep, but clean.
"It'll need stitches," Theda said. She looked directly at Nora. "You're going to feel it, but it won't take long if you stay still."
Nora nodded. Theda got a small dose of laudanum from her bag and gave it to Nora. It would help distract her from the pain, but she would still feel it.
Theda reached for her needle. Jem crouched beside Nora.
Without a word, he held out his hand.
Nora took it with her free one.
“How about I tell you a story?” He said in an even voice.
“Then you can focus on what I’m saying, and forget all about Theda working on this cut, okay?
” Theda noticed how Jem glanced toward Nora’s mother for approval.
As Theda worked, Jem kept talking to her.
He told her an elaborate story about two horses who became friends and their adventures on the prairie.
Theda could see from the tears running down Nora’s face, and the way her knuckles were white from clutching her mother and Jem’s hand that she was in a lot of pain, but she was still brave.
Theda tied off the final stitch. "Done."
Nora immediately looked down at her arm. Then she looked at Jem.
"Your hands are very cold."
"Are they?" Jem glanced down at them.
"They were cold in the river, too." She studied him seriously. "But you have a kind face. So I suppose it's okay."
Mrs. Crenshaw laughed, a nervous one at first, then relieved. The sound spread through the crowd. Mrs. Crenshaw covered her mouth. Even Ansel Crenshaw laughed.
Mrs. Henderson, one of the oldest women on the wagon train, with a plump figure, and bright brown eyes, declared it the most honest thing she'd heard all month. Theda finished wrapping the bandage around Nora's arm. Tension in the camp seemed to ease a little.
"You need to be more careful, young lady. This is the second serious accident you've had in the span of a couple of days." She smiled as she tied off the final knot of the outer bandage.
Leland arrived late, pushing through the gathered crowd with his hat already in his hands.
“What happened? Is everyone all right?” Leland glanced down at Nora, who was in her mother’s arms, cradling her hurt arm.
"She's been seen to," Theda said, not unkindly, as she packed away her supplies.
Leland straightened and looked around at the gathered families before turning back to Nora.
“Thank goodness. When I heard that she’d hurt herself , I was worried. It took me a few minutes to get over here.”
"It's all right, Leland. Jem was there. He got her off the rocks and brought her over here for me. I don't think there is anything to worry about."
Leland looked almost disappointed at her declaration, but Theda didn’t know what else to tell him. She, for one, was glad that Nora’s issue had been quickly taken care of.
Gradually, people began drifting away. Verity Crenshaw helped Nora down from the crate and led her back toward their wagon. Ansel followed close behind with a hand resting on his daughter's shoulder.
Della wandered off with the Hendersons, and the Farley brothers finally lost interest now that the excitement was over.
Theda was lost in thought when she heard Leland step up beside Jem.
"Seems like you're always nearby when something goes wrong." She looked up. Leland's expression was calm, but there was something sharp beneath it. "The river yesterday. Now this." He tilted his head slightly. "One might start to wonder."
Jem met his gaze.
"Wonder what, exactly?"
"Whether a man looking to make an impression might find it useful to be the one stepping in whenever there's trouble." His eyes flicked briefly toward Theda. "Particularly if there's someone he's trying to impress."
Heat rushed into Theda's face.
"That's enough." She stepped forward and faced Leland directly. "That's an unfair accusation, and you know it."
"Theda…"
"He carried Nora back to camp and held her hand while I stitched her arm." She folded her arms. "Yesterday he pulled two children out of a river." Her gaze didn't leave Leland's. "What exactly should he have done differently?"
Leland's jaw tightened.
Anyone who was still left from the crowd after Nora's incident quickly dispersed, having no interest in witnessing the fight between them.
"I'm only saying--"
"I heard what you said." For a moment, nobody spoke.
Leland shifted his hat in his hands. Finally, he put it back on his head.
"I should get back," he muttered. "I've got things to take care of." Then he walked away. Theda let out a breath. Her face was still warm.
Why can’t Leland just get along with Jem?
She turned back to Jem.
"I'm sorry. He shouldn't have said that."
"It's all right." He shrugged like it was no issue.
"It isn't all right." Despite herself, Theda decided to let it go and shook her head. "Thank you again for your help."
“It’s no trouble.” Jem ducked his head then caught her gaze as she turned to go.
---*---
The next day, Theda made her way down the line of wagons, toward the Crenshaw wagon. She wanted to check in on Nora.
They hadn’t traveled far from the river in one day. Theda found their wagon easily. Mrs. Crenshaw was with the three children in front of the wagon, and Mr. Crenshaw was unpacking things for the evening.
Ansel Crenshaw was a quiet man. In all the weeks since leaving Missouri, Theda doubted he'd spoken more than a handful of sentences to her. When she reached him, his whole face lit up.
“Theda, thank you for everything you did for Nora,” he said gruffly. “You and Jem both.”
"It’s no trouble at all, and rest assured, she'll be fine," Theda assured him. "Keep the bandage clean and dry. I'll look at it again in a couple of days. I just wanted to stop by and see how she’s feeling.”
"She's up front with her mother, but from what I’ve seen, she’s doing all right.”
Theda smiled at Mr. Crenshaw before going up front. Sure enough, Nora was telling her mother a story. She seemed completely unbothered by her bandaged arm . Mrs. Crenshaw looked up with a warm smile.
“Is everything all right?” Theda asked.
“Everything’s fine. She’s doing much better today, thank you for checking.” Mrs. Crenshaw put a loving hand on Nora’s shoulder.
“If you need anything, Mrs. Crenshaw, come and get me straight away.”
Mrs. Crenshaw nodded with a soft smile.
“Thank you, Theda.”
Content that she’d successfully checked in on Nora, Theda turned and headed back to her own wagon to start supper.
She was halfway back when Leland fell into step beside her. His expression was serious, and he kept his voice low.
"I owe you an apology. For yesterday, with Jem." He kept stride with her, giving her a second to respond.