Petals on the River (81 page)

small bedroom into the larger one, where they could look after Gage.

Cuddling Andrew against her, Shemaine rocked and sang to him, and

together they waited and prayed that all would be well with the husband

and father they both loved.
 
After a time, Andrew slipped from her lap

and crawled up onto the bed to snuggle against his parent.
 
Shemaine

followed and, wrapping her arm around the boy, rested a hand against her

husband's chest and took comfort in his strong, sturdy heartbeat.

When Colby Ferris went to the loft to see how Gillian was faring with

William, he found his lordship clearheaded and fully conscious. Gillian,

however, had begun to slur his words, not having acquired much stamina

against the brew.
 
Deeming the young shipwright in need of some fresh

air and himself in want of two strong men to hold down his lordship,

Colby sent him to fetch Ramsey Tate and Sly Tucker, who were helping

Flannery load the dead men in a wagon for their final trip to Newportes

Newes.

Except for cleansing the wound, the whiskey was not as beneficial as

Colby had hoped, for his lordship remained fully cognizant during the

whole painful process of removing the pike from his back.
 
No major

organs had been damaged, but the puncture was deep nevertheless.

Cleaning the open wound with the fiery liquid would have undone a lesser

man, but William, who was forced to remain on his stomach throughout the

ordeal, clenched his teeth and buried his face in the pillows to still

any sound.
 
The tremors that shook his tensed body were vivid proof of

the effort he made not to cry out.
 
It was only at the very last, when

the large gap in his shoulder was being sewn up, that his lordship

finally yielded up his consciousness, leaving the doctor astounded at

the older man's fortitude and obstinate will.

When Colby went downstairs again, he found Andrew and Shemaine curled up

close together on the bed beside Gage.
 
They were both sleeping, but

Gage had awakened and was scrutinizing his wife and son as if they were

rare treasures.

''How do you feel?" Colby asked softly after stitching the gash.

"Like I've been hit in the head with the fat end of a mallet."

"You can be glad you're alive."

A frown gathered Gage's brow, but he soon repented of any facial

expressions.
 
"Was I hit that hard?"

"Not that I know of." Colby swept a hand briefly toward Shemaine.

"According to your father, your wife shot and killed the man who was

trying to kill you." He paused to let that fact sink in and saw a look

of wonder pass over the other man's face.
 
"And according to Shemaine,

your father deliberately threw himself in front of you to take the lance

that was meant for you."

Startled, Gage looked at the physician.
 
Fearing the worst, it was a

long moment before he could trust himself to speak.
 
"Is he dead?"

''No, his lordship should mend fairly well unless the wound becomes

tainted, but Flannery's jug of whiskey should have cauterized it

completely.
 
I've never tasted anything stronger in my life, but it

seemed to have little effect on his lordship.
 
Frankly, I'm amazed by

his stamina and tolerance for pain.
 
He never once fainted or cried out

despite the agony we put him through.
 
Your father and wife must love

you very much, Mr.
 
Thornton."

Swept with a feeling of wonderment as he considered the doctor's

statement, Gage was only vaguely aware of his own reply, which had

become almost second nature to him whenever he was addressed by his

proper name.
 
"My name is Gage."

"Rest as much as you can, Gage," Colby instructed.
 
"You'll be better

off if you do and will be back on your feet much faster for it."

Gage recalled the last time he had seen the doctor.
 
"How is Calley

doing anyway?
 
Ramsey keeps telling me she's much better, but I still

worry about her.
 
She should be nearing her time pretty soon, shouldn't

she?"

"Calley is doing remarkably well, and yes, she should be delivering any

day now.
 
Annie is keeping a close eye on her and is just as anxious as

the mother for the baby to be born."

"Ramsey wants to keep Annie on for his wife's sake," Gage informed him,

"but Calley says they can't afford her.
 
She wants at least one of their

five sons to go to William and Mary and is saving every farthing she can

to make sure that will happen.
 
If left to her, all of them will be

tutored there."

Dr.
 
Ferris scrubbed a booted toe across the cypress floor. "Actually,

I've been thinking about buying Annie from you...."

Surprised, Gage looked at the man "I thought you saidþ"

"Never mind what I said.
 
Annie would be an excellent assistant, and

lately I've been thinking I'd like to marry again.
 
I'm still young

enough to have children.
 
My wife couldn't have any, and she died

childless.
 
A child of her own is what Annie wants, and I think I'm able

to give her that.
 
She may not love me now, but perhaps in the

future...." "Have you asked her yet?"

"No, I couldn't, not with you owning her.
 
Myers has been complaining to

me about how you said you were going to bring her back but never have.

He thinks you should give him more money for tricking him."

Gage snorted.
 
"He's been paid far too well as it is."

"I figured as much, but I thought you should know.
 
He's not above

making trouble whenever he can.
 
He and Roxanne Corbin got into a row

because Mrs.
 
Pettycomb repeated a remark that he had made about

Roxanne's expectations being too farfetched if she actually believed

that any man would marry a horse-faced spinster.
 
Roxanne came over and

confronted him right on his front porch, called him a spineless little

toad because he hadn't dared say what he thought to her face.
 
Well, he

repeated the insult for her benefit, and Roxanne just about gouged his

eyes out before he began to pound on her.
 
I ran over there to pull them

apart, but it was like being caught between two cats hissing and

spitting mad.
 
Roxanne was pretty bruised up, but Myers had deep claw

marks down his face and throat.
 
I didn't offer to tend either of them,

figuring they both deserved it, Myers for opening his mouth and Roxanne

for seeking him out."

"Myers should be more careful if he plans to live to a ripe, old age,"

Gage remarked.
 
"Courting disaster with the wrong person can make a man

seriously regret his foolishness."

"Diplomacy has never been one of Myers's strong points, as you and I

both know, but I doubt he can malign us too badly when we have truth on

our side.
 
Because of you, Annie is safe from his abuse and has become

close friends with Calley.
 
Annie's life has changed for the better, and

if she's willing, we can start our own family.
 
Perhaps someday she'll

be able to forget the child that was taken from her.
 
If you're in

agreement, I'm prepared to repay you the money you expended in her

behalf."

"I'm in total agreement," Gage replied, and lifted a brow in a 1opsided

query despite the ache in his head.
 
"Will you invite us to your

wedding?"

Colby chuckled.
 
6ilf Annie will have me."

.

"She will."

The doctor laid a leather pouch filled with coins on the bedside table

and then quietly left the room.
 
In the stillness that ensued, Gage-felt

the hand resting on his chest begin to move in a leisurely caress, and

he glanced down to find his wife smiling up at him.

"Have I ever told you, Mr.
 
Thornton," Shemaine whispered sleepily, "how

very, very precious you are to me?"

His heart swelled with joy.
 
'Does that mean you love me, Shemaine?"

"Aye, Mr.
 
Thornton.
 
That means I love you very, very much."

Gage gathered the slender fingers in his hand and brought them to his

lips for a gentle kiss.
 
"And I love you, madam, very, very much."

.

Chapter 19.

William and Gage Thornton resembled each other in more ways than just

looks, Shemaine decided after trying to keep them both abed for more

than a day.
 
Though Gage was still suffering from a throbbing headache

the next morning, he completed his regular chores and then went back to

work in the cabinet shop.
 
That same afternoon, while Shemaine was out

in front of the cabin washing clothes in the stream, his father

attempted to make his way from the loft to the privy outside, even

though a chamber pot had been placed conveniently at hand.
 
After

descending most of the stairs, he became faint, lost his balance, and

toppled down the remaining steps, ripping open a goodly number of

stitches and, in the process, starting the blood flowing again.
 
Andrew

witnessed the event from the back corridor and, wide-eyed with fear, ran

out to the front porch to yell for Shemaine to come back quickly and

help his grandfather.

The clothes went flying helter-skelter, and by the time she arrived,

William had pushed the tail of his nightshirt down over his naked loins,

restoring his modesty to some degree, and pulled himself to a sitting

position against the wall at the bottom of the stairs. The grimace on

his face conveyed the pain he was suffering.
 
Still, he uttered no more

than a choked-off moan when Shemaine tried to haul him to his feet.

William was too weak to lend her much assistance and too heavy for her

to lift alone, as much as Andrew tried to help her.

"Andy, go get your father at the cabinet shop," she bade.
 
"And hurry!