Jodi Thomas (26 page)

He lifted his head, then grabbed his rifle and ran toward her. “What is it?” he yelled as he crossed the distance between them in lightning speed.

Suddenly, Anna froze. She turned away from him and lifted her skirts. “Maggie!” she screamed. “I left Maggie in the cabin!”

Anna ran back toward the cabin. She’d left the tiny child alone with that savage. He could twist her body or smother her with one hand.
Dear God!
Anna thought.
How could I have left the child?

As she turned the corner at the mound of dirt, the ground sifted slightly beneath her feet and she tumbled down the cabin steps.

A moment later Chance was at her side, pulling her up almost as she hit the earth. His powerful arms lifted her off the ground, then set her down gently amid the sunflowers beside the door.

Shoving his arm aside, Anna pointed toward the cabin. “Indians,” she whispered as the huge red man stepped out the door.

Chance raised his rifle, but the Indian just stood there staring at Anna. After a moment he raised one mighty hand and took another bite from the loaf of bread.

Instinctively, Chance pushed Anna behind him. He said something to the Indian and the man nodded, showing his huge teeth in what he must have thought was a smile. Chance spoke again and the Indian straightened with pride. Chance lowered his gun and brushed the air with an open palm. The Indian did the same and Chance spoke again in words Anna couldn’t understand. Without a word the huge savage marched out toward the woods, holding his head high and chewing away on Anna’s bread.

For a moment Anna clung to Chance’s arm, too frightened to let go. His hand slowly moved along her side to her shoulder. His fingers touched her throat, then his thumb tilted her chin upward until he could see her eyes. “It’s all right, Anna. He wasn’t going to hurt you. He didn’t realize the dugout was private property. He was only looking around.”

Pulling Chance closer, Anna cradled her face into his shoulder. His warm flesh smelled of soap and leather and sweat. The scent of him was his alone, and Anna found the smell strangely comforting. She didn’t want to let go of him. She wanted to stay in the protection of his arms forever.

Chance lowered his gun to the grass and sat down, pulling her into his lap. He pushed strands of hair away from her face and kissed her tears from her cheeks with a smile. “Don’t worry, darling. He only wanted to sample your cooking.” He moved his hands gently down from her shoulders to her waist. “Are you hurt?” The concern in his eyes surprised Anna.

Rubbing her hand over her swollen abdomen, she shook her head. “I’m shaken up. I thought he was going to kill me and then I just ran out, leaving Maggie asleep.” Shame brought tears to her eyes. “I left Maggie. Oh, Chance, I’m sorry.”

Chance held her tightly in his arms. “Don’t be so upset. You were just frightened. You ran.”

Anna shook her head. “What kind of mother will I be if I forget a child and think only of myself?”

Gently, he rubbed her back. “You ran to get help. That was the best thing you could have done. I don’t think a woman in your condition could very well fight a stocky Tonkawa chief.”

Anna agreed but couldn’t stop crying. When Chance finally got her calmed down enough to explain, she said only, “I threw our bread at him.”

Chance’s laughter could be heard all the way to the Jordans’ cabin. He could just picture the Indian’s surprise when Anna tossed a hot loaf of bread at him.

An hour later they enjoyed the breadless dinner and another round of laughter. Anna remained silent, her body stiff from the bruises of her fall. Chance teased Selma about the Indian never stopping by to taste her cooking. All the men agreed that the Indian probably took Anna’s bread as a gift, and if it were as good as everything else she cooked, he’d be back the next baking day.

Tobin helped himself to another slice of pie. “The Tonkawas are a friendly, honest tribe, but they see everythin’ that’s not nailed down as free. I’ve been in their camps before. They’d give you anythin’ you wanted, all you have to do is show an interest, but they believe you should feel the same about them rummagin’ through your poke.” He refilled his mouth and continued, “I think Chance is right about our Indian comin’ back. Think I’ll call him Sourdough.”

Anna frowned. “I hope I never see him again.”

The men began talking about the advantages of having a friendly tribe nearby while Anna cleared the table. The pain in her back was increasing, and she was starting to think the fall might have injured her more than she’d first thought.

Excusing herself, Anna went to the stream to wash up before it got too dark. She needed a few minutes to be alone.

When she reached the stream, the sun was a huge ball sitting atop the low rolling hills. The land was brushed with gold and full of promise. Anna sat down on a large rock and relaxed for the first time since she’d seen the Indian. With the laughter of her friends in the background, the terror of the afternoon seemed far away.

As she enjoyed the sunset, Anna washed her face and hands, splashing water against her neck. Anna felt a wet trickle sliding down the inside of her legs and lifted her skirt so she could cool her sweaty limbs in the stream. What she saw turned her warm skin to ice: Blood! Dark, thick blood covered the inside of her legs like a coat of paint. Bright red circles stained her petticoats.

Anna bit her knuckle as she fought back a scream. For a moment she stared at her bloody legs without moving, as though they belonged to someone else. Then a pain tightened the muscles in her back, making her all too aware of her body.

She looked at the sky for a minute until the pain passed. Her hands trembled as she cleaned the blood from her legs. Another pain shot through her back. “No,” she cried, “it’s not time.”

Mrs. Basse had told her what to look for: She’d said a spot of blood and pains and the waters. But this was no spot of blood. A crimson liquid was dripping from her, and there was no sign that it had been diluted with water.

Rinsing the cloth, Anna wiped her face. She pushed her skirt down and tried to think. It’s not time. She knew the night she’d gotten pregnant. It had been when William raped her on board ship. That was less than eight months ago. It wasn’t time. It wasn’t time!

“Anna?”

She turned with a start and saw Chance crossing the rocky ground by the stream.

“Are you all right? You were gone so long I was starting to worry.”

He squatted beside her, his rifle over his knee. “I thought I’d come . . .”

Their eyes met and Anna knew she couldn’t hide her fear even if she tried. Worry crossed Chance’s smiling face like a sudden spring storm darkens bright skies. “What is it?” he whispered.

He looked around, his hand moving to his gun. “Have you seen the Indian again? I’d never have let you come out here alone if I’d thought he was still around.”

“No,” Anna whispered, “it isn’t the Indian.”

Leaning closer, he ordered, “Anna, tell me.”

Anna didn’t want to tell him. She didn’t want to tell anyone. She didn’t want to believe it herself, but even in her moment of denial she could feel the blood seeping from her. “I’m . . . I’m bleeding,” she whispered.

Chance knelt closer. “But you said it wasn’t time for another month or more.”

Anna didn’t want to argue. She’d told herself the very same thing. “I’m afraid. You said to tell you if I was in pain and I’m in a great deal of pain right now. The blood . . . the blood won’t stop.”

“I’ll get Selma.” Chance started to stand but she reached out and grabbed his shirt.

“No!” Anna pulled him close. “I talked with Selma. She knows even less about babies than I do. I don’t want her to see me bleeding. I don’t want anyone to see me. I’m afraid I’ll be a coward when the time comes.” Anna knew she was rambling but she couldn’t stop. “I don’t want her to think I’m weak. You said your mother faced it alone. I can too. Please, I don’t want anyone to see me.”

Chance ran his fingers through his black hair as if he’d just been asked the impossible. “All right. I understand, but you can’t stay alone. I’m staying with you. Maybe between us we can figure out what to do.”

“No!” The thought that Chance would see such a thing made her cringe.

“Yes!” Chance insisted. “You’re not going through this alone. Not when it’s early and there may be problems. I’ve delivered animals. I watched my mother cut the cord from Maggie. I can help.”

Anna had no choice. She wasn’t sure she could do it by herself. The pain in her back was growing greater with each contraction. “All right,” she agreed, and Chance lifted her into his arms and carried her back to the cabin. She held to him tightly as though he were her last hope.

In less time than she thought possible, Chance cleared the others out. He sent Maggie to stay with the Jordans and Tobin quickly decided he’d better be heading back to town. Chance’s voice was calm and reassuring, explaining over and over to Selma that he knew what to do and she would be a great deal more help watching Maggie. Selma was like a child wanting to see the unknown and afraid to look at the same time. But when she saw Anna’s face stiffen in pain, she quickly decided she could wait a while to see a baby being born.

After everyone left, Anna changed into her nightgown while Chance hauled water from the stream. He put a large pot on to boil and spread a deerskin over the bed, then laid all the extra towels and sheets on top of it.

“I saw Mother do this when she was in labor. She’d have to stop every few minutes for the contractions to pass. The hide will stop any blood or water from getting on the bed. When it’s all over, we can lift this up and you’ll have a dry bed to sleep in.” His words were like soothing music to Anna as she followed his orders.

She gingerly lay down on the pile of towels. Chance lifted a sheet over her, and she was thankful he respected her modesty.

“Pull your nightgown up to your waist,” he ordered.

Fighting both fear and pain, Anna did as he instructed.

He wet a cloth in the bucket of cold water and squeezed it out, then handed it to her. “Here, lay this between your legs. It might help slow the bleeding.”

Taking the wet towel, Anna did as she was told. Moments later another contraction came and she forgot everything except the pain. When it stopped Chance was holding her hand while his free hand moved slowly over her stomach.

“They’ll get harder, I’m afraid. Before long they will be coming right on top of one another.”

Anna nodded as he wiped the sweat from her forehead. “Mrs. Basse said they would.” Anna tried to smile. “I don’t want to cry out.”

Chance nodded as if he understood. “You’re quite a Texas woman, lady.” He lifted the buckets of water she’d washed in and left without a word. In a few minutes he returned with clean water and a stick. He wrapped the stick in cloth and handed it to Anna. “When the pain gets bad, bite down on this.”

Gripping the cloth in her hand, Anna raised it to her lips and drew strength from it. She would be brave, because everyone in her family had been a coward. Her father had run away rather than face debts. Her mother had killed herself rather than lose a lover. Even William, with his slobbering apologies when he’d forced himself on her, had been a coward. But not Anna. She would be brave. She hadn’t cried when her father left or at her mother’s funeral. There had been no scream when William had raped her, and there would be no cry when her child came into the world. She would show him from the moment of his birth that he must be brave.

Moving around her as the time passed, Chance measured it only from one pain to the next. He kept the fire going even though the evening was warm. He lifted the sheet at the foot of the bed and changed the cloth between her legs. She was past modesty now as each contraction twisted through her with choking force. He wiped her face with a cold rag and talked softly, and though his words didn’t reach her, his comfort did.

Anna felt the baby move down inside her. Every inch was a knife thrust against her back. She would sleep between contractions only to be bolted awake by the sudden constricting pain.

Once between contractions her body relaxed and she looked up into the worried blue eyes of the man she hardly knew. He touched her cheek with his palm. “You’re going to make it, Anna me girl. You’re going to make it.”

“Don’t leave me,” Anna whispered. “Don’t ever leave me.”

Chance wiped her damp hair away from her face. “I’ll be right beside you for as long as you need me.”

“If I die—” Anna began.

Chance cut her off. “You’re not going to die. Remember when you had the fever and you begged me to bury you when you died? Well, I told you that you weren’t going to die then, and you’re not going to die now. We’ll get through this. I swear it. I won’t let you die.”

His voice was so stubborn that Anna believed him. She pushed aside the knowledge that more women died in childbirth than any other way. She didn’t think of the blood that kept dripping from her or of the pain. She clung only to Chance’s words.

“Anna, listen to me.” Chance wiped her arms and face with the towel. “Don’t think about the pain. Think about the land. Think about the baby who’ll need you.”

Anna bit down hard on the stick and felt a sudden urge to push. She curled up in a ball and grabbed her knees. Chance pulled the sheet away and knelt beside her. With all the strength left inside her, she pushed. Sweat broke out over her entire body and still she pushed.

Through the sweat that dripped off her forehead, Anna saw Chance’s hands cup a tiny head. Excitement colored his words. “It’s coming. Oh, God, Anna, it’s coming!”

With one great shudder, Anna felt her insides move as he lifted the baby out. She fell back against the pillows as Chance held the baby by its heels and patted it on the back.

With tears of relief and fear streaming down her cheeks, she waited for the first cry.