Page 34 of Mail-Order Brides Wishes (Montana Mail-Order Brides #7)

Her thoughts circled around her situation, but they did not succeed in allowing her to ignore the strength of the arms carrying her and the warmth of his body.

Oh, how she welcomed the warmth. She’d been cold for so many days.

Days she couldn’t recall except for her concern for her children.

What would happen to them if this illness took her? She must hang on.

Mister—what was his name? Not that it mattered.

They wouldn’t take advantage of his generosity one day longer than necessary.

Cowboy, she’d call him, shifted her to a scratchy blanket on a wooden surface.

His wagon, of course. His warm arms left her but a quilt with a familiar scent covered her.

Rachel must have pulled it from the trunk.

Thankfully, Leah had been able to salvage some possessions when they were forced to leave their house.

She’d been unable to carry things with her as she went from pillar to post trying to find shelter for her little family, but the landlord had allowed her to store them in the shed at the back of the property.

Over the weeks since she’d been evicted, she’d sold anything of value to help them survive.

Their few remaining possessions fit into one trunk and some hand luggage.

So many things had gone wrong and now Rachel was caring for her brothers and sister and an ill mother. A heavy burden for one so young.

Hannah cuddled up next to her. So hot. Leah needed to get up and take care of the little one.

Her precious last born. She lifted her hand.

It dropped. She didn’t have the strength to hold it aloft.

Nor to find water to sponge her baby. Nor to open her eyes and see what Montana looked like.

Not even to assure her worried children that she would be fine just as soon as she had rest.

Bumping of the wood beneath her and the rattle of harnesses told her they were moving. To Cowboy’s home. His kind voice and warm arms promised a welcome.

“How far?” Del’s voice came from a dark tunnel, yet it brought a smile to Leah’s heart. Her stubborn, fearless little boy.

An answer came in deeper tones. “It’s a ways. Might as well settle back and enjoy the journey.”

Good advice. Leah drew in a shallow breath and let herself relax. The rattle of the wagon, the exchange of conversation, and the heat of Hannah’s body faded into the distance.

“Mama. Mama.” Rachel’s call brought Leah slowly back to the surface.

Leah’s eyelids flickered open momentarily.

“Mama, you should see the place.”

The excitement in her eldest daughter’s voice informed her she should care. But all she wanted to do was lay down on a soft bed and sleep.

“Mama, it’s a big house. Two stories.” Grant was suitably impressed.

“Mama, I see horses. Lots of ‘em.” Del’s words trailed off.

The children continued exclaiming over the place, their conversation punctuated by a deeper voice. Leah tried to push herself to a sitting position to see what had them so excited, but not a muscle responded to her order. The effort made her head thunder, and she settled back with a moan.

The wagon jerked to a halt. Her children were unusually silent then the three of them spoke at once, their words so tangled Leah couldn’t make them out.

Her heart kicked a weak protest as hands took her baby from her.

“You take the little one,” Cowboy said.

“I’ve got her.”

Leah relaxed at hearing Rachel. She’d make sure Hannah was taken care of.

Strong arms lifted Leah. She sighed against the broad chest. The thud of his booted feet and the bumping of her head against his shoulder informed her they walked.

Something metal squeaked. His boots clunked as if hitting wood.

The light against her eyelids dimmed and she guessed they’d entered a building.

“You children follow me and make your ma comfortable.”

His arms held her safe as he crossed the floor. Did she detect the scent of ginger cookies? He edged sideways and released her to a soft bed such as she’d been longing for. Her body sank into the mattress. If not for her children, she’d keep her eyes closed and forget everything but sleep.

“Mama isn’t getting better.” Del’s voice was thin with the worry that he wouldn’t want anyone to guess at, but Leah heard it.

Summoning every bit of energy she could dredge from the depths of her insides, she lifted a hand. Hopefully enough they would notice.

“I’ll be better soon.” Despite her efforts, she wondered if her whisper carried to her children.

A warm, solid hand patted her shoulder. “You rest. I’ll see to the children.” Cowboy’s voice had a firmness to it that made her believe him and trust that her young ones would be safe in his care.

“Come along, children. Let your mother rest. Rachel, let’s take care of little Hannah.”

“You know what to do?”

“I might. I helped my ma take care of my younger sisters.”

The cowboy knew what to do. He was in charge. With those comforting thoughts, Leah stopped fighting her fatigue and gave into her great need for sleep.

Several times she half surfaced from her troubled slumbers. Mocking shadows, and distant voices alarmed her.

Once she jolted awake. Where were her babies? Her head thundered. Her heart raced. Her eyelids weighed so much she couldn’t force them up.

From a great distance, Del’s happy laughter reached her, suggesting the children were safe.

She let her worries drift away, too weak to hold on to them.