Page 18 of A Redemption Mountain Christmas

Eliza hurried to gather her medical supplies, adrenaline pumped through her veins. Stepping outside, the icy wind stole her breath. She blinked against the swirl of snowflakes as she followed Spencer across the yard to the corral.

When they reached Travis, she dropped to her knees beside him. Gritting his teeth against the pain, Travis managed a weak smile.

“Sorry to cause trouble, ma’am.”

“Hush now. Let’s have a look at you.” Eliza carefully cut away his shirt and examined his ribs, keeping her touch gentle. Travis still winced.

“I believe you have at least one cracked rib. I’m going to temporarily wrap your chest so the men can get you inside. It’s going to hurt.” She glanced up to see Rachel and Ginny. “Rachel, I’m going to need your help.”

Several minutes later, Eliza looked at Spencer and Billy, who held a stretcher. “We need to get him inside.”

The men nodded, moving to help Travis onto the stretcher. Eliza gathered her supplies, her mind already leaping ahead to what she needed to do inside. As they trudged through the deepening snow back to the house, she sent up a silent prayer her skills would help heal Travis.

Inside, Eliza directed Spencer and Billy to take Travis into the same room where she’d treated Tom’s broken arm. Rachel hurried in behind them, ready to assist however she could.

With Rachel’s help, Eliza carefully removed what remained of Travis’s shirt and unwound the makeshift bandage. Even light pressure made Travis grit his teeth against the pain.

Examining him closely, Eliza’s skilled fingers probed along his ribs, confirming at least two cracks on his left side.

“You were right not to move too much,” she told Travis. “Cracked ribs can shift and do more damage if they aren’t stabilized.”

She and Rachel wrapped clean linen tightly around Travis’s chest, immobilizing the damaged ribs. Eliza gave instructions on how to check the binding wasn’t too tight.

With Spencer holding Travis upright, Rachel and Eliza wound the long strips firmly in place. Travis let out a relieved breath once it was done, the support easing some of the sharp pains.

“You’ll need to stay in bed for at least a week to give those ribs time to start knitting back together,” Eliza said in a commanding tone.

Travis nodded wearily. “I’m not going to argue with you, ma’am. I know broken bones need time to mend.”

Satisfied her new patient would follow orders, Eliza began putting away the supplies while Rachel made Travis comfortable.

The snow swirled outside the windows as Eliza made her way down the hall. The warmth of the kitchen enveloped her, the voices of the women a welcome change from the quiet sickroom.

She headed straight for the coffeepot warming on the wood stove, hoping the strong brew would clear the fatigue from her mind. As she lifted the cup to her lips, Spencer strode into the kitchen, careful not to track melting snow across the floorboards.

“How’s Travis faring?” he asked without preamble.

Eliza lowered her cup. “Resting for now. But he’ll need a week of bedrest at the very least.”

Spencer’s jaw tightened. “Travis would go pure crazy cooped up for a week.”

“Travis’s health is more important than his need to get outside.” She met his gaze. “Surely you can manage without him for now. Once he’s out of bed, it will be at least two more weeks before he’ll be able to do any work.”

Spencer crossed his arms, eyes narrowed. “Travis will be the first to tell you he’s not going to wait long. Ranch hands have a tendency to heal up fast as they can and get back to the job.”

Eliza bristled at his stubbornness. “And I’m sure many have ended up with complications from rushing their recovery. There are proper medical protocols to follow.”

Their terse conversation had drawn the attention of others in the kitchen. Hard glances shot between the women, tensionsrising. Realizing her imperious tone could be off-putting, Eliza excused herself, muttering as she stalked back to the sick room.

She spent the rest of the day moving between Travis’s sickroom and the rest of the house, feeling the strain of her interactions with Spencer. Eliza regretted their disagreement took place in front of others. It had been apparent the women sided more with Spencer than with her. Their courtesy remained, but an unspoken standoff simmered beneath the surface.

As the daylight faded and the workday ended, Eliza sensed the gulf widening between herself and the folk of this wild land she found herself in. Spencer’s world felt, at once, familiar and foreign, their clashing views on frontier living evident. She retired after supper, pondering how to bridge the divide.

The next morning dawned clear but bitterly cold. The sun emerged during breakfast, so by the time Billy carried her bags outside, the temperature had warmed enough to make the ride to town bearable.

She’d planned to ride along in the wagon to Splendor for supplies and to send a telegram to her parents. Waking, she’d made the decision to pack and return to the St. James Hotel. It was her bad luck Spencer would be driving the wagon.

Bundling herself against the icy wind as Spencer hitched the horses to the wagon, she rushed back inside to avoid the brooding silence. And to, once again, thank Rachel and Ginny for their hospitality. As she expected, both women had been gracious, inviting her to return.

---