“Anyone who dislikes taking instruction from a woman may leave after finishing morning chores.”
Nobody left.
Three days later, Elias was injured.
Not dramatically.
No gunfight.
No stampede.
A corral gate broke.
A frightened steer slammed him into a post.
Margaret heard shouting.
She reached the yard as men carried him toward the house.
Blood at his temple.
Unconscious.
For one second, all anger disappeared beneath terror.
“Bedroom.”
Ben said:
“He’s breathing.”
“I can see.”
“Doctor?”
“Caleb, ride.”
Caleb ran.
Margaret sat beside Elias for seven hours.
The doctor said concussion.
Two cracked ribs.
Nothing fatal.
“Keep him still.”
Margaret almost laughed.
“Have you met him?”
Elias woke after midnight.
His eyes opened.
Focused.
“Margaret?”
She began crying immediately.
Infuriating.
He looked alarmed.
“What?”
“You idiot.”
“What happened?”
“Steer.”
He tried to sit.
She pushed one enormous hand against his shoulder.
“Do that again and I will finish what the steer started.”
He lay back.
“Fair.”
“Stop saying fair.”
He smiled weakly.
Margaret laughed through tears.
His hand moved toward hers.
Stopped.
She noticed.
Months of restraint lived in that hesitation.
Margaret placed her hand in his.
Elias closed his fingers.
“You stayed.”
She stared.
“Of course I stayed.”
“I wasn’t sure.”
“That is because you are stupid.”
“Concussion.”
“Preexisting.”
He laughed and immediately winced.
Margaret leaned closer.
“Don’t.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
His eyes drifted.
Before sleep took him, he whispered:
“I love you.”
Margaret froze.
Elias was already unconscious.
She sat there until sunrise.
When he woke later, he remembered.
Unfortunately for him.
Margaret stood beside the bed.
“You said something last night.”
Elias’s face changed.
“I was concussed.”
“Coward.”
He looked toward her.
“Do you want me to say it awake?”
Margaret’s heart hammered.
“Yes.”
Elias breathed carefully because of his ribs.
“I love you.”
Silence.
Margaret sat.
He continued.
“I loved you before the deed was found.”
“I loved you when you insulted my smokehouse.”
“I loved you when you made Caleb eat.”
“I loved you when you told me respecting you wasn’t permission to want you.”
His voice roughened.
“And I think I started falling in love the moment you said I needed discipline.”
Margaret laughed.
Tears fell.
Elias looked at her.
“I don’t expect that to repair what I did.”
“It doesn’t.”
“I know.”
“It matters anyway.”
His fingers tightened around hers.
Margaret leaned closer.
“I love you too.”
Elias stopped breathing.
“Margaret…”
“Do not make me repeat it.”
He smiled.
Then she kissed him.
Gently because ribs.
He tried to pull her closer.
She pushed him down.
“Injured men get privileges after healing.”
“Cruel.”