But Adam knew her better than to fall for her badgering by now. “Is that in the Bible, Sister?”
“Well, if it’s not, it should be,” she said as she moved away, already in a hurry to be about her work. “And if you read the Good Book more often, you wouldn’t have to ask.”
Adam stepped inside his room and chuckled as he locked the door. He stretched out on his bed and closed his eyes, thinking today had to be calmer than yesterday.
Just before he fell asleep, he felt Nichole slide in beside him and put a blanket over them both. She must have been tired, for she’d only removed her Colt and boots.
She didn’t say a word, or make a move to wake him. She only curled next to him as she had twice before and placed her hand on his chest.
“Good night,” he whispered without opening his eyes.
“Good morning,” she answered sleepily.
She felt so right against his side, he couldn’t help the long sigh that escaped his lips. Adam curled his arm about her and spread his fingers out across her back. Then, he felt it. The bindings. She wasn’t just walking the night. Whatever she was up to, she’d been a Shadow.
The thought brought a chill no blanket could warm.
EIGHTEEN
AFEW HOURS later, adam slipped from Nichole’s side and began his day. Two men, badly beaten, were brought in by the deputy. Russell claimed they got in a fight when left locked in the same cell, but Adam found it strange that the pair seemed to bear no hatred toward one another or fear when left side by side to wait.
As he treated each, he found bruises only a fist would make on both bodies, but neither man bore any marks on his hands. They were silent about the fight and no one could remember how it started.
By midafternoon the sky seemed to boil with clouds. Adam finally took a break. While the nun jotted down information on his next patient, he slipped through the back of the examining room and into the kitchen.
“Got any coffee?” he whispered to Rose as Charles polished a sterling silver tea set at the table. Bergette’s butler had the habit of ignoring everyone unless he needed something. His very stance told Adam how much he hated being in such primitive surroundings. Even the tea set he worked on was small and common compared with what he was accustomed to. His every stroke silently spoke of his distaste.
“I keep it on the back of the stove warming for you, Doc.” Rose smiled proudly. “Whenever you want it just yell. There ain’t no need of you having to leave work. I’ll bring it to you.”
“You don’t have to wait on me, Rose. I work here just like you.” He pointed with his head. “And Charles.”
“No, sir,” Rose objected. “Not like the rest of us. You’ve got the gift as my ma used to say. You got healing hands. And that’s somethin’ rare.” She glared at Charles. “We all ought to respect that.”
Adam poured his coffee. “They used to say my dad had a gift with horses. But my talent comes from books I read. I had a professor in medical school who used to say, ‘Be kind, help as much with the suffering as you can, and try not to bury too many who come to you.’ I do no magic, just the best I can to help.”
“Say whatever you like, but I know the truth.” Rose raised her head with pride. “I was in the general store this morning picking up a few things, and I heard one of the women say you are ten times the doctor Doc Tillie was. ’Course he still used his barber chair to do most of his surgery.
“I told them I was your new cook and they all treated me like I was somebody special. So don’t go telling me you ain’t got a gift. You would have saved Dancing too if Mole hadn’t come over and rekilled her.”
Adam laughed. “All right, I’ll keep it as our secret if you’ll set another cup of coffee in my bedroom in a few minutes. I usually drink two cups.”
Rose cut her gaze to Charles for she knew who the doctor planned to give the other coffee to. “I’ll do that. And I’ll remember you like one there with a few cookies on the saucer.”
He left the kitchen and by the time he reached his bedroom door, Rose was behind him with the other cup. “Thanks,” he whispered as he took the cup from her and moved inside his room.
Rose winked. “Anytime.”
Nichole still lay sleeping in his bed. She looked so soft and sweet curled up in a quilt with her hair half covering her eyes. He remembered how passionately he’d kissed her in the shadows before Wes arrived. Adam never thought he’d feel that for any woman. Passion just wasn’t a feeling he saw himself losing control over. Or any other feeling for that matter.
But she brought a side of him to the surface he didn’t know existed. She made him want to forget everything else in the world and just hold her. When he did, he felt powerful and lost all at the same time.
“Nick,” he whispered as he sat the cups down. “Nick, wake up.” He couldn’t resist touching her hair. Curls circled around his fingers in welcome. Midnight curls just as she was somehow his midnight woman.
Beautiful green eyes opened, then closed again. “Go away,” she mumbled, and turned to her side. “I just got to sleep.”
“No, you didn’t.” He pulled her back to face him. “You’ve been sleeping all day, which makes me wonder what you’re doing besides sleeping at night.”
“Nothing,” she answered as she lifted her head following the smell of coffee.
Adam handed her the cup with the cookies on the saucer. “We’ve got to talk, Nick, but I only have a minute now. I’ve two more patients to see, then I’ll saddle a couple of horses. Do you think you can be dressed and ready to ride out to Wes’s herd by dark?”
“Sure.” She took a sip and smiled as the coffee warmed her. “I’d love to go for a long ride.”
“On the way out, we’ll have a long discussion as to where you were last night before you climbed in my window. And just out of curiosity, I’d like to know where these black clothes came from. They seemed to have just appeared like you did last night.”
The memory of how they’d kissed in his office filled his thoughts once more, but he pushed it away. “Lock the door when I leave.”
He stepped away from her. “And stay out of sight until I bring the horses around to the side of the house.”
Nichole looked at him as if he’d just told her to remember to breathe.
As his hand touched the knob, he added, “And sleep in your own bed.” If someone had walked in early this morning, they’d never believe she’d just lie beside him to cuddle. He knew his words were harsh, but he had to protect her even against himself. He’d lost control so easily, he no longer trusted his own actions. If Wes hadn’t shown up, Adam wasn’t sure what might have happened.
All day his mind had drifted to the possibilities and none of them were what he should be doing with Wolf’s little sister who’d been put in his care. In his care. Adam almost laughed aloud at the words. She was no more in his care than she was in control. The problem was that her lack of control seemed to be spreading to him.
“Any other orders?” Her words were cold.
“No.” He opened the door and stepped into the hallway. A moment later, he heard the lock snap. Good, he thought, at least she’d followed one order.
“You pestering that child?” Sister Cel whispered from a few steps up the stairs. She was leaning over the railing looking down at him as though he were a boy. “Because if you are, sir, you’ll answer to me. She’s not like other women. She knows no fear and leads with her heart. A rare combination.”
“I wasn’t pestering her,” he defended. “She’s the one driving me crazy. And as for the ‘like other women,’ I’ve yet to find two alike enough to be able to mold a standard of comparison.”
The nun relaxed slightly. “Well, if she’s bothering you, that’s another matter. That, sir, is none of my concern. I came to tell you the patients are ready.”