Chapter 20

twenty

"There are many things I wish to remember and keep some thing like the sequence of events. Sometimes one event a day will serve as a string to hold many remembrances. I have made a mistake in not realizing this in the past."

~Earl Douglass

W EDNESDAY , A UGUST 16, 1916 · J ENSEN

Devin pushed past the sheriff and his men, shoving shoulders and bodies as hard as he could. He had to get to Eliza. Was she shot? Was she even... still alive? His heart threatened to beat out of his chest.

When the door had crashed in, he'd felt as if time stopped—then started again, but slow, moment by moment. He watched it all unfold.

The woman turning and pulling the trigger.

The bullet heading straight for Eliza.

Some kind of guttural noise escaped his mouth as he surged forward.

Eliza screaming. A sickening thud.

Someone called to him from far away. "Mr. Schmitt—"

"I need to be by her side." He didn't know or care who spoke and tugged at his arm. No one would stop him.

Two deputies had hold of the guilty woman's arms, and they pulled her back. She was ranting and raving about something, but Devin didn't listen.

Eliza was on the floor. Eyes closed. A pool of red expanding around her left leg.

Noise from the room rushed in and filled his senses. He blinked and then went into action. Devin stripped off his jacket and pressed it against the bullet wound in Eliza's leg. Stop the bleeding. That's what he had to do. But it soaked through so fast...

He pulled the jacket away, folded it, and then used the sleeves to tie it around her leg as tight as he could. "Where's the doctor?"

"He's riding up as we speak, son." The sheriff crouched beside him and gripped Devin's shoulder. "She's still breathing..."

"Why isn't she conscious?" Was that his voice? That hoarse, desperate sound?

The sheriff studied her. "She must have hit her head when she fell."

He nodded. Everything he wanted to say to Eliza bubbled to the surface. If she'd only move. Open her eyes—

He couldn't take it anymore. He lifted her into one arm, untying the ropes from her wrists with his free hand. Then he cradled her, pressing his face against her hair. "I love you." His whisper was choked by the emotion clogging his throat. "Don't you dare leave me now. You made a promise, remember?"

She moaned, and he pulled back a few inches. Her eyelids fluttered!

"That's my girl. Stay with me, Eliza. Forever." He kept his words soft as he pressed a kiss against her temple.

Another moan and her hand came up and gripped his shirt. Even as her face relaxed, her grip on him held tight.

He whispered to her, lips against her ear. "Doc is coming. You're going to be right as rain." Lord God in heaven—please. Please! "You've shared your hopes and dreams with me since we were barely as tall as the shrubs at Mills Manor." Strength surged into him. He willed it to seep out of his hands and into her body. "Well ... my hopes have been long buried. So I'm going to tell you a secret. I'm writing a book, Eliza. You have to be here to read it... to tell me where I can make it better."

A commotion at the door pulled his gaze away. The doctor.

He whispered against her hair. "You're all I've ever wanted, Eliza. A life with you. I love you..."

The doctor reached her side and examined the wound in her leg. "I need to get her back to my place as soon as possible. Let's get a tourniquet even tighter and keep the wound from being jostled too much." The man's piercing gaze snagged Devin's. "You up for holding her steady in the back of a wagon?"

"Yes, sir." He clenched his jaw.

"Good. It's going to be a long, hard ride." The doc went back to her leg. "I'll pack the wound, but time is of the essence."

Devin held Eliza's shoulders as the doctor made quick work of bandaging the wound.

"Why?"

Devin glanced into the corner where Lucas Meyer hovered over his sister. "I don't understand why you would do such a thing..." The man's upper body began to quake. "You killed our family?" Great sobs erupted out of him.

The woman turned her face away. Her expression was hard. Angry.

Disgusted.

What could make someone so cold? And evil? What could be so terrible it drove people to do horrific things?

Lucas collapsed onto his knees, and several of the sheriff's men stepped to put a hand on his shoulders.

"All these years, I've carried the guilt and shame ... thinking it was my fault..."

Such pain in the man's words, it almost took Devin's breath away. God, help him ... He glanced at Eliza's pale face.

Help us all.

T HURSDAY , A UGUST 31, 1916 · M AGEE -W OMENS H OSPITAL , P ITTSBURGH

A whooshing sound continued next to her in a steady rhythm. What was that?

Where was she?

Eliza listened a little more intently. But there wasn't another sound. Wait. What was that ? Was someone snoring?

Where was she?

She took a few deep breaths. Ooh... everything hurt. But the more long, deep breaths she took, the clearer her mind became.

She worked to open her eyes. Only her right one cooperated at first. But with persistence, her left opened a little as well.

The room around her was bright.

But it wasn't home.

It wasn't anywhere she knew in Utah.

Her memory was fuzzy.

Oh! The shack. Tied up. Melissa Friedman. A...

A gun aimed at her!

She jolted in the bed and gasped for air. Why couldn't she sit up?

"Eliza?"

Oh, that voice. Calm washed over her. "Devin?"

"I'm here."

"Where is here?" She licked her lips. "And can you get me some water?"

"Of course." He lifted a cup to her lips.

Never had anything tasted so delicious. She wanted to gulp the entire thing down.

"Let's take it a little at a time."

Who was that strong voice?

Eliza managed to look at the doorway. A man entered the room and stood at the foot of her bed. "Good to see you awake and alert, Miss Mills. I'm Dr. Dover."

Even in her dazed state, her eyes widened. "You're Mr. Carnegie's physician."

"That I am." He stepped closer. "I went out to Utah to fetch you in Mr. Carnegie's personal train car. I've had to give you a lot of pain medication because you kept writhing, and we didn't want you to be uncomfortable and open up the wound. But you're here now." He touched the sheet covering her legs. "May I take a look?"

"Yes, Doctor." But even as she answered, she frowned. Wound? What woun—?

Oh. That's right. She'd been shot in the leg.

She closed her eyes against the memory. The sound of the shot. The pain that hit her. Blood gushing from the wound...

Then nothing. She must have passed out.

The doctor covered her leg again and looked down at her. "It's healing. Finally. But it will probably take months for it to completely heal." The doctor gave her an encouraging smile. "It was providential that I made it when I did. They hadn't been able to get the whole bullet out before I arrived in Jensen. You'd lost a great deal of blood, and they didn't want to sacrifice your leg. I did surgery immediately, and once you were stable, we brought you back here." He patted her shoulder.

She sent him a smile. "Thank you, Doctor."

"I'll leave you to catch up with your boyfriend here. Mr. Carnegie said he would be by to visit you soon. Won't he be ecstatic to see you are awake." And with that, he strode out of the room.

She turned her attention back to Devin. "My boyfriend." She grinned as wide as her chapped lips would allow.

"That is, if you'll have me." Devin lifted her hand so gently and rubbed his thumb over the top. "I know we have a lot to discuss. Especially after—"

"Hush." She croaked the word. "I can't take any more of that. After facing this, believe me, I don't want to dwell anymore in the past. My grandfather told me when I was just a little girl that I must guard my heart against falling in love so that God could show me the man He had for me. Grandfather instilled such a fear in me, that I never realized how much I had guarded my own heart. Until you came out this summer and my stomach flipped over itself and my heart pounded out of my chest. That was when I knew that I not only loved you, but I was in love with you."

His head jerked back a bit as his eyebrows shot up. "Your grandfather made me promise him over a decade ago that I would never pursue you. Out of respect for him, I agreed. It was like being stabbed in the heart. When I left you in Utah after telling you how I felt, my intentions were to let you go. My heart couldn't take being in love with you and never being with you." He swallowed. "But when I returned, your grandmother summoned me to the manor."

Eliza swallowed. Grandmama summoned him? Had she been kind? Rude? Cold? "Oh? What did she say?"

"She released me from that promise and told me she and your grandfather both knew the last couple years that I was the man for you." His grin stretched almost from ear to ear.

For a moment, Eliza forgot to breathe. Then the full meaning of his words flooded her. They had Grandmama's blessing! And Grandfather's—God rest his soul. Tears filled her eyes. How good the Lord had been to them! Eliza gave Devin a wide grin. "Well, if that's the case, I don't want to take another moment for granted. Devin, I love you. With all my heart."

His face lit up and his eyes softened. "I love you too. I can't stand the thought of living without you by my side. I've wanted—longed—for more than friendship with you all these years. Never thinking it was possible." He laughed. "But look at what God has done."

Heat rushed to her cheeks.

He chuckled. "Look at that. You've finally got color in your face." He dropped a light kiss on her forehead.

Eliza closed her eyes for a moment, Devin's nearness washing over her, warming her. Was it possible to live in a moment like this forever?

Devin pulled away and sat back in his chair, but he picked up her hand, lacing his fingers through hers.

She could twirl for days with the happiness flowing through her. That is, once she got out of this hospital bed. For now, she would rest and heal. And catch up on all the latest news.

She tugged on Devin's hand. "Now that we have the important things out of the way"—she grinned—"what's been happening while I've been in here? Am I the culprit behind all the thefts at the museum?"

S UNDAY , S EPTEMBER 3, 1916 · M AGEE -W OMENS H OSPITAL

Eliza held her breath as Devin leaned in close.

A throat cleared at the door. "Excuse me for interrupting."

It took her a moment to realize who was there, she'd been so caught up in Devin's eyes. "Mr. Carnegie!"

"Eliza, my dear. I'm so thankful you are awake now." He approached the bed, carrying a bouquet of flowers in a lovely crystal vase. He set it on the table and stood at the foot of the bed, hands clasped in front of him. "Devin has told me he already filled you in on what happened here several weeks ago?"

She nodded. "I still can't believe I was here for weeks before I woke up. And I'm so sorry about Mr. Nelson and the trouble he made for you."

Mr. Carnegie inclined his head. "None of us realized the poor man was so ill in his mind. Driven, power-hungry ... yes, I knew that. But he was excellent at what he did. I guess, eventually, it became an obsession? At least he's getting the help he needs now."

"And I want to tell you how sorry I am for my part—"

"Don't worry, my dear. All of that is in the past."

Just like that, she was forgiven. Had anyone ever been so blessed as she by a loving God?

Mr. Carnegie went on. "I came to reassure you that all is well. Thanks to Mr. Schmitt here, who came to me in a flurry demanding an audience and insisting you were innocent." Mr. Carnegie chuckled and shook Devin's hand. "I approve, by the way." He sent her a wink.

Oh good heavens! From the heat in her face, her cheeks must be getting redder and redder. But she couldn't stop the grin tugging at her lips. "Thank you, sir." He had interrupted an almost kiss.

"Now, I'm not one to stay. Hospitals are not among my favorite places to be, but I had to come make the offer in person."

"Offer?" What could he be talking about?

"I'd like to offer you the job of curator at my Hall of Dinosaurs." The grin that covered his face stretched his white mustache and beard wider than she'd ever seen them.

"Curator? Truly?" She put a hand to her chest. Lord, You are so good! " Curator? "

"Yes, Miss Mills. Does your reaction mean that you accept?"

The word yes sat on her lips, but she paused and looked at Devin, lifting her eyebrows. Without a doubt, he would support whatever decision she made. But she was done with leaving him out of this or any decision. They were facing a new future together . This wasn't about just her hopes and dreams anymore... nor his. It was about their hopes and dreams.

He squeezed her hand, giving her a grin. "Well, my love? It's a dream come true, wouldn't you say?"

Eliza tightened her grip on his fingers and let out a laugh. "Mr. Carnegie, I would be delighted!"