In Wilderness Found

Chapter 10: "Where Did You Get the Pistol?"

“After you eat, you can get cleaned up here. Then I’ll take you to town,” Ellis tells Madison as he passes her a plate and a glass of water.

Madison sits herself down at the table and looks at the simple and sufficient meal he’s prepared for her. Boiled potatoes, green beans, some bread, and a slice of venison jerky.

She recites a quick grace in her head, making sure to thank God for both of her saviors, before bringing a forkful of potatoes to her mouth. 

Ellis bites into his bread and throws some to Gal on the floor, while trying not to watch Madison eat. She is making it difficult though; she has already cleared the potatoes entirely and is now chewing vigorously on the slice of jerky. 

Realizing that she’s being less than graceful, Madison shoots Ellis a flustered grin. “Sorry. I was hungry.” 

He shakes his head, embarrassed that he’s been caught staring. “How long were you out there?” He asks.

“Two nights and most of today. I did have some beans with me, but Gal and I finished them last night.”

His brows come together in thought. She had been on her horse before she lost it, and she had food and a pistol with her? 

Instead of asking about that, he focuses on the last part of her statement. “You shared your food with my dog?”

“Of course. She was good company.” Madison shrugs and begins munching on the bread.

He looks over at Gal who is now snoozing peacefully on her rug. Thank you, girl, he tells her in his mind. 

Madison brings him out of his thoughts when she says, “Actually, I didn’t know her name then so I’ve been calling her Bluebell.” Ellis’ eyebrows raise and she continues with an explanation. “We found some pretty flowers out there and they just reminded me of her... some happiness in the middle of something scary.”

Ellis had never thought of the dog that way. She is important to him and a great companion, but she is just an ordinary hunting dog - another accessory to his less-than-spectacular life. He wants to slap himself when the next thought crosses his mind, If this ordinary dog makes her happy does that mean I could make her happy?

He knows nothing about this woman, except for the fact that he found her in the woods alone and armed. That should be a deterrent. Instead, as he looks at her now, he decides that it’s sort of refreshing.

Madison clears her plate and downs the rest of the water, so Ellis asks, “Want some more?”

She shakes her head politely. “No, thank you. This was great. Mind if I get cleaned up now?”

Ellis gives her a curt nod and stands from the table to head out to a barrel of freshwater on the porch. He dips a rag in and takes it back inside to Madison. She pulls out a beige cotton dress from her satchel and he hands her the rag.

It takes a moment of him standing there cluelessly in front of her before he catches on to the awkward look on her face. “You can use my room to change.” He motions toward one of the bedroom doors and tries furiously to cover his blush.

Madison pretends not to notice. “Thank you.”

Her mind races as she scrubs the grime from her face. She curses herself for even being flustered. This man, while handsome and reserved and seemingly kind, still lives way out in the mountains alone. Judging by his looks, she knows he must at least be Abner’s age if not older. This has to be a warning, she thinks.

She’s reminded of the dull ache in her ankle as her soiled dress pools at her feet. The ankle is much less painful now, but a purple tint still marks the swollen skin around it.