Saving the Gunslinger

Chapter Six

Chapter Six

"I think she's waking up..."

Caroline's voice began to break though the heavy fog weighing down Samantha's mind.

"Should I go for the doc?" Eleanor offered.

"Probably should.... And if you see Zachary you should tell him as well."

Samantha frowned. Why was the doctor needed? And why would Zachary care that she was waking up? Rolling her head to the side, Samantha winced and let out a groan. The pain brought back the memories. Thomas Williamson's threats. Her attempt to leave town on Athena and then having the Marshall spook the horse and send Samantha crashing to the ground, striking her head against the fence. More threats from Thomas when she'd finally awaken and his angry fists striking her face.

Samantha raised her hand to her cheek and tenderly touched the bruised skin that covered it. Zachary... Zachary had taken her away from the saloon. How long ago had that been?

Opening her eyes a crack, she was greeted by Caroline's tired smile. "Good morning, sleeping beauty."

"M..morning?" Samantha whispered, pushing herself up to sitting and leaning against the headboard. A glance toward the window revealed that Caroline was telling the truth—there was daylight filtering thought the yellow curtains. Her dry mouth made it difficult to speak. "Where's Thomas.... Is Athena okay?"

Caroline rose to her feet and walked the water basin across the small room. After filling a small glass she returned and helped Samantha hold it to her lips and take several long swallows. "Everything is just fine, Samantha. Zachary dealt with Thomas Williamson real proper."

Samantha rubbed at her throbbing temple, her eyes barely able to do more than squint as she looked at the other woman. "What about the Marshall? Zachary isn't in trouble, is he?"

Caroline laughed lightly as she sat the glass on the end table and settled herself back down in the small chair beside the bed. "I don't think Zachary Marston is the type of man to worry much about getting in trouble—and I know for a fact he's the type of man Marshall Oxley avoids angering."

Samantha thought of that pot-bellied weasel and knew that Caroline was right. Samantha may not know who Zachary Marston was other than a man who seemed to be her own personal hero of late, but she knew enough to know he was dangerous, capable, and more than a little intimidating—Marshall Oxley was afraid of men like those.

"Roseanna came over from the saloon to check on you in the night and she said Zachary put both men in their place. Apparently, he knocked Thomas on the floor twice and had to wake the man up both times to let him know how things were going to be!"

Samantha would have laughed had her head not been paining her so badly. She would have loved to have seen Thomas Williamson knocked unconscious on the floor. But why? Why was Zachary so determined to help her? Should she be concerned that Zachary knew Clinton Matthews? They were both dangerous men, but Samantha doubted deep down that they ran in the same circles. Men like Clinton Matthews did not help women like her—they hurt them.

"But what about Athena? Thomas said...."

Caroline shook her head. "The Marshall was seeing things Zachary's way by the time he was through. Said the horse was worth more than you could possibly owe the man. Zachary ended up paying Thomas ten dollars to see that he wouldn't have any more leverage over you. He even got Thomas to bring your belongings here—that's them in the corner."