The Outrider (Redbourne Series #5 - Will's Story) by Kelli Ann Morgan

help me up.” Sven’s voice was
weak. “Or, I’m going to miss the stage. I can’t imagine that would be too good
for those brides-to-be, or for my chances with any of them, for the stage to be
down one trained guard.” He tried to laugh, but coughed instead.
    “Welcome back.” Will rushed to the side of the
tub as Sven attempted to sit himself up straight.
    “I guess you really thought I needed another
bath,” he said with some semblance of a strained smile. “My clothes and all. It
might just be me, but this one is quite colder than the last.” He shivered.
    Will’s laugh accompanied a relived sigh. “I’d
thought I’d lost you there for a bit, mate.”
    “You’re not going to get rid of me that easily.” Sven
placed his hands on the side of the tub and tried to push himself up. “Just get
me something dry to wear and my pack.” The effort was too much for him and he
plopped back down into the icy water.
    Will jerked forward to try to catch him.
    Sweat beaded thickly on Sven’s forehead and Will
recalled something Rafe had told him years ago, while he was on break from Harvard
Medical School, about sweat being a good indicator that a fever had broken.
    “Mama!” he called loudly, but rather than wait
for her to return, he reached down and helped the large man to his feet. His
clothes were drenched and dripping all over the floor as he stepped from the
tub. Luckily, the washroom was full of towels. He carefully lowered Sven down
onto one of the chairs. The Norwegian slumped against the back rest, his hands
dangling at his side. He was weak and Will was worried.
    “Where is he?” a man called from somewhere near
the front of the house.
    The doctor had arrived.
    His mother opened the door, followed by the tall,
robust man who’d been called out to the ranch more often than he’d probably
liked.
    “Mr. Anderson,” the doc said, “I understand
you’ve been feeling a little under the weather.”
    “You could say that, Doc, but I just need a few
minutes and I’ll be fine.”
    “I’m sure you will, but why don’t you let me have
a look at you anyway.”
    “Will,” his mother said, “run up and get him
something dry to wear.”
    He glanced over at Sven, and with a nod, darted
from the room and up the stairs. All of the Redbourne boys were tall and
slender, but Sven’s shoulders nearly doubled the width of his own. Rafe was the
closest in size and so he headed into his older brother’s room. It had not
changed a bit since the day he’d left. His mother hadn’t touched a thing. Will
reckoned that she’d left it alone out of hope that Rafe would come back home sooner
rather than later.
    Sven’s predicament weighed on Will’s mind.
    His friend was in no condition to accompany the
stage to the train depot in Kansas City, let alone all the way to Colorado. Guilt
tugged at Will’s gut. He certainly had the capability to step in and take over,
and under normal circumstances he would welcome the adventure, but between Jem
coming and Will wanting to spend time with his family before he left, taking
Sven’s place on this job would be a sacrifice he wasn’t sure he was willing to
make. He owed a lot to the Englishman. If it hadn’t been for Jem and his
countless fighting lessons, Will didn’t know if he would have made it back to
his family in one piece.
    With an exasperated sigh, Will grabbed the
necessary clothing from Rafe’s wardrobe and headed back downstairs.
    “He’s going to need rest. And lots of it,” the
doc said as Will pushed his way back into the room. A red-faced Sven was covered
in towels, his wet clothes hanging from the rafters over the tub.
    Will handed the dry clothes to his mother.
    “Go ask Lottie to warm some of the chicken broth
she used for the pot-pies, will you?” Leah smiled reassuringly. “And bring some
of my willow-bark tea,” she called after him.
    When he walked into the kitchen, Raine sat at the
table eating his late breakfast. A waft of savory aroma