Shaking her head silently for a moment, Molly finally said, “You’re welcome.”

She untied the waist-level knot under his left arm while she talked. “The bullet wound is healed up. All you’re left with is an interesting scar.”

“Interesting?” He turned, and she realized, bent over as she was, their faces were very close.

“But the collarbone needed time to heal. Riding a horse wasn’t possible.” She resolutely ignored his handsome face. Her hands trembled slightly against the warmth of his side. The knot was stubborn, but it finally gave.

“I’m afraid it will be sore for a while,” Molly said. “Your shoulder and elbow haven’t moved in a long time. The muscles in your arm and chest may have gotten weak. But you’ll get your strength back. You’ll be fine.”

She hoped.

“How is it you, a young schoolmarm, know so many healing skills?”

“I’m sure I’ve told you.” She worked quickly to unwrap him, not unlike a Christmas present, wanting to get it done and step away from him. She’d become too aware of him while he’d been healing.

“Tell me again.”

With an exasperated huff, she said, “The Civil War, remember? There was plenty of harm done on both sides during that trouble. My pa caused his share and was dealt his share. My ma got hurt a few times. Kevin and Andy, well, they were never hurt because Kevin got mighty good at keeping us hidden when the night was full of riders. But there was always someone getting knocked around by a cow or cut working a plow on a farm. Someone had to know where the salve was.” The truth was so much worse.

The bandage fell away.

“Move your arm gently,” Molly instructed. “Let me feel if your collarbone is solid when you move.” She took a firm grip on his shoulder. The doctor back in Wheatfield had come out for Pa’s broken arm. Molly had no idea what was wrong then. But later, when Ma had a broken collarbone, Molly remembered and knew what to do. Ma refused any doctor’s help when she was hurt, so it was left for Molly to do the best she could.

Wyatt flinched as he raised his arm, rotated his shoulder, and straightened his elbow, but a smile bloomed on his face. “It feels good. Like you said, the joints hurt, but it’s healed.”

“You’re right. Nothing shifted.” Molly pressed along the line of his shoulder. “I feel a thickened place here, and that’s normal for a broken bone.”

She patted him on the back, then quit touching him and stepped away. “You’ll need to treat the arm carefully for a bit.”

Wyatt was out of his chair and striding for the back door, not being careful at all, when Cheyenne came thundering down the stairs. “Look at this, Wyatt.”