She endured the touch until she tied off the bandage, and then she said cold as ice, “I’m finished. Remove your hand, sir.”
He pulled away immediately. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I was only bracing. I meant you no harm.”
She looked up at him. “I’m aware of that. It’s the only reason you’re still alive. I don’t like to be touched.”
He pulled his trousers over the bandage. “I get the point. It won’t happen again.”
She stood and cleaned up the mess they’d made while he finished dressing. The silence seemed to stretch miles between them. He opened the door and waited for her to walk out, then slowly climbed on his horse and waited for her to do the same.
Em didn’t want to explain anything to this stranger. She didn’t want to talk about what had happened in the cabin. Her life was no concern of his, and his silence shouldn’t matter to her in the least. Maybe this cold way to end the day was for the best. The last thing she needed in this world was a greenhorn for a friend.
She mounted and began the journey home, this time letting the horses pick the way. Em told herself it was because the mounts were tired, but she knew they still had the heart to race home. She slowed because of the stranger by her side. She didn’t want to cause him any more pain than necessary.
Finally, she realized she might have caused pain with her words, but she couldn’t bring herself to take them back. As they reached the barn, she said, “Sumner will help me dress that cut. We’ve got a corner next to the tack room that’s clean. You don’t have to worry about the old guy saying a word about your injury; he barely talks to anyone, including me.”
Lewt’s words were no more than a whisper. “You said you would stitch it.”
She acted like she hadn’t heard.
He followed her in, handed the reins to the cowhand who’d already taken her horse, and followed her to the small area that looked like it might be used to store supplies for the bunkhouse and the cowhands. Far too much time would be lost if the hands had to ride into town every time they needed a blanket or shirt.
She talked with Sumner while he tugged off his ruined trousers, now soaked in blood. This time he sat on a bench, too tired to argue with her.
Em lit a lantern for better light, unwrapped the bandage, and cleaned the wound properly. By the time she finished, Sumner was by her side with an armload of supplies.
“Want me to do it, Miss Em?” he asked.
“No,” she answered as she met Lewt’s stare. “I’m the reason he got hurt. I’ll do it.”
When she pushed the needle through his skin, she expected Lewt to yell or swear. She’d patched up her share of cowhands and learned to turn a deaf ear to their language when they were hurting, but Lewt didn’t say a word. He jerked a bit, then seemed to set his jaw against the pain.
Em finished as fast as she could, pulling the flesh together and lathering it with ointment. As she wrapped the wound, she said the first words she’d said to him for over an hour. “It’ll heal fine.” Her fingers slid over the tight muscle of his leg as she wrapped the bandage.
He nodded as she tied the knot. “Thanks.”
She stood. “Sumner will help pull you a clean set of clothes from the store. There’s boots behind you on the shelf. Most are well used, but they’ll do better than those.” She glanced at his ruined half boots. “Pull a pair that fit. They’re good clothes for this part of the country and far more durable than that suit you had on. If you go out riding again, they’ll serve you far better.”
“I can pay . . .”
“It’s not necessary. Despite all the questions, you put in a good day’s work. I figure you earned them.” She turned her back and waited on the other side of the tack room while he dressed. She told herself she’d just touched a man where no proper lady ever would, but it had been necessary. He needed doctoring. He didn’t belong out here. Though
He pulled away immediately. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I was only bracing. I meant you no harm.”
She looked up at him. “I’m aware of that. It’s the only reason you’re still alive. I don’t like to be touched.”
He pulled his trousers over the bandage. “I get the point. It won’t happen again.”
She stood and cleaned up the mess they’d made while he finished dressing. The silence seemed to stretch miles between them. He opened the door and waited for her to walk out, then slowly climbed on his horse and waited for her to do the same.
Em didn’t want to explain anything to this stranger. She didn’t want to talk about what had happened in the cabin. Her life was no concern of his, and his silence shouldn’t matter to her in the least. Maybe this cold way to end the day was for the best. The last thing she needed in this world was a greenhorn for a friend.
She mounted and began the journey home, this time letting the horses pick the way. Em told herself it was because the mounts were tired, but she knew they still had the heart to race home. She slowed because of the stranger by her side. She didn’t want to cause him any more pain than necessary.
Finally, she realized she might have caused pain with her words, but she couldn’t bring herself to take them back. As they reached the barn, she said, “Sumner will help me dress that cut. We’ve got a corner next to the tack room that’s clean. You don’t have to worry about the old guy saying a word about your injury; he barely talks to anyone, including me.”
Lewt’s words were no more than a whisper. “You said you would stitch it.”
She acted like she hadn’t heard.
He followed her in, handed the reins to the cowhand who’d already taken her horse, and followed her to the small area that looked like it might be used to store supplies for the bunkhouse and the cowhands. Far too much time would be lost if the hands had to ride into town every time they needed a blanket or shirt.
She talked with Sumner while he tugged off his ruined trousers, now soaked in blood. This time he sat on a bench, too tired to argue with her.
Em lit a lantern for better light, unwrapped the bandage, and cleaned the wound properly. By the time she finished, Sumner was by her side with an armload of supplies.
“Want me to do it, Miss Em?” he asked.
“No,” she answered as she met Lewt’s stare. “I’m the reason he got hurt. I’ll do it.”
When she pushed the needle through his skin, she expected Lewt to yell or swear. She’d patched up her share of cowhands and learned to turn a deaf ear to their language when they were hurting, but Lewt didn’t say a word. He jerked a bit, then seemed to set his jaw against the pain.
Em finished as fast as she could, pulling the flesh together and lathering it with ointment. As she wrapped the wound, she said the first words she’d said to him for over an hour. “It’ll heal fine.” Her fingers slid over the tight muscle of his leg as she wrapped the bandage.
He nodded as she tied the knot. “Thanks.”
She stood. “Sumner will help pull you a clean set of clothes from the store. There’s boots behind you on the shelf. Most are well used, but they’ll do better than those.” She glanced at his ruined half boots. “Pull a pair that fit. They’re good clothes for this part of the country and far more durable than that suit you had on. If you go out riding again, they’ll serve you far better.”
“I can pay . . .”
“It’s not necessary. Despite all the questions, you put in a good day’s work. I figure you earned them.” She turned her back and waited on the other side of the tack room while he dressed. She told herself she’d just touched a man where no proper lady ever would, but it had been necessary. He needed doctoring. He didn’t belong out here. Though
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