Page 27 of Love and Order

CHAPTER 10

Water dripping. No, cascading. But only for a moment?

Rion blinked his eyes open and tried to orient himself. Still in Seth’s cellar. He blinked a time or two more as Lena’s face bobbed into view above him, and something hot and damp probed his shoulder.

He gasped as pain jolted up his neck and down his arm. Lena pulled back, and he breathed until the worst of the throbbing subsided. Then he squinted at her.

“Hey there, sleepyhead.” She grinned.

“Howdy.”

“Time to clean your wounds.”

“I gathered.”

“I know it hurts, but there’s some infection, and we need to stay ahead of it.” A sympathetic smile curved her lips. “You want the whiskey before I continue?”

He never had liked being drunk—not after seeing how Garvin acted after pickling himself in a bottle most of the time. The man was vile, and Rion wanted to be nothing like him.

“I’ll try it without.”

“You sure? You took some before.”

He gave her a tiny nod. “The pain’s not quite as bad. Either that or I’m getting used to it. Just give a warning before you jab me again.”

Her expression turned grim, but she nodded. “All right.” She must’ve dipped a rag or something into water, because the same cascading sound came an instant before she met his eyes.

“I’ll be as gentle as I can.”

He nodded, and this time, bracing himself for her touch, he endured the jolting pain with gritted teeth, several stuttering breaths, and one long groan once it was done.

“Lu suggested we try a sugar poultice to draw out the infection, so I’m goin’ up to the kitchen to ready that. Shouldn’t take more than a few minutes.”

“Where is Lu?” She’d been at his side throughout the day whenever he’d awakened, though she was conspicuously absent now.

“She and Seth had an errand to run.”

“An errand?” Unless he’d lost a whole lot of time, it was still the same day the posse showed up. “What’s that mean?”

“Don’t concern yourself with it. Just rest. Seth’ll keep her safe.”

Lena rose and headed up the steps, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

Seth and Lu had gone on an unknown errand; but with the posse close by, how safe was that? Something about it didn’t sit right. He trusted Seth completely, but Lena’s comments set his teeth a little on edge, particularly how she’d said Seth would make sure Lu was safe. So there was some danger to this errand … and Seth was the one protecting her.

It ought to be him, not his brother.

With a huff, he fluttered his eyes open. What was he thinking? He couldn’t even take care of himself at the moment, much less a woman full of spunk and daring like Lucinda Peters. Even without two holes in his shoulder, he didn’t have the means. No proper home. No belongings but the clothes on his back, his two horses, and what little he could pack on them. Not to mention the fact that the life of a bounty hunter wasn’t favorable for keeping a woman happy. He’d proven that with Maya.

He scrubbed his face with his good hand. How in the name of Juniper had he gone from not wanting little Lu Peters around to desiring to protect her—and even depending on her to save his life?

“You’re a durn fool—”

“I am?” The wooden steps protested with a squeal as Lena descended. “Or did you mean someone else?” She crossed the cellar and settled herself in the chair beside him.

“Talkin’ to myself. Not you.”

She pressed something warm to his shoulder, both front and back, and wrangled for a moment with a roll of bandages. “Why’re you callin’ yourself a durn fool?”

“I’m thinkin’ things I got no business dwellin’ on.”

“Like?”

His cheeks warmed, and he couldn’t bring himself to meet her eyes.

“Ooooh. You’re thinkin’ on a little brown-haired beauty, are ya?”

Rion glanced away, all too aware of her knowing smile.

“Seth and I really like her. She’s whip-smart and sweet as pie, and she’s obviously very attentive to you.”

He adjusted his position, regretting the movement when pain crackled through his right side. Once it subsided, he shook his head a little.

“I got nothin’ to offer a woman.”

“That didn’t stop you with that actress woman—what was her name?”

“Maya Fellows.”

“Yeah.” She pursed her lips as she continued her bandaging.

“Not that it matters now, but we never did like her.”

He attempted to turn his face her way, but she tipped his chin the other direction as she wound the cloth around the poultices.

“You didn’t say nothin’.”

“Would you have listened if we had?”

Probably not, as he thought about it. “What didn’t you like?”

“For one, you met her in a cemetery. That’s … unconventional, if not disturbing.”

A sarcastic laugh bubbled out before he could stop it. “Yeah, and I met Lu in jail.”

“She told us. Still unconventional but not near so unsettling.” She tied off the bandages, pulled the blankets up over him, and tipped his chin back in her direction. “None of us had any peace about Maya. She seemed a little too interested in you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I don’t know if I can explain it, but we all felt it. Even Dutch.” She exhaled and settled a hand over his through the blanket. “Maybe it’s that we all felt like she thought herself better than you. I don’t know—there was just an air about that woman that didn’t sit well.”

“All right. But Lu does deserve better than me.”

“Stop it. That’s not what she’s thinkin’, I can promise you. And even if she was somehow better than you, she doesn’t see herself that way. Seth and I think she’s perfect for you.”

He rolled his eyes closed. “That don’t change the fact I got nothin’ to offer a woman.” Any woman—Lu, Maya, or otherwise.

Her vise grip clamped around his bearded jaw, firm enough to grab his attention. He flung his eyes wide to find she was staring right through him.

“Then change that, Orion Braddock. Don’t you recall, Seth didn’t have nothin’ either. He was huntin’ bounties right alongside you. Then he met me, decided he wanted a different life, and caught that herd of wild horses to break.” She loosened her hold on his jaw.

He pulled his face free of her grip and rubbed his beard. “Don’t forget. I’m a wanted man.”

“Yeah, and Lu’s workin’ on findin’ Hattie Ingram and clearin’ your name as we speak. But I’ll agree with you in one thing—you are a durn fool if you keep bounty hunting and let Lu Peters walk out of your life.”

“You stick close.”

Lu nodded at Seth, feeling awkward wearing the men’s trousers and shirt again, along with a pair of moccasins Seth had made Lena some time back, and an old hat pulled low over her face. In the dark, they hoped she might pass for a boy if they happened to come across anyone.

They walked in silence, headed toward Ollie Sapey’s place. Seth’s attention roved over the trees and brush, and at certain moments, he’d pause, at first she thought so she could catch up, but after the third time, she realized that each time, he discreetly touched his finger to his lips and paused, listening. When he started again after that, he veered down a narrow trail where the brush pushed in and, in a thick spot, turned and caught her.

“Stay here.” He barely breathed the words. “And if anyone other than me approaches, shoot ’em.” He handed her the pistol from his gun belt, butt first.

“Where are you going?” She looked around, but the brush stood too tall for her to see her surroundings.

“I’ll be back. Stay down.” Rifle in hand, he disappeared down the path, out of sight.

Lu gripped the pistol and listened, a whispered prayer on her lips. Minutes ticked by, and nothing but the sounds of nature broke the stillness. At least until a sickening thud of wood against bone carried to her ears. She cringed and covered her mouth. After the initial shock passed, she crept in the direction that Seth had gone, eventually making it to where she could see a man’s silhouette wrestling another fella onto the back of a horse, similar to what Seth had done with Rion.

He lifted him over the saddle and, centering his weight, used something to tie the man in place. Then, leading the horse to a wide path, he took it some distance until he was out of sight. She waited, unsure what to expect; but some twenty minutes later, Seth returned with only his rifle in hand.

“What’d you do?” She handed him the pistol as he rejoined her.

“I figured Sheriff Downing might’ve left a posse member watchin’ the house.” He nodded in the direction where he’d found the fella. “I was right. I knocked him out, tied him over his saddle, took his horse to the big path leadin’ to the lake below, and gave him a smack on the rump. He’ll have to wake up, get himself unbound, and figure out where he is before he’ll be much threat to us. Now, let’s git. I don’t like leavin’ Lena too long in her condition.”

Seth led her a few miles through the trees, eventually coming to another small glade. At the edge of the trees, the darkened surface of a tall rock wall showed in the partial moonlight, and at its base sat a small house built right against the surface. In the stillness, crickets serenaded the night, and golden light poured across the darkness from the two small windows at the front of the earth-berm house.

“That’s Ollie’s place. For all our sakes, I don’t think it’s wise I go any farther, but I’ll be ready to shoot if things turn ugly. So do your best to stay clear of her. I don’t want to hit you.”

Lu stared, heart pounding. Had she really thought this was a wise idea? What if Seth was right—and Ollie did take a shot at her?

Lord, I’m about to talk myself out of this. Help me muster my courage! Go before me, send angels behind me, and let nothing touch me. Please.

She inhaled deeply, fixed Rion firmly in her thoughts, and walked toward the door before she could change her mind. Her heart thundered, and her skin crawled, but she forced one foot in front of the other.

At the door, she raised her hand to knock.

Jesus, I put my trust in You. If it’s my time, take me quickly. If it’s not, let me glean some information on where Hattie Ingram is. Something to help Rion!

Before she could knock, the faint rustle of grass came from the left side of the house, and the shadowy form of a woman with a shotgun, open at the breech and cradled in the crook of her elbow, appeared. Faint moonlight glinted on her short-cropped white hair and the gun’s barrel as she fed shells into each of the side-by-side barrels.

“Who are you, and what do you want?” Hers was a gravelly voice with little softness.

Trembling, Lu raised her hands, her mouth turning to cotton. “Are you Ollie Sapey? If so, I mean no harm.”

“Again, who are ya?”

“Lucinda Peters. I’m from Cambria Springs.”

“You’re a long way from home. What’re you doin’ at my door?”

“I only want to talk.”

“Not big on conversation. Git to your point.”

“I’m looking for a woman—Hattie Ingram. She was taken from town, and I have reason to think she’s somewhere around here. I need to find her.”

“I don’t know nothin’ about no woman.”

“She’s got old leg injuries that make it hard for her to walk, but she may be suffering with more recent inj—”

“Already told you and that bunch of men what came ridin’ round this morning, I don’t know nothin’ about no woman! Now, git off my land, and don’t come back or I’ll unload on ya.”

“Are you sure, ma’am? A man is being falsely accused of kidnapping and murder. If we can just find Hattie, we can return her to her kin and clear—”

The woman stormed closer, coming within feet.

“You deaf, girl? I meant what I said!” She snapped the shotgun closed, cocked the breechloader, and fired into the air. “Now, git!”

Lu’s heart launched into a thunderous gallop as she turned and ran, ears ringing from the close blast. She fell, shoved back to her feet, but stumbled again.

Behind her, the woman laughed, the sound muffled by the clanging in Lu’s head. Fear enveloped her, urging her to run. Get away from the danger. Reaching the trees, she slipped into their cover and raced on.

Some distance beyond, someone caught her from behind. She screeched, the sound strangling in her throat as she flailed and fought.

“Lu! Lu, it’s me—Seth!”

The muffled-but-familiar voice sliced through the ringing like a sunray in the fog.

“C’mon now. Calm down. I got ya. Nothin’s gonna hurt ya.”

Gasping, she braced her hands against the nearest trees.

“That’s it.” His grip loosened, and he ducked around in front of her. “Breathe.” He swept the hat off his head and inhaled through his nose.

She whimpered, repeating the action, though it took her several tries to fill her lungs.

“Good. Keep breathin’.” Again, he inhaled and released the breath. “You’re all right. Ain’t nothin’ gonna hurt you.”

She sagged against him, her knees going soft then, and he eased her to the ground. For a couple of moments, she trembled as she fought to hold back the flood of emotion that threatened to spill over as her calm returned.

He finally crouched in front of her, taking her by the shoulders. “You all right?”

She couldn’t bring herself to answer except with a slight nod.

After another minute, he hooked a thumb toward his place.

“C’mon. Let’s get you home. Maybe Lena can help you.”

Only she didn’t want Lena’s comfort. Or Seth’s.

He guided her down the trail, allowing her to lean on him at first. As they walked, her strength gradually returned, though she still couldn’t bring herself to speak.

Once they arrived, Seth lit a lamp in the kitchen, and she made a beeline for the cellar. As Lu approached Rion’s bed, Lena looked up, startled.

“Are you all right? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

At the sound of Lena’s voice, Rion’s eyes fluttered open, and he glanced at the three of them. “What happened?”

Seth piped up from behind her.

“I took her to our neighbor’s place a few miles away to ask if the woman knows anything about Hattie Ingram. But Ollie ain’t the friendliest of women, even on the best of days, and like she’s done with me and Lena, she turned a gun on Lu.”

Rion glared. “You took her there, knowin’ the woman’s turned a gun on you both?”

“Don’t be angry at him,” she whispered. “I pressed him. If we can just find Hattie—”

“You shouldn’t’ve done that.” With effort, Rion pushed himself up and swung his legs over the bed. “You coulda been killed.”

“I was trying to help you.”

He pushed unsteadily to his feet. “By puttin’ yourself in danger.”

“We’ve been in danger since the moment we escaped the jail. I was hoping to put an end to it so we can stop running.” So they could see what more normal moments, not fraught with dangers and concern, might be like. “I was trying to clear your name.”

His brown eyes grew even darker as his ire registered in his face. “Maybe I don’t need your help. I’ll worry about clearin’ my own name.”

The words struck like the stings of a hundred angry bees. He didn’t need her.

Rion shifted to glare at Seth. “And you! Would you have let your wife do somethin’ so dangerous?”

After her encounter with Ollie, she’d wanted nothing more than to see Rion. To hear his voice and let his big presence bring some calm to her still-racing heart. But he’d just made it very clear.

He didn’t need her … and he didn’t want her.

So why did she want him?

Eyes brimming, she spun and raced up the steps into the kitchen. For an instant, she paused there before she dashed out into the yard—and stopped short as two riders dismounted.