by Etta Foster
As she talked, he urged her to come over to him. She took one step in his direction but didn’t leave the pony.
Something moved beyond the snow pile. A dark shadow.
Richard straightened in his chair. As he opened his mouth to say something, he realized he didn’t want to scare her.
Perhaps he was imagining things. But already fear was beginning to grip him.
It wouldn’t have been so dangerous if he could stand. It would be easy enough to scare the animal away then. He could chase it back into the shadows.
Except he was trapped in a chair. The pony wasn’t going to appear threatening while lying down and bleeding. And Louise had no idea.
“Come here,” he told her in a low tone. “Right now.”
He glanced at the confusion on her face.
Richard didn’t want to worry about upsetting her when he was wondering if he might have to fight for their lives. He fumbled with his belt to pull out the knife he kept by his side.
It fit better in his chair than a gun. He hadn’t thought he would need anything more.
Louise slowly inched over to him as she looked around to where he was staring.
When she gasped quietly, he knew she had seen the creature. She took another step and blocked his view.
But she was close enough within grasp that he leaned forward and tugged her coat to the right. Her hand shook as she reached out and grabbed his armrest to stand beside him.
Once out of the way, Richard looked up and froze.
There it was. A wolf was coming for them.
Out of the shadows, it crept low behind the snow. Richard could hardly blink. He didn’t want to for fear of losing sight of the predator.
Fumbling with his knife, he pulled it out and gripped it tight. But to be able to defend them with it, he had to come into contact with the creature.
He gritted his teeth. He had never been so helpless.
Glancing at the folds of blankets he was trapped under, he started pulling at them. They restricted too much of his movement.
The sharp-toothed animal would have to practically be on top of them for him to do anything. He couldn’t stand up and scare the wolf away now.
Richard scrambled for ideas just as the wolf started running toward them.
It went for the pony on the ground.
Richard was weighing their options of protecting the animal when Louise jumped forward. “No!” she cried out to the wolf. “Don’t you dare!”
“Louise!” He reached out an arm to stop her, but she was already running.
Panic grabbed him tight. His heart flew into his throat as she stepped toward the wild animal to protect a little pony.
The pony shied, kicking at the ground as the wolf reached them. Louise ran forward, waving her arms. She screamed loudly again.
Richard watched frozen in disbelief as the wolf tackled Louise and the two of them went down.
The moment they fell, his muscles seized. There was no time to think.
“No!” Richard roared, shoving himself forward.
The chair couldn’t go anywhere, but he could. Even if he had to pull himself along by his arms.
He slapped his hands and banged on the chair, trying to make as much noise as possible. Even if he couldn’t be tall, he could be loud and startle the animal.
It worked.
The wolf looked up with its bloody mouth and snarled. Richard glared and yelled at the animal again, throwing snow in its face.
His chest heaved with the effort, but he didn’t stop even when the wolf growled at him.
It did the trick for the animal moved away from Louise who wasn’t moving. When it jumped after him, Richard angled himself on his side and put an arm out.
The wolf came for him. The heavy weight forced him deeper into the snow but there was no time to wince as a sliver of pain shot up his spine.
Teeth ripped into his clothes and he could feel them pierce his skin. He could smell the wretched animal. Richard shouted as he thrust his knife upward into the wolf’s soft belly.
The teeth loosened as a soft cry escaped the monster. He stabbed again and the wolf let go, staggering off. Richard tried a third time, but the animal staggered off dizzily, leaving a trail of blood.
There was a weak growl and then it was gone.
Richard could smell the blood as he gasped for air. He blinked away the sweat as he watched the wolf melt away in the distance having lost the fight.
From the amount of blood dropping into the white snow, the animal wouldn’t make it far.
He could feel the stickiness on his hand but his attention was elsewhere.
“Louise,” Richard’s eyes widened as he turned back toward her.
Still clutching the knife in one hand, he crawled over to her. The young woman was still lying motionless in the snow.
Richard panted, his chest heaving as he prayed that she was still alive. She had to be all right. Even after her foolish desire to protect the pony, she had to be safe.
The bloody knife was set aside. Brushing the sweat from his face, Richard scooted up to her and rolled her onto her back carefully.
He heard the pony huff, but he would get to her in a second.
Snow clung to her. Louise’s face was covered with her hair that had escaped her hat. His hands shook as he brushed it away and found her eyes closed.
Dread seized him, worried she was never going to wake up.
“Louise?” He swallowed hard. “Louise? Wake up. Louise? Come on, wake up.”
After he brushed a thumb over her eyelid, he saw a twitch. He froze as her face scrunched up.
It took her another moment of eye movement before Louise opened her eyes.
She gasped for air and grabbed his arm.
“Where’s the wolf?” she asked tremulously. “Is it gone?”
Still holding her cheek in his hand, Richard gave a loud sigh of relief. “You’re awake. Yes, the wolf is gone. I injured it. I don’t think it’ll bother us again…”
He glanced over his shoulder to be certain and found nothing.
Then he turned back to Louise to make sure she wasn’t injured.
She was shaking terribly as she tried to sit up. When he heard a whimper escape, they looked down to find the sleeve of her coat ripped and bloody.
“Louise,” he started.
But she shook her head and gave him a painful smile. “I’ll be all right. It’s shallow, I think. And you, Richard.” Suddenly she lunged forward to wrap her arms around him. “You saved me,” she exhaled. “I thought… You saved me, Richard. You’re my hero.”
Though he wanted to welcome her warm soft touch, those words made him stiffen. Richard forced a deep breath before he shook his head.
“Don’t call me that,” he instructed her. Then he turned from her, forcing her to let go.
He could feel her eyes on him as he tersely wiped his blade and awkwardly crawled back to his chair.
The sound of crunching snow told Richard that she was right behind him. Sure enough, he clambered into his seat and turned to find her there.
“Let me help,” she volunteered and knelt before him.
Though he got the upper half of his body situated in his chair, he had to fix his legs. Especially with the pile of blankets now beneath him.
Richard groaned and shook his head at her. He didn’t want help with something so simple and embarrassing.
“It’s fine,” he started. “You don’t have to-”
But he trailed off as he watched her run a hand over his shin to fix the crumpling of his jeans around his boots before tugging at the nearest blanket.
Something felt strange.
Richard frowned, wondering if he was imagining things. The accident was supposed to have paralyzed him where he could not feel a thing.
It didn’t make sense why he could feel her grip on his leg.
Chapter 28
Helping Richard get comfortable again was the least she could do. Even though her arm throbb
ed, Louise was determined to help him somehow.
Only there were so many blankets that she didn’t know what to do with them.
Louise shifted, winced at the use of her arm, and wondered how to best keep him comfortable. She licked her lips, but it was hard to concentrate. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest.
She looked over her shoulder again, fearful that the wolf had returned. But all she found was the trail of blood leading off into the distance.
“Louise.”
When she turned back, she noticed Richard had bent to her eye level. He placed a hand over hers.
She wondered how he could look so calm. Then she wondered if he had killed a wolf before. Killed anything before.
“Yes?” she managed when she realized he was waiting for her to say something.
Everything had happened so quickly that she still wasn’t quite sure it was over. Adrenaline coursed through her body.
There had been the wolf. It had attacked her. She could feel the cuts on her arm.
But Richard. He was there. He was calm and collected and brave and he had saved them. He had saved her.
His hand gripped her wrist that still held his leg.
Louise swallowed and let go, feeling a flush climb into her cheeks. That had to be what concerned him.
It was improper touching a man she was not related to nor married to. She’d been caught up in wanting to help him and repay him for saving her life.
“I can…” Richard hesitated as he dropped his gaze to stare at his leg. He let go to touch his shin where her hand had been. “I think I can… I can feel that.”
It took her a moment to understand.
Slowly her eyes widened as the astonishment sunk in. Louise jumped up to her feet, gasping.
Then she knelt back down and grabbed his hand.
“You can? Can you really?” She kept glancing at his leg and his face.
Hope flooded into her chest as questions filled her mind.
How had that happened? Why had it happened? Why now? What had caused it? Was this real or imaginary? If this meant he could feel his legs now, did that mean someday he could walk?
What if he tried now?
Realizing she was still clutching him, Louise let go.
Richard rubbed his shin and then pinched his leg. His eyes widened in surprise. “Yes,” he mumbled with his voice full of wonder. “I can. That’s…”
“That’s a miracle,” she filled in when the man trailed off. “It could be a sign, Richard.
“If you can feel your legs, perhaps they’ll carry you again. You might walk, you could do anything. A Christmas miracle.”
Though the holiday had passed, it was still the season. Her eyes shone as Richard rubbed his legs again in wonder.
“I don’t know how…” he trailed off.
“We must return to the house,” Louise gasped. “We must tell the others. Oh, they’re going to be so happy!”
She jumped back to her feet, whirling around to see the pony still lying in the snow.
They had to get back to the house.
Her own injury was forgotten as she checked on the poor pony. The hoof was still wrapped tightly in her scarf.
There was a scratch where the wolf had attacked the pony, but the bleeding had dried and the cuts weren’t deep.
“Come on, you,” Louise told the pony. “Let’s go.”
She tugged on the reins, urging the pony up. She had been getting ready to do this just before the attack.
Now it was time to finish their walk. The adrenaline from the earlier attack lingered as she breathlessly brought the pony back onto her feet.
The reins were returned to Richard who was still rubbing his legs. “Don’t get your hopes up,” he told her as he grabbed the reins.
“But it could be a good sign?” she asked him hopefully.
He hesitated and then nodded.
Louse grinned at him. “Then we must tell the others.” Her eyes skirted the area as the sun continued to set. “We should return inside in case that wolf has friends.”
Richard’s face grew serious. “Exactly my thoughts.”
Neither of them had anything more to say as they concentrated their efforts on returning to the ranch house.
Though she had to hurry alongside the pony and Richard, Louise didn’t mind. Her thoughts scrambled in disbelief over everything that had happened in so little time.
Everyone came out to meet them on the porch. Mrs. Pennyworth was beaming and waving. Luanne curled up in a blanket on a chair. Jacob’s expression was blank as he came down the steps to help.
But he stopped short. “What happened to the pony?”
“Richard can feel his legs,” Louise blurted.
At the same time Richard said, “A wolf attacked us.”
Their audience stared before questions poured out. Even Luanne clambered out of her seat to hear the story.
Though it was cold outside, and the other women weren’t dressed for the snow, no one budged until Louise and Richard told them everything.
“Why, that’s…” Mrs. Pennyworth said in amazement.
“If I kicked you right now,” Jacob tried to understand, “you would feel it?”
Richard sighed. “Probably. But I’d rather you didn’t.”
Luanne leaned forward and pinched Richard’s leg. “You felt that?”
“I did,” Richard cleared his throat.
A shiver ran through Louise’s shoulders as she continued grinning. She couldn’t help herself. Or perhaps it was merely the adrenaline. But the smile wouldn’t go away.
Something good was going to happen to Richard. She could feel it.
“Your poor arm,” Mrs. Pennyworth took her hand. “Oh, it’s bleeding again. And you, Richard. Jacob, help your brother inside.
“What are we doing? We can’t just sit around in the cold. It’s going to snow again. Luanne, heat up the kettle, would you?
“We need that tea started. Bandages, too.”
There was a flurry of movement.
Louise was led up the stairs, shivering, with Mrs. Pennyworth. Luanne followed after grabbing all the blankets from the chair. Jacob carried his brother to the front door where his wheelchair was waiting for him.
While Jacob went to unharness and tend to the pony, Louise and Richard were led to the parlor to bandage up their arms.
“It’s good news,” Louise told Richard again. “I know it. It has to be. Perhaps something changed. Or it really was a miracle.
“We have to - to embrace it. Do something about it. I don’t know how, but perhaps you can learn to walk again.”
“What, like a child?” he asked tiredly.
The man slumped in his chair, rubbing his face with one hand while the other was bandaged by Mrs. Pennyworth. The woman hummed quietly while she worked, patting his arm dry and wrapping it tightly.
Their arms looked nearly identical with the bites from the wolf. Louise blinked several times as she inhaled sharply. Her mind was running faster than she could catch up to it now. Beneath her, her feet danced in place.
“Sit still,” Luanne told her.
She was the one caring for Louise’s arm. Though her sister wasn’t the most tender nurse, Louise didn’t mind.
But she winced when the alcohol touched her open wound. It didn’t look good and it would most likely scar. She would have to wear long sleeves for the rest of her life if she wanted to hide the mark.
“I can’t help it,” Louise let out a deep breath. “I have so much energy buzzing about me. I’m a beehive, Luanne.
“Oh my, if you could have seen what happened. That terrifying wolf. And Richard, he saved me. He saved us. I don’t know how we survived. And now his legs. It’s a miracle.”
Mrs. Pennyworth chuckled. “Don’t worry,” she told the girls. “It’s just a rush of energy. Louise will be out like a light in an hour.”
That made her laugh. “I can’t imagine ever falling asleep again. And Richard. We have to do someth
ing. I don’t know what, but surely if we bring back your doctor, perhaps he’ll know what can be done.”