The realization that she had noticed something personal about him brought a sweet pleasure that strengthened his resolve. “Kehoe is good stock and should sire quite a few champion horses if he’s bred with the right mare. I can’t wait until …” He hesitated, not wanting to reveal that he’d named his horse Kate. “… until my mare delivers.” He leaned back on his heels. “Katherine, I—”
A bloodcurdling scream came from the house.
Chapter 3
Katherine raced toward the house. Shelton passed her and leapt to the top of the porch without touching the three stairs. The front door banged against the wall as he rushed inside. The blood pounded in her ears as she lifted her skirts higher to run faster.
Inside the house she found the family in the living room. Prudence pressed little Elizabeth close to her chest. Shelton had a small blanket wrapped around his right hand. On the floor stood a wild raccoon on its hind legs, clawing at Shelton.
“Get everyone out of the house,” he ordered. “Go to Mac and Pamela’s.”
Katherine glanced at the gun rack over the fireplace mantel. The rack was empty. She sighed. Urias and Mac were out hunting for venison. Katherine scanned the room for the boys, then remembered they had gone to Grandma Mac’s an hour earlier.
Shelton grabbed the fireplace broom and blocked the critter’s path to Prudence. “Get out of here,” he ordered through clenched teeth.
The two women slowly backed up the few paces to the open doorway, then ran toward the MacKenneths’ farmhouse.
Tears streamed down Prudence’s face.
“Are you all right?” Katherine asked, not slowing her pace. “Is Elizabeth okay?”
Prudence sniffled. “We’re fine. Just terrified.”
Katherine knew she should be frightened as well. Men couldn’t come within a couple of feet of her before fear washed over her. A crazed animal in the house should cause a far worse panic. Instead, she wanted to fight the small beast, take charge, and rid the house of the problem.
She stopped. “I’m going back. Shelton must have a rifle in the barn.”
Prudence stopped and faced Katherine. “You take Elizabeth. I’ll go help Shelton.”
“No. Your baby needs you. I could never live with myself if something happened to you. I’m certain the animal has rabies.”
“I’ve handled a rifle. Urias taught me to shoot.”
A memory from the past floated through Katherine’s mind, of a time before Urias left home, a time when they were a family. “Poppa taught me to shoot, too.”
Prudence took in a deep breath and released it slowly. “All right. But take careful aim. I’d like my brother to grow old and gray.”
Katherine ran past the house and straight into the barn. She rummaged through Shelton’s belongings and found his rifle. Lifting it, she discovered it was much heavier than the one her father had shown her so many years before. It also had two barrels. Could she shoot this and not hit Shelton? Fear slithered through her body. Her breathing became more ragged. She closed her eyes and slowly inhaled. She couldn’t let fear control her now, as it had so often in her life.
She reached for the lead bullets and powder, loaded the two barrels, and marched toward the house. The sheer weight of the gun forced her to carry it with both hands. How could she possibly fire it?
The angry growls of the sick creature cut through the air.
Katherine quickened her pace and lifted the rifle as she crossed the open threshold.
Shelton pivoted around to see who had entered the house. The wild animal lashed out and bit him on the leg.
She aimed the rifle but did not have a clear shot of the raccoon. Shelton kicked, forcing the animal to let go, but it bit down again. He whacked the broom handle across the raccoon’s head.
Dazed, the creature fell to the floor. Katherine aimed and pulled the trigger. A clean shot perforated the raccoon with lead balls.
Shelton cried out in pain and leaned against the wall.
“Take your pants off,” Katherine ordered. “We must clean that wound.”
Shelton reached for his belt buckle but thought better of it. “Give me that knife.” He pointed to the large carving knife hanging on the side of the kitchen cabinet.
Kate placed the gun on the table and hurried to the cabinet.
Shelton gritted his teeth against the excruciating pain.
“The animal looks rabid,” Katherine said as she handed him the knife.
He glanced at the heap of fur and fangs. Foam dripped from the creature’s jowls, leaving no doubt as to its condition. The question was, could he survive this attack? “Boil some water,” he ordered.
Kate’s back stiffened. He’d done it again, made her feel like a servant. “Please,” he amended.
Kate nodded and did as he’d requested.
Setting the tip of the blade against the outer seam of his pants, he ripped the material from the knee down. Blood poured out of a deep wound. One of his arteries must have been punctured.
He watched Katherine fill the lower front part of the step-up cast-iron stove with kindling. He opened his mouth to tell her to add more for a quicker blaze, but promptly closed it. Kate would know her way around a stove.
Shelton didn’t like seeing this side of himself. Had he always been this insensitive to others? Had he looked down on people stationed in a lower social class than his own? Was he as guilty as his father of treating Kate like a servant?
A fresh wave of pain coursed through his body. He let out an audible groan.
Katherine turned and ran toward him.
Shelton blinked. The room began to spin. He slowly closed and opened his eyes, trying to focus.
“Sit down,” Kate ordered. Authority oozed from her command. He’d never seen her like this. He followed her order.
“Place your injured leg on this chair.” Kate pulled his flapping pant leg away from his skin. She leaned closer to the wound. “It’s deep and nasty. You might need some stitches. That coon must have twisted back and forth once he got his teeth into you.”
“It felt like it.”
“I’m going to get some cloths to wash the wound.” She started to leave.
“Don’t touch it, Katherine. I don’t want you getting sick.”
A slight turn of her delicate pink lips made him aware that she was pleased about his concern for her. Perhaps there is a chance for us to develop a relationship after all. Then again, how many days did he have left? The mortality rate from rabies didn’t give a man a lot of hope. Please, God, if we’re to be together … Wasn’t that the real question? Were they meant to be together? Apart from this momentary act of kindness, Kate was still terrified of him.
“I’ll be right back. Don’t move.”
He gripped the chair tighter in her absence. He couldn’t let her see how much his leg hurt. The large knife lay on the table. Shelton picked it up and tried to get a good angle to lance the wound.
“What are you doing?” Katherine stood before him, her hands on her hips.
“I have to get out the poison.”
“This isn’t a snakebite.”
“I know, but—”
“We need to wash it first.”
“Katherine, are you in there?” Pamela MacKenneth called out from the porch.
“In the kitchen. Shelton’s been bit.”
“Ain’t that bad,” he lied.
Pamela flew into the room and examined his leg. Shelton felt like a lame horse lying on the ground with a gang of people looking over him trying to decide if they should shoot him and put him out of his misery.
“Pour water over the wound, Katherine. Flush it out several times. Then we’ll pour hot water over it—as hot as he can take it—to try to kill off any infection before it starts.”
Katherine pumped a pitcher of water and poured it over his leg.
“You’re losing a lot of blood,” Pamela said, washing her hands in the sink, then wiping them on a dishtowel. “We’re going to have to stitch up
the wound. Katherine, where does Prudence keep the whiskey?”
“Upper right-hand cupboard. I’ll get a needle and thread. And some towels to clean up that mess on the floor.”
“Thanks.”
Shelton’s eyelids drifted shut. He forced them to open. They complied only halfway. He had to fight.
Then again, why? Heaven is a wonderful place, his mind sluggishly told him.
Mother needs me, he inwardly debated. He forced his eyes to open farther. They slid right back down.
“He’s losing a lot of blood,” Kate said.
“Take off his belt and make a tourniquet.”
After a moment’s hesitation, Katherine unhooked his belt and pulled it off of his hips.
Pamela held a glass of golden-brown liquid to his lips. “Drink this.”
He sipped. It burned a path down to his stomach.
The pressure Kate applied as she wrapped the belt around his leg made him want to kick her away. He bore down on the back of the chair and groaned.
“Finish the whiskey, Shelton.”
The warmth of the liquid nectar started to calm his body. No wonder a man can get addicted to this stuff.
The pain began to subside. His mind grew more fuzzy. A smile developed on his lips. Images of Katherine wrapped in his arms swam around in his head. “Oh my sweet, sweet Kate.”
“We can start now,” Pamela said. “He’s rambling about his horse.”
“His horse?” Or me? Katherine loosened the tourniquet. Blood poured instantly from the wound. She tightened it again.
Pamela pulled the thread through the needle and began to repair the wound while Katherine held the injured leg still.
Fifteen minutes later, Pamela had sewn the last stitch and Shelton started snoring. “We’re going to have to move him, and I’m afraid the only open bed is in your room. We can’t have him exposed to the children.”
“I understand.”
“I’ll help you get him to bed. Then go scrub yourself till you’re pink. I left room between the stitches so the blood can escape as the artery bleeds. You’ll need to stay the night with him, opening and closing that tourniquet every fifteen minutes. Can you do that?”
“I’ll try.”
Pamela nodded. “I know it’ll be hard staying awake all night. Then again, I hear Elizabeth doesn’t allow for much sleeping anyway.”
Katherine chuckled. “True.”
Together they lifted Shelton by the shoulders and dragged him onto her bed. “Keep the wound moist for a long as possible. Moisture helps the rabies bleed out of the body.”
A shiver of fear slithered down Katherine’s spine at the thought of spending so much time alone with a man.
“Are you all right?” Pamela asked.
“Fine. He just weighs more than he seems to.”
Pamela chuckled. “Be glad he’s only five-seven. Try heaving Mac into bed. Worst patient I ever had. Thankfully, he is rarely ill.”
Mac MacKenneth was a huge man, but he didn’t scare Katherine. Not like Shelton did. Of course, she’d only known Mac as a happily married man, a good Christian man.
“Guess I’d better go burn that raccoon,” Pamela said.
“I’ll clean up.”
“Open the tourniquet again first. Then go clean.”
Katherine nodded. Lord, help me be a good nurse to this man, even though I am terrified of him.
For hours, she sat by his bed, doing her best to follow Pamela’s instructions and to understand her own emotions. Shelton was an attractive man. And he seemed so kind, so brave. Why did she fear him?
She noticed sweat beading all over his bronzed skin. A fever was rising.
Chapter 4
Shelton ached from head to toe. His leg felt like it was on fire. Kate’s gentle ministrations had eased the pain somewhat. He licked his parched lips and opened his eyes. She sat curled up in a chair next to the bed. Her golden red hair cascaded over her shoulders as she slept.
He blinked and refocused. He’d never seen her with her hair down. His mind must be playing tricks on him. Kate’s hair always sat on her head, with no more than a few wisps falling down the sides.
Shelton’s leg ached. He reached down to release the pressure on the tourniquet, but it wasn’t there. He leaned back again. The slight movement made him groan.
Kate jumped upright. “I’m sorry. I fell asleep. What’s wrong?”
“Where’s the tourniquet?”
“Mac came by and examined the wound, as well as his wife’s handiwork. He said to take off the tourniquet. Slight bleeding will help the healing.”
“Does he think …” Shelton knew rabies could be fatal. But he couldn’t form the words in his mouth.
“Mac said only time will tell.”
Shelton closed his eyes. Father God, please keep me alive to help my family.
Katherine placed a cool, damp cloth on his forehead. “Shelton, why did you send us away? If I had stayed …”
“Prudence and Elizabeth were in danger.” He focused on her deep green eyes. “And so were you.”
“I …” She clamped her mouth shut.
What was she going to say? They hadn’t spent much time together since his arrival two weeks ago, but several times, he’d seen her stop herself from saying what was on her mind.
“Speak,” he ordered.
She narrowed her eyes. “I am not your servant. I will not be ordered about like a …”
A twitch of pleasure pulled at his lips as he tried to suppress a smile.
“What?” Her nostrils flared.
“Kate … I mean, Katherine … I didn’t mean—” A surge of pain raced up his leg. “Please, go back to your room. I’m fine.”
Katherine stepped back and blinked. In a soft whisper, she said, “This is my room.”
Shelton appraised his surroundings. The furniture was well made, hand crafted by Urias, no doubt, but it lacked the feminine look and smells he remembered of Prudence’s room. He lifted the covers to slip out of bed. “I’m sorry. I’ll go to the barn.”
“You’ll do no such thing.” Katherine stomped her foot for emphasis. “You’re to stay off that leg for at least two days. And I’ll not be facing Pru’s wrath for the rest of my life by being responsible for your death.”
He leaned back against the headboard. “Katherine, you’re not responsible.”
“Yes, I am.” Her face flushed. “If I hadn’t come into the house when I did, you wouldn’t have been bitten. This is all my fault.”
He reached out to her.
She stepped farther into the shadows. “Go back to sleep. It’s late. You need your rest.”
Not wanting to move his leg again, he closed his eyes. The room darkened. The door creaked. Katherine had left him. If only he could let her slip out of his heart as easily.
Katherine pulled the quilt higher over her shoulder as she shifted on the living room sofa. She hadn’t gone back into her bedroom since Shelton had woken up. How could she have thought that she could spend the night in there with him and care for him?
A gentle hand shook her shoulder. “Your room is free now,” Urias said. “I helped Shelton move back to the barn. And Prudence changed your sheets.”
“How is he?”
“He’s fine. Mac says the wound is healing well. You did a good job. Now, go to bed and get some sleep.”
Katherine lifted her head from the sofa and stared through her bedroom doorway. Why had Urias taken Shelton out to the barn? Did it bother Shelton to be in her room?
“You could have left him in there.”
“Shh. He’s fine. Mac and I will take good care of him. You just rest.”
She couldn’t argue. It seemed like ages since she had a good night’s sleep.
Katherine woke to the smell of fresh meat roasting. How long had she been asleep? She dressed and headed into the kitchen.
Prudence looked up from basting the meat that sat in the large pan. She beamed. “Good morning, sleepyhead.”
> “What time is it?”
“Going on near five,” she said as she slid the roast back into the oven. “Dinner is just about ready.”
“I slept the day away?”
“Your body seemed to require it.” Prudence closed the oven door, then stood and stretched her back. “Tell me, did the old nightmares return?”
Katherine drew herself up straight. “Why do you ask?”
“You cried out during the night.”
The tiny muscles around her spine seemed to tighten even more.
“You should tell Urias about the abuse you’ve suffered. Your brother is not a foolish man. He knows what goes on in the hearts of evil men.”
“I don’t want to. Besides, he’s better off not knowing.”
Prudence floured her hands and began to shape the biscuit dough. “The only way to rid yourself of these demons is to share them with the right person. You’ve told me a few things, but I know you haven’t revealed all that happened to you. Perhaps your own flesh and blood …”
Katherine stared at the floor. “I’ll think on it.”
Prudence wiped her hands on a clean towel. “Promise?”
“Aye.”
“I love the Irish brogue you slip into from time to time. Urias does it, too. You two are so much alike.”
Katherine could not see the comparison. They were brother and sister, so they shared similar physical features, but Urias lived such a contented life. Even after opening her heart to God last year, she didn’t feel much different. She still felt damaged. A sinner will always be a sinner. Katherine sighed. She would never be truly free from the tyrants who once owned her.
Prudence pulled her into a hug. “Remember, Katherine, you are free in Christ. You’re not in bondage to past sins. Jesus has forgiven you.”
“I know.” But I still feel bound to the past. What’s wrong with me? She knew she wasn’t trusting in the Lord as she should.
Katherine forced a smile. “What can I do to help?”
“Finish setting the table while I put the food into the serving dishes.”
As Katherine arranged the plates on the table, a deep-seated fear washed over her. Should she tell Urias about her past? Or keep her problems to herself?
Brides of Kentucky Page 32