A Cowgirl's Pride

by Lorraine Nelson

  “There! To your right. Luke, it’s Diablo,” she hollered above the roar of the engine.

  He’d barely pulled to a stop when she was off and running toward the horse. He was pawing at the snowdrift surrounding him. She slowed to a walk as she approached, not wanting to spook the horse.

  “Hey, boy. What are you doing out here?” she asked in a soothing voice. She grabbed the reins and coaxed him away from the area while the men dug around in the snow. Sure enough, the horse had been guarding Cal. She choked back a sob as they lifted his frozen body and carefully transferred him to the snowmobile.

  “Is this your cowboy?” Trent asked in a soft voice.

  She nodded, unable to speak for the lump of fear and dread lodged in her chest and throat.

  “I’ll follow the snowmobile’s tracks and take the horse back. You go with him.”

  “Thanks, Trent,” she said as she handed over the reins. She wiggled in behind Cal to hold him upright. Luke had to stand in order to maneuver the machine, but they made it back in one piece. He stopped in front of the house, and they carried Cal to the living room, laying his body on the rug in front of the fire.

  “He has a nasty lookin’ welt on his forehead. Must’ve gotten knocked off the horse by a low-hangin’ tree branch,” said Lucas as he and Michael worked quickly to remove Cal’s clothing.

  “Or something,” said Michael, suspicion lacing his voice.

  Winnie came in carrying a stack of blankets. “I put them in to warm as soon as they left to search for him. This has happened before on our ranch, but rarely. Here’s a stocking cap for his head. We have to get him warmed up and fast.”

  “Thank you,” Zakia said, taking the blankets to cover his body as skin became exposed.

  “Should I call an ambulance?” asked Leah. She wanted to cling to Cal, but she was too cold and would only hinder the warm-up process.

  “I doubt they could get here in this storm, but it wouldn’t hurt to have emergency personnel on the line.”

  “He’s beginnin’ to shiver, so that’s a good sign,” said Lucas.

  “I have emergency first aid training, Leah, but it’s the bump on his head that worries me. Plus, we don’t know how long he was out there. Better call it in.”

  They’d stripped Cal of every stitch of clothing and wrapped him in the warm blankets. His shivering intensified, but he never opened his eyes.

  “Keep those warm blankets comin’, Winnie, luv,” said Lucas.

  She left to fetch another round, bringing back another warmed hat.

  Leah picked up the phone to dial 911. “Just our luck! The damned phone lines are down.” She quickly put a hand over her mouth and looked around for the boys. “Sorry, Zak. Where are the twins?”

  “Watching a movie in their room. I thought it would be easier to help Cal without them running around down here.”

  “Bless you, girl! I’m not thinking straight.” Leah slumped in the chair closest to the fire where she could watch Cal.

  Michael tried his cell phone. “No reception here either.”

  “Cal’s eyes are twitchin’. He’s startin’ to come around. Winnie, fetch him somethin' warm to drink,” said Lucas.

  “The kettle’s boiling. I’ll make him a cup of bouillon.”

  When Winnie came back, Trent was with her. “I left the horse with Pete. Hope that’s okay, Luke.”

  “That’s fine,” said Luke. “Pete will tend to him.”

  “How’s Cal doing?” Trent asked.

  “Warming up. I'm about to check his pulse, but the shivering has eased off some,” Michael answered.

  “Good. Is there anything I can help with?” Trent asked.

  “Not unless you’re a doctor. All anyone can do is keep him warm and wait,” said Michael. “Zakia, if you could bring in a pan of water and a first aid kit, I can clean up that head wound.”

  “Okay,” she said as she bustled out to the kitchen, returning a few minutes later with the requested items.

  “Actually, I trained in pre-med before opting for law enforcement and missing persons. Can I have a look?” asked Trent.

  “By God, yes!” said Lucas. “You’re an answer to prayer.”

  Trent smiled. “I’m not sure about that but let me wash up, and I’ll tend that wound. Did anyone call an ambulance?”

  Lucas shook his head. “Nope, phone lines are down. At least we haven’t lost power.”

  “Ahhh! I’ll be right back,” he said as he left the room.

  “And I’ll go out to the storage shed and make sure the generator’s ready to go, just in case,” said Luke.

  “Good idea, but string a rope to guide you back. Sounds like that wind has picked up even more.”

  “Will do, Dad.”

  “I’ll go with you,” said Michael.

  Trent returned, tugged on a pair of latex gloves from the first aid kit, and picked up the wet cloth to sponge Cal’s head injury. “It’s not too deep. Looks worse than it is. Head wounds always bleed profusely, and now that he’s warming up, it’ll get worse.” He sorted through the supplies until he found what he needed, then proceeded to bandage the wound. “That should do it.” He opened one of Cal’s eyes, then the other, and nodded assuredly. “Pupils are almost normal. He should be coming to soon.”

  Leah breathed a sigh of relief at the comforting words. “Thanks for being here, Trent. We owe you one.”

  “You don’t owe me anything, pretty lady, but I’d love a cup of coffee.”

  “I’ll go make some,” she said, taking one last look at Cal as she rose to her feet. His eyes fluttered open, and she was on her knees beside him in an instant. “Cal? How do you feel?”

  He looked straight at her. “Like I have a guardian angel watching over me. What happened?”

  “You fell off your horse,” she said, smiling with relief.

  “Where’s Diablo?”

  “In the barn.”

  “The trees along that trail need to be trimmed,” he said as he reached a hand to his head. “It feels like I have a flock of woodpeckers hammering away at my skull.”

  “You veered off the trail. We found you in a snowdrift about twenty feet west of the beaten path.”

  “You found me?”

  “Well, I saw Diablo pawing at the snow and held him while the men dug you out.”

  He started to get up, but lay back down again. “Uh, where are my pants?”

  “They’re in the dryer. I’ll go check to see if they’re dry,” said Winnie.

  “Thanks. Much appreciated,” he said with a twinkle in his eye. “Bet you looked,” he whispered for only Leah to hear.

  Her gaze slid from the bottom of the blanket all the way up to his chin. “You’d be right,” she said smiling. “But I was too busy trying to figure out if you were still breathing to notice anything else.”

  “Oh.”

  Was that acceptance of the facts or disappointment she heard in his voice?

  Leah had forgotten all about Trent until he spoke. “Guess I’ll follow Winnie and see if I can get that cup of coffee.”

  “Oh, Trent. I’m so sorry.”

  “No problem. See you later.”

  What a kind and gentle man he was. He’d make some woman a great catch one day.

  Chapter Twelve

  The last thing Cal remembered was riding through the storm with his hat pulled low over his eyes to keep the blowing snow out, trusting Diablo to take them home safely. It seemed to be taking forever to make the short journey, and he’d lifted his head, trying to get a bearing on where they were. That's when a crunch of excruciating pain turned everything black.

  “Where’s my lucky hat?”

  Lucas’s loud guffaw hurt his already aching head. “Buried in a snow drift most likely. It weren’t too lucky for you today.”

  “No, but that hat’s been everywhere with me since I started work here.”

  “Don’t fret. I’ll buy ya another for survivin’ the storm.”

  “You bought me the
first one.”

  “Is that the same hat? Geez man, it’s high time ya had another.”

  “I do have other hats. It’s just that I really liked that one.”

  “Nice to see that you’re feeling well enough to worry about your hat,” said Leah, sending a laughing smile his way. “Especially since you resemble Rudolph with that bright red nose.”

  He reached up to rub it. “I’m fine. How long was I out there?”

  “No one knows for sure,” she said. “Pete came to the house for help, worried when you didn’t show up for dinner.”

  “I finished the chores before taking Diablo for a ride, so I must’ve been out for about an hour or so.”

  “Diablo stayed with you, or we may not have found you in time. The snow probably acted as an insulator, keeping you semi-warm,” said Leah.

  “Kind’a like an Eskimo in an igloo,” Lucas said.

  Leah caressed Cal’s cheek with a warm hand. “You might have a touch of frostbite in places, but at least you’re alive.”

  Winnie brought his clothes in, still warm from the dryer.

  “Come on, Leah. Let’s leave the man a little privacy to get dressed,” said her father.

  “He’s probably still weak from his ordeal. What if he gets dizzy and falls? Someone should be here.”

  “Then I’ll stay,” Lucas said. “Now git!”

  Cal winked at her as she rose to her feet, letting her know he was all right with the situation, but it saddened him to know that she wasn’t willing to divulge their relationship in front of her family. Huh! What relationship? He’d killed that with his coarse words earlier.

  As soon as the women left, he snagged his black T-shirt and pulled it over his head. He looked for his boxers, but they weren’t there. Damn! He’d dressed in such a hurry at Cameron’s place that he’d probably left them there. His jeans came next, and Leah was right. As soon as he stood, an attack of dizziness hit, and he damned near keeled over.

  “You okay, boy?” Lucas asked, grabbing Cal’s arm to steady him.

  “Dizzy, and my feet are paining something awful. Otherwise, I’m fine.”

  “Frostbite. I’ll have Trent take a look.”

  “Trent? The trespasser?”

  “Yeah, he studied to be a doctor before switchin’ jobs. Lucky for us.”

  Cal sank onto the end of the sofa nearest the fire. “I still feel cold,” he said, shivering uncontrollably.

  Lucas grabbed the blankets and spread them over him. “Best put your feet up and get the blood flowin' ag’in.”

  He did, and Lucas tucked a blanket around them.

  “Here, it’s probably not too hot now, but Winnie made you some broth to warm yer innards. Drink up and I’ll get more.”

  “Thanks, Lucas. I’m sorry to be such a bother.”

  “No bother. I’d do the same for anybody in your situation and so would you.”

  He nodded in response, took the proffered mug in both hands, drank the tepid broth and passed him the cup.

  “Keep warm. I’ll be right back.”

  Cal huddled into the warmth of the blankets, surprised when it was Leah who brought the fresh mug of bouillon, but Trent came with her. Damn! Couldn’t he even have a moment alone to talk to the woman?

  “Lucas said you’re experiencing pain in your feet. Okay if I have a look?”

  “Sure.”

  Trent stooped and removed the blankets to check both feet. Cal felt uncomfortable at being cared for by a man he’d held at gunpoint that morning, but he was mighty thankful for the man's training. “The color’s good, no blood blisters. That’s a good sign, but it’s definitely frostbite. I’ll apply some cream to help soften the dead tissue. Got any aloe vera cream, Leah?”

  “I’ll check with Zakia.”

  Leah hurried from the room and, finding the requested item, returned with a jar in her hands, which she handed to Trent. He’d opened the first aid kit and pulled out a roll of fuzzy cotton gauze.

  “I’m going to put some of this between your toes to keep them from rubbing each other.”

  “Why?”

  “To decrease tissue damage from friction.”

  “Oh.”

  Trent finished and carefully tugged Cal’s socks on over his bandaged feet.

  “You shouldn’t put any weight on them until they heal,” said Trent.

  “How am I supposed to do my job?”

  “You don’t, not if you want to keep your parts intact.”

  “Is it that bad?”

  “Bad enough. I’ve done what I can but you’ll need to see your doctor. He might want some X-rays.”

  “Why? Nothing’s broken.”

  “They’ll tell him the extent of the damage. I think it’s minor, but you’ll need to have them checked to be certain.”

  “Well, if I can’t walk, I can’t drive. How am I supposed to get there?”

  “I’ll take you,” said Leah.

  “Not with Kendall gunning for you. He could show up anytime.”

  “It’s best to call an ambulance anyway,” said Trent. “They can load you without your feet ever touching the ground.”

  Leah tried the phone again. “The lines are still down, or we would’ve called one already.”

  “Oh, okay. Thanks for the help, Trent.”

  “Glad I was brought here, even though it was at gunpoint.”

  They shared a laugh, and Cal started coughing. He sipped at the hot broth until the cough subsided. “Guess I picked up a cold along with the frostbite.”

  “That’s not unusual. As long as it doesn’t settle in your chest, you’ll be fine,” Trent assured him.

  An awkward silence followed in which Cal secretly wished Trent would take a hike. He wanted a chance to talk to Leah before the entire family closed in on them again.

  Trent stood. “I’m going to see if Zakia has any of that pie left from dinner. Holler if you need anything.”

  “Will do.”

  Cal patted the seat cushion beside him in invitation for Leah to join him. She hesitated then sat, keeping her distance, her hands folded primly in her lap.

  “Can you forgive me for the vile things I said this afternoon?”

  “There’s nothing to forgive. You spoke the truth.”

  “The truth? What do you mean?”

  “I hadn’t leveled with you; hadn’t told you the truth because I didn’t want to lose you. I’m going to tell you now. Some of this you may already know, but, please, just listen. Okay?”

  He nodded.

  “My relationship with Roddy was great at first. After he saw me dance, he took an interest in me, personally. He was attentive and very charming. We went to the opera, the ballet, dinners, and dancing—everything I’d always dreamed of. When he found out how his talent scout had coerced me into signing the contract, he fired him but refused to cancel it. I was bringing in hordes of new customers; he needed a dancer, so I danced. Eventually, I moved in with him.”

  “That doesn’t make you a whore,” he said, and saw her flinch.

  She continued. “One night when I was dancing his best friend tucked a tip in my thong. He’d touched me. Roddy saw it, and he murdered Alex that same night…made me watch as his wolfhounds ripped him apart.”

  “What?”

  She touched a finger to his lips, effectively silencing him. “After that, he said I was soiled goods. He began arranging little dinner parties among his high-classed friends, male and female alike. I provided the entertainment. He made me dance, lap dance, for each person in turn. He took bids. The highest bidder purchased my services for the remainder of the night. He pimped me out, Cal. In effect, I was his whore.”

  “I don’t see why you stayed and put up with that bullshit to begin with,” he said, his hands fisted so hard, they hurt.

  “I stayed because dancing and screwing were preferable to dying.”

  “He threatened you?”

  “Yes, and what’s more, I’d seen firsthand how he disposed of people he was di
spleased with. I was terrified.”

  “Why didn’t you go to the police?”

  “He appointed me a bodyguard. I couldn’t move without him dogging my heels.”

  “So, how did you get away?”

  “Another dancer at the club helped me. Roddy must have found out, because she’s dead, too. Her sister found her a couple of days ago.”

  Cal couldn’t believe what she was telling him. “You lived with a murderer all that time and said nothing?”

  She nodded.

  “Because you were scared?”

  “Yes.”

  “And your child? Do you know who the father is?”

  She lifted her head then and looked him in the eyes. “Yes, for whatever reason, Roddy stopped the private parties a few months ago and became attentive again.”

  “Why in God’s name weren’t you on birth control?”

  “I was. I’d been on them since I was sixteen.” She shrugged her shoulders. “They stopped working.”

  “What made you finally decide to leave? The baby?”

  “Yes. I didn’t want my child to grow up with a murderer.”

  “Well, if you could leave now, you could’ve left sooner.”

  “No, I couldn’t. I had to finish my contract.”

  “Contract be damned! There are lawyers for that. No law in this land would’ve gone against you.”

  “Maybe not here, but out there, it was different. He had cops, lawyers, and judges in his pocket. I didn’t know who to trust, where to go, but then I found out I was pregnant and knew I had to take a chance.”

  “Well, bully for you. At least you had some decency left.”

  She rose to her feet. “Now you see why it’s impossible for us to have a future together.”

  “Leah?”

  She turned to leave, paused for a brief moment then continued on.

  “Leah, come back.”

  She ignored him and just kept walking.

  He sat and watched her walk away, saw the dejected slump to her shoulders as she climbed the stairs, and he couldn’t do a damned thing about it. For the first time since waking up, he wished he’d died in that snow bank. Anything was preferable to the empty, aching hole where his heart should’ve been.