by Sable Hunter
“I think it’s a good idea,” Reno spoke up. “King won’t like it, but we needed the help before she came, and we need it more now.”
Domino seemed to accept the idea. “Well, I’ll need you to pick up some more laudanum. I’ll need to take what I have in stock on the trip.” Glancing at Fancy, he blew out a long breath. “When he wakes up, he’s going to give us all hell, especially you.”
Fancy nodded. “I expect you’re right.” She gave a faint smile. “I look forward to the challenge.”
CHAPTER SIX
Once Boone left for town, Domino applied the splint to King’s broken leg. When he was finished, he gave Fancy some last-minute instructions, then left with the others to return to the herd. Only Ace remained behind to fetch and carry for her while she worried and fretted over King. Ace lingered near as she put on a pot of chicken soup for the patient and a beef roast in the wood stove for everyone else’s supper. After the boy fetched kindling for the stove and milk from the well for cooking, she sent him on his way. He was anxious to get back to the pasture before Domino left with the cattle drive, so he could say goodbye.
When he was gone, Fancy found herself alone with King. She split her time between monitoring the food she was cooking and watching over him. Since Domino had wrapped his ribs in the strips she’d torn, King was left shirtless, the sheet only coming halfway up his chest. Even though she tried to quell the urge, Fancy couldn’t stop staring at him. His shoulders were so broad, his arms so strong. Just looking at him gave her pleasure.
For three hours, she ran back and forth, tending the food and checking on King. She baked two loaves of bread and put on a pot of collard greens. After searching the larder, she found some jarred peaches for a cobbler. Fancy smiled, imagining their Chinese cook putting them up for later. If she were to stay, she’d preserve everything she could get her hands on. The idea of having a home of her own, and a husband like King, kept her imagination running full speed…until a groaning from the bedroom set her feet in motion. He was awake. Thank God!
When she came to him, Fancy was disappointed. His eyes weren’t open, he was shifting uneasily and sweating. There were streaks of dirt and mud on his face and arms. “You need a bath,” she told him softly. “And the best time to do it is when you’re incapable of fighting back.” Heading to the kitchen, she put on more water to warm, trying to subdue the mounting excitement she felt at the prospect of touching King’s big body. Her anticipation made her feel a bit guilty. “You’re not going to enjoy this, Fancy, that would be wrong,” she cautioned herself.
Too bad she didn’t listen.
Once the water was warm, she found a piece of homemade soap and a sponge to clean him. For a brief moment, she just stared at the expanse of his powerful body, his manly face, and his strong neck, not knowing where to begin. Shaking with apprehension and delight, she took his hand in hers. Closing her eyes, she just held it for a few seconds. The warmth, the tactile pleasure when his callused skin slid over her palm, made Fancy gasp. For years, the only contact she’d had with another person was when someone lashed out in anger at her, or when she’d been serving them in some menial capacity. A twinge of guilt lashed at her heart, for this was no different. King was in her care and she had no right to receive pleasure at his expense, without his knowledge or consent.
After chastising herself, she proceeded to bathe him. Biting her lip, she made long strokes on his skin, her eyes caressing him as surely as the sponge. She studied his strong forearms, covered in golden hair, paying special obeisance to the prominent vein that ran down his inner arm all the way to his wrist. Her ministrations must have felt good, because he sighed a little and smiled. Fancy beamed at his approval, even if he wasn’t aware he gave it. After she cleansed his arms, shoulders, and the portion of his chest that was uncovered, she moved to his face and neck, being especially gentle around his eyes and mouth. During this time, Fancy absorbed every single facet of his appearance – from his firm generous mouth, to the smattering of freckles across his nose. If she were bold, she would’ve stolen a kiss, but she didn’t dare, she wasn’t nearly brave enough. Instead, she just took care of him, washing his legs, his feet, staying low enough on his thighs to preserve his modesty. She might have to do more later, but she’d give him a little time to recover. King might forgive her for the liberties she’d taken up to this point, but she didn’t want to give him reason to ridicule her, if possible. Once he was tended to, she felt of his forehead to insure he was fever free. Satisfied that she’d done all she could for the time being, Fancy brought the sheet and blanket up to cover him gently.
While she was emptying the water, King stirred, opening his eyes. “What the hell?” he groaned, then when he went to move, he yelped. “Damn, everything hurts!”
Fancy, hearing him exclaim, rushed to his side. “Don’t move, King!” She placed a restraining hand on his abdomen. “You’ve been hurt!”
“I need to get up.” He tried to raise up.
“No!” Fancy was emphatic. “You’ll be still if I have to sit on you. You have broken ribs, a broken leg, and your head would be bashed in if it weren’t so hard!”
After struggling without success, he let his mind settle enough to remember how he got here. “The Longhorn turned on me.”
“Yes. You have to remain in bed, at least until I can get a cast on your leg, and then you’ll have to get plenty of rest.”
King blinked his eyes, trying to process what this woman was telling him. “You? Why are you doing anything for me?”
Fancy sighed in exasperation. “Because you needed me. Domino left with the cattle drive and the other men are working. Boone has gone into town for some plaster, and when he returns, I’ll fashion a cast for you.”
“I don’t want you here!” He was emphatic. Taking in his freshened state, he snarled. “What did you do, give me a bath?”
“Yes, I did!” Fancy was just about tired of his mean streak. “I cleaned the mud and blood off you, you ungrateful cretin!”
He narrowed his eyes and snarled at her. “I don’t want you here!” he repeated his former declaration.
“I heard you!” Fancy yelled back. “The whole country heard you!” She folded her thin arms over her nonexistent chest and nailed him with a glare. “But, guess what? You’re stuck with me until you’re better!”
King seethed. “Well, that’s the best damn excuse to get better I’ve ever heard. I just feel like I got a good dose of medicine. I’ll be turning cartwheels in a day or two if it means you’re out of my house at the earliest opportunity.”
“Well, good.” She stomped her foot. “I guess you’ll cooperate with me, then, won’t you? Eat your soup. Drink your water. Stay in the bed and behave!”
“Behave?” He barked. “Who are you to tell me to behave?”
She picked up the tin basin from underneath the bed and waved it at him. “Because I have the bedpan, that’s why!”
King was a bit taken aback by her feisty attitude. “I will get up out of this bed soon, and when I do, the first order of business will be to haul your skinny ass back to where you came from!”
“Believe me, after dealing with you for a few days, I’ll be more than ready to go!” She huffed off, taking the bed pan with her. Once she was out of sight, Fancy slumped against the wall. Dealing with King was going to be quite a challenge.
Left to his own devices, King lay there, wondering at what the fates had against him. Even though he ached from head to foot, there was no way he would be able to stay in this bed and submit to Fancy Grace’s spinsterly whims.
In the kitchen, Fancy put the finishing touches on dinner. She also poured up a tea she’d made from some willow bark Domino had left behind to offset King’s pain. There was also a small jar of laudanum, but she didn’t want to give that to him unless he really seemed to need it. She wanted him to be able to eat and not sleep all the time. After tasting the soup, she deemed it to be edible. Knowing the other men would be in soon, she wanted Kin
g to be able to dine first. Taking a bowl from the cabinet, she dished him up a big serving and placed a slice of homemade bread next to it on a tray. A big glass of milk accompanied it, as did a generous portion of peach cobbler. Gathering it up, she returned to beard the lion in his den.
When Fancy came around the corner, King didn’t grumble. Whatever she was carrying smelled too good to refuse. She set the tray down on a small table next to the window and came to him. The look on her face was hard to read.
“I’m sorry I took your bedpan, I’ll return it to you shortly.” She approached his bed and picked up the pillow next to his. “Do you need to use it.”
“No.” The thought of her taking care of him in that way didn’t sit well with King. “I’ll get one of the men to help me.”
“The men are busy.” She held out her hand. “Let me help you sit up. I’ll slide this other pillow behind you, so you can eat.”
King didn’t want to, but he took her hand, a flash of familiarity clouding his senses. She smelled good too, like sugar and cinnamon. As he braced himself against the pain and allowed her to pull him to a sitting position, he noticed the state of her dress. In places, the material was so thin, he could see through it to the shadow of her skin below. He also saw several carefully darned holes where the garment’s seams were too frail to hold together. The hand holding his was small, a little roughened, but the nails were clean and neat. He could see the dusting of a few cinnamon colored freckles on her skin. In his pain induced stupor, he wondered if that was why she smelled like the exotic spice. “Thanks.”
After she tucked the extra pillow behind his head, she steadied him until he eased back against the pillows with an exhausted sigh. “Hurts?”
“Yea.” There were very few places on his body that didn’t hurt. “Such a damn fool.”
Fancy smiled, more from the joy of being close to him than anything. “Who? You or the cow?”
He chuckled, then winced. “Both.”
Reluctantly, she let him go, then turned to the tray, picking up the cup. “Here, drink this, it will help the pain. It’s willow bark tea.” Fancy placed it carefully in his hands.
“Thanks.”
“I’m glad to see you awake. I was worried.” While he sipped the tea, she placed a napkin over the bare skin of his stomach, and the tray on top of that. “There you go.”
King’s eyes grew wide at the bounty before him. “This looks great, but I don’t think I can eat it all.”
“Try. Do the best you can. Do you want me to sit with you or would you be more comfortable by yourself?”
Her congenial offer irritated him. Primarily because he was tempted to ask her to stay. “I’ll be fine by myself.”
Fancy nodded. Unsurprised. “Very well. Call me when you’re finished, and I’ll fetch the tray back to the kitchen.”
Once she was gone, he let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding, cursing the circumstances that put him in this untenable position. After the first sip of soup, he had to admit it was good, only the aches in his head and body kept him from enjoying it immensely. When he could eat no more, he hesitated to call, hating that he had to ask Fancy to do anything. He tried to move the tray to one side, but sloshed some of the remaining soup out on the bed. “Dammit!”
His voice carried well enough that she heard him. Fancy smiled. If he was able to curse, he would improve quickly. Without waiting for him to bellow further, she slipped into the room to retrieve the tray. After setting the bedpan next to him on the bed, she let herself glance at him. The bruising was becoming more obvious on the side of his face. “How’s your vision? Is it blurry?”
King felt resentment rise in him like a tide. “No. Unfortunately, I can see you quite clearly.”
Fancy took a deep breath. “I liked you better when you were unconscious.” The needles of his insult plagued her and the desire to retaliate rose in her breast. Since there was little to insult about him, she just told him the truth, knowing this would worry him worse than anything else she could say. “When I bathed you earlier, you smiled at me. There must be something about me you like.”
“I must have been dreaming about someone else.”
Most likely. “Possibly, it’s hard to say.” She picked up the tray, realizing that this type of struggle would define their relationship. “Is there anything else I can get you?”
“No, just leave me be.”
“The others will be in for supper soon, I’m sure they’ll be in to check on you.” She paused at the door. “Call me if you need me.”
He made some type of annoyed noise, one she interpreted as resolve not to need her at all.
So be it.
For the next hour, she took care of the others, feeling pleasantly surprised when they drew her into their conversations.
“How’s our patient?” Clay asked, after everyone had filled their plates and sat down to eat.
“He’s awake. I told him you’d all want to check on him, if you have time.” She stood by the stove, waiting for them to empty one pan of cornbread before she handed another to the table. “Once Boone returns with the plaster, I’ll prepare a cast and he’ll be able to move about in a few days.”
“I don’t like greens,” Ace complained. “Can I have my cobbler now?”
Fancy spoke up before she thought. “No. Young people need vegetables to grow big and strong. Eat your greens, then you can have cobbler.”
Ace eyed her, as if considering questioning her directive. “You must not be eating your vegetables, you’re just skin and bones.”
“That wasn’t nice, Ace,” Reno cautioned, ever the peacemaker.
All the men stopped eating, watching Fancy for her reaction. “That’s okay, Reno. Ace is right. I’ve missed a few too many meals.”
Reno remembered what she’d told him about being hungry. “Do you remember when you were tracking those calves because you didn’t have enough to eat, Ace?”
Ace nodded. “I was starving.”
Fancy was embarrassed. “Sometimes life is difficult.”
“Why aren’t you eating now?” Ace asked, in all innocence.
Out of the mouths of babes. Reno realized Fancy hung back from eating because she’d been pushed away so many times. Patting the table, he invited her to sit with them. “Fancy, fix a plate and join us.”
“Yea, Fancy. Come sit by me.” Ace scooted his chair over a few inches to make room.
Jericho passed the biscuits and Gentry passed the roast. Fancy took a little of each and smiled at them through a sheen of tears. “Thanks.” She looked up and down the long table and the big, kind men who sat around her. “I appreciate this.”
“We appreciate you taking care of that gruff beast in there,” Clay told her as he made sure she had a mug of water to go with her food.
Fancy laughed. “I told him I’d leave as soon as he’s better. I’m sure that’s the best dose of medicine I could give him.”
After that icebreaker, they finished the meal in good spirits. As soon as Fancy washed the dishes, she went to check on King. She found him asleep, which pleased her. Seeing the bedpan needed emptying, she took care of that, bringing it back when she’d finished. Before leaving him for the night, she laid a palm on his cheek to check for fever, and was relieved to find his skin cool. “Sleep well, Mr. Ramsay,” she whispered as she pulled the blanket up to his shoulders. As she left, she glanced back and tried to imagine what it would be like to sleep in his bed.
She couldn’t. The idea was too far beyond her scope of imagination
* * *
When Boone returned, a day later, he found the house in an uproar.
“If you try to get out of that bed again, you’re going to be wearing this bedpan for a hat!”
“Ha! You and whose army, Red?”
“I don’t need an army! If you try to get out of that bed, I’ll grab you and kiss you so fast your head will swim.”
As he made his way to the back, carrying the medical supplies
, Boone’s eyed widened at Fancy’s unusual threat. He waited for King’s response and when it came, it made him laugh.
“You’d better watch it woman, you might get more than you bargained for!”
“Promises. Promises.”
When Boone made it to the door, he found King still in the bed and Fancy standing over him with a broom in her hand.
“Are you planning on whopping him with that weapon, Miss Fancy?”
Fancy wheeled around. “Boone! You’re back!” She held the broom out and smiled sheepishly. “I wasn’t going to hit him hard.” She leaned it against the wall and moved forward to see what he’d brought. “Crutches!” she exclaimed, seeing what he held in one hand. “Look, King, you’ll be up and about in no time!”
“Yea, I thought he might could use those.” Boone laid the other things by the bed. “Here’s the plaster and I brought some bandages too. I know we don’t have an endless supply of sheets to cut up.”
While Fancy rummaged through the stuff, she patted an amber glass bottle. “You brought the laudanum too.” Rising to her feet, she studied King. “Although, I don’t think he’ll be needing any of it. King’s pain is better.”
“You’re the biggest pain in my…” he grumbled, then nodded at Boone. “Glad to see you, Roberts. Could you please make this woman leave me alone?”
“Sorry, King. Fancy’s our resident medic at the moment. She’s going to make a plaster cast for your leg.”
Fancy gave him an evil smirk. “Yes, you’re at my mercy.” For a little longer, anyway.
King groaned. “What sin did I ever commit in my life that warranted this kind of punishment?”
Boone laughed. “Your list of sins is as long as mine, Cap. If Fancy’s your idea of punishment, I think you’re getting off easy.”
Fancy acknowledged Boone’s compliment with a slight bow. “Thank you. I’ll go mix up the plaster and then I’ll come back and put this troublemaker in a full body cast, then you can use him as a gate post.”