Chapter 18 #2
Isaiah nodded through his tears. Wishing she could reassure the children further, Ella bolted for the barn.
Preston nickered a welcome when he saw her.
Gathering her courage, Ella grabbed his halter and slipped it over his head.
“I don’t know how to saddle you, boy, and I’ve never ridden bareback.
You’re going to have to make sure we get to town in one piece, okay? ”
The horse nudged her with his nose. She took that as a confirmation.
It was a struggle to climb onto his back, but once she was situated, she gripped her legs around his middle.
Preston took off at a gallop. Ella clung to his mane.
Tears poured down her cheeks as she thought of her husband in pain and danger.
Prayers shot from her heart to heaven, each one a fervent plea that he make it through the upcoming ordeal.
Cody bit back a groan while Doc applied a strong-smelling poultice to his wounds.
All he felt in his right leg was fiery pain.
Ella sat beside him, his hand clutched in hers.
Cassie and Travis were in the other room watching the children.
They’d seen Ella on her way into town and insisted on coming to the ranch.
Doc tied off a bandage. Cody hissed as it pulled tight against his thigh. Twice in one day. He gritted his teeth, eying the doctor. “Was that necessary?”
The older man chuckled. “You have some fight in you. That’s a good sign.”
Ella’s grip intensified. “Are you sure?”
The doctor placed a hand on her shoulder. “He’s young and strong, Mrs. Brooks, and he survived an attack like this before.”
She didn’t look convinced. Cody squeezed her hand. “It’ll hurt for a bit, darlin’, but thanks to you, I should be fine.”
Her cheeks turned pink. Cody studied her, taking in details he hadn’t noticed before. Her hair had fallen from its bun, tangled from the wind. Her dress looked dusty and crumpled, and a few scrapes lined her cheeks. He frowned.
Before he could say anything, Doc turned to her. “Now, young lady, let’s take a look at your injuries.”
Cody pushed himself up. “Injuries?” He winced, unprepared for the wave of dizziness that struck.
With a tsk of disapproval, Doc pressed him back down. “No sudden movements. You need to rest.”
“You just said my wife is injured, and you want me to rest?” Cody attempted to get up again.
This time, Ella pushed him down. “Listen to Doc, Cody.”
He stilled under her touch, a smile threatening at her tone. “Are you bossing me around, darlin’?”
She lifted her chin. “Best get used to it for the foreseeable future.”
Doc mixed something in a cup before holding it out to Cody. “Drink this.”
Cody accepted the cup and peered inside. “What is it?”
“Laudanum. It’ll help you rest. That’s the most important thing right now.”
“Ugh. This knocked me out last time.”
Doc raised a brow. “That’s the point. Now, drink up, and I’ll be back to check on you tomorrow.”
With a sigh, Cody drained the contents in one long swallow. He plunked it down and looked at Ella. “What happened to you?”
“I fell off Preston. Twice.” She rubbed her arms. “I’m not used to riding bareback.”
Doc chuckled. “She was riding like the wind when she came into town. Saw her tumble myself when she brought that big horse to a stop.”
“What?” Cody blinked, fighting the haze settling over his vision. “Are you all right, Ella?”
“I’m fine.” She placed a hand on his cheek, gently rubbing her thumb along his jaw. “Don’t worry about me. You rest and heal.”
He didn’t have much choice, not with rattlesnake venom and laudanum making their way through his body. It sent him into such a deep sleep, he didn’t wake again until well into the following morning.
When he opened his eyes, a harsh pounding in his head made him wish for the oblivion of sleep once more. Why was it so hot? He thrashed, kicking off the heavy blanket holding him down.
“Easy.”
Ella’s voice sounded somewhere above him. Cody searched for her. The light coming through the window increased the pain in his head. He closed his eyes with a groan. Something cool and wet pressed against his face.
“You have a fever. Doc said that might happen. Your body is fighting the venom.” Ella moved the cloth over his face. “Keep fighting, Cody.”
He let his eyes open into slits. His wife sat beside him. She held a cup. “Can you drink this?”
Cody’s eyes fell shut again, but he parted his lips as best he could. Ella poured in water a little at a time, letting him swallow before giving him more. Voices floated in from the kitchen. “Who’s that?”
“Cassie and Miss Hattie.”
“Travis left?”
“Yes. He said…well, he had something to look into.”
Something heavy lay in her words. Cody opened his eyes to see her expression. It was carefully schooled. Alarms rang in his mind, along with the faint thought that he should know what that something was. “What?” Blast this brain fog.
She shook her head. “Nothing to concern yourself with right now. When you’re better, we’ll talk.”
He tried to push himself up. “You realize this is just going to bother me until I know what’s going on, right?”
Ella quirked a brow. “Back to a bear, are we?”
Cody groaned, pressing a hand to his head. “Sorry. Feeling like this is enough to turn anyone into a grouch.”
“Your head hurts?”
“Yeah.”
She wet the cloth in her hands, then applied it to his forehead. “Rest. We’ll talk later, when your strength is back.”
“That bad, huh?”
Her lips compressed into a straight line. “Just get better. I can’t lose you.”
Agony laced the words. Cody reached for her hand. “Hey. I’ll be fine.”
She sniffed and swiped at a tear. “You don’t know that.”
“I have a reason to fight now, Ella. I’m not going anywhere.”
His words hung in the air between them. Ella searched his eyes, her own lit with deep emotion.
To his surprise, she cupped his cheeks and planted a gentle kiss on his lips.
Her thumbs rubbed little circles on his jaw when she pulled back, her gaze intent on his.
“You’re breaking down the walls around my heart, Cody.
You have been ever since you agreed to marry me.
” Her lips brushed against his again. “Rest.”
He closed his eyes, smiling despite his pain. “Yes, ma’am.”