“Yes, sir.” She straightened, gaining control of herself now that she had a mission.
“We can help, Uncle Adam.” Starlett's head appeared from beneath the blanket. “Is Papa all right? Is Wolf hurting our savage? Can I have a drink of water?”
“Your papa will be all right with your help.” Adam smiled at the twins while he and Wes lifted Daniel off the floor. “Stay close to Valerie, girls. She'll get you a drink then let you help. And no, Uncle Wolf is only playing with your savage.”
No one paid any attention to Wolf's snort.
Karlee hurried to ready the bed. The two dust-covered men moved through the house with their patient, bumping into walls and doors on their way.
“When did the kid get so big?” the one called Wes mumbled to no one. “He weighs a ton.”
“Can you take the sight of blood, Miss?” Adam glanced up at Karlee as they lowered Daniel to the sheets.
“Yes,” she answered. “I've been changing his bandages for days.” Karlee knew she should have added, “ except for his leg,” but that didn't seem important.
Adam removed his jacket and hat while Wes returned to the kitchen. The woman Adam had called Allie brought a black bag, then ran to follow Wes.
A moment later, when Valerie brought in the first bucket of water, Karlee couldn't help but smile. She watched the doctor roll up his sleeves and wash his hands at the washstand. It was something she'd never seen any other doctor do. With this one gesture, he marked himself as outstanding.
“Cut away the rest of the bandages, will you, Miss?” Adam tied a clean sheet around his middle like an apron and pulled supplies from his bag.
Karlee did as instructed, using her sewing scissors left beside the bed. Valerie brought more water and asked if she should take the twins over to her mom's bakery for a while.
Both Karlee and Adam said “yes” at the same time.
When the girl had gone, Adam cleaned Daniel's wound. “I forgot to introduce myself.” He didn't stop working. “I'm Dr. Adam McLain, Danny's brother.”
“I guessed.” Karlee stood on the other side of the bed helping him. The doctor she'd seen from town was good but nothing compared to the skilled surgeon before her. “I'm Karlee McLain.” She couldn't help saying the last word slowly, putting it on for the first time. “Daniel's wife.”
Adam's hands hesitated only a moment before continuing working. “Oh.”
Karlee didn't know what else to say. Should she tell Adam the reason for the marriage, or would that some- how be betraying Daniel?
Her husband solved the problem by moaning loudly and thrashing.
“We'd better get to work, Karlee.” Adam glanced up and smiled at her. “Welcome to the family.”
She nodded and gave her full attention to doing what had to be done. While Adam treated the leg wound, Karlee cut away the remainder of Daniel's clothes and went about bathing him as if it were the most natural thing for her to do in the world.
If Daniel wanted his brothers to know the marriage was in name only, he'd have to be the one who did the telling. As for now, she'd be the wife.
She tried to allow Daniel as much modesty as possible. But by the time her task was complete, she'd soaped and washed every part of him that wasn't bandaged. A sense of pride grew inside her. Karlee did what any wife would have done. They might not have the kind of marriage most couples did, but she'd play her part well.
When Adam finished with the leg, he unwrapped Daniel's hands and commented on what a fine job she'd done. He helped her cover the windows with blankets and turned the light low before he cut the bandages away from his brother's eyes.
Carefully, he opened first one, then the other.
Daniel didn't respond.
“Bring the light closer very slowly,” Adam ordered.
Karlee lifted the lamp and walked toward the bed. When she was within three feet of Daniel's head, he turned away, moaning in pain.
Adam smiled.
“Can he see?” Karlee fought to keep her hand from shaking and moving the lamp.
“Only a little, but it's a start.” Adam rewrapped the blindfold. “In time his eyes may heal. If he hadn't reacted at all to the lamp, he wouldn't have any hope. Now at least we know he does. A slim one, but a chance.”
Adam stood and offered her his hand. “Come on along now and let him sleep. It's time you met the rest of the family, Mrs. McLain.”
Karlee wanted to scream “no” and run. She knew they'd judge her and find her lacking. They'd wonder how Daniel, such a handsome man, could have married someone as ordinary as her. Wolf would probably tell them she was Daniel's only hope to fight against Gerilyn. They'd shake their heads and marvel at how Daniel could have made such a sacrifice.
“I don't know…” She stared at his hand. “I should stay here with Daniel. Or go after the twins. Or…”
“He'll be fine.” Adam didn't lower his hand. “Don't worry. Wolf is the only one who bites, and you've already met him. Wes only looks like he does. He hasn't bitten anyone in years.”
There was nothing to do but accept his offered hand. As they neared the kitchen, the sounds of an argument allowed Karlee to hope she wouldn't have to be paraded for inspection.
FOURTEEN
“UNTIE HIM!” THE LITTLE LADY ORDERED. ALL THE meekness of when she'd first entered the kitchen had disappeared along with most of the trail dust. “Untie him right now, Wes McLain.”
Karlee glanced at the savage, now tied to a chair with Wes standing on one side and Wolf on the other. Both men looked like they'd fought a tornado and lost.
“I'm not going to untie him, Allie,” the scarred man grumbled. “He'll kill me. It seems he's not too happy at the thought of my being his brother-in-law.”
The woman glared at Wolf as though she expected him to follow orders even if the scarred man did not.
“Don't look at me.” Wolf held his hands in the air in surrender. “I ain't even kin, and he don't like me. I'm not untying him without four Rangers to back me up. I'm also not getting in the middle of an argument between a husband and wife.”
Allie glared at them both then knelt in front of the wild boy. She placed her hands on his knees and spoke to him softly, in a language no one else in the room understood.
The boy shook his head and pulled at his ropes. He gave no hint of understanding what she was trying to tell him.
Adam walked behind the chair. “You're going to have to untie him soon and let me doctor those wrists or he'll have an infection.”
“He's so wild,” Wolf mumbled. “I'm surprised he didn't gnaw his own arm off to escape. He bit me so many times I probably got hydrophobia.”
Wes pulled Allie gently to her feet. “I know it hurts you to see him tied, darling, but it's the only way. He'd kill us all if he had the chance.”
Allie tried once more speaking to him in Apache, but he wouldn't answer. His eyes spoke volumes though. He hated her and everyone in the room. All he wanted was to be as far away from them as possible.
“I could take him down and put him in one of the cells at the jail downtown,” Wolf offered. “Then at least he wouldn't be tied.”
Allie's eyes filled with tears. “You can't put him in a cage. You can't.”
“Then he stays tied,” Wolf insisted. “I'm too old to fight him again tonight. One of us will have to stay up to keep an eye on him. If he gets free, he'll murder us in our sleep.”
Allie tried again to speak to the boy. He didn't answer but held his chin proudly as though daring them to kill him.
