Taking A Trip With An Outlaw

Chapter 16 - To have loved and lost

Chapter Sixteen – To have loved and lost

Liam rode as fast and as hard as he ever has in his entire life to the town that lay half an hour from the place where his nightmares began.

The minute that he’d seen Grace shot his heart fell in his chest and as he looked down on her lying across the horse strapped to him by a spare shirt from his bags, he saw the slow rising and falling of her chest to show him that there was still hope.

Every minute he was growing weaker, and he was getting slower, meaning he had less time to save Grace.

As Liam stormed into the town he didn’t stop to the protests as he flashed through the streets, he was followed by the gasps as they saw the injured man with an injured woman strewn across the horse.

Cries erupted through the town as Liam yelled out “I need the local Doc, now!”

A thin, elderly man with grey hair and glasses pushed up against his weathered face came stumbling out a building, seeing the wounded man and woman he immediately sprang into action, calling for help to get the couple into the room.

As hands helped carry Grace into the building and Liam went to follow before he was held back by the old man.

“My name is Rutherford, I need to know what happened and I need to see your wound whilst my assistants see to your partner.”

Liam snarled at the man before telling him the information as to why they were both shot and asked for word to be sent to the camp that lay 2 hours away, to his father and Grace’s cousin about what was going on.

As he swayed on his feet, he felt steady hands lead him into the building and searched for Grace, as he struggled to find Grace he felt a prick in his arm and fell into the awaiting arms of the Doc before his vision went and his mind shut down.

As Fred sat at the camp nervously twitching and waiting for his cousin and friend to send word of what was going on he saw the horse come storming towards the camp. Immediately he was up on his feet as he saw the messenger from the village breathing rapidly before he handed the letter to Fred and rode off.

As Fred tore open the paper his heart dropped. Grace and Liam were injured and were residing in Fords Hilltop 2 hours from here. He knew it had taken 2 hours from the message to get here and so who knew what had happened since then. Without hesitation he called for Granger and showed him the letter.

Granger crumpled the paper in his hand as he called Kipper to look after the men and the camp whilst he and Fred rode to Fords Hilltop to visit Grace and Liam.

Liam snapped open his eyes to see the white room and saw the man huddled in the corner, his eyes closed. That’s when he remembered what had happened and he tore out of the bed and grabbed the man by his shirt, his shoulder screaming in protest.

The Doc immediately became alert before calmness washed over his face.

“Where is Grace?” Liam snarled

“Come with me Liam” Rutherford nodded as he removed the grip of Liam’s hands from his shirt.

As the Doc led Liam through the building to a room at the back Liam opened the door and there on the bed he saw the love of his life, pale and unmoving on the crisp, white sheets.

“Is she…” Liam ‘s voice cracked as he refused to utter the words

“No” Rutherford whispered “But it’s highly likely Liam. I’m sorry.”

As Liam made his way to the bed to be beside Grace he heard a commotion going on somewhere else in the building, the Doc excused himself as Liam sat by Grace and held her hand, willing for her to wake up.

But she might never wake up. He might never see those beautiful eyes challenge him again, the way she smiled that smile that lit up her entire face, the way she rode that damn horse or the way that she had held that mountain lion and rattler as if they were rabbits. That could all be gone. She might never come back and it was his fault. He didn’t protect her and he’d promised that he would.

He might not ever get to have her as his wife, he might never get to have her children. He couldn’t lose another person that he loved. Why must this happen to him?

As Liam thoughts spiralled deeper into depression the door burst open and as he tore his gaze away from Grace to the door he saw Fred and his father stumbled through the door and their eyes widen.

“Is she..” Fred began

“No” Liam replied his voice hoarse “But the Doc said that that is the most probable outcome.”

Fred shook his head as he made his way over to the bed “You can’t believe that Liam, not our Grace. She’s made of stronger stuff than that! Have faith in her to pull through!”

Liam nodded as he turned to his father.

Granger never thought that he’d ever have to feel the emotion that he felt now. Grace had always been like a daughter to her, and to see her ghostly pale and immobile made him feel lost. He stared at his son and saw his heart break further. His son had fallen in love with this woman, and he might lose her.

As Granger made his way to his son he placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Go and get yourself a drink son, and something to eat. The damn messenger didn’t get the letter to us before today so you’ve been here for 2 days. I’ll stay here, you need something to eat. Fred you take him and don’t let him back in unless he’s had something.”

Fred nodded as he pulled Liam from the door, he quickly turned back and planted a kiss on his cousins forehead “Wake up Grace” he whispered before going from the room with Liam.

Granger sighed as he sat in the chair “Grace Bradshaw you need to wake up” he began “When I found you all that time ago I knew you was a fighter, and if you go down by this stray bullet then I’ll never forgive you. I’ll make sure that we put on your grave ‘the woman who was taken by one measly bullet’. You’ve faced so much worse with nobody waiting here for you to recover, now you’ve got us all here and you lay there keeping us worrying. Wake your ass up girl!”

Granger gave Grace’s hand a squeeze and as he turned to get up her heard a weak cough from the bed followed by the voice that made his fears subside “Granger Grange, now why’d you think I’d let one measly bullet take me?”