Savage Cinderella

Savage Cinderella-Chapter 6-Cleanliness is Next to Godliness

Chapter 6

Cleanliness is Next to Godliness

On the morning of the second day, while she applied a goopy mixture of calendula, clover, and garlic in an aloe base to the gash on his scalp, Brinn focused all of her efforts on nursing his injuries. She handed Justin a steaming cup of sweet birch bark and willow tea, and smiled in sympathy as he scrunched his nose at the smell of the pungent liquid. “Drink it,” she ordered, knowing the aspirin content would ease his aches. He pulled away from her prying fingers. “I’m sorry if I’m hurting you, but I have to make sure the medicine gets in.” Justin winced but held still as she probed and added more sticky solution to the scabbed cut. 

“You really need to work on your bedside manner, Brinn.” His big earth-brown eyes peered up at her behind long lashes. She softened her touch, painfully aware of his warm body close to hers. The lingering eye contact momentarily scattered her thoughts.

Brinn cleared her throat and ignored the butterflies that floated uneasily in her belly. “You’re lucky I don’t have to stitch it up; that hurts worse than tearing out porcupine quills.” 

He studied her face with an expression of mixed disbelief and wary admiration. “You have firsthand knowledge of both, I assume?”

She shrugged. “You don’t want to get an infection. The smallest of wounds can make you very sick if you don’t care for them properly.” She had learned this as she had learned everything else—through years of pain and hard-earned experience. Cuts, scrapes, colds and flus, stomach bugs, and digestive upsets had all been managed on her own. She’d had no choice but to learn to take care of herself. 

“That’s what antibiotics are for,” he grumbled.

“That’s true, but this works as well,” she said, smiling, satisfied her herbs would do the trick. Something about the battle against unseen germs always stirred memories of her mother. Brinn felt certain her mother’s angel had sent Mr. Hoffman to help her. “I cut my foot once and Mr. Hoffman had to get me some antibiotics and take care of me. He said I was lucky not to lose my leg. I think he was just looking for an excuse to lecture me about the value of hand washing and something about cleanliness being next to Godliness.” She grinned and then stopped abruptly, realizing she’d said too much.

“Mr. Hoffman?” Justin asked.

Brinn reluctantly withdrew her hands from the silky curls on his head. She peered down at her patient and evaded his question again. “It’s healing fine. I think you’ll be well enough to go home soon.” A tight knot formed in her belly at the thought of Justin’s leaving, but she couldn’t keep him away from his home any longer. She certainly couldn’t go with him. He wouldn’t want her anyway—-not if he knew. She couldn’t bear the thought of those warm brown eyes looking at her with pity...or disgust. It would be better this way—if he just left and forgot about her. Besides, the risks involved with returning to the world were too great. The less he knew about her, the better.

“You’re not going to answer my questions, are you?” he pressed.

Brinn curled her hands into fists and wrapped her arms around her middle, stubborn emotions bubbling up like stew in an overfull pot. Part of her wanted so badly to trust this stranger, but a jumble of fear, sadness, and anger kept her frozen in indecision. She thought carefully before answering. A sobering sense of finality filled her with dread. She may never see him again. But it couldn’t be helped.

“My life is here, Justin. No one can know about me. I need to know that you will keep my presence here a secret.”

Justin stared at her for a long time, a stern expression on his face. “Why can’t you tell me where you came from? I have some contacts in the police department...”