Mrs. Little Joe (Romancing the Ponderosa Book 1)

Chapter 2

We all hold our breath waiting for her reaction as Pa lays the brandy soaked cloth on one of the gashes. A small hissing sound escapes from her swollen lips. Seconds later her eyes open, revealing glassy green eyes. She rolls her head to the side and looks at Pa. She looks at him with fearful eyes as she tries to jerk her arm away from him, where he's still dabbing away at that gash. She begins to mumble, which makes Pa look up and all of us lean in closer. With our movement, her eyes take in each of our faces, the fear getting deeper with each look.

"Please, don't hit me!" She whispers in a fear laden voice.

"Don't worry, child, we won't hurt you." Pa reassures her, yet she still looks scared to death. "I'm trying to help you. See, I'm cleaning your cuts. I'm sorry that it hurts."

"Would you like some water?" I ask as her eyes travel back across our faces and stop and stare at me. I can't help but find her eyes beautiful despite their feverish look.

She tries to say something, but nothing comes out. She gives a very slight nod instead, which from the pain in her eyes must mean it hurt horribly just to do that. I start to walk across the room to get her a small glass, when Pa stops me, "Little Joe, just wet a rag and hold it to her lips. We don't know when the last time she had something in her stomach and I don't want her to get sick on top of all this."

I dip a rag in the bowl of cool water and hold it to her lips. They part and her little tongue appears, giving the rag a feeble lick. I smile as her eyes slowly close again. Pa continues to clean her arms and face. During the whole thing she only lets out a few whimpers and by the time Pa's completely finished, she's fallen into a restless sleep.

As Pa lays a cool, wet rag on her forehead, he turns his head to look at Adam. "That's all we can do for her right now. We'll take turns watching her through the rest of the day and tonight."

" I'll take the first watch, Pa." He replies before I even have a chance to say anything.

"Well, since she's resting right now let's go downstairs and drink that coffee I had Hop Sing make." We all start for the door, but I stop halfway across the room. Turning, I look back at the poor girl laying there ripped up arms exposed to the air.

"Ya comin', Little Joe?"

"Yeah, I'll be down in a minute, Hoss. Save me some of that coffee, will ya?"

"Sure thing, little brother." As Hoss disappears down the hall I walk back to the bed and ease myself down onto the edge. Keeping my eyes from trailing the length of her arm, I reach out and gently cradle her small hand between my two larger ones. Just looking at her arms makes my blood boil and from the way she looked at us, begging us not to hit her, I know for sure that a man did this to her. But the question is, what man? Adam is right, this man deserves to be killed.

"Too bad you didn't tell us your name before you went back to sleep." I rub my thumb across the back of her hand, "I bet you have a real pretty name. Only a girl with eyes as beautiful as yours deserves a downright pretty one."

Her lashes flutter slightly, which makes me stop rubbing my thumb over her hand. Breathless, I lean a little closer, but she doesn't wake up. Sighing, I give her hand a pat before standing up to leave the room. Pa will probably be back up here to get me if I don't get downstairs soon.

I walk slowly down the stairs for some reason feeling exhausted and defeated. I flop myself onto the sofa putting my boots on the table. Pa gives me a look as he hands me a cup of coffee. I quickly take my boots off the table, "Thanks, Pa."

Taking a drink of the hot coffee, I look around at everyone. To my right, Hoss looks worried from where he sits slouched low in a chair. Adam looks to be in deep thought with a dark look on his face from where he stands with his foot resting on the fireplace. Sitting in the red chair to my left Pa looks sad and slightly disturbed. Now that I think about it, I probably look tired and agitated just like I feel.