For Love

Chapter 40

JASON

Jeremy held the doors to Lottie's saloon open for Jason. They made so much noise Lottie came running out of the back to hear the news, the smell of bacon and eggs following her into the barroom. She cried out as soon as she saw Laurie in Jason's arms, clutching her chest.

"Baby!"

Clancey went straight to her and mumbled a few words in Lottie's ear. She ran back into the back room, saying something about heating some water. Clancey followed Lottie, snagging a bottle of whiskey as he walked by the bar.

"Jeremy, go get the tub, please. I'm going to need to bathe and I'm not leaving her," said Jason as he walked toward the stairs. Jeremy left him for the back room.

"Is she okay?!" Joshua asked, his eyes fixed on Laurie as Jason carried her past him.

"No," said Jason gruffly. "I'll fill you in later. Where's Forester? She has some cuts that need sewing."

"He went to Clearwater two days ago, remember? He's not back yet. Looks like it's up to you unless you want to wait for the doctor out of Tacoma."

Jason grunted and carried Laurie up the stairs, Richard following close behind.

"What are you planning to do?" asked Richard, watching Jason lay Laurie down on the edge of their bed.

Jason didn't like how red her feet were. He took a better look at the lacerations on them, most of them not terrible, but two were deep enough to need stitches. His lips thinned into a straight line and he stood to trace the large bruise on her face and split skin on her skull, then answered Richard. "I'm going to take care of her." He glanced up to see her brother's disapproving expression. He straightened and put his hands on his hips. "Do you have a problem with that?"

"She might," Laurie's brother said, his voice soft. "She's a God-fearing woman, Bolt. Don't you think when she becomes alert she might have a problem with you... 'taking care' of her? Any woman could do what you're doing."

Jason shook his head, his voice deliberate. "No. Any woman couldn't do what I'm about to do. And I don't think she's going to have a problem at all. Not unless you have a problem."

Richard looked away, silent for a few beats, and met his eyes again. "No. No problem here."

"Good. Now, please tell Lottie I need a lot of hot water, towels, whiskey, needle and thread, some bandages... oh, and ask her to send for some moss. Rachel Sullivan might have some on hand. And something for Laurie to bite down on, or maybe some laudanum. I have to stitch these up, and if she wakes up, she's going to be in a lot of pain."

Laurie stirred and Jason focused his attention back on her. Richard left, not bothering to let Jason know if he intended to follow Jason's instructions. Another unpleasant habit of the man, Jason thought and focused his attention back on tending to Laurie's needs.

Lottie came to help Jason give Laurie a dose of laudanum, and Richard poured the first two buckets of water into the tub Jeremy brought. Jason poured more whiskey over her wounds and stitched up Laurie's head and feet. He tried not to be irritated with Lottie's concern when Laurie remained unconscious through the process. He was grateful she wouldn't feel the pain of it. To keep himself from snapping, he concentrated on making the stitches small. Jason had seen much worse. He felt fortunate that Sherman had cut her feet with a blade, leaving the edges of flesh easy to pull back together. He hoped she might make it through the ordeal without being crippled if he could keep her off them during the healing stage.

Jeremy left to stand outside of the bedroom and Richard headed to the kitchen for more water. Lottie helped Jason strip Laurie of her soiled gown, and after a quick rubdown with soap and water, they maneuvered her into a fresh nightgown made of cotton. Jason settled his lover into the bed under a quilt and stood back with a sigh.