"Come on just drink it you big baby," Emeleth teased.
"I hate the taste of laudanum, just give me the brandy."
"This really going to hurt Doc said, so drink up."
"You'll have to kiss me first." Emeleth kissed him and he drank the potion. Aunt Jane was standing by to assist. Freddy and Jake were waiting nearby.
"The bullet is lodged in there deep." Doc said, "I want you," he said pointing to Sean, " to hold his arms wrap them around his chest to immobilize him. And you two ladies are to sit on his legs."
"Just cut the damn thing out," David said, his voice slurred. The doctor began to work. He used a probe and a scalpel to open the wound a little wider and locate the bullet.
"There's a big piece of metal next to the bullet," the doctor said.
"That's and old piece of shrapnel," Sean said.
"There is some suppuration around the metal, been setting up an infection."
"He was told he had to get that out," Sean said.
"I got it," Doc said as he pulled the ragged piece of metal out, "Now for the bullet." David was biting on a strip of rawhide as the doctor worked. "I'm not going to close it yet. I want all that puss out first. Em, you're going to be the nurse?" She nodded.
"Good, I've seen you pack a wound. You'll need to pack this at least daily. More often if there's a lot of drainage."
"I can do that."
"David, you'll have to let her, it's going to hurt." David nodded. The doctor packed the wound. He then took the lid off a glass jar and placed a portion of the content on the wound followed by a thick dressing.
"What's that?" Emeleth asked.
"Moldy bread. A colleague in England put me onto it. It appears to stop infections. I've had great success using it. I used it quite successfully on you wound. Now Miss Em, I need to talk to you in private." They stepped out into the hall. " Are you sure you're up to this?" Emeleth nodded. "David is a virile young man not like the others you've cared for."
"I want too."
"OK. I have every faith in your ability. He's going to run a nasty fever. Not much I can do to prevent it."
"I know how to give sponge baths."
"I will leave some of the laudanum, dose him freely it is going to hurt."
"How bad is the infection."
"He's not out of the woods and infections can and do kill. Call for me anytime you think I can help."
"I will Doc, thank you."
"Your bullet may have saved him, that shrapnel was going to eventually present him with systemic infection that would have not been easily treatable. He would have defiantly lost the leg, might have been done him in."
The doctor left after instructing everyone. Freddy and Jake returned home then brought their sister's stuff over. They hugged, "I think your right to move out." Jake said. "I don't trust Pa. He may come back and try something."
"Who will take care of you?" Emeleth asked through her tears.
"Heck Em, we're grown men. You've been taking care of everyone forever. You need someone to take care of you and Mandy and David wants too. You should marry him," Jake said.
"I don't know if I really love him enough to marry him and now I shot him."
"Em, he loves you and he's a good man."
"I vote for him too," Freddy said. "Be happy little sis. We will be close by if you need us. You do love him don't you?"
"Yes I do."
"Then our work is done here. You'll make the right decision."
Everyone left them as David was sleeping peacefully. Sean was moving his stuff to a room down the hall and Emeleth and Amanda were sitting at David's bed side. Amanda was very quiet and holding Emeleth's hand. "What's going to happen to us Em?" she whispered.
"We are together and safe. We have multiple options. I will take care of you. Why don't you go to bed its been quite a day."
"Could you sleep with me again?"
"Yes, let's get something to eat first."
"I'm not hungry, just tired, very tired."
"OK lil' sis. I'll take you to bed. We dosed David rather heavily so he should be pain free for the night." They changed into their night shirts but could not find their gowns. "Looks like our gowns got left with the dirty laundry." So they simply crawled into bed together. Emeleth held her sister and finally Amanda found sleep.
Emeleth could not sleep as she was restless. So she got up and thought she would check on her patient. He was restless too but sleeping. He muttered something and she leaned closer to hear. David caught her wrist and pulled her into the bed landing on top of him. "OH GOD EM! You could have been killed." She relaxed allowing him to hold her.
"It's OK Davey," she whispered.
"Kiss me Em," he whispered so she did. She was shocked to feel his tongue touching her lips so she opened them slightly and David's tongue touched hers. She gasped and his tongue moved deeper. She felt light headed and a bit dizzy. She felt a new sensation in her belly and a wet warmness even lower.
"Davey," she whispered. She also realized that David was not fully awake. She felt his hands on her bottom and realized he was pulling up her night shirt. With one fast movement he flipped her over on her side. He groaned as her knee made contact with his wound. He started to kiss her neck and she realized if this did not stop now she too would loose control. So she started hitting him lightly on the shoulder with her fist and whispering "No." She tapped him several times saying "no." David was barely awake now still foggy from the laudanum.
"No?" David repeated trying to comprehend as he continued to kiss her neck. He opened her night shirt exposing her shoulder and breast then kissing her shoulder working his way down.
"No!" she repeated. "No," was not what David wanted to hear. But no was no.
"I don't want no," David said, his words were very slurred.
"No," she repeated. David released her and she fell out of bed landing on the floor. David slept on oblivious to everything. She used the bed post to pull herself up. Amanda had heard her fall and came into the room.
"What happened Em?"
"I fell, David's sleeping let's go back to bed and she held her night shirt closed and followed Amanda out. The next morning Emeleth warily approach David's bed side. "I'm starving," David said.
"I brought you a tray, are you hurting now?"
"Like hell," David growled. Emeleth put her hand on his forehead.
"You're running a fever. I've got to repack your wound. I really want to give you something for pain."
"I need nourishment not that vile concoction."
"I have some broth for you."
"Broth! I want eggs and bacon, maybe a thick slice of ham or a nice steak."
"It's broth Grumpy, Doc's orders." She smiled warmly at him. "We'll try something more solid if you hold this down. She adjusted his pillows and placed the tray on his lap. David looked glumly at the broth. He took hold of the spoon and his hand started to shake.
"What's wrong, it was just a little gunshot."
"You have a fever, that old piece of shrapnel caused an infected. Would you like me to feed you?"
"I can damn well feed myself. Feeding swill to a hungry man..." he muttered. He tried and the broth filled spoon proved to much for him and he put it down in frustration. Emeleth sat on the bed and took up the spoon and taking some of the broth spooned it into his mouth. The broth was warm and it tasted good.
"Amanda and my aunt made it," she said as she fed him a second mouthful. "She decided to work in the kitchen. She likes being busy and hanging out with her cousins.
"This broth is really good," he said softly.
"So you like swill?" she teased. She got him to take over half the bowl when he claimed to be exhausted. "You sleep a little then I will change the wound dressing.
"What do I have on?" David asked.
"Not a thing, why?"
"Who undressed me?" he asked now looking horrified.
"Sean handled your pants, I did the rest after the surgery."
"Your limp is worse Em."
"I fell so I'm a bit sore. That's all. I can walk it off."
"Did I touch you last night?"
"You kissed me and I kissed you back, do you remember?"
"Kind of, how was I...I mean...I didn't hurt you?"
"I liked the kisses and you stopped when I asked you to. And no you didn't hurt me." David sighed in relief. "Do you want something for pain now or before I repack the wound?"
"I want to sleep, so later," then with a sheepish look he added, "I liked the kisses too."
"I thought you did." She laughed and picked up the tray and left the room.
It was close to noon when David awoke. Amanda was sitting with him, "Good you're awake, I'll fetch Em."
Emeleth came in with a small glass David recognized as brandy and laudanum. He drank it without comment then watched as Amanda and Emeleth placed supplies on the bed side table. "Is that honey?" he asked.
"Yes it's for the packing, and besides I'm trying to sweeten you up," Emeleth said, "you're a grump and need sweetening.". She carefully removed the old dressing. It had a small amount of serous drainage that had soaked through it. When they pulled the packing a lot of yellow-green foul smelling pus came out with the packing.
"That's a lot of pus," Amanda whispered.
"Yes but the wound is nice and pink."
"Is that good?" David asked.
"It's very good," Emeleth said, "now comes the hurting part. Shall I call Sean to hold you down?"
"No, just go for it." Emeleth took a foot long strip of narrow cotton and she dredged it through the honey. "You're going to jam all that into the hole?" David asked.
"Only as much as it takes, are you ready?" David nodded and she began to pack the wound. It hurt but much less than he had anticipated. He noted Emeleth had a gentle touch. She was obviously concentrating on her task and he watched fascinated when her little pink tongue slipped out of her mouth to wet her lips. She had a loose lock of hair that came loose from her pony tail but Amanda moved it out of the way looping it over her ear. "OK Manda now the bread." Amanda placed the bread fragment on top of the wound and the thick cover dressing and Emeleth secured the dressing. "I have more broth for you if you like and if you hold that down something really good for diner."
David did not get the promised diner as he spiked a temperature that afternoon. He was delirious and remained unaware as the doctor visited and Emeleth secluded herself in his room. She spent most of the night providing sponge baths with tepid water mixed with alcohol. Naturally she had to uncover him to administer the bath. She was fully aware of his lean muscles as she bathed his arms, shoulders, torso, back and legs. She noted with amazement that in spite of his hard male body his skin was soft, like his lips she mused. And unlike her he had a lot of hair all over his arms, legs and chest. The chest hair grew in a 'v' shape and darkened in color the lower it went.The dark blond hair was so soft on his chest and became wiry and more curly as she tested it lower on his body. She wanted to run her fingers through his hair, loved the way it felt as it brushed her skin as she worked on him. By morning the fever had broke and she sought out her bed. She slept less than two hours and returned to David's bedside as the temperature again spiked. Over the next few days she was elated as the wound slowly became free of pus. David was now alert and taking food. Then as few more days passed and the wound slowly closed. David still slept much of the time the fever taking its toll on him. He refused anything for pain and best of all he was getting stronger. He was walking now and taking meals at the table in his room with Emeleth and Amanda joining him.Through all of her vigil Amanda assisted her in all but the sponge baths. Sean also assisted, brought food and spent hours at the bedside while Amanda and Emeleth slept. Emeleth's heart was as over come with joy as her body was overcome with fatigue from all the care she had given. She had pushed her self neglecting sleep and nourishment to remain at his side.
*******
I was night and Amanda was sleeping soundly so Emeleth left the bed that they shared. She had her spectacles on as she has been reading in bed. She quietly entered David's room. He was sleeping quietly. He looked so peaceful and her heart ached just looking at him. She needed to just touch him. To know he was safe. To hold him tight for just a few minutes, not really long, not to sleep together. She slowly pulled back the covers and slipped into the bed next to him. She lay her head on his shoulder and put her hand on his chest. She stroked the soft hair absently and in moments slept.