To Wed In Texas

THIRTEEN

KARLEE BUMPED INTO THE BACK OF VALERIE, AND Wolf ran into them both as they bolted into the kitchen. The twins were nowhere to be seen, but the wild savage Wolf had called John stood next to the pump with a knife in each hand.

His body glistened with sweat. His eyes were wild with fear and hate. Bloodred rope burns circled his wrists, and dirt covered his body almost to his shoulders.

“Now, hold on there!” Wolf ordered. “Put down those knives, son.”

The boy raised the blades, preparing to fight.

Karlee held Valerie's shoulders, pulling her back a few inches to the relative safety of the doorway.

“No!” The girl jerked free and ran deeper into the room. “I can talk to him. He'll listen to me.”

Niccohoma glared past her to the others crowded at the door. He obviously considered the girl little threat. But she drew his attention when she spoke Apache.

Wolf inched his way along the wall. A knife would never stop a man like Wolf Hayward. Judging from the boy's gaze darting from Wolf to Valerie, he guessed as much.

Someone from behind Karlee gripped her shoulder suddenly, causing her to jump and cry out almost as loudly as the captive had when he burst into the kitchen.

The intruder hardly appeared to hear her. He backed against the counter and prepared to make a stand.

“Help me,” Daniel commanded, pulling himself beside her.

His hands were wrapped and the blindfold covered his eyes. He didn't seem to be able to put any weight on his injured leg, but still he moved forward.

Karlee slid her arm around his waist and donated her strength to his useless quest.

“What's happening?” he whispered. “Are the twins all right?”

Karlee glanced around the room and noticed the blanket tent wall move slightly. “They're safe in the tent for now. Valerie is talking to the boy, moving closer as she speaks. He stands at the pump.”

Karlee tried to keep her voice low so the Apache wouldn't turn his anger toward her. She wanted to argue that Daniel should be back in bed, but she knew it would be wasted time. “What can I do to help?” she asked.

“Get us between him and the twins.” Daniel's powerful arm pulled her against him for strength.

“Can you move with me?”

“Yes!” The word came between clenched teeth.

Guiding Daniel slowly forward, Karlee tried to remember to breathe. The table waited only five feet away. When they reached it, he leaned on it, allowing the wood to take as much of his weight as he dared.

“He'll come toward me,” Daniel predicted. “When he does, it will be your one chance. Grab the twins and run to the front door. Don't look back, just run.”

“He has a knife in both hands.”

“Good.” Daniel almost smiled. “I can take several blows and still fight. With a weapon in each hand, he'll have no way to guard. I might get in a few swings. It'll give you more time. If he's been trained for battle, he's been trained to kill the men first. Even wounded I must be killed if I stand to fight.”

The savage spit words angrily at Valerie in Apache, arguing with her.

“Valerie, be careful!” Karlee cried. If she could have turned loose of Daniel, she would have run to the girl and pulled her back. Valerie was getting far too close. Her youth made her unable to see the danger of death so near.

She took no heed of Karlee's cry. For her, there was only the boy, almost man, almost warrior. But for now, only a boy.

She waved her hands in front of him as if erasing what she heard him say. To the girl's credit, she faced the man with no sign of fear. In fact, she placed her fists on her hips and raised her voice in argument. Her boldness might be the only thing keeping him from attacking.

“Where's Wolf?” Daniel leaned closer to Karlee depending more on her strength.

“He's moving along the wall. He's near the pie safe now, halfway.”

Karlee watched as Valerie took a step closer and pointed her finger at the savage's bare chest. She'd been raised in this wild country with generations of pioneers in her blood. “One savage with two kitchen knives isn't going to kill my friends!” Valerie screamed, more angry than frightened. Rapidly, she translated her own words into Apache. “And I'm not going to let you commit suicide by rushing Wolf.”

The words of several languages blended as she spoke, drawing the boy's full attention.

Karlee's low voice told Daniel of each movement. They stood at the end of the table, protecting the twins. He held his head high, listening. If the savage sprang toward them, he would not be taken unaware.

“Talk to the twins.” He fought to maintain his balance. “Tell them not to be afraid and to be ready if you call them.”

Karlee nodded. She knew if Daniel spoke above a whisper, he would draw the boy's attention. Yet the youth paid no more notice of Karlee than if her voice had been a gnat's buzz around the room.

The savage seemed fascinated with Valerie. Karlee wasn't sure if he thought the girl brave or crazy. The beauty of several cultures flowed in her along with the fire.

“Where's Wolf?” Daniel brushed Karlee's ear with his words.

“Six feet away, on the left,” she answered. “He's ready to move.”

“When I yell, step back and dive under the table with the twins.” He touched her hair with his cheek. “And stay there.”

Karlee opened her mouth to argue, but there was no time.

Daniel braced himself against her and shoved hard, almost knocking her off her feet. In one step, he covered a third of the distance between the table and the sink.

“Move away, Valerie!” Daniel yelled stumbling toward the well-armed intruder. “Move away now!”

The sight of a blind man with wrapped hands charging across the room caused the boy to hesitate. Karlee had no doubt he would have fought another. But he was like everyone else in the room. All he could do was stare as Daniel made his way across the floor like a raging bull.

All were frozen except Wolf, who jumped from his corner like a mountain lion. Before Daniel was within a knife's blow of the savage, Wolf slammed against the kid at full force from the side. The two tumbled, knives spilling across the floor.

Karlee ran to Daniel's side, helping him out of the way while Wolf and the boy wrestled. Arms and legs thrashed across the kitchen in a wide path of destruction. Valerie screamed for them to stop. No one listened.

In all the madness, fear, and panic, Karlee heard the front doorbell chime… a touch of normality in the midst of insanity.

It rang again.

The thought flashed that she should answer it. “ Excuse me,” she'd say. “We can't entertain company right now. We're in the middle of being scalped and murdered in the kitchen.”

“Don't hurt him!” Valerie shouted as she tried to hit Wolf on the back. “Don't kill him. Oh, please, Mr. Wolf, don't kill him.”

Wolf wrestled his way on top of the savage. “I'm not trying to kill him, girl. I'm trying to keep him from killing me! Maybe you should tell him a few things. Like, stop trying to kill poor old Wolf.”

Suddenly, Daniel's weight slid against Karlee's side. He'd used all his energy. Blood from his leg pooled at her feet. His effort to distract the savage had cost him.

Karlee fought to hold him upright but his weight made it difficult. He grew heavier as consciousness left him.

As they crumpled to the floor, she twisted, trying to take the fall first so that his injured body would land atop hers.

Without warning, the kitchen door flew open. The crackling pop of wood splitting was becoming a familiar sound in the room.

Two men covered in dust and leather charged into the room, their Colts drawn.

Daniel's unconscious body made it hard for Karlee to breathe or see all that was happening. She twisted, but couldn't free herself. The world began to spin as a man with a long scar across his face knelt above her.

The stranger smiled as if he'd simply come to dinner. “Howdy, ma'am.” He touched the tip of the barrel of his Colt to his hat. “Mind if I have a word with my brother here?”

He rolled Daniel off Karlee as a tiny woman stepped timidly through the door. She had golden brown hair and huge blue eyes that reflected her fear. Though her riding clothes were as dusty as the men's, she looked far too fragile to ever belong to the scarred man.

Karlee scooted to a sitting position and stared at the three strangers who invaded her home. Not a one said he was sorry, or seemed to feel the need to introduce themselves.

“Adam!” The scarred one cradled Daniel in his arms. “Over here!”

The other man, now kneeling beside Wolf and the savage, stood. “Hold him down a minute, Wolf. I'll check on Daniel and be right back.”

Wolf grunted loudly and slung sweat off his hair. “Oh, sure. No problem.” The youth fought against Wolf with all his strength. “Never mind that he's bitten me twice. I'm starting to feel like supper.”

The second dust-covered man, who'd been called Adam, squatted beside Karlee. His gaze leveled to Daniel even though he spoke to her. “What happened to him, Miss?” Strong caring hands moved along Daniel's frame.

“He was burned several days ago in a fire and cut by flying glass on the leg.” She didn't have to ask. She knew the man called Adam was a doctor. His every movement told her so. “I think he reopened the leg wound when he tried to charge the savage.”

Adam examined Daniel's leg, pulling away useless bandages covered in blood. “Is there somewhere I can work? This needs care immediately.”

Karlee scrambled to her knees. “We've got a bed for him in the parlor. I'll help.”

“Allie, will you get my bag,” Adam requested of the woman still standing in the doorway. “Wes, help me carry Danny into the parlor.” Adam glanced at the girl crying in a corner.

“Valerie?” He tested his memory from times past when he'd visited. “Can you help?”

She wiped her eyes. “Yes, sir.” The woman in her had disappeared. Only the child remained.

“Can you bring hot water to the parlor? Lots of water.”

“Yes, sir.” She straightened, gaining control of herself now that she had a mission.

“We can help, Uncle Adam.” Starlett's head appeared from beneath the blanket. “Is Papa all right? Is Wolf hurting our savage? Can I have a drink of water?”

“Your papa will be all right with your help.” Adam smiled at the twins while he and Wes lifted Daniel off the floor. “Stay close to Valerie, girls. She'll get you a drink then let you help. And no, Uncle Wolf is only playing with your savage.”

No one paid any attention to Wolf's snort.

Karlee hurried to ready the bed. The two dust-covered men moved through the house with their patient, bumping into walls and doors on their way.

“When did the kid get so big?” the one called Wes mumbled to no one. “He weighs a ton.”

“Can you take the sight of blood, Miss?” Adam glanced up at Karlee as they lowered Daniel to the sheets.

“Yes,” she answered. “I've been changing his bandages for days.” Karlee knew she should have added, “ except for his leg,” but that didn't seem important.

Adam removed his jacket and hat while Wes returned to the kitchen. The woman Adam had called Allie brought a black bag, then ran to follow Wes.

A moment later, when Valerie brought in the first bucket of water, Karlee couldn't help but smile. She watched the doctor roll up his sleeves and wash his hands at the washstand. It was something she'd never seen any other doctor do. With this one gesture, he marked himself as outstanding.

“Cut away the rest of the bandages, will you, Miss?” Adam tied a clean sheet around his middle like an apron and pulled supplies from his bag.

Karlee did as instructed, using her sewing scissors left beside the bed. Valerie brought more water and asked if she should take the twins over to her mom's bakery for a while.

Both Karlee and Adam said “yes” at the same time.

When the girl had gone, Adam cleaned Daniel's wound. “I forgot to introduce myself.” He didn't stop working. “I'm Dr. Adam McLain, Danny's brother.”

“I guessed.” Karlee stood on the other side of the bed helping him. The doctor she'd seen from town was good but nothing compared to the skilled surgeon before her. “I'm Karlee McLain.” She couldn't help saying the last word slowly, putting it on for the first time. “Daniel's wife.”

Adam's hands hesitated only a moment before continuing working. “Oh.”

Karlee didn't know what else to say. Should she tell Adam the reason for the marriage, or would that some-how be betraying Daniel?

Her husband solved the problem by moaning loudly and thrashing.

“We'd better get to work, Karlee.” Adam glanced up and smiled at her. “Welcome to the family.”

She nodded and gave her full attention to doing what had to be done. While Adam treated the leg wound, Karlee cut away the remainder of Daniel's clothes and went about bathing him as if it were the most natural thing for her to do in the world.

If Daniel wanted his brothers to know the marriage was in name only, he'd have to be the one who did the telling. As for now, she'd be the wife.

She tried to allow Daniel as much modesty as possible. But by the time her task was complete, she'd soaped and washed every part of him that wasn't bandaged. A sense of pride grew inside her. Karlee did what any wife would have done. They might not have the kind of marriage most couples did, but she'd play her part well.

When Adam finished with the leg, he unwrapped Daniel's hands and commented on what a fine job she'd done. He helped her cover the windows with blankets and turned the light low before he cut the bandages away from his brother's eyes.

Carefully, he opened first one, then the other.

Daniel didn't respond.

“Bring the light closer very slowly,” Adam ordered.

Karlee lifted the lamp and walked toward the bed. When she was within three feet of Daniel's head, he turned away, moaning in pain.

Adam smiled.

“Can he see?” Karlee fought to keep her hand from shaking and moving the lamp.

“Only a little, but it's a start.” Adam rewrapped the blindfold. “In time his eyes may heal. If he hadn't reacted at all to the lamp, he wouldn't have any hope. Now at least we know he does. A slim one, but a chance.”

Adam stood and offered her his hand. “Come on along now and let him sleep. It's time you met the rest of the family, Mrs. McLain.”

Karlee wanted to scream “no” and run. She knew they'd judge her and find her lacking. They'd wonder how Daniel, such a handsome man, could have married someone as ordinary as her. Wolf would probably tell them she was Daniel's only hope to fight against Gerilyn. They'd shake their heads and marvel at how Daniel could have made such a sacrifice.

“I don't know…” She stared at his hand. “I should stay here with Daniel. Or go after the twins. Or…”

“He'll be fine.” Adam didn't lower his hand. “Don't worry. Wolf is the only one who bites, and you've already met him. Wes only looks like he does. He hasn't bitten anyone in years.”

There was nothing to do but accept his offered hand. As they neared the kitchen, the sounds of an argument allowed Karlee to hope she wouldn't have to be paraded for inspection.