Then
there was silence. “It’s over,” Davey whispered in her ear, spinning her around
so she could see. Sure enough, Cal was lying on the ground, wounded and
bleeding but alive, and Mr Jordan was on his feet, but barely. Woody and Chuck
both moved to help him over to the supply wagon where Monty was already laying
out his medicine bag.
Jed stood there in horror, shocked,
looking at the scene before her, unable to believe it. Woody and Chuck were on
each side of Mr Jordan, supporting him as he staggered over to the wagon,
trailing blood behind him. Cal wasn’t moving. In a flash, Neil was by his side,
examining him briefly, then he drew his gun.
Davey moved so fast that she didn’t
even see it. Instantly, he’d pushed her sideways, cleared his gun from its
holster and shot the gun from Neil’s hand. Neil dropped to his knees, clutching
his wrist, blood covering his hand and dripping to form a puddle on the ground.
“Neil!” Jed screamed, running to
him, crouching down beside him. “Here, let me have a look,” she said, picking
up his wrist gently.
But Neil jerked his hand away. “If
you’d been at home where you belong, and married Cal like you should have done,
this wouldn’t have happened,” he hissed at her venomously. He groaned in pain.
“Are you happy now?” he spat at her.
Jed couldn’t believe it. Neil was
actually blaming her for this? His
best friend forced himself on her in their kitchen, hunted her down when she
ran away, used his dirty fighting tactics to try and get her back, and he
actually expected her to marry the man? What kind of brother was he? Tears
streaming down her face, she got to her feet hurriedly.
“Get lost Neil,” she snarled at him.
“You’re dead to me.” She turned and crashed into the solid mass of Davey’s
chest. Instantly, he put his arm around her shoulder and led her away, back to
the safety of the supply wagon, where Monty was tending to Mr Jordan.
“Woody, can you take that useless
bastard out there a bandage? He’ll bleed to death otherwise,” Davey said.
“While you’re there, help him get Cal back on his horse. They can clear out.”
Jed knelt down beside Mr Jordan.
Monty had dosed him up on whisky and he was lying back on a blanket, a piece of
wood between his teeth, while Monty stitched up the gash in his arm and tended
his other cuts and bruises.
“He’s busted up bad,” Monty told
her. “Broken ribs, all these stab wounds, bruises everywhere. He’ll be out of
action for a few days. Make him up a bed in the supply wagon.”
She nodded once, then went to do
Monty’s bidding with a lump in her throat. Maybe Neil was right. Maybe she
should have just married Cal after all. Mr Jordan was hurt pretty bad, and it
was all her fault.
“I’ll be back!” Neil’s shouted
threat echoed across the prairie and a shudder went through her; she knew what
she had to do.
Don't forget to check out all the other participants in this week's #WipItUp blog hop:
Thank you Kelly! I was on the edge of my seat for a week waiting to hear whether or not Mr. Jordan was going to make it. I'm glad to hear that he did.
ReplyDeleteNow I'm worried about this Mr. Neil. He sounds like he's trouble!
Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed my scene :)
Deleteoooh -love that list line
ReplyDeleteThanks Daryl :)
DeleteHi Kelly, I have been absent from blogland lately and am just now finding time here and there to check in with a few blogs.
ReplyDeleteOh goodness, what an intense scene, and that last line...I definitely want to know more!
Hugs
Roz
Glad to see you back, Roz!
DeleteNeil does return ... and causes chaos :)
I have not yet had the chance to read the first two parts of this but the scene here is solid all on its own. Tense, vivid and compelling, it certainly makes you want to read on!
ReplyDeleteThanks Arla, I'm glad you enjoyed it! :)
Delete