Her Inheritance Forever by Lyn Cote

Author:Lyn Cote
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2009-08-31T04:00:00+00:00

Ten

In front of the hacienda, Dorritt took the ransom note from Carson. She hadn’t expected him home this soon. Instant fear made her body stiffen. She read the note once, twice. And she had no doubt who had written it.

With Carson’s help, Emilio and Antonio lifted the wounded vaquero down and carried him past her. She hurried along with them, directing them to take the man to the guest room, then ran forward to get her nursing supplies. In the courtyard, the housekeeper met her bringing the wooden chest.

Dorritt led her to the room. The vaquero had moaned once and then passed out. Dorritt worked quickly while he was unconscious. For the next few minutes she could think of nothing but cutting away the cloth over the injured leg, cleaning the injury, digging out the lead ball, and dressing the wound.

When she was done, she sat very still, gazing at the man’s face. In the rush to doctor him, her worry for Alandra had taken a step away. Now it flashed back like a spark on dry grass. She held up the note and looked to the housekeeper. “Mendoza has taken our Alandra.” Mendoza was Don Carlos’s cousin. The scoundrel they’d all hoped they’d never see or hear from again.

The housekeeper gasped and crossed herself. “Dios mio, no, no.”

Carson and Ramirez had gathered in the door to the room. With heated rage rising inside her, Dorritt stood and, holding herself on a tight rein, turned to the housekeeper. “You know the mixture of herbs I use to foment wounds.”

The woman nodded.

“Do it three times a day until the infection is done. If red streaks start spreading up from the wound, summon the doctor to amputate. But only if blood poisoning starts. Otherwise, keep fomenting until the wound stops draining. Have one of the young girls stay with him constantly and feed him whenever he is conscious.”

“But señora, why are you telling me this?” the woman objected.

“Because Carson and I are going after Alandra. To bring her home.” Dorritt headed for the door, ignoring the objections everyone shouted at her in Spanish. She called to her maid to prepare her traveling outfit and then began giving orders to the staff about what should be done while she was gone. Ramirez hurried along beside her, listening and nodding, and still trying to stop her. “Señora, por favor, señora—”

“Ma!” Carson called over all the commotion, silencing everyone.

She turned and faced him, raising an eyebrow. Already knowing what he would say.

“Ma, Pa wouldn’t want you to go. Think of your…delicate condition.”

Everyone looked on in silence. The housekeeper was weeping softly.

The outrage still surged within her, but Dorritt willed herself to speak in a clear, sure voice. “Carson, I understand your concern. But I am well. The baby has started kicking, a good sign. And my mother had early trouble traveling from New Orleans to San Antonio and later safely delivered my brother. No more talk—we’re going to leave within an hour.”

Carson didn’t take his eyes from hers.

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