Whirlwind Bride by Debra Cowan

Author:Debra Cowan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2004-08-28T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

Riley barely remembered the cold ride through the night to Fort Greer for Dr. Butler. It wasn’t until they returned and the doctor went in to check Susannah that his brain seemed to unseize.

Was she going to be all right? What about the baby? What if Prissy hadn’t been out there? What if that coyote had hurt Susannah?

Seeing her lying on the ground motionless had twisted Riley’s gut into knots. And he couldn’t forget the sight of her blood on his arm.

She’d been conscious, he reminded himself. She’d talked to him. That meant she’d be all right, didn’t it?

The doctor was taking his sweet damn time in there. What was taking so long?

Cora sat quietly, but Riley’s nerves were so raw he couldn’t sit still. He paced from one end of the front room to the other.

“She’ll be okay,” Cora said quietly.

He nodded, but only because he didn’t know what else to do. When would Dr. Butler come out?

The tall, middle-aged man stepped past Susannah’s curtain and let it drop before moving to the kitchen table. “She’s suffered some trauma.”

“Oh, no.” Tears brimmed in Cora’s eyes.

“I think the baby’s all right, for now,” the doctor added quickly, his brown eyes reassuring. “But Susannah has to stay in bed until she delivers.”

“There was blood.” Riley’s voice sounded hoarse and harsh, foreign.

“Yes, but it’s stopped now. The reason I want her to stay in bed is so the bleeding won’t start again. If we can keep that from happening, I think both she and the baby will do fine.”

Riley nodded, the crushing band around his chest easing enough to let him get a breath.

“Her pain has subsided, but if it comes back, I need to know.”

Both Cora and Riley nodded.

The doctor placed his leather bag on the table and opened it, the lantern light catching the few strands of silver in his dark hair. “I’ve given her something to help her sleep.”

“Will it hurt the baby?” Cora asked.

“No. It’s a tea I made from cinnamon, blackberry leaves and a couple of other herbs.” He pulled a white cloth pouch from his bag. “My wife drank this when carrying our first child and I’ve had success with other patients several times since. Susannah needs to drink a half cup to one cup a day. If she can’t stand the taste, you can boil some black haw bark. That will also help without harming her or the babe.”

Cora took the pouch he offered. “Just steep the tea in water?”

“Yes. Now, I don’t want her doing anything until that baby comes. Understood?” He leveled a look at both Riley and Cora.

Riley nodded, though he figured Cora would do just fine keeping Susannah in line.

The doctor walked to the door, buttoning his coat. “I’ll check in on her tomorrow.”

“Thanks, Doc.” Cora gave him a chunk of venison she’d wrapped in cloth, and a loaf of bread. “Let me know if I owe you more than this.”

“This is plenty. Enough to pay me for five visits. Thank you.

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