Free His Defiant Wife, the Adventures of Linnett Wainwright, Book 2 by Vanessa Brooks Page B

gone outside. She had trusted his
judgement but look what had happened. Linnett had believed John
knew what he was doing when he had ventured outside. Oh why had she
put such trust in him?
    Round and
around in her head the jumble of confusing thoughts went until
eventually, unbelievably, she must have slept for she woke to
bright light of day and a thin voice calling her name. John was
awake but in a great deal of pain. Linnett checked his swathed
wounds and found that they were still seeping blood.
    “John, do you
think you could make it up to the bed?” she asked him. “We can but
try,” he returned bravely. Linnett hooked her arms under his and
pulled him up to a sitting position, John’s face ran with
perspiration and his teeth were gritted with the effort.“Are you
sure that you can do this? Would you rather stay here on the floor
as you are?” Linnett inquired, worried it would be too much for
John but he shook his head. “No, on both counts. I can’t stay here
on the floor, for one thing my back is hurting like the very devil
and another I am blocking the doorway. Let’s just get this over
with.”
    Linnett nodded
and tucking her hands under his arms struggled to get him to his
feet but she did achieve it. John swayed alarmingly and lent
heavily on Linnett. They made slow progress over to the bed. As
they reached the bedside John sank down gratefully and Linnett let
him rest for a second or two before lifting his legs up onto the
bed, she was very anxious. John lay there, breathing heavily with
his eyes closed, his face as white as the sheet he lay on.
    Gently Linnett
placed a pillow beneath John’s head and drew the covers up over
him. “Would you like a drink?” she asked as she smoothed the dark
hair away from his forehead. With a slight movement John shook his
head. “No, just sleep,” he mumbled, not even opening his eyes.
Linnett frowned, concerned. “Are you are sure? I will go and tend
to the animals and when I come back, you must have something to
drink, John. I will tend to the dressing on your leg as well.” John
merely managed to grunt, his eyes still shut.
    Linnett watched
him for a little while and then satisfied that he was sleeping, she
built up the fire, put water on to heat for washing and ate some
bread and milk. She wasn’t particularly hungry but knew she must
keep up her strength. Wrapping herself warmly, Linnett took one
last look at her husband before setting off to tend the animals in
the barn. Closing the door behind her she turned and the sight that
confronted her made her gasp.
    The snow was
splattered with John’s blood from the bear attack. There was so
much of it, Linnett saw with dismay. No wonder John was so weakened
and ill, not simply the terrible wounds but also the loss of blood.
Linnett fetched a shovel and cleared the bloody snow as far from
the cabin as she could, throwing it under trees and piling fresh
snow over the reddened snow to cover it. She didn’t want the smell
of blood attracting any more predators.
    Linnett noticed
the musket lying in the snow where John had dropped it the previous
night; she picked it up and kept it close to her side, while she
made her way to the barn. There had been no fresh snow falls since
John had last cleared a path, so the going was relatively easy,
although still very slippery.
    When she opened
the barn door she found that Amber was pleased to see her; she
swung her head towards Linnett with ears pricked eagerly forward
and she whickered softly in greeting. Linnett went straight to her
and patted her soft nose, soothing the troubled mare. Both the
horses seemed nervous and had obviously heard the bear during the
night. The other horse snorted and pawed the ground, determined not
to be left out of any reassurance being offered. Linnett reached
over and patted and soothed her until she was calmer.
    Linnett mucked
out the horse stall and refilled it with fresh hay. The water
trough she filled with snow, which would soon melt