Free Violets in February by Clare Revell Page A

driver’s door opened. Jed climbed in. He was soaked to the skin, his white shirt sticking to him, leaving nothing to her imagination. And he was filthy. He turned the key. Five times. “OK, you stupid, flaming sack of —”
    “Mr. Gorman, please,” she interrupted.
    Jed rolled his eyes. “OK, you sweet, beloved Ute of mine. I’d be most obliged if you would please start and then get yourself out of the—” he paused “—hole you got yourself into. Better?”
    “Much.”
    He glanced at her. “Jed.”
    “Sorry?” Confusion filled her for a moment.
    “My name is Jed. Mr. Gorman makes me sound about fifty.”
    She held his gaze for a long moment, then held out a hand. “Lucy.”
    He took her hand, his wet skin clammy, but his grip firm. “Pleased to meet you, Lucy.”
    “You’re cold.”
    “Ever the doc, huh. I’ll be a darn sight colder if this Ute doesn’t move.” He tried the engine again and this time it caught. He slammed it into gear and floored the accelerator. Finally, the truck moved, and he guided it back onto the road.
    “Do you have any spare clothes?” she asked.
    “No, and before you offer me a shirt, it’s very kind, but I don’t think it’d fit. Do you mind if I put the heat on, or is that gonna make you sick?”
    “It’s more important for you to get dry.”
    Jed nodded and whacked up the heat full blast. He drove silently, the truck getting uncomfortably warm.
    The damp smell turned her stomach. She swallowed hard, but to no avail. “Please stop…”
    He slammed on the brakes and Lucy opened the door, leaning out and losing what little she’d eaten. “So much for the motion pills.” His hand rested lightly on her back. “There’s a village half a click or so ahead. We’ll stop there for the night. Will you make it that far?”
    Lucy eased back into the seat, shutting the door. “OK. Sorry. And yeah, should take the pills at least an hour before travelling.”
    He rolled his eyes. “Now you tell me. And don’t be sorry. Just tell me these things earlier next time.”
    “OK.” She closed her eyes as the truck started moving again. It lurched, rumbled, and slid over the wet mud.
    As the forward movement stopped, the muttered curse made her open her eyes.
    Smoke rose from the ruins in front of her, illuminated by the trucks headlights.
    The rebels had got to the village before them. There was nothing left.

7
    Lucy looked at the burned remnants of the village in despair. “What happened?”
    Jed turned his tortured gaze from the smoking ruins to her. “Bloody rebel army, that’s what happened. We can’t stay here.”
    “I can’t go any further tonight. Jed, please, you said we’d stop here.”
    “Look around you, Lucy. It isn’t safe here anymore.”
    “The rebels won’t be back.”
    “How do you know that?” he demanded. “God tell you?”
    “Don’t mock me.” She folded her arms tight across her middle.
    “I’m not,” he muttered.
    “They won’t be back because there is nothing left for them to come back to.”
    Jed shook his head and drove slowly through the ruins. The headlights illuminated half a shed still standing. He managed to reverse into it. “This will give us some shelter tonight. We’ll hide here until dawn, but you stay in the Ute.”
    “You’re kidding.”
    “No, I’m not. There’re blankets in the back. I’ll make you a bed there. If we stay in here, we’re protected from the weather, from being seen and we stand a chance of getting away in a hurry if we need to.” Jed jumped from the truck. “Stay there.”
    “Like I have a choice,” she whispered.
    Lucy rubbed her knee, wishing she hadn’t been so stubborn over the pain meds. Her knee was agony, the pain off the scale she normally adhered to. If this was one of her patients…
    Tim was right, she realized in hindsight. She would have acted differently had this been someone brought into her clinic. Her pride would no doubt be the death of her one of these days. Yet,