Her eyes popped open. Her brain must have taken flight. She’d fallen once again for the charm of a handsome man, when the children’s welfare belonged to her alone. The last time she depended on what a man said, she ended up with a broken heart. Well, not a broken heart. More like broken pride.
She pulled away, swiped her eyes, and adjusted her spectacles. “It’s time to go.” She stiffened her back and brushed the crumbs from her skirt. “Our break has been long en
ough.”
They continued on their way, again passing more farmhouses every few miles. The sun beat down relentlessly, toasting them through their clothes. She wiped her forehead repeatedly with the sleeve of her blouse. Jesse had worn a kerchief that he used to wipe his face.
He cast a glance around as he drank from his canteen. “We’re getting close. I think we should stop to rest the horses again. We can get something to eat in town later. I’m guessing we should be there in about an hour.”
Tori pulled on the horse’s reins and slid down, leaning against the animal’s side. At least the little bit of shade provided by a few Maple trees in a cluster would be cooling. She pulled her blouse away from her sweaty skin, then groaned as she rubbed her lower back, then down to her bottom, sore from too many hours in the saddle.
“If you need any help with that, you can put me at the top of the volunteer list.” Jesse grinned with raised eyebrows.
She threw him a scowl, and almost hit the ground face first when she attempted to move forward.
Jesse put his arm around her waist. “Whoa. Your legs are a little unsteady there, lady. Here, let me help you over to that log.”
“I’m fine. I can walk.” She pulled away, took one step, and went down in a heap. Jesse muttered, “stubborn female,” and scooped her into his arms.
“Put me down, I’m too heavy.”
“Now there’s a sorry opinion on my manhood. Like I couldn’t carry a little thing like you.” He smiled down at her.
“Little thing? With all these extra pounds?”
“Whatever extra pounds you think you’re carrying, ma’am, they’re in all the right places.” He set her down.
Heat rose in her face, and she smoothed her skirt to cover her embarrassment as she settled on the log, easing her legs out. Jesse reached for the canteen dangling from his saddle.
The muscles in his throat worked as he drank. The fluttering in her stomach returned. Damn the man and his appeal. Broad shoulders, trim waist, powerful legs. Why in heaven’s name did a lawyer look like that, anyway? She glanced off into the distance when he wiped his mouth with his sleeve. It wouldn’t pay to have him think she ogled him. Not that she did, of course.
“I’m going for a short walk, stretch my legs. Will you be okay?” He wiped the mouthpiece of the canteen and held it out to her.
“I’m fine.” Tori grabbed the canteen and re-wiped it. “Go for your walk, and I’ll sit here in the shade until my legs can work again.”
She removed her spectacles, took a huge swig, and then wiped the sweat from her eyes. The heat didn’t disappear, even as she sat in the shade, so she untied her bonnet and fanned herself. Her thoughts returned to Rachel, and her heart sank. Her naïve niece had been gone more than a full day, and she prayed they would find the girl unharmed.
A sound like a child’s toy caught her attention. She couldn’t see a thing without her spectacles. What was it? Her heart leapt into her throat. A rattle? She grabbed her spectacles from her lap, and stood.
Instantly, a sharp sting in her ankle caused her to pull her foot back. Spectacles on, she observed a gray and white snake slither under the log.
Tori’s scream filled the air. Angry for leaving his rifle behind, Jesse raced back to find her on the ground, holding her shoe and moaning. He dropped to one knee beside her.
“What happened?”
She moved her hand. Two puncture marks. Evidence of a snake bite.
Sweat beaded her forehead, her breathing shallow and rapid. Jesse ripped the bandana from around his neck, and made a tourniquet right below her knee. He whipped her shoe off, reached for his pocket knife, then held her foot steady.
“Hold on, honey, I’m going to have to cut you to get the venom out.”
Panic filled her eyes. “I can’t breathe.” She gasped, clawing at her throat.
“I know, but I need you to lie back and hold on.”
She jerked when he cut into the bite. Holding her foot steady, he brought her ankle to his mouth, sucked the venom out, and spit it to the ground. He did it once more, and then pinched her skin to encourage bleeding to flush any remainder. When he finished, Tori had passed out.
He scrutinized the area. They were a good hour from Arkansas City, but they’d passed a small farm about ten minutes back. Tori would develop a fever, and with any luck that would be all. He needed to take her to the farm and get her into a bed with a poultice on the wound.