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His fingers slid down her arm, straightening it as his knee pressed on her chest. Before she realized what he was doing, he snapped her shoulder back into the socket. The scream ripped from her throat as the pain tore through her.
Doc’s apology coincided with Asa’s “Jesus!”
“That’s better now, isn’t it?” Doc asked before shouting, “Someone catch that man!”
Elizabeth opened her eyes to see Asa being lowered into a sitting position by Cougar.
Doc shook his head. “It’s always the tough ones.”
He shifted so his body blocked the sun from her eyes. Unfortunately, he also blocked her view of Asa. All she could see was Doc’s grizzled silhouette with his fly-away hair sticking out all over.
“What?” she croaked in response to the question in his eyes.
“I hope you aren’t counting on him when it’s time to deliver your babies.”
She hadn’t thought about it, but now that she had, she realized she was. “Why?”
Doc shrugged. “He won’t be much use to you if he passes out every time you make a little noise.”
“Asa fainted?”
“Got a bit weak in the knees.”
“Asa?” She couldn’t believe it.
Doc smiled. “Yup.”
As if conjured by his name, Asa appeared around Doc to kneel beside her. He was as white as a ghost. “I’m sorry, darlin’.”
“For what?” She experimented with her good arm. It didn’t hurt when she moved it, so she placed it against his mouth.
He kissed her fingers before desperately clenching her hand in his. “For not seeing how Brent and Jimmy were double-teaming.”
“Well, you didn’t and it worked out all right.” She took a breath and cast a glance in the direction of Brent’s body. He hadn’t moved. “Is he dead?”
Asa touched her cheek. “Yeah. I’m sorry.”
“I never really knew him, did I?”
He silently shook his head.
“None of us did, apparently,” Doc said as he closed his bag.
She bit her lip. “Did I kill him?”
Asa shrugged. Doc pushed himself to his feet with a grunt and walked over to the body. “If you did, you’d have to get behind about thirty other folk.”
Elizabeth winced at the image. Despite all that had happened, she was grateful she didn’t have to bear the guilt of Brent’s death.
Asa stroked her cheek with his fingers as if needing the contact. “No one was too fond of the way he manhandled you.”
“I wasn’t thrilled myself.” She glanced over at Doc. “Can I get out of the dirt now?”
“I don’t see why not.”
Asa immediately slid his arms under her body.
“Handle her easy,” Doc instructed.
It was a totally unnecessary warning. Expensive china hadn’t ever been handled as delicately as she was lifted. She closed her eyes and rested her head against Asa’s broad shoulder.
“Watch her for signs of a concussion,” Doc continued. “Don’t let her sleep or take anything for the pain for twenty-four hours. After that, you can give her one spoon of this powder in a glass of water three times a day.”
She dipped slightly as Asa took the pouch from Doc.
“What about her shoulder?” Asa asked.
“A couple of weeks in a sling and she should be right as rain.”
“Thanks, Doc.”
“Call me if there’s any change, but I don’t expect any complications beyond some stiffening.” He moved ahead of them into the throng of people. “All right, folks, let’s give them a little room.”
Elizabeth opened her eyes to see half the town around them. As Asa cut a path through the crowd, a cheer went up. One unthinking soul slapped Asa on the back, jarring her head. She moaned. Doc whirled on the man.
“Have a care, you fool!”
She closed her eyes and thanked the Lord she didn’t look a fright. Her dignity was about all she had left after being made into a spectacle in front of the whole town.
Asa carried Elizabeth up the street to Millicent’s boarding house. She felt so delicate in his arms. So fragile. God, he’d almost lost her. It took all his concentration to hold her carefully and not press her into his body, to hold her so close, she’d never be in danger again.
“Where are we going?” she asked in a low voice.
“I figured on seeing if Millicent could put us up. You’re in no shape for a ride home.”
“Oh.”
“Do you have any problem with that?”
“No.”
An unreasonable part of him resented her compliance. He sighed, recognizing reaction setting in. He, on the other hand, was itching for a fight. Maybe he’d head over to the saloon later. A man could always find a body there to satisfy such urges.
By the time he got to the front step of the boarding house, Millicent was standing in the doorway. “McKinnely said you were coming,” she said. “I made up the bed in the room next to the back parlor. There’re bandages and such on the dresser.”
“Thanks.” He carefully maneuvered the three steps to the porch. As he drew abreast of Millicent, she clicked her tongue and declared, “Good Lord, honey! The first thing we’ve got to do is get you cleaned up. You look a fright!”
