send over a clean dress out of my own satchel.”
That struck Seth as a really good idea. “Thanks, ma’am. We appreciate it.” He was as good as carrying Callie by the time they got across the street.
The hotel manager took one look at Callie’s bloody, partly shaved head and gave them a room on the ground floor. Seth appreciated not having to carry her upstairs.
“Can you send us some food and some warm water? She needs to wash up.” Seth looked at Callie. She was standing, except his hand was bracing her up.
“Right away, sir. We’ll be glad to help you in any way we can.” The manager led the way to a door, unlocked it, went in and set the key down and hurried out.
Seth eased Callie onto the bed. She groaned and then lay still. He hoped she was asleep; otherwise they would need the doctor again.
A slap in the ear turned him around to look at his son.
Odd didn’t begin to describe it, but he’d be hanged if he didn’t like it.
“Hi.” Seth jerked in surprise. “Uh . . . Callie?”
She lifted her eyelids as if they weighed a pound apiece. “What?”
“What’s his name again?”
There was too long a silence. Finally she said, “His name . . . your son’s name . . . is Connor. And you’re lucky I’m too weak to kill you, Seth Kincaid.” Her eyes went shut again.
Seth decided not to ask any more questions. “Hi, Connor.”
The boy gave him a reckless grin that scared Seth just because he thought he understood it completely. Seth Kincaid had sown the wind. Now, with his son’s help, he was going to reap the whirlwind.
A scary thought, but life would never be dull. Seth hated dull. He smiled. “You and me, little man, are going to have us some fun. You’re really gonna like my cavern.”
Chapter
4
Callie’s eyes flickered open, and in the dim light she saw a roof over her head. A roof that wasn’t carried along on wheels.
She’d been a long time traveling.
Connor!
She swung her legs over the edge of the bed—or rather tried to—and it all came back to her like a closed fist.
The pain was a big ol’ reminder.
Then a face popped up right over her head, which she’d never managed to get raised. The look in his eyes, like blue lightning, excited, a little crazy. She’d found her husband.
“You’ve got a lot of nerve being alive, Seth Kincaid.” Talking hurt. “Get out of this bed.” She’d have shoved him out, but even thinking of it hurt.
“Shh, you’ll wake Connor.” Seth’s smile eased into concern and he moved closer. “How bad does it hurt?”
“Like a wolf pack had half of me for supper and now they’re finishing me up for breakfast.”
The room was in darkness, except for a low-burning lantern. Seth looked sleepy. Which meant he’d been right here beside her for long enough to fall asleep. It was a wonder she hadn’t been jerked awake by his nightmares.
“The doctor sent me some medicine for the pain.” Seth held up a bottle clearly marked laudanum.
“Get it away from me.” Callie wrinkled her nose and noticed the pain. From wrinkling her nose? She wondered just how battered she was. “You used to have terrible nightmares when you took that stuff. Did I get shot?”
“Nope. The splinters from the stage cut you up something fierce, though. Doc had to sew you up here and there. And you have dozens of scratches that aren’t bad enough for a needle and thread. You’ve got blood in your hair and, well, everywhere honestly. You look awful.”
Callie remembered that her husband had always been unfailingly honest. She wasn’t all that thankful for the trait right now. She tried to lift her hand to examine her injuries, and it hurt like blue blazes.
“There’s food if you can stand to eat it.”
“I feel on the verge of casting up what little is in my belly, so I won’t try eating. Maybe a drink of water, though.” Callie tried to sit up and it wasn’t working.
Seth looked nervous, but he slid his arm under her shoulders, and with