Tears wetted Verity's eyelids. She was gutted to leave Millie behind, but instead of arguing, Verity nodded. Mathew's face was soft and sad with understanding, and Verity supported him while they shuffled out the front door.
A horse snacked on the dead grass, and Verity released Mathew long enough to guide the animal to him. He lifted a leg into the stirrup, and Verity shoved with all her might to get Mathew up. He grunted and situated himself. His rapid breathing troubled her.
Verity dashed to the side of the house and found her mount. She flung herself onto the saddle and arched her back in sharp pain from her bottom. Verity bit her hand to stifle the shout of agony begging for release. She'd forgotten her own wounds. She bunched her dress underneath her for extra cushion and trotted over to Mathew's horse. She grasped its reins and held it close, walking both horses together. Mathew's hands crossed his middle, and his legs shifted to hold his weight in place.
"Go to Sam's," he said. "I need to see my sister."
Always the kind man. "We need to concentrate on getting away from this estate alive first. Then we can return our borrowed mounts. Can you handle moving faster?"
Mathew shook his head no and said, "Yes." He chuckled. "Pain is temporary, death is forever. Let's go and I'll deal with it."
Verity kicked the horse to move faster and Mathew's copied. She swung them east, and before long they reached Sam and April's log cabin. The door opened after a single knock, and April's eyes flicked between the two of them. The softening lines of her face showed her relief.
"Told you I'd be back. Brought Bucky, too," Mathew said with a pained smile.
"Matt's hurt," Verity said. "Can we come in?"
"Oh, yes. Yes, come in," April said, moving aside. "What happened?"
Verity helped him inside and set him on the couch. April closed the door behind them, and Sam entered through the back door.
Doug barked at the return of his owner. The mutt lounged on a bed on the floor, tail wagging with the excitement of the crowd—the gunshot not getting his spirits down.
"I see horses. How did things go? Oh…" Sam trailed off, concern knitting his brows while his eyes assessed Mathew's condition. "Well, I dinnae know anything about doctoring, so I'll let April tend to ye." Sam addressed April with pain of regret in his eyes. "I knew I shouldna let him live."
April's face darkened. "Don't pin all this on me."
Sam's hands went skyward in surrender. "I'm not saying it's yer fault. Just telling the truth of it."
April asked Verity, "Can you help me? Take off his cloak and dress shirt. I'll do what I can."
Verity helped Mathew remove his garments while his sister set out an array of supplies. The pain inflicted on his face tore her heart. She exposed his bare chest and Verity both admired it and searched it for damage.
April rubbed her hands together and blew on them. "Just gotta warm my hands first. I don't need you flinching more, but no promises."
Mathew attempted a smile. "I probably won't feel temperature anyway. Try not to enjoy this too much."
"I never liked seeing you in pain." She touched his chest and pressed in places.
Mathew twitched and flinched. "That's true. Ow. But…inflicting pain on one's sibling is a rite of passage into adulthood. You were deprived of that experience. Ow."
"There was enough pain to go around. No sense in adding more unnecessarily."
"Bingo. Take it easy there, Hercules."
"There's no compound fracture, obviously." April's fingers kneaded along his flesh and Verity watched to learn.
"No shattered bits anywhere. Sounds scientific, huh?"
Sam brought over a bottle of bourbon and Mathew drank heavily—half the bottle—before handing it back. Verity hating being helpless.
"That's me good stuff, Matty. A kick arse in a bottle. Go easy on it." Sam said, agape at the half-empty bottle.
"I'll reimburse…you." Mathew paused with a pinched face. "Write off…expense. Insurance…" His eyes glazed over, and Verity worried more about his failing lucidity.
"No stark edges," April continued her assessment.
"Are ye understanding any of this?" Sam asked Verity.
She shrugged. "I know what shattered bits are."
"How's Johnny doing, ye know, after the contract terminated?"
Sam's little sister, Sarah, had been contracted to marry Verity's elder brother. Jonathan was not thrilled but willing to do his duty. Lloyd Stanton had surprised them with the termination payment. Sarah had found a man to love her, and Jonathan had received cash to float the farm.
"Johnny's grumpy as usual. He wasn't excited about the contract in the first place, not that he had anything against your sister."
"Aye, the feeling was mutual."
"There is either extensive bruising or a simple hairline fracture," April concluded. "Either way, all I can do is bupkis."
"Is that going to hurt more?" Verity asked.
April glanced at her and smiled. "I can't do anything besides wrap it for support, maybe. Nothing from the future can help either, except stronger meds. Matty, do you want to be wrapped?"
Mathew nodded, so Verity helped him lean forward while April wrapped a white strip around his torso several times.
"I've got some ibuprofen. Still in date, too. Take some. It'll help with the swelling."
Mathew shot her a look of annoyance. "Med…school."
"But you already know that," she mumbled.
Mathew followed the pills with more bourbon, and he sighed, leaning back against the couch cushions.
"There's…strong possibility…houseful of pissed off dudes…searching for us soon," Mathew said and his words were alarmingly slurred.
April and Sam exchanged glances. Sam said, "I have prepared for their invasion for over a year. And now they have two, possibly three, reasons to come."
Sam's eyes tracked to Verity, Mathew, and finally to his wife. Verity swallowed a thick lump. Mathew's face softened as he dropped off to sleep.
"Is he going to be all right?" Verity asked the happily married couple.
"He's not a drinker," April added. "So, he's probably going to be fine, but he's got one hell of a hangover coming."
Sam lifted the corner of his lips. "My strongest whiskey. I consider myself a cultured drinker, and that amount woulda knocked me on me arse. Not a wise move for a novice."
Verity hoped he rested fast and sobered even faster with the impending arrival of Jaime's men. She needed to get herself in top shape, too.
With Mathew asleep, Verity asked, "Is there any way I can bother you for wound care of my own?"
April said, "Sure, where's the hurt?"
"I've heard you're aware of Jaime Perez's preferred method of punishment."
April cringed. "Yeah. Lean over the table here, and I'll get you stitched up. This way they won't tear when you sit. Not that you'll want to."
Verity leaned over the kitchen table and swift hands lifted her skirts. April shook her head and stitched up the long slices in her flesh. A few swigs of Sam's bourbon and fancy white pills eased her pain, and suddenly Verity was no longer capable of staying awake herself.