emptied pot with cool water, which Emma next retrieved. Sarah’s bath was soon ready.
As Sarah removed her shirt and tossed it atop her jeans, socks, and boots, Emma’s eyes widened and she sucked in her breath. “Land sakes!”
She peeked around the screen. “Cord Wainwright, what in the world did you do to this girl? Have you seen her wrists? How could you be so cruel?”
He sighed. “It was an unfortunate oversight, Emma. I never meant—”
“Well-meant intentions never did hold much water with me,” she snapped, cutting him off. “Her wrists are bleeding, for goodness sake!”
She ducked back behind the screen. “Here, child. Let me help you. There, that’s it,” she crooned as she took Sarah by one elbow to assist her. “Just slide down into that nice warm bath and soak yourself. And keep those wrists out of the water until I get back. I need to fetch my salve, bandages, and a set of clean clothes.”
In a flurry of calico skirts, Emma hurried from behind the screen and across the kitchen. Sarah heard her chidingly cluck her tongue, most likely as she passed Cord, before exiting the room. Then, save for an occasional splash of water as Sarah moved about in the tub, the kitchen was silent.
“Sarah?”
She flinched, far preferring to imagine she was alone rather than admit there was a man on the other side of the screen, with her naked in a tub of water. Still, the only hope of keeping him exactly where he was until Emma returned was to answer him.
“Yes?”
“Your hands. How do they feel?”
Now, what kind of question is that? she thought in exasperation. They burn like fire, you big knot head!
Common sense, however, prevented her from telling him that, so Sarah swallowed hard before replying. “They’re fine, thank you.”
She could hear him set down his glass.
“I’m sorry that happened. I never intended to hurt you, only scare you a little. I need to get back that money.”
Here we go again. “I-I don’t know what you’re talking about. What money?”
The creak of a chair signaled he was now probably leaning back in it.
“Can’t you ever stop the games?” Cord’s voice dripped with irritation. “There’s no one around to hear your lies, and we both know the truth, don’t we?”
For a long moment, Sarah didn’t reply. Honesty warred with continuing the deception, and honesty finally won out. “I’m sorry, but I can’t help you without hurting my family. And I’ll never do that. They’re all I have . . .”
“Family loyalty.” Cord snorted in derision. “An admirable quality that’s placed us both in untenable positions.”
A strange sentiment , she thought. Leastwise, coming from his side of it anyway.
“It doesn’t matter, Sarah. I won’t let you go until I get what I want. And I’ve got to have the money.”
What am I supposed to say to that? She moved uncomfortably in the tub, the water sloshing about. Where’s Emma? Sarah wished the kindly housekeeper had never left.
“It’s not going to matter in the long run,” Cord said. “Either you’ll eventually tell me or we’ll catch your family. Who knows? Maybe they’ll even try to rescue you from my evil clutches. I’d like that. There’s a matter of a beating that needs repaying, and I’m just the man for it.”
Yes, I’ll bet you are. “What will you do with me in the meantime?”
He gave a harsh laugh. “What do you think? A bath and some clean clothes don’t constitute forgiveness. As I said before, you’ll stay in the cellar until I get the information I want.”
The next few days passed uneventfully in a stalemated battle of two equally stubborn wills. In that time, Cord was careful never to visit Sarah, sending one of the servants to bring her meals or attend to her needs. His decision to let her stew, however, was one of the most difficult he’d ever made. Though he stayed close to home in case her family attempted a rescue, burying himself in ranch paperwork to keep busy,
As Sarah removed her shirt and tossed it atop her jeans, socks, and boots, Emma’s eyes widened and she sucked in her breath. “Land sakes!”
She peeked around the screen. “Cord Wainwright, what in the world did you do to this girl? Have you seen her wrists? How could you be so cruel?”
He sighed. “It was an unfortunate oversight, Emma. I never meant—”
“Well-meant intentions never did hold much water with me,” she snapped, cutting him off. “Her wrists are bleeding, for goodness sake!”
She ducked back behind the screen. “Here, child. Let me help you. There, that’s it,” she crooned as she took Sarah by one elbow to assist her. “Just slide down into that nice warm bath and soak yourself. And keep those wrists out of the water until I get back. I need to fetch my salve, bandages, and a set of clean clothes.”
In a flurry of calico skirts, Emma hurried from behind the screen and across the kitchen. Sarah heard her chidingly cluck her tongue, most likely as she passed Cord, before exiting the room. Then, save for an occasional splash of water as Sarah moved about in the tub, the kitchen was silent.
“Sarah?”
She flinched, far preferring to imagine she was alone rather than admit there was a man on the other side of the screen, with her naked in a tub of water. Still, the only hope of keeping him exactly where he was until Emma returned was to answer him.
“Yes?”
“Your hands. How do they feel?”
Now, what kind of question is that? she thought in exasperation. They burn like fire, you big knot head!
Common sense, however, prevented her from telling him that, so Sarah swallowed hard before replying. “They’re fine, thank you.”
She could hear him set down his glass.
“I’m sorry that happened. I never intended to hurt you, only scare you a little. I need to get back that money.”
Here we go again. “I-I don’t know what you’re talking about. What money?”
The creak of a chair signaled he was now probably leaning back in it.
“Can’t you ever stop the games?” Cord’s voice dripped with irritation. “There’s no one around to hear your lies, and we both know the truth, don’t we?”
For a long moment, Sarah didn’t reply. Honesty warred with continuing the deception, and honesty finally won out. “I’m sorry, but I can’t help you without hurting my family. And I’ll never do that. They’re all I have . . .”
“Family loyalty.” Cord snorted in derision. “An admirable quality that’s placed us both in untenable positions.”
A strange sentiment , she thought. Leastwise, coming from his side of it anyway.
“It doesn’t matter, Sarah. I won’t let you go until I get what I want. And I’ve got to have the money.”
What am I supposed to say to that? She moved uncomfortably in the tub, the water sloshing about. Where’s Emma? Sarah wished the kindly housekeeper had never left.
“It’s not going to matter in the long run,” Cord said. “Either you’ll eventually tell me or we’ll catch your family. Who knows? Maybe they’ll even try to rescue you from my evil clutches. I’d like that. There’s a matter of a beating that needs repaying, and I’m just the man for it.”
Yes, I’ll bet you are. “What will you do with me in the meantime?”
He gave a harsh laugh. “What do you think? A bath and some clean clothes don’t constitute forgiveness. As I said before, you’ll stay in the cellar until I get the information I want.”
The next few days passed uneventfully in a stalemated battle of two equally stubborn wills. In that time, Cord was careful never to visit Sarah, sending one of the servants to bring her meals or attend to her needs. His decision to let her stew, however, was one of the most difficult he’d ever made. Though he stayed close to home in case her family attempted a rescue, burying himself in ranch paperwork to keep busy,
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