Never Never by Susan Kiernan-Lewis Page A

for that. Stay here.”
    â€œSarah, sure you can fix him, can’t you?”
    Sarah hesitated. She tried to remember a single other time when Fiona had looked or sounded this helpless. In point of fact, Fiona was usually considered the compound healer. She had an encyclopedic understanding of medicinal herbs and concoctions and kept a good supply for most occasions.
    But broken bones, bullet holes and stab wounds were a whole different thing.
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    S arah glanced at Declan and then back at Fiona. What did she want her to say? A lie? What did Fiona think was going to happen when she’d backed her brother so vigorously about leaving the convent?
    Is it possible she is really surprised?
    â€œStay with him,” Sarah said jumping down.
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    A n hour later , Sarah had cleaned Declan’s wound the best she could. Fiona had some herbs in her homeopathic medicine chest for fighting infections and, even better, Sarah still had a decent supply of antibiotics. Now that the back wound had stopped bleeding, they needed to keep him quiet and hydrated until they could return to the convent. Sister Alphonse was a registered nurse.
    Mike had set up camp in the middle of the road so they didn’t even have to move the wagon that Declan was in. The other wagons were shifted off the road and two small campfires built at either end of the makeshift campsite. The mood in camp was somber.
    It had rained early that afternoon but not long and not hard. Mike gave orders not to unpack the tents, which suited Sarah just fine. The sooner they got on the way back to the convent, the better.
    Nuala O’Connell kept Fiona’s little girls with her so that Fiona could stay with Declan. She would spend most of the long night trying to get beef broth and water into him, and checking his bandages and his pulse.
    Sarah went to the larger campfire where she knew she’d find Mike. If there was ever a time she wanted to hear him say the words I was wrong , this was it.
    The relief of knowing the whole mad caper was over—and had ended almost exactly as Sarah knew it would—helped ease the chronic anxiety that lived in her gut.
    We’re going back and that’s all that matters.
    When she walked up Mike stood from where he was seated by the fire.
    â€œYou look done in,” he said grimly, making room for her to sit. “Come, eat.”
    Sarah looked around the campfire. Gavin and Sophia sat opposite them, their little one asleep in Sophia’s arms. Several of the women they’d liberated from the rape camp last spring also sat around the fire.
    â€œSiobhan’s with Mary and Kev,” Mike said, handing Sarah a plate of roasted rabbit.
    â€œGreat,” Sarah said absently. She bit into the meat and realized she was ravenous.
    â€œHow is he?” Mike asked.
    â€œNot good. But Sister Alphonse will know what to do.”
    â€œSarah…”
    â€œHow is he, Sarah?” Sophia called from across the fire. “I said a prayer for him.”
    â€œThat’ll help,” Sarah said with a smile. She looked at Mike. “And on our first day out.”
    â€œI know. It’s my fault.”
    He looked haggard and Sarah felt her heart soften toward him. She saw his guilt and his misery. It was true that Declan wouldn’t be laying in the back of a horse wagon fighting for his life if it hadn’t been for Mike’s insistence that they go looking for something better. But at least Mike saw that.
    â€œDon’t blame yourself too much,” she said laying a hand on his knee. As soon as she felt his leg, firm and hard under her hand, she realized it had been a long time since they’d touched. “I’m sure Sister Alphonse can fix him up.”
    â€œSarah,” he said, his shoulders sagging.
    She reached out to touch his face.
    â€œWe’re not going back,” he said wearily.
    Her hand froze. Would he really joke at a time like this? Or had he totally lost his