Dutch Van Der Linde opened his eyes. He felt stiff. The chair was more uncomfortable to sleep in than he had thought it would be.
It was light, and there were a few rays of sunshine coming through the window. Not enough to warm the room, but maybe to start the thaw they were hoping for.
He looked over at the fire, it was a dull glow. He should get more wood.
He glanced at the bed. The young girl was breathing regularly. The fever had finally broken last night, She was pretty much out of the woods now, he thought, as long as they could get everything to heal.
His thoughts were interrupted by the door of the cabin creaking open.
Arthur walked through the door and handed Dutch a mug of steaming coffee.
"I though you could probably use this" he said. "How is she?"
Dutch took the coffee, and looked at the girl on the bed, then at Arthur.
"The fever broke last night. I think she's doing OK, I guess time will tell". He replied.
Arthur motioned to the door. "You reckon she's up to eating yet? Pearson's got some stew on the go, there ain't much meat in it, but its wet and warm".
Dutch looked across at the girl then back to Arthur.
"Can you bring a couple of bowls, I'm starving, and we'll see if she can eat something when she rouses" he said.
"Oh and can you bring a couple of logs for the fire, its nearly out" he added.
Arthur opened the door, "yeah sure, Oh and it looks like Charles is back, he went hunting herbs and stuff first thing. I'll send him in once he's had a chance to warm himself a bit"
Dutch looked at Arthur "Thank you, my boy. Not sure I could have done this without you.."
Arthur nodded ascent in Dutch's direction and left the cabin.
Dutch turned his attention to the bed. He removed the damp cloth from the young woman's forehead.
She stirred and her eyes opened.
He immediately calmed her, before the terrified look had a chance to escalate.
"sshhh, it OK" he gently touched the side of her face.
"wh...who are you?...wh...where am I?" tears welled up in her eyes and let out a cry.
"What have you done...it hurts so much?" She tried to move, but couldn't.
Dutch gently stroke her forehead and let his hand slowly stroke her cheek.
"sshh now" he spoke quietly "my name is Dutch...Dutch Van Der Linde" he paused to see if she recognised his name. It appeared that she had no idea who he was.
"your leg is broken" he continued "but its in a splint. You can have something for the pain soon."
He smile gently
"Your back is...". He paused trying to come up with an explanation which wouldn't frighten her any more than she was already.
"it has some nasty cuts" he whispered. "My friend is bringing some healing balm very soon".
He grabbed the water canteen from the table and placed his hand behind her head.
"Here, drink this" he said.
She took a drink, and let out a deep breath.
"Thank you. I..I" she started to try and say something, but the words wouldn't form on her tongue.
Dutch took her hand and held it for a moment.
"Don't talk now Miss Rowan. Just try and relax" he said.
"Do you think you could manage some food?" He asked.
She looked at him and blinked. "Maybe just a little"
He stood up. "Good. I'll get someone to bring you some"
He walked towards the door, and glanced back at the young woman.
She had a panicked look on her face..
"Don't worry" he said, as he walked out the door. "You are quite safe now".
Dutch looked across the camp towards the other buildings, where Arthur was talking to Pearson and Hosea.
"Arthur, Hosea" he yelled. They both looked up. "Hosea can you take that bowl of stew and feed our young guest. And Arthur once you've chucked some more logs on the fire, can you mount up. We have a train to rob!"
Hosea opened the door and walked into the cabin. He smiled at the young woman laying on the bed, her eyes had been trained on the door, even before he came inside.
"Ella?" he asked, knowing full well that there was no-one else in the room.
She nodded.
Hosea thought she looked a bit disappointed that he was the one bearing the food. But then he thought, that was no real surprise. One minute to be nursed by a dashing charismatic man, only to be replaced by an old fool. Still he would try his best.
"I've bought you some food, if you'd like it?" he smiled. "You certainly look a lot brighter than you did last night".
"Thank you" she forced a smile.
Hosea, put the food on the table. "here, let me sit you up a little. I'm sure your quite capable of feeding yourself".
He picked up the blanket that he had tossed to Dutch last night and folded it a few times and put it behind her back. She grimaced as a look of pain passed across her face.
He pretended not to notice, he didn't have Dutch's skill at nursing the sick he decided, so instead passed her the bowl of stew.
She raised a spoon of the broth to her mouth, pulling a face as the food hit her taste buds.
Hosea smile "Sorry, its not very nice, but at least its warm". Ella was about to smile, but her face contorted into a grimace as a wave of pain shot through her.
She dropped the spoon in bowl with a crash and gripped onto the blanket, until the wave had passed.
A tear rolled down her cheek "I can't bear this" she cried "its too much".
Hosea grabbed a cup from the table and poured a liberal amount of whiskey into it.
He put the cup to her lips.
"Quickly, drink this. It will help" he said.
He put the bowl of stew on the table.
"Its best if you just try and rest." He said.
He remove the blanket from behind her back so that she could lay down.
The shirt that they had put on last night was already damp with blood stains from her back, There was little he could do about that now.
She closed her eyes. The whiskey seemed to be having some effect, if only to let her sleep through the pain.
Hosea sat in the chair next to the bed. He would watch over her until the boys returned, hopefully Charles would have some idea how to ease the poor girls pain.
Hosea awoke with a start, a lot of noise outside meant the boys had returned, and their upbeat spirit probably meant it had been a successful take.
He opened the door, Dutch was smiling.
"Well?" he asked.
"Good, Hosea...very good" he said
Arthur piped up, "except we won't be letting Bill deal with any more explosives" He laughed.
"Oh Shut up, it weren't my fault" Bill groaned.
Dutch looked at Hosea. "Slight technical hitch with the detonator, but we got everything we came for".
He looked at the rest of the gang. "Go on boys, go get a drink, you deserve it."
Dutch turned to Hosea "How is she?"
Hosea shook his head. "Not good, she tried to eat a little of Pearson's stew, but the wounds on her back have opened up again."
Dutch shook his head "I don't think we can blame Pearson's Stew for that...let me speak with Charles. He was going to put together some sort of balm".
Hosea looked at Dutch "She's in a helluva lot of pain. I gave her some whiskey and she's been sleeping. But I don't know how long that will last." He sighed.
Dutch turned towards his cabin, he looked at Hosea. "Go and have a drink with the boys they can fill you in. Then can you ask Charles and Arthur to come over. I need to get Charles to take a look at her, and then they can both move the bed from the back room. At least tonight I intend to get some sleep." he sighed as he opened the cabin door.
He walked across the room and perched himself on the side of the bed. He glanced down at the back of his old shirt. It was caked with fresh blood and clear fluid. Well I suppose its not pus and poison. He wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.
At that point, the door opened and Charles came in.
"Sorry Dutch, I meant to give you this, this morning". He passed a small flask over to Dutch.
Dutch walked over to Charles and took the flask. "What is it?"
Charles smiled. "Its a healing balm. You'll need to put it on her back. It should help the wounds heal a bit faster" he said.
Dutch glanced at the flask, "I'm assuming this won't be a particularly pleasant experience?".
Charles swallowed hard "No, it won't be. But without it, its likely that the wounds won't heal at all".
Charles looked over at the young woman, "I thought it might be a good idea to take a look at the leg as well. I think we may be able to do away with the upper splint. Without use the muscles will start to waste. Its a fine balance so the bones will heal without the muscles wasting away".
Dutch looked at Charles and frowned. "but she won't be able to walk anyway if the lower leg is still in a splint?"
"True" Charles replied, "but you can manipulate and massage the upper leg muscles so they don't waste away, once the lower leg is healed you'll need to do the same".
Dutch gave Charles a friendly slap on the shoulder. "We're going to need your guidance on this my boy".
Charles was a little confused. "I don't understand why you don't just return her to her family. Surely they can't be that hard to find". He said.
"Its complicated, Charles, very complicated. Lets just see what we can do, OK?" he replied.
Charles nodded.
"I think she might be waking. Now is going to be as good time as any to get this done. Like I said its not going to be pleasant. Lets free up the leg first though. It will make dealing with the other issue a little easier".
Ella started to open her eyes. She was happy to see the man who was being so kind. Even though she didn't know who he was. Dutch, she tried to think if the name should mean anything, but she couldn't think. The other man she vaguely recognised from the previous evening.
Dutch sat on the edge of the bed.
"Hello my dear. I hear you haven't been too good today?"
Tears welled up in her eyes "I...I.."
Dutch stroked her face, but his voice was firm.
"Now listen. You have been hurt, quite badly". He gestured to Charles.
"This is my friend Charles. He is a healer, we need to have a look and see if we can't help you. It may be painful, but its the only way...do you understand?".
She nodded, but the look of fear had returned to her face.
Dutch softened his tone. His large hand gently held her face, whilst his thumb stroked her forehead.
"Don't be afraid. I'll be here, OK?"
She took a deep breath and nodded.
Dutch held the young woman's hand whilst Charles remove the blanket from her lower body and looked at the leg. Her lower leg from the ankle to the knee was swollen, but her upper thigh appeared just to be badly bruised.
He squeezed her toe. "Can you feel this he asked.
She nodded.
Charles pulled his hunting knife from his belt. Ella gasped. Dutch squeezed her hand gently.
"Ella...just look at me" he commanded.
She snapped her eyes away from Charles and look straight at Dutch's face.
Charles cut away the cloth from her upper leg and removed the wood splint.
He felt the muscle on her thigh.
Ella winced, and looked at Charles.
Dutch grabbed her jaw with his free hand and forced her to look at his face.
"Look at me, I said" he shouted.
Ella gasped. Not sure who to be more scared of, the Indian with the knife, or the man who she was being force to look at.
Charles look at Dutch. "OK that's the leg dealt with". He said.
Dutch release his hand from the girls jaw. He gently cupped he face in both hands. His voice was gentle now.
"Ella...we aren't going to hurt you" he said slowly.
He gently let go of her face. She nodded. Her whole body visibly relaxed.
Dutch gently moved Ella round so her legs were hanging over the side of the bed, She let out a cry as the blood started to circulate into her broken leg. He gently took her hands and squeezed them.
"It will pass" he said.
After a few moments she looked at him and nodded.
Dutch looked across at Charles.
"I think we need a few moments", Charles nodded.
"Can you go and see Miss Grimshaw and ask for another shirt" Dutch requested.
Charles nodded again.
He looked at Charles "I'll deal with her back whilst your gone"
"And if you have anything in your arsenal to relieve the pain, that would also be good" he whispered.
Charles nodded and walked to the door, he wasn't really sure why, but he didn't really want to stick around whilst Dutch was ministering to the poor girls back.
Dutch looked at Ella "Now I'm going to take off this shirt. Do you trust me, Ella?" He whispered.
She looked at him and nodded.
He slowly started to unbutton the shirt, reveal the naked body. He moved his head close to hers.
"Don't move" he whispered in her ear, the breath from his lips caused the delicate hairs to stand up on her neck.
She let out a little gasp.
He walked slowly so he was standing behind her. He gently slid the shirt off of her shoulders letting his hands linger on the bare flesh for just a little longer than was entirely necessary.
He gently peeled the shirt off where it had stuck to her back. She winced, and apart from a short gasp, she didn't make a sound.
Finally he removed the sleeves from her arms.
He took out the flask that Charles had given him, and started to massage the lotion into the lesions on her back.
She moaned a little, but for some reason she dare not move.
Once he had finished working in the balm, he moved he locks of auburn hair, that hung down her back and draped them over one shoulder,
He slowly ran his finger down the side of her neck, tracing a line to her shoulders.
Her back arched, uncontrollably.
He tilted her head back, his lips almost touched her ear and he whispered.
"Now that wasn't so bad, was it".
Ella couldn't answer, she felt like all the energy and been drained out of her body.
Dutch picked up the spare blanket and wrapped it around her naked body, and gently stroked her face.
Just then the door opened and Charles walked in with a pile of clothes, which he laid on the table.
"There's a clean shirt and a loose pair of britches that we think will go over the splint. She'll need something on if were going to be travelling in the next few days."
"Thank you Charles, that will be fine, did you manage to find anything for the pain?".
"Not exactly" replied Charles "but this is a sleep draught so, I guess she will be able to sleep through it."
He handed the small bottle to Dutch.
Dutch smiled, "can you give me a few minutes. I need to get these clothes on and get her settled. I think this evenings events have taken their toll. Perhaps you and Arthur can come back in a while to sort out somewhere for me to sleep".
"Of course" Charles replied. "We'll come back in a little while".
With that Charles left the cabin.
Dutch slowly removed the blanket from Ella, to reveal her young naked body. He carefully dressed her in the clean shirt and trousers.
Once he had dressed her, Dutch pick her up carefully, laid her on the bed and covered her with a blanket.
He spoke softly "Ella..." He gently stroked her face.
She opened her eyes. He noticed what a beautiful shade of blue they were.
"You need to drink this" he said. He poured some of the liquid into her mouth.
She swallowed the liquid, it taste sweet and bitter at the same time, she thought.
She blinked, trying to stay awake, to make sense of what had just happened. But the sleep draft had already started working. Her eyes closed and she drifted off to sleep.
A short time later Arthur and Charles came in with another bed, and some blankets.
Arthur looked at Dutch.
"Everything OK?" he asked.
Dutch replied "Oh yes my boy, everything is coming together nicely".