Doc Merar arrived just as Jarrod started to staunch the bleeding from Heath's shoulder wound. Confused, he looked to Victoria for an explanation.
"Victoria, I thought that Nick was bitten by a rattlesnake. Why is Heath here in bed with him?" Spying the blood on Jarrod's hand, the doctor's voice sounded with concern, "Jarrod, is he bleeding?"
Jarrod nodded grimly while, with deft hands, he checked Heath for other injuries before he turned him over to check his back.
Softly, Victoria filled the doctor in on the events of the morning. Though it had gotten around town that someone had tried to kill Heath, the nature of the danger and its ongoing threat had not had a chance to circulate.
Howard took in the slightly flushed face of Nick Barkley and the torn pant leg and bandage as Victoria explained the events of the morning. He moved to Nick's side and cut the bandage from his leg.
Not looking at the doctor's investigation of the bite wound on his leg, Nick only had eyes for his brothers as Jarrod turned Heath on his side to investigate the wounds on his back. Lower on the bed, Heath's head and shoulders were just about even with Nick's chest. Nick held his brother's back so that Jarrod could cut the shirt and bloodied bandage. "Come on doc, mother already told you that I'm fine. You need to take a look at Heath. I can wait."
Dr. Merar was systematically cleaning and inspecting Nick's wound. "Hold still young man. You may not have gotten much venom with this bite, but I'll not have this wound getting infected. Your brother seems to be in good hands and it looks to me like the bleeding is slowing. I'll take a look at him in just a moment."
After showing Victoria how to rebandage Nick's injury, the doctor walked around to the other side of the bad and inspected Heath's older wound.
"Just as I suspected. You're brother pulled some of the stitches out when he took that fall in the barn. He'll be fine, Victoria, just fine." Forgoing more stitches, the doctor wrapped a new bandage and continued, "I'm thinking that he passed out as much from over exertion as blood loss. He just needs some rest." Looking over at Nick, he added sternly, "and some peace and quiet. No more shenanigans in the barn, or anywhere else, for at least a week for this young man."
Nick sputtered at the injustice of being blamed for Heath being in the barn. He had no idea that Heath was conscious again until he heard his muffled comment.
"Don't know 'bout that, doctor. Nick's a tough taskmaster."
Nick snorted and grumbled as Jarrod helped the doctor turn Heath over onto his back. Jarrod noted with a slight upturn of his lips, no matter how annoyed with their teasing younger brother Nick might be, his arm still cradled Heath's head.
"Why, doctor, he'd probably have me breaking horses tomorrow – less'n you put a few restrictions on him as well – for my own good - of course."
Victoria chimed in with a swish of lavender silk as she approached the bed. "That goes without saying Nicholas." Turning to the doctor she raised a questioning eyebrow.
"Well Victoria, even a little rattlesnake venom can act as an anticoagulant. Nick needs to stay out of trouble, uh rest, for at least three days. That should give his leg some time to mend as well." Howard was amused by the byplay between these young men. He turned to Heath and queried, "Does that meet with your approval?"
Attempting to sit up, Heath groaned softly, "Yes, indeed, Doc Merar. Anything that restricts Nick's natural inclination to ride herd on all of us lesser mortals will downright insure some relaxation 'round here."
With a gentle shove that propelled Heath out of bed, Nick growled, "Get out of my room before I use my good leg to kick you out."
Leaning heavily against Jarrod, Heath winked sleepily at the doctor. "See what I mean? He'll be at the pearly gates, tellin' St. Peter that his fence posts need work. Who do ya think he'd be ordering to dig the postholes?" Tapping his chest lightly, Heath answered his own question, "Yours truly." He favored Nick with a drowsily crooked grin and got the annoyed growl he has digging for. With any luck they'd forget about the letter Heath had secreted into his pocket. But he wouldn't forget. He had plans to make. And the main objective was to ensure that one overly protective older brother stayed out of harm's way.
TBC…