Chapter 6

"No." Gabriel didn't know when he had decided he wasn't going to help, but he wasn't going to let them use Brigid for their own purposes.
They had waited a week for him to regain enough strength to ride, then told him what they wanted. He was to help drive the horses to be sold and if anyone asked, to say he was leading the drive for senor Ruiz. He knew what would happen to him if he was caught though. And Brigid would be left alone with these men. Of course if he didn't do it, they planned to have their way with her. Either way his enemies won and he and this girl he loved lost.
"I will not do it."
The leader of the group looked at him, then shrugged. "Fine." He walked over to where Brigid was sitting and helped her to her feet. "I think I'll let Enrique have her first."
She shot Gabriel a look and he knew what it meant. She didn't want him to do what they asked for her. He didn't pay any attention though. Lowering his head, he mumbled, "I'll do it."
The leader smiled. "Good. That wasn't so hard, now was it?"

He let Brigid go and she ran back over to Gabriel. "What do you think you're doing?"
There was misery in his eyes when he looked at her. "I can't let them hurt you." He squeezed her hand and she felt a rush of hope. Maybe he had a plan to get them away.
They started out, driving the horses ahead of them. Brigid rode between two of the men. They didn't want to risk having Gabriel ride off while they had him untied. They rode this way all through the day. When the sun started to set, they slowed the horses and prepared to stop for the night. Gabriel caught Brigid's eye and mouthed the word "ride" and nodded his head toward the west. She nodded slightly, then turned her mare's head and kicked her into a gallop. Just as the men realized what had happened, Gabriel was taking off after her.
Two of the men started to chase after them, screaming at them. They didn't stop or even slow down. A moment later, Gabriel felt something plow along the top of his shoulder, then he heard the report of a gunshot. He let out a grunt of pain and surprise and brought his other hand up to his shoulder. It came away wet with blood.

They continued riding at a gallop until they were a safe distance away, then slowed to a trot. Gabriel rode in front of Brigid, leading them first one way, then another, but never in a straight line for long. It was dark and they were traveling by the light of the moon when they finally found some shelter. He was helping her off of her horse when she noticed the blood coming from his shoulder. "You're hurt!" She cried.
He shook his head. "I'm fine."
"No, you're not," she told him firmly. "Now sit down so I can look at that."
She led him over to a rock, then went about gathering wood and starting a fire. Once she had it going, she walked over to Gabriel and started to take his shirt off. He tried to stop her, but she didn't pay any attention to him. Once she had it off, she tore some strips from it, folded one up, and put it over the wound. Then, she tore off some more and used it to keep the bandage in place.

Brigid helped him to lie on the ground and covered him with her cloak. She laid down beside him and was soon asleep.
*******
Alandra rode behind Juan on the trail. Not too far in front of them she spotted the smoke of a campfire. Juan stopped his horse, they dismounted, and started forward. They were in the camp before anyone saw them. She looked around and her heart sank when she saw no sign of Gabriel or Brigid. When she looked at Juan, he nodded. They walked over to the fire where the leader was sitting. He stood up and bowed mockingly.
"What can I help you with?"
"Where are my friends?" She asked in a demanding voice.
"Your friends? Ah, the Nino and the senorita. They are gone."
"Where?" She demanded again.
"That I do not know. They left last night. They did not enjoy our company I assume."
Looking around, Alandra could understand why. Just then, she saw something hanging from around his neck. It was a small, black stone. She remembered something her uncle had told her about a stone that looked like that. It was supposed to keep its owner from harm.

He was saying something. "You'll not see your friend again. He was shot as they were leaving."
The look on her face turned to one of rage. She took a step forward and the bracelet on her wrist turned into a blade. She lunged at him, but he somehow remained out of reach. After trying this several times and failing every one, she sliced the air with the blade. The string holding the stone around his neck fell to the ground.
His face went white with fear. She stepped closer and this time the blade went true to its mark. She pulled it from his body and he fell to the ground. The other three men were laying on the ground, dead. One had a bullet through his heart and the other two had caved-in skulls.
Juan had retrieved their horses and was mounted on his, holding Alandra's for her. She walked over to him and took the reins. Once mounted, they headed off, looking for tracks. On the west end of the camp, they found what they were looking for; the tracks of two horses. They started off on the trail.
*******
Brigid was startled awake when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She jumped to her feet and looked around. Wrapping her arms around Jacob McCarty's neck, she started to cry with relief. After a minute, he said, "Come on. We need to get away from here."
They helped Gabriel up and onto his horse, then started away. They had been riding for about an hour when they saw two riders coming toward them. Jacob pulled up, Brigid and Gabriel stopped behind them. Gabriel was swaying in the saddle and didn't look like he'd stay there long.
As the riders got closer, Brigid recognized Alandra as one of them. "Are the two of you all right?" She asked, concerned.
Brigid shook her head. "Gabriel's been shot."
He shook his head. "I'm fine. It's just a scratch."
"No, you're not," Brigid told him firmly.
He opened his mouth to say something, then closed it again, realizing the futility of it.

Alandra looked at Jacob and said, "I thank you for finding them. If you and Juan will go back and gather my uncle's horses, I will take these two back to the hacienda."
He nodded his head and they headed back to the thieves' camp. Alandra turned back to Brigid and Gabriel. Just as she opened her mouth to say something, he fell from the saddle. Brigid leapt from her horse and ran over to him with her skirts flying behind her. She fell to her knees beside him and took his head in her hands. She pushed his hair out of his face and recoiled at the burning sensation she felt on his skin.
"He's on fire."
"We need to get him back to the hacienda. His wound is probably infected. My uncle's doctor can take care of him."
Brigid nodded her head and they lifted Gabriel to his feet and practically carried him to the horse. Once they had him in the saddle again, Brigid reached into his saddlebags and pulled out some leather strings. With these, she tied his hands to the saddle horn to keep him from falling again.

The sun was beginning to get lower in the sky when they arrived at the ranch. Alandra and Brigid helped Gabriel from the saddle and into the bunkhouse. A stable boy took the horses into the stable. Alandra had gone up to the house and returned a couple of minutes later with an older man; the doctor. Alandra led Brigid out of the building and the doctor set to work over Gabriel.
He started heating some water over the fire, then walked back over to the bed and removed the soiled bandage from Gabriel's shoulder. There was a deep furrow along the top of his shoulder, running from front to back. The skin around it was red and inflamed. It had also started to bleed again. The water had started to boil by now, so he soaked some bandages in it.
While the bandages were in the water, he pulled a flask of brandy out of his bag and poured a small amount on the wound. Gabriel let out a cry of pain and shock. Then, he tried to order his thoughts through the fog of pain.

The doctor gave him some of the brandy to drink, then went about his work. He pulled the bandages out of the water and covered the wound. Then, he took a dry bandage and wrapped it around and under his shoulder to keep it in place.
Once his patient was resting somewhat comfortably, he gathered all of his things and left.
*******
Alandra stood beside Brigid with her arm around the younger girl's shoulders. "He can't die. We've been through too much. He can't die now."
"He won't, Brigid. He doesn't know how to give in."
She smiled at Alandra through the held back tears. They turned around when they heard the door open. "He'll be fine if the fever passes in the next twenty-four hours," the doctor told them. "You can go in with him, senorita."
"Gracias." She almost ran inside, but controlled the urge to do so. She pulled a stool over to the side of the bed and sat down. Taking his hand in hers, she lifted it to her lips. Then, the tears started to fall. She let her chin fall to her chest while her whole body shook from sobbing.
She was startled and almost choked on her sobs when she felt a strong but gentle hand fall to her shoulder. She jumped to her feet and wrapped her arms around her father. She buried her face in his shirt as the tears continued to pour forth. He stroked her hair and muttered something soft and gentle in Gaelic.
After a couple of minutes, he lifted her head and wiped her tears away with his thumb. "Everything will be all right," he said gently. Then added, "But never do that to me again. I had no idea of what had happened to you. I was scared. I thought I had lost you. I could not bear that. Promise me that you will never do that again."
"I promise, Father. I did not mean to scare you. I was not thinking. I was scared too. For Gabriel."
"I know, Daughter." He kissed the top of her head, then went outside, leaving her alone with Gabriel once more.
She sat down on the stool and took Gabriel's hand again. Brigid must have dozed off because the next thing she knew, she was brought awake by his hand tightening around hers.

She smiled down at him. His eyes were still cloudy with pain, but she could see his strength coming back and knew he was going to make it.
"Where are we?" He asked.
"Back at the hacienda," she told him.
"What about the horses?"
"They're back too. Juan and Jacob drove them back."
He closed his eyes again and had soon fallen back asleep. Soon, the door opened and Alandra looked in. "You need to get some rest, Brigid."
Brigid looked at Gabriel's sleeping form, then back at Alandra, reluctant to leave him.
"He'll be fine," she assured the younger girl. "The men are back and his friend, Felipe, said he'd keep an eye on him."
Brigid followed Alandra outside and up to the house. She led the way to an extra room and gave her some night clothes to wear. Brigid slipped under the covers and was immediately asleep. When she woke up, it was long past dark. She closed her eyes and tried to get back to sleep, but was unsuccessful. She stared up at the ceiling and sleep finally did overcome her.

The next morning her eyes opened to the sun streaming through the window. She stood up and saw a clean dress hanging from the closet door. She pulled the night dress over her head and put on the dress. She also saw a new pair of shoes and slipped them on. She walked down the stairs and reaching the bottom, saw her father and Alandra waiting for her. She looked at them and was relieved to see nothing but happiness in their faces.
"Go on out and see him," Alandra told her. "Felipe said he's been asking for you all night."
She headed outside with her father looking after her with feelings of mixed happiness and concern.
She walked into the dimly lit bunkhouse and saw Gabriel propped up in his bed once her eyes had adjusted to the change in light.
"Come over here, mi Amor," he told her.
She did, sitting on the edge of the bed. He took her hand in his and squeezed it tightly.
"You saved my life."
"No . . . " she started to disagree, but he silenced her.
"If it wasn't for you, I would have just let them kill me. But because of you, I decided to fight back, get away, and survive. I owe my life to you."

He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it. Lowering it, he looked into her eyes and smiled. She returned his smile and they leaned toward each other, their lips meeting in a kiss. They pulled away, but her hand lingered on his.
After a while, he said, "You'd better get back up to the house before they start to wonder where you are."
She nodded her head, but remained sitting for another minute. When she did get up, he took her hand again, then let it go. She walked to the door and looked back at him, smiling. Closing the door behind her, she walked up to the house.
Over the next couple of weeks, Gabriel's condition continued to improve. One week after their escape from the thieves, he was well enough to see Brigid. She was staying at the hacienda until he was well again. After a month of rest, he was able to get back to work.

One day when he was out rounding up strays, he saw something partially hidden in the tall grass. He dismounted and bent to pick it up. In his hand, he held a small, black stone. It looked like it had once hung from a string. It gleamed brightly as the sun reflected from its surface.

Walking back to his horse, he put it in his saddle bag, thinking he'd give it to Brigid as a gift. He remounted and headed home, singing a song, content with his life for now. Brigid and her father were back at their house in town. And everything was back to the way it had been; the way it was supposed to be.