Around the River's Bend (29 page)

****

When Hannah slipped off her horse the next morning, she saw that the door was open. It was very early, barely half an hour after sunrise, and she had ridden over to get Sabrina to go into town with her. She tied her horse to an oak tree and stepped inside. “Sabrina, where—” She stopped abruptly, for there on the floor before her she saw Sabrina sitting beside a sleeping Sion. She took in the blood-stained bandages and with a cry she fell on her knees. “Sabrina, what happened?”

“It was an arrow. I pulled it out and got the bleeding stopped, but I can't move him. I'm afraid he's going to die.”

Hannah quickly felt for Sion's pulse and looked at the wounds. “When did this happen?”

“Last night. I found him on the ground outside the cabin. I was afraid to leave him to go and get help.”

“We've got to get him onto the bed.”

Hannah waited while Sabrina stood and shook the feeling back into her numb legs, and then they worked together to drag Sion, who was totally limp, over to the bed. They eased him into it as carefully as they could.

“I've got to see how these wounds are,” said Hannah as she began to remove the blood-soaked bandages. Sabrina, without a word, began to tear up her only other petticoat.

Hannah gently pulled the dried bandage from Sion's chest and examined the wound. It was clean but still bleeding slightly. She pressed the bandage back on his chest while checking his back. The back wound seemed to be bleeding slightly also. Sabrina placed the new bandages she had just folded firmly under the strips of fabric that were still encircling Sion's chest.

“We've got to make him drink something,” said Hannah. “He's lost so much blood that he's probably dried out.”

“He can't drink if he's unconscious.”

“We'll have to try to wake him up.”

The two women managed to pull Sion into a sitting position, and Hannah held a cup of water. She dribbled a few drops into Sion's partially open mouth, and he closed his lips.

“Sion, you've got to drink something,” Hannah urged.

For some time it seemed hopeless, and then Sion coughed and opened his eyes, staring blankly out of them.

“Sion, try to swallow. You've got to drink all you can.”

With much effort, the two women managed to get a cup of water down Sion, though he still stared at them with unseeing eyes.

“He feels like he's got a fever,” Hannah said. “That often happens with a bad wound.”

“We need to go get help.”

“There's no doctor, but Dad could help him. He's good with wounds.”

“Go get him.”

“Are you all right?”

“I'll be all right. Go get help.”

Hannah said, “He's lost a lot of blood, but I think he'll live.”

“He's got to live. He can't die,” Sabrina whispered.

Hannah left the cabin at once and spoke sharply to her horse. “Get up, Lady!” She drove the horse at a dead run out of the yard and kept the mare at that pace until she came to her own home. She saw her father out chopping wood and yelled, “Father, Sion's been shot by an arrow. He's in Sabrina's cabin.” She watched as Hawk, without even a reply, ran for his horse, piled onto it, and drove out furiously. “He's got to be all right,” Hannah said. “He can't die.”

****

Sabrina had lost track of the hours and had slept only in fitful stretches, but she knew it was the third day since Sion had been shot. Hawk had stayed the entire time and even now was outside the cabin attending to the horses. Hannah had gone home after taking her turn nursing, and now Sabrina sat beside the wounded man. She put her hand on his head and found it burning. The fever had come and gone over these last three days. When Hawk had first come they had stripped off Sion's outer clothing. Now Sabrina dipped a cloth into a bucket of cool water. She wrung it out and put it over his chest and then did the same for his lower body. Now she leaned forward and stared at Sion's face. His cheeks were sunken, and the fever had brought red marks to his cheeks. Otherwise he was as pale as he had been when she first found him. Sabrina had made a thin broth, and during his brief periods of consciousness had almost force-fed him.

“He's got to eat. It'll build the blood back,” Hawk had said.

For a time Sabrina sat there filled with weariness. These last three days had been the hardest time of her life, and as she sat for hour after hour beside the wounded man, she found herself filled with hopelessness and doubts. He was so pale and weak. He had always been so strong, and now his strong body was useless to him.

She sat there in the quiet room watching Ulysses stretch and cross the room to jump up on the bed. “Go away, Ulysses,” she whispered. She waited until the cat had strode across the room and curled up in front of the fireplace, then removed the wet cloths from Sion, noting how his body had heated them up. She dipped the cloths in the cool water and placed them on Sion again. There wasn't much else she could do for him except pray, which had quickly become a habit. She had never been a woman of prayer, but the words came to her even so. “Oh, God, don't let him die!”

———

The darkness seemed endless, and Sion felt as though he had been buried in some deep hole filled with a heat that was unimaginable. From time to time he would come to the surface of the dark hole and feel a coolness. He knew there were hands touching him, and once he had reached out and touched something soft and yielding. He thought he heard his name being whispered, but then he had sunk back down into the darkness again.

But now this was different; the darkness seemed to be gone. Sion opened his eyes and saw sunlight streaming through the window. A shadow was beside him, and he turned to see Sabrina. Her face was pale and her eyes were closed. He whispered her name and her eyes instantly flew open and her hands went to his face.

“Sion, you're awake!”

“Aye.” Her hands were cool on his face, and he moved his head restlessly. “What's happened?” he murmured, and confusion filled his mind.

“You were wounded. You were shot by an arrow.”

Sion suddenly remembered the pain and crawling back to the cabin. He looked down to see that he was wearing only his undergarments and his chest was bare except for a bandage on the upper part. “I've had a fever, haven't I?”

“You nearly died,” Sabrina said. “Can you sit up and drink some water?”

“Aye.” Sion felt her arm behind his back pulling him up to a sitting position. “How long have I been here?”

“Nearly three days. We've been forcing you to eat. Are you hungry now?”

“Aye,” Sion said. “I am.”

“I'll get you something.”

Sion watched as Sabrina got up and went across the room. She came back quickly with a bowl of grits and said, “Eat all you can of this.”

Sion suddenly realized he was ravenous. He took the bowl and ate until the grits were all gone. “That was good,” he said. He handed the bowl back and then took the water she handed him and drank thirstily.

“I don't remember getting here.”

Sabrina bent over him and wiped his face with a damp cloth. “You crawled back to the door.”

“But the arrow. It was all the way through me. I remember that. Who took it out?”

“I did.”

“You did!” Sion stared at her. “How did you do that?”

“I cut the head off and pulled it out, and then I put some bandages on you to stop the bleeding.”

“How did you get me into bed?”

“Hannah came by the next morning. The two of us have been nursing you, and Hawk, too. He's outside somewhere. I'd better go tell him you're all right.”

He reached out and took her hand, and when she stopped, he fixed his eyes on her. “I feel so weak,” he said, “but I'd be dead if it wasn't for you.”

“I'm glad I was here to help, Sion.”

He released her then and lay back, feeling weak. He heard her calling Hawk's name, and then he went to sleep again.

———

When Sion awakened, he heard voices, and he quickly opened his eyes. He saw Fox standing over him on one side and Hannah on the other. Then his eyes went across the room, and he saw Sabrina. “Hello, Fox,” he said.

Fox looked down at him and said, “Well, you're going to live after all.”

“Let me out of this bed.”

“You stay right where you are,” Hannah said firmly. “You're not about to get out of bed. Not for a few days.”

“Well, I could at least sit up.”

With Hannah and Fox both helping, Sion wriggled into a sitting position. Once he was sitting, he remembered he wasn't wearing much clothing. A coverlet was pulled up over his lower body, but he was still mostly naked.

“I'm not hurt that bad.”

“Not hurt that bad,” Fox said. “You get an arrow through your chest, and you say you're not hurt?”

Sion felt rather foolish. “I guess you're right.”

“Did you see the Indian who put this arrow in you?” Fox said.

“Yes, I got a shot off with my musket. If I hadn't, I think he would have taken my scalp. He ran off into the woods.”

“I wonder if he was a Seneca. But then again, a Seneca wouldn't usually come down this far—”

“You two can do your talking later,” interrupted Sabrina. “He needs to eat.”

Hannah moved to let Sabrina get closer. “I'll be going home now.”

Sion said, “Hannah, you've been good to help take care of me. I feel like such a baby.”

Hannah smiled. “I'm glad you're all right.”

Fox put his hand on Sion's shoulder. “I made a fool out of myself at Sabrina's housewarming. I'm sorry.”

“It's all right,” Sion said. “I'd hate for you to know how many times I've made a fool out of myself.”

Fox grinned and said, “We men do that. I'll be back to see you later.” He turned and left with Hannah, and Sabrina came over and said, “Do you want to try something solid? How about a piece of this steak and some coffee?”

“I can get up and eat.”

“No, you can't,” Sabrina said. “You sit right there. Eat it all if you can.”

Sabrina sat down and watched Sion eat. “Do you want sugar in your coffee?”

“Yes, all you can spare.”

Sabrina took the coffee, sugared it liberally, and brought it back. She watched him while he drank it, and finally when he handed her the empty cup, he said, “I really would like to sit up in a chair.”

Sabrina hesitated. “I suppose you are getting tired of that bed.”

“Let me get my trousers on.”

Sabrina pulled his trousers and his shirt off the hook on the wall. “Do you think you can get into them by yourself?”

“If you'll just get my feet into my trousers, maybe I can do the rest.”

She did as she was asked, then turned her back while he finished getting dressed. He held on to her shoulders while he got slowly to his feet, then stood there for a moment swaying. He was surprised at his weakness. “Why, I'm as weak as a kitten!” he exclaimed.

“You lost a lot of blood. Take it easy, now. Let me help you to the chair.”

“I'd like to look out the door.”

“You'll sit down where the chair is,” Sabrina said firmly. She maneuvered him to the chair, and when she got there, she turned to face him so she could lower him. Instead, he kept his hands on her shoulders and held her for a moment.

“I'm trying to think of some way to thank you, Sabrina.” The realization hit him that this was the first time he had addressed her by her first name without a title of some sort. He had always called her
miss
, which was the proper way for a servant to address his mistress.

Sabrina didn't seem to notice as she looked into his eyes and said, “I'm glad I was around, Sion.”

For a moment he just stood there, aware of her strength and beauty. He finally said simply, “You know, I never realized. We all have to have someone to hold on to.”

Sabrina didn't answer for a while, then finally said, “Yes, you're right. Now, sit down.” She eased him into the chair. “You'll have to be still. I'll fix you something good to eat. What would you like?”

“Blackberry cobbler,” he said with a grin.

“All right.” Sabrina returned the smile. “Blackberry cobbler it will be.”

Part V

The Captives

December 1792-March 1793

Chapter Twenty

A Time of Giving

Fox had come to the Spencers' place to help smoke the venison, but his main motive was to make a final plea to Hannah. Ever since he had told her of his love, he had felt an uncertainty that had deepened into unhappiness. He had watched Hannah's actions, and at times it seemed to him that her feelings for Sion had changed, but at other times he could not be sure. Now finally the work was done, and Sion and Sabrina mounted their horses, preparing to leave.

“Thanks for your help,” Hannah said with a smile.

“You're welcome. Come over and see us as soon as you can, both of you.”

Fox and Hannah waved, watching the pair ride off, and Hannah commented to Fox, “It's been so good having Sabrina living so close. We've become very good friends.”

“She's a good neighbor,” Fox said briefly. He hesitated and then took a deep breath before saying, “Hannah, I've got to talk to you.”

“Well, come along. Let's take a walk,” Hannah said.

The two strolled under a sky gray as slate and unmarked by any clouds. It was the middle of December, and the air was frigid. From over the mountains came a cold breath warning of snow, which Fox mentioned as they walked along. “It's going to snow, but I don't mind that.”

“Neither do I. I've always liked snow.”

“Do you remember the snow fight we had three years ago?”

“Yes, that was a good time. We built a fort and divided up into teams and had a snow war. I remember you hit me in the ear with a hard snowball and made me cry.” Hannah laughed.