Taming Talia (17 page)

He shook his head and tugged weakly on the pack. Gently taking his hands, she placed them by his sides. She glanced around the room. For his safety’s sake, she’d have to stay with him until his fever broke or at least as long as he wasn’t in his right mind.

What was it Sarita said? “
Alimenta un
resfriado
. Mata de hambre una fiebre.”
Feed a cold, starve a fever? He wouldn’t be eating for a while, but he needed liquids. Whether or not she could get any down him was another matter entirely.

Think. Think.
What else had Sarita done when Natalia had a fever? She’d been a very healthy child and could remember only one instance at thirteen when she was extremely ill with a fever. Other than keeping her cool and giving her liquids, there was a bitter-tasting tea Sarita had given her. What was the name of it, and more importantly, was there any in Sarita’s store of medicinal herbs?

Willow-bark tea?
Sí
, that was it. But should she leave Jared long enough to find the herb? She studied her charge. He’d quieted for the moment, although his body seemed to twitch now and then. At least he wasn’t fighting or having nightmares.

She really didn’t like seeing him twitch. Something wasn’t right. She’d better find that damn herb and make the tea. Chewing her lip, she rushed from the room and ran to the storeroom. Sarita kept the woven basket of medicinal herbs on the topmost shelf. On tiptoe, Natalia pulled down the basket and located the herb. If she remembered Sarita’s instructions correctly, a teaspoon of the powdered herb had to be soaked for eight hours in a cup of cold water, then strained. Hopefully, she could keep him comfortable with the ice-and-snow packs until the willow-bark tea was ready.

Sarita had made Natalia drink three cups of the bitter stuff a day for several days until her fever dissipated. She’d had given Natalia the instructions for the tea’s preparation along with a supply of medicinal herbs on the occasion of her marriage. Apparently, every wife needed her own supply of herbs to treat her family’s illnesses.

Too bad there hadn’t been a cure for meanness of spirit included. She would’ve dosed Reginald with that one daily.

She brought in a soup pot full of snow and set it on the cookstove to melt. Once again she thanked the Blessed Mother that Sarita had been so thoughtful.

All right, back to check on her patient.

When she reentered the bedroom, Jared was lying quietly on the chaise. She checked the ice packs; they’d need refilling soon. His forehead was still hot and his hands were trembling, but at least he wasn’t having a hard chill.

Now back to the stove to see if the snow had started to melt. No point in getting the water warm, since the fever preparation had to steep in cold water. She brushed the hair back from her forehead and sighed.
Dios
, why did the damn stuff have to take so long to prepare? Maybe the ice-and-snow packs alone would be enough to break his fever.

Taking one last glance at Jared, she returned to the kitchen. She looked over the rim of the soup pot and gave the slush a stir. Enough of the snow had melted so she could prepare the first cup of the tea. Maybe steeping six hours would be sufficient. No, Sarita had given specific instructions. Eight hours.

She dipped into the slushy snow with the soup ladle and poured the cold water into a tin measuring cup, filling it half full, then another ladle to fill the cup. With care, she measured out a teaspoon of the precious herb, then said a quick prayer before dumping it into the cup. Giving the mixture a quick stir, she then left the cup on the table to steep.

The next few hours were a never-ending blur of changing out ice packs, which necessitated additional trips outside in the snow and coming back inside. Between that, sitting by his side to watch over him and tending the fire, she was numb with exhaustion. While the willow-bark tea steeped, she wiped his face over and over with cold, wet towels. She could only rouse him enough to get a few sips of water down. When he did rouse, he remained confused and still thought she was his mother. Since it seemed to calm him, Natalia continued with the pretense.

When she grew hungry to the point of feeling faint, she grabbed a piece of cornbread from the kitchen and nibbled on it while she watched over her charge.

She dragged a rocking chair from the drawing room into the bedroom. She didn’t dare lie on the bed for fear she’d go to sleep. Even so, her eyelids grew heavy, but the striking of the long case clock in the hall brought her out of her doze. She counted the strokes.

Finally, the eight hours were up. She jumped from the rocker and rushed to grab the cup of tea. Damn stuff had better work, because Jared wasn’t getting any better. What if he didn’t get better? What if he died? She’d be all alone in this miserable snowstorm. What would be the point of going on without him?

Stop it.
The isolation and not having anyone to rely on except herself was getting to her. The tea would bring Jared’s fever down, and they would support each other until the storm was over, as they had before his fall.

When she entered the bedroom, he was in the throes of another chill. She flew to his side.

“Jared!”

His arms flailed about. She had to jump back to keep him from knocking the cup of herbal tea from her hand. She set the cup on a table out of his reach, then sat on the edge of the chaise. “Easy,
pequeño
, you need to calm down and drink the tea. It’ll help you feel so much better. Be
mami
’s good boy.”

“I’m always a good boy, Mama. Aren’t I?”

“
Sí
,
bebé
. You are such a good boy. Now drink this tea for your
mami
.”

“Yes, Mama,” he said parting his parched lips to sip the liquid. “Ugh!” Shaking his head, he shut his eyes tightly and held his lips together. “Unh-uh,” he mumbled, waving her away.

Damn it. He needed to drink the entire cup. “Jared, you must drink this for
mami
. You won’t be my good boy if you don’t.”

“Aw-right.” Keeping his eyes shut, he opened his mouth and hunched his shoulders in preparation for the bad taste.

This time, thankfully, he drank the rest of the cup. He finished the tea with a grimace, wiping his lips with the back of his hand. “Blech!”

Natalia wanted to laugh. He was so genuinely a little boy…a darling one at that. How wonderful it would be to have a small Jared to care for, to watch him grow from a baby to a grown man who would then have babies of his own. Maybe he was right. They might’ve already started a baby. With Sarita’s help, she could raise the child…if her friend was still alive.
Please let her be all right. Please let this snow stop. And please let Jared’s fever go down.

She reclaimed the rocking chair and continued her watch. He’d already drifted into a light sleep, but his fingers still picked at the ice pack on his chest. Reaching over, she covered his strong, calloused hands with hers. Her touch always seemed to ease his suffering.

When he quieted, she leaned back in the rocker just to rest her eyes for a moment.

Jared awakened, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. What the hell? His hand went to his head and removed a makeshift ice pack. He dropped it to the floor, then pulled away a larger pack from his chest. Soaking wet, he shivered. The fire still burned, keeping the chill from the room.

Talia was asleep in a rocking chair, her beautiful face pale and drawn, her dark hair tousled and falling in waves about her shoulders.

“Talia…”

She shook herself awake and sat up straight. “What? I’m sorry I didn’t mean to fall asleep. You’re better,” she said with a wide smile.

Grinning, he stretched his neck and shoulders. “Better than what?”

“Better than before. You were delirious.”

“Sure I wasn’t just drunk?” He wiped his mouth with his hand. “I’m pretty sure I finished off that bottle of whiskey.”

“Oh, no. You were out of your head.”

“Really? Damn.” He yawned, then winced when the muscles in his leg cramped. “Leg’s no better. And I’m soaking wet.” He pulled at his union suit. “I’m kind of rank here. Sorry.”

“I don’t care how you smell. You’re going to be all right.” She leaned forward, reaching to touch his forehead. His hair was wet from sweat and the ice pack. “Thank the Blessed Mother, your fever has broken. I wasn’t sure if the tea would work or not.”

“The
tea
?”

“Willow-bark tea,” she said, heaving a sigh. “I managed to get a cup down you…barely.”

He swallowed. Damn if his tongue didn’t feel like it was stuck to the roof of his mouth. “That accounts for the vile taste.” He shook his head and gave a shiver.

“
Sí
. But you’ll need several doses just to make sure your fever stays down.”

He shut his eyes and grimaced. “Now that makes me wish I was still out of my head. Not looking forward to meeting that stuff again.”

She smiled. A wonderful warm smile that gladdened his heart. In spite of her anger over learning his true identity and mission, she’d cared for him during the evening and night, getting little rest. Her ire and passion concealed the truly good human being inside, not to mention that her presence comforted him as no other woman’s had.

“I hope you’ll take it willingly this time,” she said arching raven brows.

“I was difficult, was I?”

“Indeed. But you were a good
boy
after all. At least you were good for your
mami
.”

“That’s who I thought you were?”

“Most assuredly, Pinkerton. You were very sweet but made the most terrible face when it came time to drink the tea.”

“Thank you,” he said simply, his heart too full to say more. “I wouldn’t have blamed you if you’d left me out in the snow to die.”

Her dark eyes widened at his suggestion. “I admit I was tempted,” she said with a casual shrug. “Should I have let you die in the snow after you rescued me from the same fate? I don’t think so.” She rose from the rocker. “Now let’s get you into some dry clothes. The ice pack on your leg needs refreshing. You won’t need the others as long as your fever stays down.”

“Hold on. You need to get some sleep. If I’m not mistaken, you’ve been up most of the night. You kept the fire going, kept these icepacks filled and forced that bitter-tasting tea down me. You must be exhausted.”

“It was nothing I wouldn’t have done for anyone in a similar predicament.” She shrugged as if his litany of her good deeds wasn’t a big deal. “I might’ve dozed for a second here and there. I didn’t mean to.”

So he was nothing to her? Fine. “I’m awake. I’ll get up and—”

“Pinkerton! You’re not going anywhere. You need to stay off that leg another day at least. You need food…and a bath.”

“Only if you take one with me.” He grinned up at her and winked.

She rolled her eyes, and a hint of a smile twitched her full lips. “I’m afraid not. The copper tub isn’t big enough for two.”

“Wash my back?” he suggested hopefully.

“I think I could manage that sometime later.” Talia set her hands on her hips. “For now, you’ll have to settle for a sponge bath to prevent damage to your leg. You do remember you have a broken leg?”

He gritted his teeth. “Not likely to forget that.” Glancing at the empty bottle on the floor, he put on his most charming grin. “Any chance I could get more of that very fine pain medicine?”

Pursing her lips like a prissy schoolteacher, she nodded. “I suppose that could be managed, but I’ll be sure to ration it this time.”

Theatrically, he bowed his head and crossed his hands over his heart. “Cruelty, thy name is woman.”

“Hmph. It’s better than you deserve, Pinkerton.”

“Oh, so now that it’s certain I’ll live, you’re back to calling me Pinkerton.”

“
Sí,
” she said with no hint of expression.

Her nonchalance didn’t fool him. “And is
that
what you called me when I was delirious?” he said, challenging her to remember her softer side.

“You don’t remember?” She straightened his covers. “That’s unfortunate.” She turned to leave, then glanced over her shoulder and favored him with an arched smile. “Maybe it’ll come to you.”

“Ugh!” He grabbed the smaller icepack from the floor and tossed it at her shapely ass.

“You missed,” she said with a laugh, scurrying down the hallway.

Damn. As seductive as she was aggravating. Too bad he was already in love with her. A woman who had every reason to hate him. And one who had no intention of ever allowing another man into her life. Frowning, he rubbed his itching chin between his thumb and forefinger. If he didn’t shave soon, he’d have a full beard.

Marooned. Injured. Living the life of a virtual vagabond, he just never counted on falling in love with anyone—much less the subject of his investigation. That pretty much settled it. His life was fast on the road to hell in a hand-basket.

Natalia stopped in the hallway to catch her breath, leaning against the cool adobe wall.
Dios
. Jared’s little-boy appeal hadn’t gone away when he awakened. She could still see the glint of childlike mischief in his steel-gray gaze, as well as the deep hurt he hid so well behind his ruggedly handsome
macho
exterior. Relieved that his fever had broken but bone-tired, she wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and sleep for at least a week.