pain around Berry’s dark
eyes and mouth. “That’s not good. I’m sure I have something in my bag of tricks
that can rectify that.”
Berry
blinked, Nell had capitulated all too easily. “No! No way. I want drugs. Real drugs from a recognised
pharmaceutical company. None of your
foul tasting herbal teas and no more slimy salve.”
Nell
shook her head, a warm, amused smile on her pretty face. “I’m going to put all those negative
ungrateful comments regarding my teas and salve down to lack of sleep and
pain.” She lifted out two items from her
bag.
Berry’s
eyes instantly went to the small pouch of tea leaves. “No. I told you. I’m holding out this time for real drugs.”
Nell
waved her other hand to get Berry’s attention. “If you drink the tea you get the sling. If you are wearing a sling I can sign off on you getting out of bed…
maybe having a wash… or a bath.”
Berry
rolled her eyes. “Blackmail? I don’t know why everyone thinks you’re so
nice and sweet.”
Nell’s
lovely smile never wavered. “Now,
now. Don’t think of it as
blackmail. Think of it as being backed
into a corner by a foe of superior wit and intelligence.”
Berry
laughed, and then groaned as she jostled her shoulder. “Ouch. How am I supposed to manage a bath even if I’m wearing a sling?”
“Reinforcements
are on their way.” Nell assured, heading
for the door, the pouch of tea leaves in her hand. “I’m just going to go put the water on.”
“You’d
better hope you don’t appear in my court room any time soon cousin. I’m talking jail time here, so you’d better
not even think about jaywalking anytime soon.”
Nell’s
husky laugh drifted back through the door.
*
*
*
Hmmm,
for the second time that day Berry swam upwards to consciousness. This time though it was from a deep peaceful
sleep. She was guessing by the light filtering passed the curtains that
it was late afternoon. Wow, she felt
good, better than good. She felt rested. The pain in both her head and arm
having receded. She supposed she owed
Nell and her foul-tasting magically concoctions a grudging apology. She was feeling so good she considered
getting up but… if she did that, she might bump into Ramsey Hughes. She’d
sworn to herself never to bury her head in the sand again or avoid a confrontation
but surely being shot at least gave her some temporary reprieve from having to
face reality.
Honestly,
avoidance thy name is Beryl Louise Malone.
Hmm…
so get up and deal with the possibility of bumping into Ramsey Hughes and
battling her unwanted attraction to the man or roll over and try and go back to
sleep? Well, they did say rest was the best medicine of all and she was
particularly cosy and her feet were extra warm. Um, speaking of which, what was that weight? And just what had woken
her anyway? Lifting her head she noted the dark curled up form of Limbo
at the end of the bed. His black fur a stark contrast to the white cotton
blanket. She relaxed. It was only
Great-Great-Aunt Adelaide’s cat. Instantly her head came up again, shit!
“Limbo…”
His
green eyes blinked her way. Eerie how luminous and clear they were.
Before she could say his name again the cat was mid-air, those wickedly sharp
claws aimed straight for her face. She screamed in alarm and then groaned
as pain shot up her arm to her shoulder.
Her
cousin Zeke raced into the room, gun drawn, head swivelling, searching the
shadows. “What’s wrong? What is it?”
Berry
sat upright, her heart racing, cradling her sore arm carefully.
“Cat.”
“Dream?”
Zeke, holstered his weapon. “Or real?” A scowl crossing his
handsome face as he noted the glass sliding doors were still closed and locked.
Berry
huddled in the middle of her bed, trying to peer over the
eyes and mouth. “That’s not good. I’m sure I have something in my bag of tricks
that can rectify that.”
Berry
blinked, Nell had capitulated all too easily. “No! No way. I want drugs. Real drugs from a recognised
pharmaceutical company. None of your
foul tasting herbal teas and no more slimy salve.”
Nell
shook her head, a warm, amused smile on her pretty face. “I’m going to put all those negative
ungrateful comments regarding my teas and salve down to lack of sleep and
pain.” She lifted out two items from her
bag.
Berry’s
eyes instantly went to the small pouch of tea leaves. “No. I told you. I’m holding out this time for real drugs.”
Nell
waved her other hand to get Berry’s attention. “If you drink the tea you get the sling. If you are wearing a sling I can sign off on you getting out of bed…
maybe having a wash… or a bath.”
Berry
rolled her eyes. “Blackmail? I don’t know why everyone thinks you’re so
nice and sweet.”
Nell’s
lovely smile never wavered. “Now,
now. Don’t think of it as
blackmail. Think of it as being backed
into a corner by a foe of superior wit and intelligence.”
Berry
laughed, and then groaned as she jostled her shoulder. “Ouch. How am I supposed to manage a bath even if I’m wearing a sling?”
“Reinforcements
are on their way.” Nell assured, heading
for the door, the pouch of tea leaves in her hand. “I’m just going to go put the water on.”
“You’d
better hope you don’t appear in my court room any time soon cousin. I’m talking jail time here, so you’d better
not even think about jaywalking anytime soon.”
Nell’s
husky laugh drifted back through the door.
*
*
*
Hmmm,
for the second time that day Berry swam upwards to consciousness. This time though it was from a deep peaceful
sleep. She was guessing by the light filtering passed the curtains that
it was late afternoon. Wow, she felt
good, better than good. She felt rested. The pain in both her head and arm
having receded. She supposed she owed
Nell and her foul-tasting magically concoctions a grudging apology. She was feeling so good she considered
getting up but… if she did that, she might bump into Ramsey Hughes. She’d
sworn to herself never to bury her head in the sand again or avoid a confrontation
but surely being shot at least gave her some temporary reprieve from having to
face reality.
Honestly,
avoidance thy name is Beryl Louise Malone.
Hmm…
so get up and deal with the possibility of bumping into Ramsey Hughes and
battling her unwanted attraction to the man or roll over and try and go back to
sleep? Well, they did say rest was the best medicine of all and she was
particularly cosy and her feet were extra warm. Um, speaking of which, what was that weight? And just what had woken
her anyway? Lifting her head she noted the dark curled up form of Limbo
at the end of the bed. His black fur a stark contrast to the white cotton
blanket. She relaxed. It was only
Great-Great-Aunt Adelaide’s cat. Instantly her head came up again, shit!
“Limbo…”
His
green eyes blinked her way. Eerie how luminous and clear they were.
Before she could say his name again the cat was mid-air, those wickedly sharp
claws aimed straight for her face. She screamed in alarm and then groaned
as pain shot up her arm to her shoulder.
Her
cousin Zeke raced into the room, gun drawn, head swivelling, searching the
shadows. “What’s wrong? What is it?”
Berry
sat upright, her heart racing, cradling her sore arm carefully.
“Cat.”
“Dream?”
Zeke, holstered his weapon. “Or real?” A scowl crossing his
handsome face as he noted the glass sliding doors were still closed and locked.
Berry
huddled in the middle of her bed, trying to peer over the
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