Treachery: Day 12

Word Count: 72,029

Summary of Events:

Mr. and Mrs. Leonard were having a party and Edward decided to back the colt for the first time in front of the crowd of guests. Adeline was a little leery about the idea, but they got it done and the colt didn't even fuss. Edward then gave a demonstration with his horses before going to play poker with the ranch hands. Adeline watched them play and hoped they wouldn't get too drunk on all the liquor they were consuming. Edward was the first one to wake up the next morning, and so hitched the Leonards' carriage for them to go to church; Mrs. Leonard accused him of drinking, but he lied that it was just sweat because he hadn't washed for a long time, so she insisted he have a bath . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

"The sound of water roused Adeline quickly. She felt alarmed by the sound of it, not that she was sure why. Sitting up and looking around, Adeline nearly screamed at the sight of a figure in the washbasin, everything underwater except for the legs.

No head was in sight, and being as the legs were bare Adeline didn't dare scramble down and offer aid — besides, she wasn't wearing her hat.

Quickly she looked down and saw that Edward wasn't in his bed.

Horror shot through her and before she could stop herself she was down the ladder and over at the basin. The water — thankfully — was clouded by bubbles from the bar of soap that was sitting in a small puddle of water beside the basin.

The water was moving slightly. Adeline reached in and grabbed at the slippery flesh, dug her fingernails in, and pulled as hard as she could.

Edward surged out of the water, spluttering and coughing. At the sound of the ruckus other heads shot up from their beds and Adeline scrambled back up to her bed to hide.

She saw Harvey hurry over just in his underclothes and start beating Edward's back firmly. Roy — similarly attired to Harvey — raced over with a pail and Adeline buried her face in her pillow at the sound of retching.

"What happened?" Harvey asked after the retching and coughing had died down.

"Where is that blasted kid?" Edward asked, sounding furious.

"In his bed, I think," Roy replied.

"Put some clothes on Thorne!" Harvey exclaimed.

Adeline could hear footsteps and the jingling of a belt buckle, then suddenly hands seized her arms and pulled her back. She went to scream, but a strong hand clamped over her mouth and she was hauled out of the bunkhouse and around behind the barn.

She was set down, spun around, and assaulted by Edward's demand: "What were you doing!?"

Adeline stared at him, his upper body still running with water — most of which was running down from the dark hair plastered to his head — his dark eyes blazing, his sides heaving.

she trembled on her legs and licked her lips as tears blurred her vision.

"I'm sorry," she whimpered. "I thought you were drowning."

Edward swore. "Can't a man wash his hair in peace?"

"I'm sorry," she sobbed.

Edward swore again. "Why do you women have to cry at everything?"

"I didn't mean to!" Adeline cried.

She sobbed, curling herself up tightly. After awhile she felt Edward's hands working to unfold her.

His expression was soberly serious, not angry.

"Y'all gave me a fright that near drowned me," Edward said. "But, I guess I can understand how y'all would be scared I'd drowned. But next time, just kick me in the leg or some other exposed body part or somethin'."

Adeline nodded, wiping tears from her eyes. She hadn't meant to nearly drown him."