Treachery: Day 9

Word Count: 54,013

Summary of Events:

Richard Jr.'s colt had recovered from his sone bruise, so Edward worked with him, primarily accustomising the colt to the sight of the saddle and its blanket, as well as putting the blanket on the colt's back while Adeline watched. Richard Jr. came out while Edward was working and professed to be the better horseman, so Edward challenged him to prove it; Richard got frustrated quickly and went to the house to get a gun and shoot the colt. Mr. Leonard refused to see the colt shot and he and Richard got into a struggle over the loaded gun that went off through the ceiling of the room they were in and ended up catching one of the younger Leonard boys in the shoulder, whom Edward carried down to the kitchen to tend to . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

"Exactly the sort of thing Edward had feared would happen had. In their struggle the gun had come to be aimed in a direction where it could harm someone and had accidentally been discharged.

He removed the boy's shirt and used it to dab at the wound. From the looks of things the bullet had actually gone straight through the boy's body. How, Edward wasn't sure, but he knew it'd come out of the upper right shoulder.

As she came back with the box of supplies Edward held up the shirt to examine where the other point of entry was. It appeared to be hardly below the exit one. The boy must've been almost laying down when the shot hit him.

"Go get one of the hands to get a doctor," Edward said as he unrolled some bandage and wadded it into the centre of the wound.

She took off at once. There was so much blood and damage Edward didn't know if he'd have enough thread to sew it all up, or even if he would be able to save the boy, but he desperately wanted to.

In a few moments Edward noticed the flash of a horse and rider flying down the driveway. He then rolled the boy over and stuffed a wad of bandaging in the other hole. He then wadded the shirt against the back and rolled the boy so he was face up again.

Not wanting to ruin any of Mrs. Leonard's cloths, Edward took off his own shirt and wadded it against the boy's chest, holding it there with pressure to stop the bleeding. He then used his free hand to hold onto the boy's wrist and ensure that there was still a pulse.

It took a long time before she returned.

"Can I do anything?" she asked quietly.

"I don't know," Edward replied.

"I don't remember where to tie it to stop the bleeding," she said. "Papa showed us once, when he cut his arm, but I don't remember them all."

Edward didn't know if he'd ever heard that, although it would be helpful to know. He might have to hunt himself down a medical book with that information if he could.

It took a long time for anyone to come downstairs, and it was the oldest daughter first. She put on a pot of water to boil and kept her back to them the entire time. Edward didn't blame her, it was probably frightening to see her little brother limp and bleeding on the floor.

Soon the doctor arrived and started working without a word. The water was boiling shortly and the daughter — Edward felt like her name was Mildred, but he didn't think that was right either — filled a bowl with it, which she set beside the doctor before sitting down, her hands trembling and tears flowing down her cheeks."