"It was Maggie, not Rennie."

"Maggie? When did you--" Jarret held up his hand and cut her off.

"Mary, did you really imagine the family wouldn't gather at a time like this? Maggie and Connor arrived hours before I left. Michael and Ethan are on their way from Denver. Skye is the only one with no chance of getting here and she won't thank you for it." Mary's shoulders slumped a little.

"It occurred to me, of course," she said softly, more to herself and to Jarret, "but all of them .. "Jay Mac was here right away."

"I knew he would be." She wrung out the cloth and put it aside.

"Mama is doing well?" she asked.

"For the circumstances," he said.

"The more frustrated Jay Mac gets, the calmer Moira becomes." Mary smiled faintly.

"It's always been like that." Jarret grinned, understanding. He sorted through the items he had removed from the saddlebags and carried the most important ones to Mary's side.

"Maggie's instructions were hurried," Jarret explained, "but I think I know how to use these things." Mary accepted a bottle of tincture and studied her sister's neat, handwritten label.

"The wonder is she didn't insist on coming herself."

"She did," Jarret said dryly.

"Connor held her back." Uncorking the small brown bottle of white willow tincture, Mary swabbed Ryder's wound carefully.

"I had to cut him open again to remove more of the infection," she told Jarret.

"Then you haven't tried cauterizing the wound."

"No. I was afraid to build a fire. Ryder would never let me."

"It's all right," he said.

"I'll light a small amount of your lantern oil and heat my knife."

"I never thought of that." Jarret put his hand on Mary's shoulder.

"You've done as much as any three people," he said.

"Don't blame yourself now for what you didn't think of." That said, he began working quickly and efficiently, building the small fire to sterilize and heat the blade. Flames licked at the steel, turning it smoky blue.

"Hold his shoulders, Mary." She frowned.

"He's going to feel this?"

"He's going to think he's coming out of his skin." Mary placed her hands on Ryder's shoulder and watched Jarret turn the blade to get the flat, hot side of it lined up with the wound. At the last moment she looked away. The smell of searing flesh assailed her nostrils and she squeezed her eyes tight. Under her palms she felt Ryder's immediate struggle and she heard his growl of pain. She counted a full five seconds before Jarret removed the blade. Ryder was breathing hard.

There were white creases at the corners of his mouth. He had grabbed Mary's wrist to move her hand from his shoulder, and his fingers still pressed her skin hard.

Jarret put the knife aside.

"Let her go," he told Ryder.

"It's all right, Jarret," Mary said.

"He doesn't-" She felt Ryder's grip ease. When she looked down at him she saw that he had passed out.

"I always feel relieved when he does that." Jarret nodded.

"I.

know what you mean." He handed her the balm Maggie had packed for him.

"Take this. I'll get the bandages. Rub it carefully around the burn, then I'll wrap it lightly. Maggie's also given me some herbs so I can make a tea."

"You'll have to use cold water," she said.

"That's all right. It will only take a little longer."

By Mary's estimation it was thirty-six hours before they were able to note any change in Ryder's condition and another twelve before they could be certain it was a change for the better. The herbs that Maggie had had the foresight to provide helped Ryder's fever and reduce the inflammation around his wound. Mary gave thanks that when Ryder slept his slumber was no longer tormented, but was a deep, healing rest that would leave him stronger upon waking. Mary sat beside the well, rinsing bandages while Jarret lounged in the rocker, watching her. When she heard the tempo of the rocker change for the third time, she glanced over her shoulder at her brother-in-law, a question in her eyes.

"If you have something to say," she said, "say it." The rocking stopped.

"Very well. Ryder's stronger now. The time has come."

"Oh?

What time is that?" Jarret studied her. Was she pulling his leg or did she really not know?

"Did you imagine I'd be staying indefinitely?" he asked. Before she could reply he added, "Or that I'd be leaving without you?" Mary frowned, her eyes narrowing.

"No, I didn't think you'd be staying," she said slowly.

"But there's no question that you'll leave without me. I'm not going back to Fort Union with you."

"I'm not going to argue about this, Mary."

"Good." She shrugged and wrung out another bandage.

"Neither am I." Jarret realized that not arguing did not necessarily put them on the same side of the issue.

"Your mother, father, everyone, expects that if I find you I'll bring you back."

"I'm aware of that. You'll have to lie to them, of course. Tell them you didn't find me." He shook his head and raked back his hair with his fingers.

"I can't do that. They're worried, Mary.

With good reason. There's nothing remotely safe about your being with Ryder McKay. I can't pretend that I haven't seen you. Your parents, your sisters-all of them deserve better than that." Mary acknowledged the truth of his words with a slight bow of her head.