To Tame a Renegade Read Free

about him, but the hank of dark brown hair that fell across his forehead softened his appearance.
    “Most women would welcome help,” Chad said, trying again to wrest the kettle from her hands.
    “I’m not most women. Let go and leave me alone.”
    Chad had about all he could take from Sarah Temple. She was obstinate and unappreciative. He didn’t know why he was hanging around, offering to help when his help was spurned. Hadn’t he learned his lesson? Helping people could lead to tragic complications. He was living proof of that.
    Disgusted, Chad let go of the kettle and spun on his heel, completely unaware of Sarah’s plight as he walked away. Unprepared for his abrupt release, Sarah tripped over her skirts and stumbled forward. The kettle flew from her hands. Momentum carried her toward the tub of steaming water.
    Sarah’s first instinct was to fling out her arms to brace herself. Unfortunately there was nothing to stop her fall except the vat of scalding water. She let out a piercing scream as her arms plunged into the water.
    Chad heard the scream and automatically went for his guns, turning into a low crouch. What he saw made his hair stand up on edge. Sarah was on her knees beside the washtub, cradling her arms against her. She was deathly pale, her face contorted in pain. Slapping his gun back into his holster, Chad raced to her side, appalled to think that he was to blame for Sarah’s injuries.
    Chad’s expression turned grim when he saw how badly she had been scalded. The skin on her hands and arms was red, raw, and already blistering. Chad scooped her up into his arms, noting that she was barely conscious. She needed a doctor, and quickly.
    Just then Abner came bouncing out of the house. He saw his mother in Chad’s arms and flew at him. “What happened to Mama? What did you do to her?”
    “Your mother fell into the tub of hot water, Abner. She needs a doctor. Is there one in town?”
    Abner thought a moment then gave his head a vigorous nod. “There’s Doctor Clayter. He keeps an office above the One-Eyed Jack saloon. Mama took me there once when I broke my arm.”
    “Do you think you can find him, Abner? I don’t want to leave your mama alone.”
    Chad knew he was placing a big responsibility on the boy but felt he had no choice. The responsibility would be even greater if he left the child alone with his injured mother.
    “I’ll bring him back, mister,” Abner promised as he scampered off.
    “Tell him your mother’s been scalded,” Chad called after the boy. “And tell him to hurry.”
    Chad heard Sarah moan and glanced down at her. Her eyes looked like huge violet smudges in her pale face and her full lips had thinned into a grimace of pain.
    “Abner has gone for the doctor,” Chad said, unable to tell whether or not she understood. Her soft moans continued as he carried her into the house. He found himself in the kitchen and paused a moment to get his bearings.
    “No… doctor,” Sarah gasped. “Can’t… pay him.”
    “Don’t worry about paying the doctor,” Chad said. “The accident was my fault, I’ll take care of it Where’s the bedroom?”
    “There,” Sarah said, trying to indicate a direction with one of her injured hands. It was a futile attempt; her hand fell away uselessly.
    “I’ll find it,” Chad said, moving from the kitchen to the tiny parlor. He found the bedroom immediately and carefully placed Sarah on the bed. Then he stared down at her, feeling helpless.
    “You don’t have to… stick around,” Sarah said. She was in such excruciating pain she could barely think beyond the fact that there was a strange man in her bedroom, and that she didn’t trust men any former man she could throw them.
    “I may be a callous bastard but I’m not inhuman,” Chad said through gritted teeth. ‘I’ll wait around until the doctor arrives. Is there anything I can do for you?”
    Sarah started to shake her head no but changed her mind. “There’s some lard on a