Caleb straightened. ‘There you go, Danny, all bandaged up. I’m afraid you’re going to have an interesting scar on your hand.’

‘It hurts,’ Danny complained.

‘Anything else?’

‘My arm and my stomach.’ His mouth turned down.

Caleb looked at Netty. ‘Try a little broth and see if he can keep it down.’

Netty rolled up her sleeves. ‘Now, my lad, let’s see to you.’

Danny pulled a face. Caleb hustled Adelaide away from the door and into the kitchen, where Sissy stood by the stove stirring a pot of something that smelled good.

She looked around as they entered. Adelaide’s stomach jolted at the sight of the blackened eye, split lip and other bruises along cheekbone and jawline that marred Sissy’s pretty face.

‘How’s the boy?’

Caleb shrugged. ‘I think he’s on the mend, but his system has taken a beating from that snake.’ From his pocket, he pulled a small blue bottle, which he set on the table. ‘Laudanum,’ he said, addressing Adelaide. ‘When he’s washed and fed and settled, give him a teaspoon. It will help with the pain and allow his body to rest.’

‘Sit down and eat. The soup’s just about done.’

Caleb shook his head. ‘I can’t stay. I’m afraid Danny is not my only patient. I left Posy at the surgery bandaging burns.’

Adelaide laid her hand on his forearm. ‘Caleb, you’re exhausted and filthy. You need to rest.’

He smiled and bent his head to drop a kiss on her forehead, a butterfly touch, nothing more, yet it sent a tremor through her body. His fingers brushed her cheek. ‘I’ll rest when I have time,’ he said.

The door closed behind him and Sissy ladled some broth into a bowl and set it down in front of her. ‘I’ll put some water on and draw you a bath,’ she said.

‘Sissy, you don’t have to—’

‘Yes, I do. You’ve always been kind to me, Adelaide, when others in this town have passed judgement. There’s not much I can do to repay you, so let me do this.’

‘Who hurt you?’ Adelaide asked, already knowing the answer.

Sissy touched her eye. ‘Your friend, Barnwell,’ she said. ‘It could have been worse, if Caleb hadn’t stopped him from hitting me again.’

So it was true, all the time he had been courting her, Richard had been availing himself of the services offered by Lil’s girls. She touched her own lip, still sore from where he had cut it with his unloving kiss.

‘He wasn’t worthy of you,’ Sissy said, her eyes bright with anger. ‘You’ve a good man in Caleb Hunt. Don’t let him go again.’

Adelaide shook her head. ‘When you’re looking at death, you tend to say things you’d never say normally. I have probably made a complete fool of myself.’