Chapter 39

The ride back to the ranch house was uneventful, and even the rain finally took pity on the two damp and tired women, slowing down to a light drizzle. The moon was trying to break out of the clouds as Lex pulled Thunder up to the stables.

Swinging her leg over his massive neck, the rancher slowly dismounted, then turned and pulled Amanda down to the ground. " C'mon, buddy…let's get you cleaned up and fed." Lex led Thunder into the building, walking him to his stall while the young blonde went to get a bucket of feed.

When Amanda returned with the oats, she noticed that the older woman had already pulled the saddle and blanket from the animal, and was in the process of brushing him down. She poured the contents of the bucket into his trough, and then stepped into the stall. " Here, " she said, taking the brush from Lex's hands, " let me finish this. Why don't you go on up to the house, and I'll meet you there? "

Lex looked down into earnest green eyes. " I'll make you a deal. You can finish with the grooming, and I'll clean up the tack. Fair enough? " when the smaller woman opened her mouth to argue, Lex continued, " That way we can walk back up to the house together. Deal? " she placed a grubby hand on the small shoulder. Let's try a different tact. " Besides, " she hesitated, looking down at the ground, " I could kind of use a little help with the walk up there…I'm so tired I'm about to fall down." She finished, in a near whisper.

Amanda placed a concerned hand on the rancher's arm. " What's wrong? "

Lex shook her head. " Nothing much, I'm just real tired…" she leaned heavily against the side of the stall.

" If you're admitting to that, it's time to take you up to the house." Amanda wrapped a small hand around Lex's arm, and began pulling her out of the stall. " I'll come back after while and finish up with the tack."

Lex meekly let the small blonde drag her from the stable, a tiny grin on the edge of her mouth. She is certainly something else, I can't believe I let her get away with this sort of thing.

Amanda slung open the back door, practically dragging the exhausted rancher behind her. " Martha! Where are you? " she yelled, pulling the tall form towards the kitchen. " Here, " she pushed Lex into the nearest chair, " sit down before you fall down." She gave the sitting woman's shoulder a gentle squeeze. " I'm going to go find…"

" What on earth happened to you two? " Martha bellowed, standing in the kitchen doorway. " I swear Lexie…I can't leave you alone for a minute! " she stomped over to wear Lex was sitting, slumped in her chair. Pulling the battered black hat from her head, the housekeeper scowled. " Good Lord! You're as white as a sheet! " she exclaimed, running a pudgy hand across the mud-spattered brow. Turning her attention to the young blonde woman, she asked, " Are you okay, sweetheart? "

Amanda sighed, and dropped into a nearby chair. " I'm fine…just tired, and a little damp." She pushed the wet hood off of her head with a grim smile.

Martha, who had begun helping the rancher take off her coat, gasped. " Is this blood? " she gently touched Lex's side.

" Ow! " Lex flinched. " Probably just mud." She tried to bat away the housekeeper's hands, which were pulling at the damp shirt. " Ow! Hey, Martha! Cut that out! "

Amanda stood up, then walked over and squatted down beside the beleaguered woman. " Blood? " she put a small hand on the dirty denim-covered thigh to balance herself. " Lex? " The young blonde forced the rancher to look her in the eye. " What happened? "

" I dunno…I think it's just mud." She scowled.

Martha shook her head and gave a derisive snort. " Honey, if that's mud, I'm a size 6! " She pulled the coat off the rest of the way, then began unbuttoning the filthy shirt. " Let's just take a look, okay? " She turned to Amanda. " Sweetheart, could you go upstairs and get the salve and some clean towels out of the master bathroom? "

Amanda nodded, a worried look on her face. " Sure." She hopped up and patted Lex on the shoulder. " Be right back." She kissed the dark-haired woman on the top of her head, then hurried from the room.

The housekeeper turned her attention back to the rancher, who was fighting to keep her eyes open. " Lexie? " she tapped her leg, " Now would you care to tell me what happened out there? I didn't want to upset Amanda, but the sheriff radioed about twenty minutes ago, said that by the time he got there, all he could find was an abandoned trailer, and a stolen truck." She pulled the shirt open, and away from the rancher's side. " What happened to you? " The older woman used a corner of the wet fabric to wipe at the blood on Lex's side. " This looks like a mighty wicked gash on your side here, honey."

Lex tried to shift away from what Martha was doing. " Ouch! Would you please stop that! " she found her hands captured by smaller, older ones. " Okay, okay." She cleared her throat. " I think it's a bullet wound." She looked into the concerned brown eyes of the woman who was like a mother to her. " Musta happened when they were chasing me." A questioning look at Martha. " Wait. Are you trying to tell me that Charlie didn't catch those idiots out there? " She tried to stand up, but was quickly pushed back down. " Damn! How could he let those fools get away? They could barely take a crap by themselves…"

" Now you listen to me, young lady! Last I heard he was still looking for them, so you just calm down." She began pulling the shirt off of Lex, who began fighting her again. " Would you please let me take a look at that? "

Lex held the shirt closed stubbornly. " Wait." She took a deep breath, " Can we compromise? " she gave the older woman a pout. " I really want to take a shower…it feels like I'm wearing at least half of the back pasture."

Martha shook her head. " I dunno what I'm going to do with you, Lexie." Then she nodded. " Okay. Compromise it is. But, " she held up a warning hand, " it will be a quick shower, and then you're going to bed. You've spent too many nights staying up late."

Amanda was standing in the doorway, requested items in hand, with a cute grin on her face. " I bet it was almost impossible to get her to take medicine as a child, wasn't it? "

Lex scowled, while Martha burst out laughing. " As a child? " Another chuckle. " Sweetheart, I'd rather pull my own teeth than try to get this one to do something that may actually be good for her." She held out a hand to the rancher, who had a grumpy look on her face. " Alright, let's get upstairs and get you cleaned up."

" I can do it myself, you know." She complained, but accepted the help up anyway. " You're not gonna bathe me too, are you? " Hearing a giggle from the doorway, she glared at Amanda. " Aw, not you too! "

Shaking her head, the young blonde smiled. " Sorry. You're just too cute when you act like an overgrown child." Seeing the outraged look on Lex's face, she backed up. " Umm…I'll just go upstairs and get the shower ready for you." Amanda turned and took off down the hallway, laughing.

" You'd better run, blondie! " Lex called after her. " I'll get you back for that little remark! "