Marquess of Fortune: A Lords of Fate Novel

by K. J. Jackson

  Lily lifted the cloth, wiping away the fresh blood from around the wound. Her fingers running over his skin, she checked both the front side of his belly and his back. No bullet hole. “No. No other holes.”

  “Then you need to get the bullet out of me.”

  “No. I cannot.”

  “You can, Lils. I will tell you what to do. I do not want a butcher boy touching me. I would do it myself if I could.” He sucked in a breath, wincing against pain. His fingers slipped down from her wrist to her hand, squeezing. “These hands. These hands can do it. I watched you help heal Brianna. You will listen to what I tell you and you will do it. You can. There is no one I trust more, Lils.”

  Lily stared at the side of his stomach, refolding the fabric of the shirt to a fresh spot and pressing it against the wound. If only the blood would stop. The bullet would be fine. They could leave it in. Stop the blood, and he would be fine. She pressed harder.

  Garek recoiled, his body cringing from her.

  “It has to come out, Lils. It has to or I am dead.”

  Her hand went up to his forehead, blood smearing onto his face as she tried to flatten the creases of pain marring his skin. She pushed the hair back from his face. “I will do it. I can.”

  She stood, steeling herself with a breath.

  She could do this. She had to.

  A few minutes of frenzied preparation in the room passed, and Lily looked down at Garek’s face, swallowing hard against the grey color lining his cheeks. “There is nothing else I need? You are certain?”

  “I am. Everything you need is with my tools.”

  “Lily, we need to do this quickly, before he loses consciousness,” Sebastian said, positioning himself at the head of the bed they had dragged away from the wall.

  “I will be awake.” Garek’s eyes did not leave Lily.

  “You will not drink any brandy?” Sebastian asked.

  “No. I cannot have my mind altered if I have to guide you—if you find something dire in the hole.”

  Lily nodded. “Sebastian, get that strap in his mouth.”

  She made a fist, squeezing hard, trying to eradicate the shake in her fingers before she picked up the scalpel. Garek didn’t need to watch her cut into him with a shaking hand.

  Lily glanced over to Brianna. She stood at Garek’s feet, hands around his ankles should they start to flail. Her sister’s look was set firmly at her husband, high above Garek. Brianna was not going to let Lily do this alone, yet she also wasn’t about to look down and see the wound, the cutting, the blood.

  Lily’s eyes swung to Sebastian, giving him a nod. She couldn’t look at Garek’s face. Not with the leather strap in his mouth. Not with what she was about to do.

  Garek had run through the many possibilities that Lily may discover in the wound. Organs, blood, flesh, pus—but the goal of it—quite simply, was to get the bullet—and any cloth that had been dragged in with it—out of the wound.

  Waiting until Sebastian secured his solid hold down on Garek’s shoulders and nodded, Lily picked up the scalpel in her right hand and the forceps in her left. Leaning down, she got close to the wound and used the small forceps to stretch the skin apart.

  Garek twitched under her, but she ignored it—ignored him.

  She started to dig. Tweezers. Scalpel. Forceps.

  Muffled screams, Garek’s body strained. But Lily shut all sound from her ears, digging through the mess of Garek’s innards.

  Clink.

  Metal, not flesh. The bullet.

  She stretched the wound wide, easing the tweezers around the lead ball.

  Dropping the bullet onto the table next to the bed, she dove into the wound one last time, snatching from the depths the black threads she had seen, remnants of Garek’s jacket.

  Lily grabbed the bottle of brandy, dousing the wound and sending Garek’s body into spasms.

  She gave him a moment, then picked up the curved needle and thread at the ready and quickly stitched the wound closed.

  Using the fresh cloth from the bowl of water on the table, she wiped the blood clean from Garek’s skin, relieved to see the flow of blood was already slowing with the closed wound.

  Setting thick gauze over the stitches, Lily quickly washed her hands in the water and then lifted her chin, blinking hard against the dry eyes from the daze that had encompassed her.

  Her look went to Brianna and then to Sebastian. Identical looks sat on their faces. Both their mouths agape.

  Terror shot through her. She had avoided it—looking at Garek—not wanting to see his face in pain because of her. Her gaze dropped to him.

  “You are done?” he asked, his voice weak, but his hazel eyes—clear—fully meeting hers.

  “Yes?” A new wave of fear gripped her. What had she done wrong? “I found the bullet, the cloth that had torn free and embedded. There was nothing else in there. I looked closely. I did not leave anything, Garek.”

  He gave a slight nod, the motion appearing to sap his last remnants of energy. “I know. It felt deep. Was it deep?”

  “This deep.” She held her fingers apart about a forefinger’s length. “What? What is going on? What did I forget?” Lily’s eyes chased up to Sebastian and Brianna.

  Sebastian cleared his throat in a small cough and moved to the foot of the bed to stand next to Brianna. “It is merely that…fast…you were fast. I have never seen a surgeon remove a bullet so quickly. And I was on battlefields.”

  “How did you…” Brianna shook her head. “I am just—in awe—I had no idea you could do something like that, Lils. You did not give the slightest squirm—Garek was writhing and you just…you did not stop.”

  Her head whipped to Garek, blood draining from her face. “You were writhing? No. I hurt you? I heard the scream, but it was muffled and—”

  “I was already hurt, Lily.” A soft smile came to his lips, his voice just above a whisper. “You did good, Lils. I knew you would. You have the hands. The mind.”

  The blood that had drained from her face returned in a rush, sending her cheeks into pinkness. Cutting into flesh was not exactly a delicate pursuit for a proper lady, and her eyes flickered to the earl. No judgement on her brother-in-law’s face. Thank goodness.

  She exhaled, looking to Brianna. “Bree, can you please find me another dress?” Her hand swept over the large swathes of bloodstains covering the front of her yellow dress. “This one I seemed to have ruined.”

  “Of course, Lils.” Brianna looked at Garek’s face. “And I believe Dr. Harrison needs his rest. I will have them bring fresh water up and set out a dress in the sitting room, and we will move into the rooms you rented.”

  Sebastian set his hand atop Brianna’s shoulder and they made their way out of the room.

  Lily watched the door close, then looked at Garek. His eyes were already shut.

  She stared at him a long moment, trying to breathe normally once more. A full breath, deep into her lungs—something that hadn’t happened since Mr. Sneedly had appeared in the adjacent sitting room.

  Garek needed to rest, and she had to change out of the bloody dress—she knew that—but she was having a blasted time trying to move away from the side of the bed. She forced the heel of her borrowed slipper backward.

  “Don’t leave.”

  The soft words slipped out into the pounding silence of the room, gripping her heart.

  Garek’s eyes didn’t open, but his fingers twitched, beckoning her.

  Lily clutched his hand, moving up along the bed toward his head and leaning over so her face was above his. “I hurt you, Garek—tell me the truth.”

  He sighed. “You had a scalpel, forceps, tweezers, and your fingers in my innards, Lily. And yes, that hurts. A pain like no other.” His hazel eyes cracked open, the green flecks dull. “But you had best not apologize for it. You had to do it. I asked you to because you are the one I trust. You saved me, Lils.”

  The sweat still thick on his brow, Lily smoothed the dark hair back from his forehead.
“You save me, Garek. I save you.”

  He chuckled, the movement sending him wincing on his side in pain. It took several breaths before he could open his eyes to her. “You have your fight back about you.”

  A half smile lifted her cheek. “I do.” Her fingertips played along his brow, twirling his short dark hair. “And you need to rest. I will change clothes, but I will be right here when you wake up.”

  Garek’s fingers tightened around her hand, his grip suddenly insistent. “I said I would never willingly leave you again, Lily, and I meant it. But you know what can happen after this.”

  Her head bowed, avoiding him, avoiding what he said.

  He squeezed her hand, his voice wheezing to get louder. “You know, Lils. I want to hear the words.”

  Lily lifted her eyes, meeting his look. “I know.”

  “Say it.”

  Her mouth tightened, her head shaking as she stared at him. Her chest seized upon itself, stealing her breath.

  “Say it, Lils.”

  “You may die.” The words fell, curdling her tongue.

  He nodded, his eyelids closing for a long breath. When he opened them to her, the green flecks in his eyes had sparked to life. “Then let me say this now—in case I cannot tomorrow. You are worth everything, Lily. The time we were apart, the time in prison, all of those days, those hours, were just a sacrifice to suffer in hopes fate would return you to me again.”

  His fingers twitched against her palm. “These last days with you, Lils—these are the memories. My love you hold onto. This is the love you need to remember, because it has never burned brighter than in these moments. You were always worth fighting for, Lils.”

  “Do not speak as though you are already dead, Garek. I will not have it.”

  He continued on, ignoring the anger in her voice. “If I die, Lils, you need to move on with your life. You keep these moments, keep them in your heart—but you cannot become stuck in these moments, you cannot let them drag you to lifelessness.”

  “Garek, stop. Stop this instant.” She wiped clear a tear that had fallen from her face onto his cheek.

  Drawing a deep breath, she yanked his hand up to set their entwined fingers onto his chest. “You are making me cry, and I am not yet ready for tears. I am ready to fight. This is my time—my time to fight for the both of us. I am not about to let you die.”

  “You cannot fight what is done, Lils. An infection that may have already begun. What is fate.”

  “Wrong. I can fight—I do not give a damn about fate—I can give you the will to stay with me, and don’t you dare tell me I cannot.”

  “Lils—”

  “Do not even think upon giving up on yourself.” Her fingers burrowed into his chest. “Your heart will keep beating, Garek, because I am demanding it of you.”

  “It is not that easy, Lily.”

  “No? Do you remember what you said—about your mother—that you never wanted to watch another person you love die?” She moved closer, her nose almost touching his. “You will be watching me die, Garek if you do not hold on. Do you not see that in my eyes? You are my everything, and if you give up and leave me, I will live, a shell, dead inside, until I can meet you on the other side. Do not make me suffer what you suffered those many years ago. Do not.”

  He held her eyes for seconds that drifted into lifetimes.

  His head moved in a slight nod. “I will hold on. Fight.”

  She smiled, her lips brushing his. “That is all I ask.”

  { Chapter 22 }

  The nudge on her shoulder jolted Lily, sending her sprawling as her elbow slipped off the armrest of the settee Sebastian had dragged into the room.

  Brianna caught Lily’s shoulder before she slipped to the floor, righting her.

  Lily’s eyes found Garek immediately in the low light of the fireplace. She stared at the blanket over his bare chest, not blinking until she saw the even rise and fall of his lungs.

  She said a little prayer. His breathing wasn’t labored. Not yet.

  Sinking down next to Lily on the settee, Brianna offered a steaming cup of tea, her voice just above a whisper. “I did not want to wake you, Lils, but you have not eaten or drunk anything since you arrived in town. Plus, it gave me an excuse to come check on you.”

  “I was not asleep, not truly. I do not cry as long as my eyes are closed, that is all.” Lily took the cup, cradling it as she sipped from the edge. Her eyes drifted from Garek to her sister. “What?”

  Brianna smiled, finding Lily’s knee in her skirts and squeezing it. “It has just been a very long time since I have handed you tea, and you have not asked if there was a dollop of brandy mixed in.”

  Lily’s eyes dropped. “Yes, well…” She looked up to Garek. “I do not want to hide from this. I need a clear head.”

  “It is nice to witness.”

  Lily shrugged, taking another long sip of the tea and then leaning to the side table to set the teacup down.

  Brianna slipped her arm along Lily’s shoulders, pulling her close. “I am proud of you, Lils. What you did today—something I could never dream of doing. Where I would have been running about panicked, you had a clear head about you.”

  “Sebastian was not horrified to be related to me?”

  “Hardly. I think he already has plans to entice you to stay around Notlund so you can tend to the riders when there are mishaps with the horses. How good are you at setting bones?”

  Lily chuckled, settling her head on Brianna’s shoulder and pulling her bare feet up to tuck them under her skirts on the settee. “It is the middle of the night, Bree. You should be asleep.”

  “Says the one that is curling up with me.” Brianna squeezed Lily’s shoulders, keeping her in place. “I cannot sleep. I have been waiting in worry for days for you, so forgive me for just wanting to be near you for a spell. Besides, you know we are bound as sisters—if you are anxious, I am anxious. It is just the way it is.”

  “I did not intend to worry you. We were delayed in our trip.”

  Brianna stroked Lily’s unbound hair. “What happened on the way here from Notlund? I know Seb and I ride fast, but you and Dr. Harrison had a half day’s start on us. I have been rather worried.”

  “We were stuck on the wrong side of a river when that storm barreled along the land.” Lily tilted her head further, easing into the comfort of Brianna’s hold as her gaze stayed on Garek. “You did not get stopped by it?”

  “We rode along the front edge of it until it caught us,” Brianna said. “But by then we had cleared most of it to the north. The delay, it gave you and Dr. Harrison time to resolve the past? I was worried after you left Notlund that I had made a terrible mistake, telling you of him. That I should have devised another way out of the situation with Lord Newdale.”

  Lily stared at Garek’s chest rising and falling in the dim light, debating about how much she could actually tell Brianna. “It was bad. Very bad in the beginning. But it also needed to happen as it did.”

  “And now?”

  “As bad as it was, it is now a thousand times better. All that I had never dared to even hope for.”

  Brianna kissed the top of Lily’s head. “I am glad for that. You truly do love him, Lils?”

  Lily nodded. “I do.”

  “I am so sorry that I ever kept you two apart.” Brianna’s voice had softened to a delicate whisper. “I take all the blame for what happened a year and a half ago, and can only beg for your forgiveness, Lils. If I could go back to that time…”

  “You would?”

  “Yes. And change everything.”

  “As would I.”

  Brianna pointed to the bed. “Dr. Harrison—he was always a good, fine man. He saved me and I never gave him the proper credit for that. Never rightfully thanked him. Back then, after I awoke from the infection—I was not in my right mind. Not for a very long time.”

  Her head turning, Brianna rested her chin on top of Lily’s head. “And you took care of everything during that ti
me. Took care of me. I never did thank you for that either. Everything I have now—Sebastian included, is because of you, Lils. Thank you for that.”

  Lily craned her neck, looking up to find her sister’s eyes. “You give me too much credit, but you are very welcome, Bree. I am happy you are happy. And I do forgive you.”

  Lily could feel the sigh of relief run through her sister’s body. The edges of Brianna’s mouth stretched backward in silent gratitude. “Now we just need to make sure you are happy, Lils.”

  Lily drew a deep breath, tucking her head onto Brianna’s shoulder again. “You should go to bed, Bree, go to your husband.”

  “Nonsense.” Brianna’s hand came up, cupping Lily to the safe nook between her shoulder and neck. “I am absolutely right where I need to be at the moment.”

  Lily sighed.

  Her sister knew. Still knew exactly how to hold her, ease the fears that consumed her. Lily closed her eyes, a tear sliding down her cheek.

  “Thank you, Bree.”

  ~~~

  “How does it look?”

  Lily’s head popped up, knocking off the hand that had been curled around the back of her neck. There hadn’t been enough room on the bed for her body, so she had dragged a chair next to the bed, settling herself with her head next to Garek’s upper arm.

  His hand that slipped from her neck landed on his chest, his eyes half-open, drowsy as he watched Lily right herself.

  “How long have you been awake?” Lily’s hands wrapped around his bare upper arm.

  “Only a few minutes. I was not sure if you were truly sleeping or not.”

  Lily glanced at the one window in the room. Daylight shone through the thin curtains. “I checked it an hour past, maybe two. The blood stopped late last night, and now there is pus.”

  “Any color to it?”

  “No. And no odor.”

  “Veins started?”

  “No.”

  Garek nodded against the pillow. “Good.”

  His eyes started to slip, closing. Lily watched, waiting to see if he opened his eyes again. His head nudged into the pillow.

  “Wait. Garek. Do not fall asleep on me.”