by Ella Quinn
Although it was early in the day, Preston and Farley, Elizabeth’s groom, took the horse to the blacksmith only to discover that the man would not be able to get to it until tomorrow.
“I swear, my lord,” Farley said, “it’s because we’re English.”
Elizabeth frowned. “But Preston’s French is excellent.”
“Oh, aye, he gabbered at him in French, and that Frenchie smith understood every word, but the minute he says his lordship’s name, the man said he couldn’t do it today.”
She glanced at Geoffrey. “You go on. I can wait until the horse has been re-shoed.”
“After what happened the last time I left you?” He raised a brow. “No. I shall wait with you. The countryside is not safe. If we are not to have the protection of the troops, I would rather we stayed together.” Leaning over, he kissed her. “I am certain Sir Charles would say the same. What I will do is send Farley with a message to him.”
Truth be told, she was glad Geoffrey had decided to remain with them. “If you wish.”
The butler made arrangements at the only inn in the village. For some reason she could not understand, the landlady was no more happy than the blacksmith to have their custom. And they looked at Preston and her cook with disdain.
The rooms were small, with dingy walls and curtains that could use a wash. Mrs. Robins, Vickers, and Molly were doing what they could to make their chambers more comfortable when Preston came up to her.
“My lady,” he said in a low voice, “I am loath to tell you this, but they are supporters of Napoleon and do not want us here.”
That raised all sorts of interesting possibilities. “Just how badly does she wish us gone? Will she, for example, try to poison us?”
“I do not think she will go that far, but I plan to be in the kitchen to watch her when she prepares your dinner. She refuses to allow our cook to use the kitchen.”
Unfortunately, the basket of food she had wouldn’t feed all of her household until tomorrow. “Take Kenton with you. He might not speak French, but he has sharp eyes.”
“Cook will be enough, and he knows the herbs and spices here better than we do.”
“Very well.” It had never before occurred to her that someone might want to murder them because they were English.
Geoffrey came up to her as their butler was heading to the kitchens. “Trouble?”
“Nothing we cannot handle.” She grimaced. “They do not want us here, and Preston expects there might be trouble.”
“In that case,” Geoffrey said in a grim tone, “perhaps they will hurry the smithy just to be rid of us.”
“One can only hope.” The corridor seemed colder than it had before. “I am going to see if our rooms are ready. Vickers insisted on using our sheets. She said the other ones smelt of mildew.”
“I’ll be in shortly. I want to make sure our horses are settled.” He pressed his lips together for a moment. “I think Riddle and Farley, when he returns, will sleep in the stable. Such as it is. I’m glad we brought our own feed for the horses.”
After looking at their rooms, Elizabeth found them much improved. She was glad they had their own sheets. When she sat on the bed, it sagged and the ropes creaked. “Well, this will be an uncomfortable night.”
The food was neither plentiful nor particularly appetizing. The bed ended up being so bad that Geoffrey turned the frame over and tightened the ropes.
“I had no idea you were so handy,” Elizabeth said after he’d righted the bed and she was remaking it.
“Even we peers-to-be can acquire skills. I frequently restrung my bed at Oxford.” He watched her tuck in the sheets. “I see you have acquired skills as well.”
“My mother insisted I know how everything was done.”
When she was finished, she perched on the edge of the bed, propped her chin on her fist, and smiled. “It is truly fascinating the things I learn about you.”
“Minx.” He grinned, jumped on the bed, and rolled her over with him. “I’ll show you fascinating.”
* * *
Only an hour after they’d left the inn the next day, Geoff began getting a bad feeling. It started with a tingling on the back of his neck as if he was being watched. That put him in mind of the conversation he’d had with parts of his staff.
It wasn’t only the innkeeper and blacksmith who had not liked having them there. His male servants reported that the villagers hadn’t wanted them there either.
He tried to shake off his foreboding when a gunshot rent the air. “Take cover.”
“They’re coming from the left,” Farley bellowed.
Geoff rode his horse to the right side of the coach. He wasn’t at all surprised to find his wife had her pistol out, and Vickers had the coaching pistol in her lap. He didn’t know how many of the bounders there were, but he’d wager he knew where they came from.
He rode up to his coachman. “Do not stop unless you have to.”
“Right, my lord.”
A man ordered them to halt and William Coachman kept going.
A ball hit the side of the coach, but bounced off the metal trim. Then Geoff saw the large tree branch lying across the road. Damn, the blackguards had set up an ambush. There was no way his coach could go over the branch.
Riddle, who had been riding with William Coachman, climbed up onto the carriage roof. Farley, his Brown Bess across the front of his saddle, rode up to Geoff. “I saw five. Two on each side and one on horseback.”
“Tell Kenton to get up on the roof and face the opposite direction of Riddle. You take the left and I’ll take the right.”
“Aye, my lord.”
At least the coach carrying their other servants was ahead of the trap. It still terrified him that Elizabeth was in the carriage.
As the coach slowed, men carrying muskets and wearing ragged French uniforms ran out from the woods on either side of the road. More than they’d expected.
Another cur rode up on a fine-looking horse. “You must be carrying much of value.” A man on a horse leered into the window on Elizabeth’s side. “I like pretty things. How much will you pay to keep her?”
Before Geoff could answer, a shot rang out from his coach, and the blackguard on the horse screamed, grabbing his crotch near the thigh as blood poured from a wound. Four more shots were fired as his grooms picked off two of the curs one on each side of the carriage. Geoff killed one of the scoundrels, but not before he got a shot off, hitting the coach.
“I got the last one,” Kenton said.
“My lord, come quick,” Vickers shouted from the coach. “Her ladyship’s been hit.”
Geoff didn’t even remember jumping off his horse, as he wrenched open the carriage door. Elizabeth was slumped over onto her side, bleeding profusely from the head.
No! No, this could not happen! He began to pray.
“Riddle, Farley, one of you ride ahead. We have to get a doctor.” Farley took off before Geoff had finished speaking. “Vickers, get a pad and put it on the wound. Keep it pressed down to stop the bleeding.” He glanced around. “Everyone else, we need to get that tree out of the road.”
In a very short time, they were careering down the road. Sometime later, they met Farley cantering toward them. “We have a doctor waiting at a hotel. Follow me.”
Time seemed to slow for Geoff as he carried Elizabeth into the bedchamber where a doctor was waiting.
“I am Dr. Benoit.” He bowed.
“Harrington.” Geoff put her down on the bed. “My wife was shot in the head.”
“I am aware.” The doctor moved to her head and searched through her hair. Finally he stood. “There was no shattering of the skull, which is good. However, the wound is deep, and there is swelling. At the moment, I cannot tell you how serious it is. You will need cold compresses. Ice, if you can find it, would be better.”
Geoff looked down on her pale face and his stomach clenched. Her breath seemed shallower than it ought to be. He couldn’t lose her. Not now. Elizabeth was
too important to him. “Will she live?”
The doctor packed his bag. “It is in God’s hands now, monsieur. Madam is in a coma. If she does not sleep for too long she may live.”
That was not the answer he wanted. What good was the damn doctor if he couldn’t make Elizabeth well? For the love of God, she was still breathing. Other than the lump on her head, there was no internal injury as far as they could see. She had to live.
Geoff raked his fingers through his hair. “There must be something I could do to help make her better. You must know of a remedy, medicine that will help her.”
“Try to make her take nourishment to keep her strength.” The doctor’s lips formed a moue. “Talk to her. I have heard it can help.”
He turned to find his staff only to run into Nettle. “Broth for her ladyship. It has to be nourishing.”
“Mrs. Robins has already gone to have some made, my lord.”
Geoff nodded because he couldn’t think of anything else to do. His mind was blank. The fear he felt for her threatened to overwhelm him. But she would not react this way. Elizabeth would figure out what to do and not allow herself to be paralyzed with inaction.
Talk to her. He had to think of something to talk to Elizabeth about. That shouldn’t be hard. They always had a great deal to say. Surely he could find a topic that did not require her response. Or, mayhap he should ask what she thought. Perhaps she would need to tell him so badly she would wake up.
“My lord?”
“What is it, Nettle?”
“You should eat as well. I can bring you a tray here.”
“Yes, yes, anything you like.” Geoff began to pace the small room. Books. It seemed like she was always reading. “Find out from Vickers what her ladyship is reading.”
“Right away, my lord.”
He hadn’t even noticed his valet had left when Vickers came and handed him a book. “She’s been reading Guy Mannering, my lord.”
“Thank you, Vickers.”
“If I might make a suggestion.” The question seemed to hang in the air. Like a tangible thing.
He didn’t know if he would like it or not, but the servant had been with Elizabeth much longer than he had. “You may.”
“The book is a fine idea, but she does like it when you talk to her.” When he couldn’t think of anything to say, her maid continued. “I understand you will eat in here today, but you will need to rest at some point or you’ll fall ill yourself. Mrs. Robins and I shall help watch over her.”
Geoff’s first reaction was to tell the woman that he would remain with his wife until she woke. He would not even entertain the prospect that she would not recover. But Vickers was right. He could not stay awake all day and all night for what could be several days. The bed was large enough for both of them, but until the swelling in Elizabeth’s head went down, he did not want to chance hurting her by moving the wrong way in his sleep.
“Very well.”
“Thank you, my lord.” The maid dipped a curtsey and left him alone with his wife.
Book in hand, he pulled a chair up to the bed, and began to talk. “I’m so sorry. I wish I could have prevented you being hurt. If only I’d known how dangerous it was to be separated from the group. You must come back to me. To all of us . . .”
He didn’t know how long he talked, all the while rubbing her arm or touching her face, praying she could hear him and would wake up.
His voice became scratchy and he called for tea. Food came and he ate it. But he couldn’t remember even tasting what he’d consumed. He held Elizabeth up and tried to feed her the broth, but ended up having to call Vickers to help him.
“If you will hold her up, I can get it into her mouth,” the woman said.
It was a slow process, but they managed to empty the bowl.
“If you will help me, my lord, I’ll get her out of this gown and into her nightclothes.”
He thought surely she would awaken, but the only sound she made was a moan when he forgot to hold her head and it bounced against the pillow.
The next day, he wrote a letter to Sir Charles telling him about the attack, and Elizabeth’s injury, and sent Riddle off to find him.
And every day he prayed. Geoff didn’t think he had ever prayed as much in his life, but he had never cared as much about anyone else before.
And that was when he knew he was in love with her. As soon as she woke, he would tell her.
Chapter Thirty-Six
The next day, even though the swelling had gone down, Elizabeth remained in the coma.
“You have to wake up, sweetheart. I am praying for you. Everyone is. The landlady went to the church and lit candles for you to get better.” He took a sip of the now ever-present tea. “You have to awaken so that I can tell you that I love you. I was so bird-witted I didn’t see it for what it was. But I’ve never been in love before.” His voice ended on a sob as he held back tears. “Please don’t let it be too late. I can’t lose you. We can’t lose each other.”
* * *
Elizabeth had drifted through a cloud. Everything was so white. She thought she was going to heaven. She could even see the tree she and her mother used to sit under and Mama was there, waiting for her.
“Elizabeth, go back. You cannot come here yet.” Her mother made the shooing gesture she remembered so well. “Everything you want, your husband and your child, are back there. Go to him. Hear what he has to say.”
She looked down, and Geoffrey was there, holding her hand, and telling her he loved her. And then he was crying. She had never seen a man weep before. She tried to move her hand to hold his, but nothing happened.
Well, how could it when she was above him? That must be what her mother meant by telling her she had to go back.
“Elizabeth, you must return now. Before it’s too late.” Mama’s voice was almost frantic.
“Yes, Mama. I’m going.”
There was a dull ache in Elizabeth’s head, but Geoffrey was there holding her. “Don’t leave me now, sweetheart. Not when I love you so much.”
She turned her hand in his. “I know you do.”
“You’re awake!” He grabbed her up, holding her tightly against him.
“Geoffrey, my head!”
“Forgive me.” He laid her down as if she was made of fine porcelain and would break. “I was so afraid. I’ve never been this afraid in my entire life, but you’ve come back to me.”
“To us.” She cupped his cheek.
“You heard me?” He stared at her as if he couldn’t believe what she had said. “The doctor said you might, but after so many days . . .” Geoffrey brushed his lips across hers. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” Elizabeth slid her arms up around his neck. She had so many questions, but all she wanted to do right now was hold him. “I had begun to fear you would never love me.”
Geoffrey winced. “All I had seen of love between a man and a woman was with friends who were either happily in the clouds or sunk down as if they were drowning.” He tightened his grip, kissing her again. “I didn’t know that love could be like this, steady and comforting.” He grunted. “Until you got shot. Then I thought I’d die if you did. There wouldn’t be any reason for me to go on.”
It really was true that men didn’t see what was in front of their noses. How had he not seen the type of love his parents had?
Still, none of that was important now. “I do not understand it, but I heard my mother’s voice telling me to go back.”
“Thank God she did.” He nuzzled her neck before lowering her back down onto her pillows. “I’ll call for the doctor.”
Shortly after he left the bedchamber, Vickers burst into the room. “My lady! Thank God you’ve come back to us.” She stood there for a second staring at Elizabeth. “Are you hungry? Do you want a bath?”
“Both.” She laughed. “You would not believe how famished I am. And you must help me to the chamber pot. One would think that after going without sustenance and liquids for so l
ong, I would have nothing in me.”
“His lordship and I fed you broth several times a day. As much as we could get down you. He rubbed your limbs, too. His groom told him to do that. Said he knew a man who couldn’t walk for a long time, but they massaged his legs, and he finally walked.”
She had never heard of such a thing. “Did his lordship spend much time with me?”
“Every waking hour, my lady. Mrs. Robins and I had to practically drag him away from you. We kept reminding him that it wouldn’t do you any good if he got ill from not resting. He even took his dinner on a tray here. And he talked to you so much he almost lost his voice. And that’s not all . . .”
As the tale continued, Elizabeth was amazed, but proud, of how their little household pulled together to help Geoffrey take care of her. His valet insisted he dress properly every day. Her groom pressed him to take exercise of some sort, riding or walking. Even the landlady did what she could by making sure the food was fresh and tasty to tempt Geoffrey’s appetite.
But most surprising of all was the way he took care of her. She would never have expected to receive nursing from him. If she had given it any thought, she would have supposed that he’d have ridden ahead and left her with the servants. Obviously, she had misjudged how much he truly loved her.
Mayhap, he had even been in love with her for a much longer time than he thought.
Her maid had a tub carried in for Elizabeth’s bath. Her only regret was that she could not wash her hair. The rest of her felt better clean.
By the time she was bathed and in a fresh nightgown, Mrs. Robins carried in a tray with roasted chicken, a fresh green salad, and bread. Geoffrey had a tray brought to him as well, and they were able to talk while they ate.
The remains of their meal had no sooner been removed than Dr. Benoit was announced.
“I am pleased to see you have awoken,” he said. “If I may, my lady?”
Geoffrey stood back from the bed, giving the doctor access. Dr. Benoit examined her head. “The wound is healed sufficiently for you to wash your hair, if you wish. You may take light exercise. A stroll in the garden and around the hotel, but do not overdo it. When you feel fatigued, rest. You are on no account to travel. Injuries such as you received must be treated with caution.” He bowed. “I will see you again in two days.” Turning to her husband he said, “Call for me immediately if she faints, or becomes weaker.”