wound and she flinched.
“In fact, I think Lord and Lady Penderly would be the perfect parents for Jonathan.”
Her pain-filled eyes darted to his. “No.” She gasped to catch her breath. “You promised.”
She was overcome by a fit of coughing, and guilt consumed him for being so cruel, but he didn’t have a choice. She had to be so desperate to live that she’d fight with every ounce of her strength.
“Mrs. Pollock, put the boy down, then go below and heat more water. The doctor will need it when he comes.”
“Right away, Captain. I’ll send Geordie up with more cloths and some bandages.”
“Thank you.” When she was gone, he lifted the blood-soaked bandage from her shoulder and felt his first wave of hope. The bleeding had slowed. If only the doctor would hurry.
Austin admitted that he could do a little doctoring. He’d had experience when he’d brought his best friend Gabe home from the war with wounds that should have killed him. But that was different. He didn’t want to think he might have to dig out the bullet that was still lodged in Lady Fledgemont’s shoulder. He wasn’t sure he could do it. She was too delicate. He couldn’t imagine inflicting so much pain on someone so fragile, so…
He pulled a knife from his pocket and cut the material of her gown. She’d probably be angry with him for ruining her dress. He doubted if she had another one with her.
When he’d divested her of her outer clothing and blood-soaked dress, he held a wet cloth to her flesh and cleaned the area as best he could. He’d seen worse wounds, but those had been on men, on hardened soldiers who were used to the injuries associated with battle.
“The doctor will be here soon,” he whispered. He prayed he was right. She needed this to be over. She was getting weaker each minute the bullet remained inside her.
He exposed a bit more of her flesh and she covered his fingers to halt his movement. He looked at the frown on her face and smiled. “Don’t worry, Lady Fledgemont, you’re still decently covered.” He pulled the coverlet above her waist. “Mrs. Pollock will be here in a moment to make sure the doctor and I don’t take advantage of you.”
Her hand slowly lifted as she reluctantly gave in to his ministrations.
Austin wanted to smile. For an actress, she was more modest than he expected. But then, she was frightened. And in pain.
He placed the knife on the bedside table and reached for her hand. She needed reassurance. He placed her small hand in his and wrapped his fingers around hers. He thought she might pull away from him, but she didn’t. She squeezed his flesh as if she found comfort in his touch.
A bolt of something as powerful as lightning exploded inside his chest. He brought up his free hand and cupped her cheek, then leaned down. “You have to fight to stay with us, my lady. For Jonathan. Because he needs you. And I would hate to lose you. I’ve grown quite fond of our discussions.”
Their gazes caught and an emotion he didn’t understand passed between them. He couldn’t put a name to it, or explain its origin, but its power affected him like nothing ever had.
Heavy footsteps climbed the stairs and neared their room.
“The doctor’s here now,” he whispered. “Would you like me to leave? Or would you rather I stay?”
“Stay…please.”
Austin smiled, then gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.
The doctor entered the room and introduced himself as he evaluated Lady Fledgemont’s shoulder. When he finished, he lifted his gaze to where Austin still sat with Lady Fledgemont’s hand in his. “Have you had any medical experience?”
“A little.”
“Good. You can help me.” He turned to where Mrs. Pollock stood. “Maude, let in all the light you can. Then, go below and bring up that salve I left when Geordie cut his leg with the axe.”
Mrs. Pollock ran to the windows and pulled back the curtains, then scurried from the room.
“You look like a very brave woman,”
“In fact, I think Lord and Lady Penderly would be the perfect parents for Jonathan.”
Her pain-filled eyes darted to his. “No.” She gasped to catch her breath. “You promised.”
She was overcome by a fit of coughing, and guilt consumed him for being so cruel, but he didn’t have a choice. She had to be so desperate to live that she’d fight with every ounce of her strength.
“Mrs. Pollock, put the boy down, then go below and heat more water. The doctor will need it when he comes.”
“Right away, Captain. I’ll send Geordie up with more cloths and some bandages.”
“Thank you.” When she was gone, he lifted the blood-soaked bandage from her shoulder and felt his first wave of hope. The bleeding had slowed. If only the doctor would hurry.
Austin admitted that he could do a little doctoring. He’d had experience when he’d brought his best friend Gabe home from the war with wounds that should have killed him. But that was different. He didn’t want to think he might have to dig out the bullet that was still lodged in Lady Fledgemont’s shoulder. He wasn’t sure he could do it. She was too delicate. He couldn’t imagine inflicting so much pain on someone so fragile, so…
He pulled a knife from his pocket and cut the material of her gown. She’d probably be angry with him for ruining her dress. He doubted if she had another one with her.
When he’d divested her of her outer clothing and blood-soaked dress, he held a wet cloth to her flesh and cleaned the area as best he could. He’d seen worse wounds, but those had been on men, on hardened soldiers who were used to the injuries associated with battle.
“The doctor will be here soon,” he whispered. He prayed he was right. She needed this to be over. She was getting weaker each minute the bullet remained inside her.
He exposed a bit more of her flesh and she covered his fingers to halt his movement. He looked at the frown on her face and smiled. “Don’t worry, Lady Fledgemont, you’re still decently covered.” He pulled the coverlet above her waist. “Mrs. Pollock will be here in a moment to make sure the doctor and I don’t take advantage of you.”
Her hand slowly lifted as she reluctantly gave in to his ministrations.
Austin wanted to smile. For an actress, she was more modest than he expected. But then, she was frightened. And in pain.
He placed the knife on the bedside table and reached for her hand. She needed reassurance. He placed her small hand in his and wrapped his fingers around hers. He thought she might pull away from him, but she didn’t. She squeezed his flesh as if she found comfort in his touch.
A bolt of something as powerful as lightning exploded inside his chest. He brought up his free hand and cupped her cheek, then leaned down. “You have to fight to stay with us, my lady. For Jonathan. Because he needs you. And I would hate to lose you. I’ve grown quite fond of our discussions.”
Their gazes caught and an emotion he didn’t understand passed between them. He couldn’t put a name to it, or explain its origin, but its power affected him like nothing ever had.
Heavy footsteps climbed the stairs and neared their room.
“The doctor’s here now,” he whispered. “Would you like me to leave? Or would you rather I stay?”
“Stay…please.”
Austin smiled, then gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.
The doctor entered the room and introduced himself as he evaluated Lady Fledgemont’s shoulder. When he finished, he lifted his gaze to where Austin still sat with Lady Fledgemont’s hand in his. “Have you had any medical experience?”
“A little.”
“Good. You can help me.” He turned to where Mrs. Pollock stood. “Maude, let in all the light you can. Then, go below and bring up that salve I left when Geordie cut his leg with the axe.”
Mrs. Pollock ran to the windows and pulled back the curtains, then scurried from the room.
“You look like a very brave woman,”
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