Chapter 11 #2
By the time he shoved the chair back and stood, it was late. He stretched, then rubbed the back of his neck as he climbed the steps to his room. His head felt like a lead ball—it was taking a lot of effort to hold his head upright.
He entered his room and nodded for Mrs. Roby to leave. He would stay for a few minutes and give her a break from caring for Elizabeth.
Glancing down at Elizabeth, Jonathan couldn’t stop himself from touching her cheek and caressing her skin.
It felt like satin beneath his fingertips.
She didn’t feel warm, so he doubted she had a fever, yet he would have thought that she would have awakened by now.
Earlier, he’d sent a message across the street to Trent House that Elizabeth had been injured and probably wouldn’t be home.
Evidently, Annie wasn’t in residence or she would have come over posthaste. Jonathan gave Elizabeth a speculative glance. What was she doing in London? He knew how much she hated city life. Had she come just to see his father?
Jonathan did know she hadn’t expected to see him. That had been evident from her shocked expression. Wait until he told her he was here to find her a husband. He would probably receive more than a look.
Suddenly her breathing changed. It seemed labored, heavy. He became anxious. What if Elizabeth died?
He moved the chair closer to the bed and sat down. “Everything will be all right,” he muttered fiercely.
Reaching over, he took Elizabeth’s hand in his and held it. Ironically enough, her breathing returned to normal. Perhaps she was frightened, he thought.
He rubbed the back of her hand and gazed at her face.
Her cheekbones were delicate and pink. Sooty black lashes rested on her cheeks.
His gaze traveled past full lips to her small but stubborn chin, and he wondered where they had gone wrong.
He would never forgive her for the hurt she had caused him.
A man’s pride and his word were all that he had.
Again, Elizabeth gasped for air, and he tightened his grip on her hand as terror built inside him. “Don’t you die on me, Elizabeth!” he demanded as if she could hear him. “Don’t leave me again. We have some unfinished business, and I won’t let you die until we’re done. Do you hear me, Elizabeth?”
When she’d settled again, he brushed his lips across her hand then breathed a sigh of relief. He would hate her tomorrow, but tonight he’d give her his support.
And then as an afterthought, he looked up. “Please don’t let her die,” he prayed.
Because if Jonathan knew Elizabeth, she would die just to spite him.
Unable to hold his head up any longer, Jonathan laid it on the soft blankets. Just for a moment until Mrs. Roby returned, he told himself, but sleep soon claimed him.
Sometime in the early morning, he woke with a terrible catch in the side of his neck, and his back was killing him. He stood and stretched, trying to get some of the kinks out of his body.
He felt Elizabeth’s forehead again, and found it still cool to the touch. Her breathing appeared normal. She twisted her head away from his touch and murmured, “Dawson?”
It was a good sign, Jonathan thought. It was the first time she’d moved.
But why did she call out Dawson? His father’s first name was Dawson, but Elizabeth wouldn’t refer to his Christian name.
So just who was this Dawson? A lover? Jonathan frowned.
He needed some rest, but all he really wanted to do was shake Elizabeth and ask some questions.
Jonathan looked down at Elizabeth’s sleeping form.
It was apparent that he wouldn’t have his answers now.
He’d have to be patient. He summoned Mrs. Roby, then made his way to a spare bedroom where he didn’t even bother to undress.
He simply sprawled across the bed. Maybe tomorrow Elizabeth would be better and out of his house.
She had to be.
Elizabeth opened her eyes and blinked several times before the world came into focus. Her eyes hurt. Her head ached. As a matter of fact her entire body felt as if she’d been beaten.
She turned her head. A stabbing pain shot through her so suddenly that it brought tears to her eyes. She moaned. What had happened?
“Where am I?” she asked the empty room.
It took several minutes of concentrating before she remembered running from Jonathan. Had he caught her? No, Jonathan might be angry, but he wouldn’t have harmed her. But what had really happened?
She thought some more.
Finally, she remembered a glimpse of black and a horse’s hooves.
She must have stepped in front of the carriage.
No wonder she felt so sore. The whole carriage must have run over her.
What a foolish thing to do! But it wasn’t all her fault.
If Jonathan hadn’t gotten her so flustered she’d have been more careful.
Jonathan. Jonathan was here! In England.
It hadn’t been a bad dream. He was back in her life. And he definitely hadn’t forgiven her.
She had to be in Jonathan’s house. She tried looking around again, and though her body screamed with pain when she moved, she recognized her surroundings. This was Jonathan’s room. She remembered it from their childhood.
She also remembered how good Jonathan had looked when she saw him. Her longing for him hadn’t diminished over time. If anything, it made her want him more.
Biting her lip, Elizabeth turned slowly toward the door and let out a deep breath as the pain eased. There wasn’t anyone in the room with her. Had Jonathan just thrown her in a room to let her live or die?
She knew he hated her. The thing she didn’t know was how much.
Well, she’d just leave, and then he wouldn’t have to worry. She attempted to sit by pushing herself up on her elbows; however, the pain was so intense that she gave up that notion right away.
“Good morning, mum,” an upstairs maid said as she came through the door. “I’ll go and tell His Lordship that you are awake.”
“No, wait,” Elizabeth called, but her voice was so weak that the woman didn’t hear her.
“Dawson,” Elizabeth murmured. She wanted to see her baby, but she couldn’t have him brought over because then she would have to answer Jonathan’s questions. Damn. How was she going to get out of here?
“I see you’re awake,” Jonathan said as he strode through the door, dressed in a rich brown frock coat and a cream-colored shirt. He regarded her with a speculative gaze.
Elizabeth didn’t know which hurt worse, her head or her heart. No matter what had happened, she loved Jonathan just as much as she ever had, and seeing him only made her want him more. She had to put some distance between them so she could think straight.
“I need to go home,” she said, and then added, “May I have some water?”
Jonathan poured her a glass and held it to her lips. He supported her back with his arm, something anyone would do, but to Elizabeth it seemed more personal. God, Jonathan smelled good. He’d evidently been smoking his pipe because he smelled of cherries and tobacco.
“Thank you,” she murmured.
“You’re welcome. Now tell me—how do you feel today?” he asked pleasantly enough, though his eyes were still hard.
“My head hurts.”
“Let me show you why.” He took her hand and gently placed it behind her head where a huge knot had formed.
“What exactly happened?”
“You ran in front of a carriage that couldn’t stop. Luckily the horse hit you first and threw you to the side or the whole vehicle would have run over you,” Jonathan explained.
“My goodness,” Elizabeth said. “That was a crazy thing to do.”
“I agree.”
Elizabeth’s cheeks heated. He didn’t have to agree with her so readily when it had been just as much his fault. “If you hadn’t gotten me so—”
Jonathan placed his hands on either side of her and leaned down. “So what?” he said in a seductive voice.
“I heard our patient is conscious,” Dr. Toogood said, entering the room.
Jonathan immediately straightened and stood away from the bed as the doctor placed his bag on the table.
Dr. Toogood sat on the side of the bed and took Elizabeth’s hand between his. “You are a very lucky young lady.”
“I want to go home.”
The doctor chuckled. “I’m sure you do. But not yet. It will take several days before your head stops hurting, and then you’ll be able to leave. Would you like someone to send for your maid?”
“Yes, please.”
Dr. Toogood examined the back of Elizabeth’s head. “That is a nasty cut but looks to be healing quite well. How is that brother of yours? It’s been a long time since I’ve seen His Grace in London.”
“I haven’t seen Adam in a while myself,” Elizabeth said.
“I saw Adam and Jewel before I departed for England,” Jonathan said from the end of the bed. “Adam is in high spirits, waiting for the arrival of his first child.”
“Jewel wrote that she was expecting and I was so excited for her. How did she look?” Elizabeth asked. She was surprised that Jonathan had gone to Four Oaks. She’d assumed that he’d just sailed directly to England.
“She is growing larger every day, but other than that she is fine.”
“I hadn’t heard His Grace had gotten married. But it is good to hear that he’ll have an heir,” Dr. Toogood said. He reached for his bag. “Now, Jonathan, it’s your turn to marry. Can’t spend the rest of your life roaming.”
Jonathan looked at the elderly doctor who had been with his family forever, then smiled. “There is much to be said for roaming.”
“One must give up his freedom some day.” Dr. Toogood chuckled as he placed his instruments back in the bag. “Funny, I always thought that you and Lady Elizabeth would marry. So did your father.”
Elizabeth felt her cheeks heating, and she couldn’t think of anything to say. Evidently, Jonathan didn’t have the same problem.
“I’ve heard other people say the same thing,” Jonathan said nonchalantly. “However, we’re not suited. But Elizabeth will be marrying very shortly, ’’ he said.
Had Jonathan lost his mind? Maybe the carriage had struck him, too. Elizabeth couldn’t believe what he’d just said. “I will not,” she protested.
“Yes, my dear, you will. You see, Adam has bestowed upon me the task of finding you a husband. Posthaste.”
“He wouldn’t dare!”
“He would. And he did.”
“But who?”
“Someone I deem suitable,” Jonathan stated firmly, his eyes smiling into hers. “We will start the parties just as soon as you are on your feet.”
“I can see I’m not needed here anymore,” Dr. Toogood said. He chuckled. “You take care of yourself, young lady.”
“Thank you, Dr. Toogood. Maybe you should look in on my father before you leave,” Jonathan said as he walked the doctor to the door.
Elizabeth waited for the doctor to leave and Jonathan to return.
Her brother had some nerve, trying to control her life when he was clear across the ocean.
And to ask Jonathan to do his dirty work was absurd.
She clenched her hands, and would have jumped out of bed if she’d been able. “I don’t like this one bit.”
Jonathan leaned over and looked at her. “I don’t really care what you like,” he said coldly, but his gaze was hot enough to burn.
“Jonathan Hird, if you go through with this, I promise you that you’ll regret it.”
Jonathan took Elizabeth’s chin in his hand and tipped her face upward. He gave her a mocking smile. “My dear, I already do.”