Chapter Fifteen
Graham
Graham stood frozen in the foyer, staring at the stairs where Diana had disappeared. His entire world had come crashing down around him, just as he feared. He had done everything wrong, except for loving Diana. He would never feel sorry for that.
“You should be horsewhipped,” Elias snarled, shoving Graham hard enough that he stumbled back into the wall. He drew his fist back and planted a hard punch to Graham’s cheek.
“Elias, enough,” Matt said, stepping between them to push Elias back. “None of this helps.”
Graham made no attempt to defend himself or fight back. That was a deserved facer from his wife’s brother, to defend her honor. He regained his footing and drew a deep breath, his cheek throbbing.
“Won’t it?” Hudson moved to stand beside Elias. “Because I think breaking his jaw might make me feel considerably better about what he did to our Diana.”
Augusta placed herself firmly between her son and the angry men. “Gentlemen, this accomplishes nothing. Diana just needs time to clear her head and then sit down and talk all of this through.”
“What she needs is to be free of this sham of a marriage,” Elias spat.
“It’s not a sham,” Graham cried out, willing Elias to believe him. “I love her.”
“You have a peculiar way of showing it,” Marina said coldly from where she stood with Hannah and Lydia.
He opened his mouth to speak and then closed it again. There was no defense or justification for the poor decisions he’d made. He could have handled it all so differently. And now it might be too late.
Mitchell appeared in the foyer, and motioned for Graham. “My lord, Lady Powis has… that is, she’s gone to the stables. She seemed rather upset.”
Graham felt the blood rush to his ears. “What?”
“She passed me on her way out. I would have stopped her, but she seemed determined.”
Graham was already moving toward the door, but Elias grabbed his arm. “Why would she be at the stables?”
“Because she’s upset and she loves riding her horse.” Graham wrenched free. “She’s still learning, and must ensure—”
“You taught her to ride?” Elias exploded. “If something happens to her…”
Graham didn’t wait to hear the rest. He ran for the mews, his heart pounding. She had become a proficient rider when he was with her, but anything could happen. When he got there, Luna and Diana were gone.
“Saddle Midnight,” Graham commanded the groom. “Now.”
He raced down the road, hoping to catch up with her as quickly as possible.
She could continue to refuse to talk to him, but he had to ensure her safety.
His wife had become a proficient rider, but many things could happen that she wasn’t prepared to handle on her own.
When he reached the park, he saw her in the distance. She had Luna in a canter.
Diana truly was the most beautiful woman that he had ever seen, and he ached at the thought of losing her love.
If he wasn’t so worried for her safety, he would be proud of how graceful she looked upon her beloved horse.
He gave Midnight his head to catch up with her, then saw a stray dog running towards Diana’s path.
His heart stopped when he saw Luna kick up and Diana come crashing to the ground. “Diana!”
He reached her and leapt off of his horse, racing to her side and crouching beside her. “Diana sweetheart. Wake up, darling. Please.”
She wasn’t moving. Graham’s entire body was shaking. He felt her neck, praying there was a pulse. He closed his eyes and released a large stream of air when he could make out a rhythm. “Diana. Please wake up.” He looked around, trying to decide what to do.
“I’ve got you, sweetheart. You’re going to be all right. I will make sure of it.” Tears sprang from his eyes. He couldn’t lose her. This was all his fault. He’s the one who got her the horse. He’s the one who broke her trust and her heart. If only he hadn’t played the part of a coward.
Graham picked her up and cradled her against him, holding her steady with one arm. He grabbed the reins of both horses and guided them along with him. He’d hail a hackney to get her home to avoid jostling her more than necessary.
Graham walked as quickly as he could and got her into a hackney.
He tied the horses to the back and gave the driver the address of his townhouse.
When they arrived at their home, he cradled her in his arms again and jumped down from the carriage.
“Wait here. My man will pay you handsomely and retrieve my horses.”
He raced through the front door as quickly as he could without moving Diana too much. Mitchell appeared right away.
“Send for the doctor immediately. Tell him he must come straight away. Generously pay the hackney driver and have someone retrieve and stable our horses. Also, send Mary to our chamber.”
Mitchell sprang into action to take care of all the Graham asked.
“What the hell happened?” Elias shouted. There were gasps and cries that rang out as everyone swarmed him from a nearby drawing room.
“She fell. Luna threw her.” Graham couldn’t let go of Diana even as Elias reached for her. “We need a physician. Now.”
“Give her to me,” Elias demanded.
“No.” Graham’s arms tightened around her. “I’ve got her.”
Graham climbed the stairs, hugging Diana to him. He entered their shared chamber and pulled back the bedding to lay her down, resting her head on the pillows.
Mary entered the room and gasped. “What has happened, my lord?”
Graham fought the tears that were welled up in his eyes. “She took off riding on her own. I went after her and got there too late. She had a fall. Mitchell sent for the doctor. Help me get her changed out of her habit before the doctor arrives.”
Mary and Graham removed Diana’s habit and dressed her in a night rail.
He pulled the covers up over her to keep her warm.
He checked her pulse again and was relieved to find that it was still strong.
Even in sleep, she was still breathtakingly beautiful, and it made every part of him ache with how much he longed for her to wake.
He laid his hand on her chest to feel the inhale and exhale of her breath to keep himself from losing his mind.
“Elias is enraged,” his mother said, entering the chamber. “The only thing keeping him from coming up here is fear that fighting with you will worsen her condition. How is her breathing?”
Graham looked up at his mother. He couldn’t speak and he could no longer hold back the tears. His legs gave out from underneath him, his knees hitting the floor. He folded his arms to prop himself on the side of her bed and released all of the pain from how he feared losing her.
Augusta rushed to her son’s side. “Dearest, you must be strong for her. I know you are blaming yourself, but you didn’t cause her to fall. Right now, the only thing that matters is taking care of Diana.”
Graham raised his head and clasped his fingers around Diana’s hand, wiping his eyes with his other hand. His mother brushed his hair from his face, like she did when he was a boy. Augusta walked to the other side of the bed and sat beside Diana, holding her other hand.
Mitchell appeared a few moments later and had the doctor with him.
The man entered the room and began assessing Diana and then immediately looked to Graham. “Please explain to me what has occurred in as much detail as possible.”
Graham discussed the fall and detailed her positioning during the incident. He answered all the doctor’s questions, not releasing his wife’s hand for a single moment.
“I need to examine her now. Everyone must wait downstairs so I can concentrate and listen to her breathing and heart rate.”
“I’m staying. I’m her husband.” Graham stood to face the man.
“That is precisely why you need to wait downstairs, my lord. I need to focus, and you will demand immediate answers. I promise I will come to you directly after I have examined her. Her maid can stay with me for the examination.”
Augusta crossed to the other side of the room and took her son’s arm. “Let’s go, son. Allow the doctor to work.”
Graham let his mother lead him out of the room. They made their way to the drawing room where everyone waited. Matt leaned against the windowsill, watching outside the window. Augusta took a seat on the settee, rapping her fingers on the arm.
“The doctor is with her now. He will inform us as soon as he can,” Graham said, not making eye contact with any of them.
He took to pacing the room, back and forth. No one spoke, only waited.
The tension in the room was palpable. It felt like hours before the doctor finally joined them. Lydia looped her arm through Elias’s, attempting to keep him calm. Everyone surrounded the doctor, remaining quiet to hear everything that he had to say.
Graham held his breath. Afraid to hear the words. Diana had to be all right. It was the only truth he would accept.
Because he couldn’t live without her.