Chapter Nine
“Bloody hell!” Flaherty said. “She’s coming around.”
“Almost finished,” Dr. Higgins remarked. “Keep her still.”
“Don’t move, lass, just a few more stitches to go.
” At her guttural cry, Flaherty wished God had listened and allowed them to trade places while she was unconscious.
He’d been stabbed more than once, clubbed, shot…
The list of injuries was long. His body was meant to protect and defend. The lass’s wasn’t.
“Last three, Miss Stanhope,” the physician said. “Try to hold still.”
The hand gripping his own was wet with the lass’s tears. “Phineas and Percy wanted me to tell ye they’re each saving an iced teacake for ye,” he said.
*
Pippa tried to smile at the thought of those two little boys saving cake for her, but needed to clench her jaw to keep from crying out again. She held it inside until the physician tied off the last knot. Her stomach roiled as the buildup of bile churned up her throat.
A large bowl appeared in front her and Flaherty urged, “Get rid of it all, lass. Ye’ll feel better for it.”
She was in too much pain to be embarrassed as she cast up her accounts. Now they were even—although she’d only heard Flaherty heaving and had not witnessed the deed. When a cool cloth was offered, she wiped her mouth and deposited it in the smaller bowl that magically appeared in front of her face.
“Are ye ready for a sip, lass?”
“Of water, yes. Please.”
“Whiskey or brandy first?” the Irishman asked.
“Whiskey.” It took more strength than she had thought required to shift around so she could sip from his flask and not spill it.
“Are ye wanting another sip?”
“No, but thank you. Is the doctor still here?”
“Aye.” Flaherty rose to his feet. “Dr. Higgins, yer patient would like a word.”
Dr. Higgins finished washing his hands and toweled them dry. Rolling down his sleeves, he walked to her side. “You were fortunate that the blade did not go as deep as Flaherty feared—given the amount of blood. Though the detailed list that I will leave with Mrs. Chauncey—”
“I’ll be taking that list, as Miss Stanhope is me intended. We’re to be married as soon as she’s on her feet again.”
Pippa looked from the physician to Flaherty and narrowed her gaze at the blue-eyed warrior angel who had stayed with her while she was being sewn back together. “I thought you heard me say that I needed to think about it.”
“That ye did, lass. But before Dr. Higgins arrived, ye thanked me for taking care of ye and how much ye enjoyed the kisses we shared.”
She gasped. “You were not supposed to mention that in mixed company.”
“Words were not necessary, lass. ’Twas easy to discern how much ye enjoyed kissing me back.”
“That is not what I meant, Flaherty. Could you please stop talking about kissing?”
“I do believe Miss Stanhope should be on her feet in a few days, but should not attempt to get off the cot, or chair—even if she feels well enough to sit in one—without assistance,” the doctor interjected. “A fall could do extensive damage to her injury, not to mention the additional blood loss.”
“I shall see to it that the lass will stay put. I’ll be acting as her nurse—”
Pippa stared at Flaherty. “Are you mad? The only way that will happen is when I marry you.”
Flaherty grinned. “There, Dr. Higgins. Ye see, the lass is madly in love with me and cannot wait to marry so I can take care of her injury.”
Pippa wanted to smack the hardheaded man. “Flaherty?”
The auburn-haired giant ignored her.
Dr. Higgins chuckled. “I can see that. These are special circumstances indeed.”
“Exactly what I mentioned to his lordship when he told me he’s obtaining the special license for us.”
She called his name a second time. Again, Flaherty pretended not to hear her.
“Congratulations, Miss Stanhope,” the physician said. “I know you and Flaherty will be very happy. Just be sure to listen to him and do exactly what he says.”
“I most certainly will not!” She needed the stubborn man to listen to her. “I have no intention—”
Dr. Higgins was pulling on his frockcoat, but paused.
“I cannot have you countermanding the instructions I’m leaving with Flaherty and Mrs. Chauncey.
The chance of infection and wound fever is quite high, given the state of the blade that was used on you.
I do not believe he wiped the blade clean recently.
It was crusted with a combination of blood and matter I could not identify without much closer inspection and a special glass lens to magnify—”
Pippa put a hand to her mouth as the whiskey sloshed in her belly and churned up more bile.
Grateful Flaherty was quick on his feet, she emptied the contents of her now-aching stomach a second time.
When she tried to lie back on the cot, he helped her do so, shifting her onto her side. “Thank you, Flaherty.”
He handed her a damp cloth to wipe her mouth, and used another to bathe her face.
“Try to rest, just for a bit, lass. Yer poor belly must still be tender. I’ll be stopping in later to check on ye.
” His expression changed from caring to neutral.
“I’ll be heading out to our quarters to extract information from the blackguard who dared to stab me wife. ”
“But—”
He bent and brushed the tips of his fingers along the line of her jaw, interrupting her train of thought. “Mrs. Green will return in a few moments with the herbal she’s prepared for ye.”
“I have left instructions and the dosage for the laudanum,” Dr. Higgins reminded them. “Use it sparingly.”
“Aye, doctor. Thank ye.” When the physician left the room, Flaherty asked, “Do ye need a dose now, lass?”
Pippa didn’t dare put anything else in her stomach. Her heaving had pulled at her stitches. The ache went deep. She couldn’t decide which was worse, casting up her accounts or the pain in her shoulder. “Mayhap shortly. Not right now.”
He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Try to sleep, lass. I’ll return in a few hours.”
Pippa grumbled, “I’m not in the least bit sleepy.”
Flaherty shifted to the side as Mrs. Green entered the room.
He nodded to the lass and stepped into hallway.
She heard his deep, rumbling voice and knew he was speaking to one of the footmen stationed by the rear door.
A few moments later, she heard the rear door open and close and knew Flaherty had gone—he had duties to attend to.
The past few hours seemed like a blur. So much had happened, some of it unreal.
From all that she had heard about the duke’s guard, she would not have thought anyone would be able to sneak past them to get to Millie’s babe.
When Pippa saw the rough-looking man, she realized he had not had to get past the duke’s men…
he was already here! There was one thing she now knew for certain—Grant Trentchester had hired him to steal Millie’s babe.
By the time she had replayed the events in her mind twice, she felt exhaustion weighing her down.
Mrs. Green brushed Pippa’s forehead with the tips of her fingers. “Flaherty is right—you need sleep.”
Pippa had too much to think about—sort out in her head—before she gave in to what her body needed. “I’m not sleepy,” she whispered.
She drew in a breath, fighting the inevitable, but did not have the strength to keep her eyes open.