Chapter Thirty-Six
Lisbeth ushered the children into the carriage, trying her best to keep them safe. Miss Sanders raced across the grass. Lisbeth wasn’t sure where she was going, but then she realized the woman was avoiding the constables and heading directly towards her.
Benson charged the woman. She screeched and dodged away from him, running in a large arc. What was she doing? He continued to chase after her, but she’d been able to put some distance between them. The woman grinned at Lisbeth and pointed the pistol in her direction.
Lisbeth shook her head and whispered, “Don’t do this.”
There was no way Miss Sanders could hear her, so she wasn’t sure who she was whispering to. She only had one shot; maybe she would miss Lisbeth.
Benson was charging the lady while Thomas was trying to get between the two of them. Lisbeth shook her head at him. She didn’t want that.
Miss Sanders laughed crazily and pulled the trigger.
A loud boom echoed through the waning light of day.
Lisbeth hadn’t been hit. She’d missed. She almost collapsed from the joy of knowing she would live, but then saw Thomas’s crumpled form in the grass.
She couldn’t lose him. They’d only just found each other.
Benson, along with Towson, held the hysterical Miss Sanders. Lisbeth didn’t have time to pay attention to any of that. She needed to go to Thomas. Alice stuck her head out the door, and Lisbeth said, “Stay in there.”
Her daughter’s eyes became watery. “Is Thomas okay?”
Lisbeth didn’t want to lie to her, so she didn’t answer. “Stay here.”
She raced to where he lay, falling on her knees. Benson reached him at the same time and gently rolled him over. He groaned. Blood was covering his shoulder and spreading. Towson yelled, “A doctor is on the way.”
Thomas groaned. “I don’t feel good.”
“That is because you jumped between me and Miss Sanders.”
His eyes connected with hers. “I would do it again.”
He grimaced and looked at Benson. “Is it bad?”
Benson frowned. “It looks like the lead ball went clear through your shoulder. You will be fine if infection doesn’t set in.”
Thomas nodded, and Lisbeth stroked his face. He smiled at her. “I love you. No matter what happens, I’m glad I had this time with you, Alice, and Jeremy.”
Lisbeth shook her head. “Don’t talk like that. You are going to live.”
He smiled at her, but his focus was fading. “I promise to do my best.”
An older man appeared at their side. “I’m the doctor. We need to get him to a place where I can clean his wound.”
Thomas’s head lolled to the side as if he’d passed out. Lisbeth looked at Benson. “I can’t lose him.”
“Come, Mrs. Easton,” he said, and he escorted her back to the carriage with Alice and Jeremy.
She stepped in to find two tear-streaked faces. Lisbeth sat on the bench and opened her arms. They both darted into her embrace. “Alice said Thomas was shot.”
“They are taking care of him now,” she told her eight-year-old son who’d seen too much in his short life.
Alice sniffled. “We can’t lose him. He just became part of our family.”
Her words warmed her heart even though Lisbeth was terrified. They were a family now, and they couldn’t lose Thomas. “I know. He is being cared for now. Have hope.”
She squeezed them tighter, grateful they were unharmed. “I’m so sorry.”
Jeremy lifted his head and scowled. “Why did she take us?”
Lisbeth sighed. “She is unwell. She thought she was supposed to marry Thomas.”
Jeremy shook his head, and Alice said, “I tried to explain to her that Thomas was married to you.”
She kissed the top of her daughter’s head. “I know. Her uncle is going to make sure she gets help.”
They both nodded and snuggled further into her. She forced the tears welling in her eyes to stop. Lisbeth had to be strong for Alice and Jeremy, but worry overflowed in her that Thomas might not make it. As her children fell asleep against her, she shook her head.
Thomas Easton could not die. The world was not so cruel. They’d loved each other since they were children. She would stay by his side until he woke up and knew they were waiting for him. Yes, there would be no dying for the man she loved.
*
Thomas blinked his eyes. Where was he? He felt like he’d died, and his mouth was unbearably dry. As his eyes adjusted, he realized he was in Lisbeth’s bedchamber. His gaze darted to the left, and he saw Lisbeth lying next to him on top of the blanket.
She clutched his hand, but other than that, she seemed to be deep in sleep. She looked exhausted. Her hair was spiraling across her face, and she had dark circles under her eyes. He was exhausted, but lifted his hand and brushed a curl from her cheek.
Her lashes fluttered, and then her eyes opened. She bolted up and stared at him. Thomas smiled. “Hello, Lizzie.”
Her lips trembled, and she reached out and ran her hand along his jaw. “You are awake.”
Thomas winced as he moved his shoulder. He remembered Miss Sanders had shot him, but after that, it was all darkness. Lisbeth bolted from the bed and rushed to the door. “Fetch Benson and the doctor. He is awake.”
Thomas shook his head. “I don’t want a doctor. I want you to join me back in this bed.”
Lisbeth smiled as she wiped tears from her face. “You don’t understand, you’ve been out of it with a fever for five days.”
His eyes widened in surprise. Benson and the doctor entered the room. The guard’s face filled with relief. He smiled at Thomas. “We thought we’d lost you, Easton.”
The doctor beamed at him. “Your wife’s steely determination that you would live seems to have proven true.”
He glanced at her, confused. She shrugged. “We had another doctor at first who told me to start saying goodbye to you. I fired him, and Benson found Dr. Leroy. He has been much more helpful than the man Towson employs.”
Dr. Leroy grinned. “Dr. Jules is a good doctor, but old-fashioned in some of his methods.”
Lisbeth pursed her lips together as if she wanted to say more but was refraining herself from doing so.
Thomas chuckled at her sour expression. The doctor smiled at him.
“You are, indeed, feeling better, and your fever has broken. I think, Mr. Easton, you will be on your way to a swift recovery now.”
He turned to Lisbeth and said, “He will need bed rest for the next week, but short of his fever spiking again, he should be fine.”
“Thank you so much, Dr. Leroy,” Lisbeth said.
The man smiled at her. “It was my pleasure.”
The doctor departed, and Benson remained. He frowned at Thomas. “I’m sorry I didn’t reach Miss Sanders in time. You should never have been shot.”
Thomas frowned at the guard, who had become a friend. “You did everything you could. The lady isn’t well. I hope her family is getting her the appropriate care.”
Lisbeth nodded. “Dr. Leroy recommended a place for her. It is a few hours north. Towson left yesterday to escort her there.”
“Good,” Thomas said. Fury coursed through him that the woman had almost ripped his family apart. Still, he wouldn’t dwell on it. He was alive. Thomas had everything he wanted.
He held his hand out to Lisbeth. Benson smiled at the two of them. “I will depart.”
Thomas was already getting sleepy, but he said, “Thank you, Benson, for always being here for the family.”
The guard nodded and departed. Lisbeth squeezed Thomas’s hand, and he pulled her towards the bed. “Come lie with me.”
She didn’t fight him and lay down beside him. Still, she said, “I don’t want to keep you awake.”
He shook his head. “I sleep better with you here. I always will.”
It was true. She nodded. Thomas’s eyes drooped, and he fell into a restful sleep, knowing Lisbeth would be by his side when he woke.
Hours later, Thomas heard two little voices whispering. Alice said, “Did you know Mother snores?”
“No, I didn’t.”
Jeremy asked, concerned. “He isn’t dead, is he? You promised he wasn’t.”
“Miss Ashby said he was recovering.”
Thomas opened his eyes and quietly brought a finger to his lips. “Your mother is sleeping.”
He glanced to his side where Lisbeth slept, snoring softly. Thomas winked at Alice and Jeremy. “Don’t ever tell her she snores. She wouldn’t like that.”
They giggled quietly. Then Jeremy’s face scrunched up as if he was about to burst into sobs, but he didn’t. Instead, he whispered, “Can we lie down with you?”
Thomas choked back tears. He understood at that moment that this was his family. He was home. It didn’t matter if it was the townhouse or their new country estate. He was right where he should be.
Thomas nodded. “Of course, but don’t wake your mother.”
They joined him on his other side. Jeremy bumped his shoulder, causing him to grimace, but he didn’t care.
They snuggled into the bed. Thomas was exhausted, but he watched the children fall asleep and then allowed himself to peruse his family.
He was a lucky man, certainly more fortunate than any famous explorer could ever be.