“Yes, my lord.”
The shutting door reached his ears, and he let out a small sigh of relief. Upon reaching their suite of rooms, he shifted her so that he could reach the doorknob. Once inside, he kicked the door shut and started in the direction of her bedroom before halting. He remembered the blood that oozed from her head wound and reconsidered laying her down on the bed. Instead, he turned to the heavy furniture in the sitting area. He crossed to a chair and sat down, cradling her close.
“You have to be all right,” he whispered against her ear. “Do you hear me, Meg? I know you think I’m an arse, and I know you have jumped to conclusions that you believe to be the truth. But you’re wrong. How could I possibly be with anyone else when I am so madly in love with you?” She moaned and shifted, but her eyes never opened. He pulled her tighter to him in the hope that some of his strength would seep into her.
Time creeped by when the door to their suite opened and a auburn-haired young woman in a homespun dress entered. Her face registered surprise and concern both when she saw them.
“What did you do to her?” the young woman demanded.
“I did nothing.”
“Then explain the blood all over you.”
“Blood?” Liam looked down and saw that indeed the blood from her head wound had soaked his coat, shirt, and cravat. “It was an accident. At the race. She was riding. Something happened. She hasn’t been fully awake since.” He watched the young woman approach. She lifted Megan’s eyelids and then called her name and chaffed her wrists. She gently moved Megan’s head and inspected the wound. “There’s barely a bump,” the woman said worriedly.
“That’s good, isn’t it?”
“No. I would rather see a bump the size of a fist than one so small. It means the swelling could be inside, which is even more dangerous.”
Liam still cradled Megan in his arms as the other woman checked her for broken bones and sprains. “How do you know my wife?”
“What makes you think I know her?”
“Perhaps the way you accused me of hurting her? Or the way you called her by name?”
“Your wife has been staying with me the past few days,” she admitted.
“And you are?”
“Jacqueline, but everyone calls me Jack. I’m the local healer.”
“Jack,” he repeated shakily, remembering what he had accused his wife of. “A man’s name.”
“Aye.”
“Aren’t you rather young to be a healer?”
“What’s your point?”
“Do you have enough training to help my wife?”
“I’ve had training my entire life, my lord. Besides that, I’m older than I look. I will do all I can for Megan because she is my friend. However, it will also take a higher power than me to see her through this,” she said, staring at Liam. “Now, I’m going to need your help.”
* * *
After having changed out of his blood-stained clothes and sponged off, Liam was going to go back to Megan’s bedroom and sit with her until a knock sounded on the door. He crossed the room and opened it to find Hamrick standing on the other side. His face had a grayish hue to it and he looked worried.
“How’s the lass?”
“She has yet to fully wake up.”
The old man nodded and put his hand out to stop the door closing. “I have something I need to show you, lad.”
“Now?”
“Aye.”
“Wait for me.” He crossed the room and lightly tapped on Megan’s door. When it opened he exchanged a few words with Jacqueline before rejoining Hamrick.
“Who’s with the lass?”
“The local healer. Evidently they’re friends. Legend?”
“Taken care of,” the man said huskily.
“I’m sorry. I know that both you and Megan had high hopes for him.”
“Which makes what I’m going to show you even worse.” They entered the barn and Hamrick pointed at Legend’s racing saddle that was perched on the top rail of his now barren stall.
“What am I supposed to see?”
“You look at it and you tell me, lad.”
Liam studied the saddle, but nothing looked amiss. That is until he came to the cinch. The wide leather strap that crossed beneath the horse’s belly was split. The split was not jagged either. It was clean and smooth, except at the very edge on one side.
“It wasn’t like that when I saddled Legend. I check all that myself.”
“Someone cut the strap knowing Megan was riding Legend,” Liam surmised.
Chapter 24
Liam entered Megan’s bedchamber to see his wife was either still unconscious or she slept. He prayed it was the latter of the two.
“How is she?” When he saw the concerned look on Jacqueline’s face, his heart plummeted. “Go and rest. I’ll stay with her. I promise, I’ll call out if I need you.”
“I’ll just be in the sitting room,” Jacqueline said. “You promise to get me if you need me?”
“Yes.”
She left the door cracked open just a bit so she could hear if he called for her. Liam paced the room for a long while. His head ached with all that ran through it. Someone had intentionally tried to hurt Megan. Legend had been fatally injured because of it. Megan thought he was carrying on an illicit affair with Cassie. One that had proven to be fertile, no less. What was he going to do? How was he going to explain everything to her? How was he going to find who wanted her dead?
An odd grunting sound came from Megan’s direction, drawing his attention. What he saw scared him. “Jack,” it came out sounding like a squeak. “Jack!” he managed to shout this time. He heard the young woman rush in and push him aside. “What’s wrong with her?” he asked, indicating his shaking wife.
“She’s seizing. Quick, get on the bed and gently pull her against you so that she’s on her side.”
When he just stood there, he felt a push to get him moving. He ran around the bed and jumped onto it. Liam put his arms around her and rolled her towards him. “Her body feels like a rock.”
“Yes.” Jack rushed across the room and back, a wooden spoon in her hand she had used to mix up a broth earlier. She quickly crawled up on the bed and pinched Megan’s nose shut, hoping her friend’s mind would allow her to open her mouth to breathe. It worked enough for Jack to sneak the spoon handle between Megan’s teeth.
“Why did you do that?”
“I don’t want her to bite her tongue. It can be a bloody mess.”
Slowly, she stopped shaking and her body went limp in Liam’s arms. He gently removed the spoon and passed it to Jack. She handed him a damp washcloth and he tenderly bathed Meg’s face.
“You can roll her onto her back. She’ll sleep for a while.”
“No.” He continued to hold her.
“Call out if you need me again.”
Liam continued to hold Megan’s limp form, brushing the matted hair away from her face. “I can’t lose you, Megan. I’m not as strong as you. I wouldn’t be able to go on without you. You have to fight. Do you hear me? Fight, dammit! Fight for us!” he whispered the plea against her ear. He held her tightly and gently rubbed a big hand up and down her back.
* * *
Megan woke to a single candle burning in her bedroom. She felt a heavy warmth wrapped around her, one that felt extremely familiar, yet not. She tipped her head back to verify her suspicions and several things happened—her head pounded, her vision blurred, and her body broke out in a cold sweat. Megan immediately stilled and the pounding slowly subsided and her vision cleared. Her body remained damp and she began to shiver.
“Jack!”
Why was Liam yelling for Jack? Why was she here?
“What’s wrong?”
“I think she’s having another one,” Liam said over her head, and his hold became different. He held her snuggly, but firmly. She saw the handle of a wooden spoon coming towards her mouth and pulled back. The bed dipped behind her and she felt a gentle hand pres
s against her face.
“No,” her friend said, “she’s shivering. She’s awake. Would you like something to drink?” Jack asked.
“Ple…please,” she croaked, her throat and mouth incredibly dry. By the time Jack returned with a cup of tea, Liam had propped her up against a bank of pillows.
“I’m going to go see about some broth and crusty bread. How does that sound?”
Megan started to nod, but quickly stopped when the pounding intensified, causing her stomach to churn sickeningly. She placed a hand against her stomach.
“Are you going to be ill?” Liam asked, worriedly.
“I hope not.”
“No sudden movement, and you should be fine. I’ll be back,” Jack announced.
Liam and Megan eyed each other warily.
“Who is she?”
“Why did you…”
They both started at the same time. Liam cleared his throat. “She is Cassie McKenzie. My director’s wife.”
“Why were you at their house?”
“I receive treatments from her servants, only they are more like family to her. They have helped me with my pain and to be able to walk without a limp.”
“Why did you pick her up?”
“Well, you see, she…”
“You’ve never been shy before. Just tell me.”
“Her labor started. Actually it had been going on for quite some time, and she hid it. She can be a bit stubborn, like another woman I know,” he said as an aside. “Only when we were talking the pain grew quite severe. They’re making me the baby’s godfather. They named her Leigh Ann. It was the closest they could get to Liam,” he explained.
“Oh. Why were you talking to her?”
“Cassie writes articles under a pseudonym for the The Times. Her articles focus on soldiers returning from war, their widows, and their orphans. Now that I can institute changes, I was asking her opinion on some things.”
“I see.”
“Do you?”
“No.” She bit her lip as a tear slipped down her cheek. “Why couldn’t you have told me any of this? Why don’t you ask my opinion about soldiers and their families? Why don’t you talk to me anymore? Why don’t you touch me?”
“What did you say to her?” Jacqueline demanded from the door, a tray in her hand.
“Hardly anything,” Liam defended.
“She needs to rest and not be upset. Go away. I’ll tell you when you can come and see her.”
“No,” Liam argued.
“Pardon?”
“I’m staying.”
“You’re going and that’s final.”
“I will not leave.”
“Please,” Megan said weakly from the bed, a hand pressed against her head. “Go.”
“We are not done with this conversation.” Liam slipped from the room, firmly shutting the door behind him.
“So that’s the man you spent the last few days in my little cottage hiding from?”
“Aye,” Megan whispered as she nibbled on the crusty, buttered bread.
“He’s a fine looking one, isn’t he?”
“Aye.”
“You finish that bread and then we’ll try a little broth. Not too much, though. We don’t want it making a reappearance.”
Megan meekly obeyed then promptly fell back asleep.
* * *
He spent time with Paddy, explaining to the boy what had happened and why he couldn’t see Megan right away. Although he was not happy about it, he understood and obeyed. Liam promised him as soon as Megan’s head was better, he would take Paddy for a visit. He stayed with the child until he fell asleep. Liam now slept fully clothed in the chair in the sitting room connected to his and Megan’s rooms.
A knock at the door to the hall roused him. He struggled to his feet and crossed to the door to see Angus on the other side.
“What is it?” Liam asked in his sleep roughened voice.
“I’m sorry to disturb, you, my lord, but there’s a man downstairs in desperate need of Miss Jack.”
“I’ll send her down.”
“Jacqueline—”
“I heard. I’ll be back as soon as I can. She kept down her food and she hasn’t had another seizure. If she doesn’t wake on her own within the hour, wake her. Ask her questions she’ll know the answer to, such as her name and your name.”
“If she can’t answer them?”
“Let’s pray she can.” She paused in the hall and looked back at him. “Don’t say anything to upset her.”
And as simply as that, Liam was left alone with his wife. He speared his fingers through his hair and walked to Megan’s room. Liam leaned against the doorframe as he watched her sleeping form. Her chest rose and fell evenly, and he felt himself relax. She stirred awake and their eyes met.
“What’s your name?”
“What?”
“What’s your name?”
“Are you sure you aren’t the one that hit your head?”
“I was instructed to ask you questions you will know the answer to by your friend.”
“Oh. I’m Megan. You’re Liam. Paddy’s our son. How’s that?”
“I imagine it’ll suffice. Would you like something to drink?”
“Please. Tea, if it isn’t too much trouble. And some more bread with butter, and cheese melted on it this time.”
He disappeared and returned to see her trying to stand, only she started falling. He reached her and swooped her up in his arms. “Just what do you think you’re doing?”
“I need to visit the necessary,” she mumbled.
“Oh.” He carried her to the water closet and helped her to stand. “Call out when you’re finished.”
“I will,” she muttered, as a flush spread across her face and neck. She shut the door.
Liam waited patiently and just when he moved to check on her, regardless of her embarrassment, the door opened. When he went to swing her up in his arms, she stopped him.
“I want to walk.”
“All right,” he held his arm out for her to take. Liam enjoyed the warmth of her pressed up against his side. Her arms were coiled tightly about his. They took only a few steps when she halted him. “Dizzy?”
“Yes. It’ll pass,” she said with more conviction than she felt. She took a few more steps and had to stop again. She stopped him when she felt him bend to pick her up. “No. I’ll do this. I’m not going to let a little bump stop me.”
“Fine. Bed or chair?”
“Chair,” she said gratefully, and they crossed the room slowly to the grouping of chairs that sat at the far end of the room in front of the fireplace. “By the window.”
“Wait here,” Liam instructed and picked up one of the chairs and moved it to the window. He helped her sit just as a soft tap sounded at the door. He turned to see a maid with a tray of food. “Please, bring it in.” Liam quickly drug a table over as well.
“Thank you,” Megan said to the maid.
“Pardon, my lady, but all the staff sends you their warmest wishes.”
“Tell them thank you, very much. I do think I’ll survive.”
“Yes, my lady.” The maid bobbed before leaving the room.
Megan picked up the teapot and tried to pour, but the spout rattled against the delicate cup.
“Let me,” Liam said. “Here now, what’s this?” Liam asked when he saw her eyes well with tears.
“I can’t walk across the room by myself. I can’t go to the necessary without having someone wait outside the door for me. I can’t even manage to pour my own cup of tea! In less than a day, I have gone from being a fairly independent woman to relying on everyone,” she wailed.
“Actually, it’s been several days, but it’s only temporary,” he quickly added when he saw more tears forming. Now stop feeling sorry for yourself. Here’s some tea and a piece of bread, just as you requested, with butter and cheese.”
“Thank you,” she muttered. She took a small bite and looked out the window. “Legend’s gon
e, isn’t he?” she asked.
“Yes,” Liam answered, sitting on a chest at the end of the bed.
“It’s my fault. I forced Jim to let me ride. I don’t know why. I was angry with you, and it just felt like something I had to do.”
“The accident was not your fault. Someone cut the cinch strap on the saddle. Not all the way through, mind you, but enough so that when you rode him, it would give way the last bit and look like an accident.”
“Are you saying someone wanted to kill me?”
“I think that was their plan. If you hadn’t thought so quickly and thrown yourself to the side, you might very well had been trampled to death.”
“Legend?”
“He got tangled up in the straps and stirrups. Broken leg. Nothing could be done.”
“I knew,” she sniffed. “That’s why I didn’t ask the first time I woke up. Deep down I knew. And his death is my fault. I don’t know how you can say otherwise. If I hadn’t been so selfish as to race him, nothing would have happened.”
“You don’t know that, and you can’t punish yourself. What we have to focus on right now is keeping you safe and finding out who did this. Meg, you do realize this is the third attempt on your life. First, there was the stable fire. Then there was the shooting at Bunbury’s and now this. Do you have any thoughts?”
“The shooting? But surely they weren’t aiming at me. I mean, Grayson was the one shot.”
“Yes, Dervish was shot, but only after he had knocked you to the ground and was standing where you had been moments before. He took a bullet that was very much meant for you,” Liam said.
“You’re frightening me.”
“Good. This is serious. Someone wants you dead and out of the picture. Now, I want you to think. Who could have done this to you?”
“I told you before, the only two people I know who might have such a grudge—the first jockey and Jonathan. Jonathan would be just the type of man not to want Legend to be alive if he couldn’t have him.”
“What about the man that attacked you at Justin’s house?”
Enticing the Weary Warrior Page 28
