His Contrary Bride (A Gentleman's Guide to One Upon a Time - Book 2)

by Charles, Jane

  “As soon as we learned Chesterfield had left London we hurried to catch up and warn you.”

  “Who all is with you?” She asked hesitantly.

  “Everyone, Martin, Dillon, and Noah are right beside me digging. Janine and Phoebe, as I said, are waiting at the house.”

  “This seems very strange,” Sabrina stated to herself out loud.

  “Not really.” Taylor continued. “We arrived this evening and intended on staying the night at the inn since it was late. Dillon was the only one who was going to ride and warn you. He was just getting ready to leave when the news reached us. I’ve never seen a town clean out so quickly. Everyone who lives here is outside.”

  “I’m glad Phoebe is here. She’ll know what to do.”

  “She will probably tell you that you are worrying for nothing,” Marius offered.

  The timbers cracked above. Sabrina looked up and held her breath, her arms instinctively moved to cover Simone. There was complete silence from the other side. Had they abandoned her, or were they really there to begin with. Everything was so muddled and all she wanted to do was lay down and sleep, so tired.

  A moment later axes and shovels could be heard and Sabrina was assured she and Simone were not alone. Her hands once again checked Simone’s pulse, heart beat and breathing before she touched her head. She could no longer tell if the bleeding had stopped because her hands and Simone’s head were sticky with blood.

  She swallowed hard and forced the panic down. She must think of something else. Something that would help keep her alert. She couldn’t go to sleep now. Not with Simone still unconscious. “If we have all these guests, do you know what that means Marius?”

  “No, what?”

  “It’ll be our first house party. Or, country party, whatever you call them.”

  “It appears so.” Marius matched the strained cheerfulness of the tone she tried to put forth.

  “Of course we can’t really start enjoying ourselves until Simone is recovered. It wouldn’t be very fair to her especially since she did save my life.”

  “I’m sure everyone will be in agreement.”

  Lantern light flooded into her darkened space when several rocks were pulled away from the collapse. Sabrina needed to shield her eyes from the sudden pain. They needed a moment to adjust after being in pitch blackness for so long.

  Richard was the first one through the opening, which didn’t actually surprise Sabrina. After all, it was his wife who was unconscious. Marius followed and Sabrina looked down to the head cradled in her lap when Richard lifted the lamp to examine his wife. She sucked in her breath, shocked at the sight. Simone’s forehead had been split open and blood covered a good portion of her face and head, having dripped onto Sabrina’s skirts. But, it was the only blood on her person. Well, except for the bloody hand prints on her chest from the several times she checked her heartbeat. Other than being very pale and the wound to her head, Simone appeared otherwise uninjured.

  * * *

  It was Sabrina’s appearance that shocked him the most. Her hands and gown were covered in blood. Even though he knew it was Simone’s blood, it didn’t make the appearance less frightening. Marius was just thankful she was alright. Pale and possibly in shock, but whole, and that was all he could ask for.

  Between the two of them Marius and Richard managed to lift Simone through the opening to the others. Richard followed so he could carry her to the doctor.

  Marius helped Sabrina to her feet and drew her into his arms. Sabrina fell into him, and he kissed her quickly. “There will be more later, when we are out of here.”

  Sabrina offered a slight smile, her eyelids drooped and she leaned her head against his shoulder as Marius led her to the opening. “I can’t imagine why I am so weak.”

  “It’s just from being stuck in here.” Marius continued to support Sabrina until they came to the hold in the wall. Not only was she barely walking on her own, but her speech was faint.

  He assisted her through the opening and followed close behind. They had only taken a few steps towards the exit when she looked at him with confusion. “I feel very strange.”

  Marius was able to scoop her limp body into his arms before she landed on the filthy floor. He had only taken a few more steps when he felt warmth at his side. Pausing, he adjusted her to look down. Blood was seeping into his shirt. “Bring me a light,” he hollered.

  Dillon was at his side in a moment, as was Noah, both with lanterns raised so Marius could better examine Sabrina. She was covered in so much blood he couldn’t find an injury. He squatted down and settled her on his knees and rolled her body from side to side. Despite the blood soaked gown he was able to find a hold in the dress on the right side above her hip. “That bastard did shoot her.” It took only seconds to stand and be out of the mine before Marius began yelling for the doctor.

  The women had been placed in the back of a wagon and surrounded by blankets from the neighboring homes. The doctor had already temporarily bandaged Simone’s head when Marius appeared with his wife. “Lay her flat and cover her, Mr. Parker. I’ll examine her further at the house.”

  The wagon moved at a snail’s pace, careful to avoid any ruts in the road. It felt like an eternity before they arrived at the house. Marius and Richard had stayed with their wives and walked beside the wagon. The other gentlemen rode ahead to alert the households to make preparations. The doctor was waiting as well.

  “You may put Lady Lavins in her bed. I’ll be up momentarily.” Without moving Sabrina, he cut away the gown at her side, locating the bullet hole. “She needs to be moved with the greatest care.” Marius picked her up gently and took her to their chamber. Janine sank into a chair, pale at the sight of Sabrina. Phoebe appeared only slightly shaken but followed the doctor.

  “The bullet did not exit.” The doctor stated gravely. “Have one of the servants cut away her gown and wash her. I’ll return after I check on Lady Lavins.”

  Phoebe followed him out of the room.

  Sabrina’s maid retrieved the scissors but it was Marius who removed the clothing and bathed the blood from her body. There was so much blood. Pulling the cool sheet up over her body he waited for the doctors’ return while praying for his wife.

  Dr. Ginnis was alone when he returned. “It appears Lady Lavin’s only injury was the blow to her head. The bleeding has finally stopped and Lady Sandlin offered to stitch the injury.

  “Has she awakened?” Marius’ voice was hoarse.

  “No.” Dr. Ginnis stated flatly. Lifting the sheet from the side, the doctor tried to retain all modesty for Lady Sabrina. The hole was just at the indent in her waist. An inch or so over and the bullet would have missed her. The doctor looked up at Marius . “I’ll need to remove the bullet and examine the hole to see if there is any other damage.”

  Marius nodded, clenching his jaw.

  “Perhaps you should call a servant to help hold your wife.”

  “No. I can keep her still.”

  The doctor met his eyes. “I am suggesting that perhaps you shouldn’t be here, sir. Maybe it would be better if you joined your friends, have a brandy while I see to your wife.”

  “Doctor, I understand your concern. I’ll stay calm and keep my wife still.”

  The doctor opened his mouth to argue but must have noted Marius determination and shut it a moment later and set to work searching for the ball. Even though she was unconscious, Sabrina must have felt the pain on some level of consciousness because occasionally she stiffened or moaned. Marius leaned over her, holding her body still while the doctor worked. Marius talked to Sabrina quietly while the doctor probed, pulling out the bullet. Blood gushed from the wound and the doctor pressed a cloth to the opening. Once the bleeding was reduced the doctor poked and prodded the wound further, pulling out the bits of material.

  Marius wondered what else could be in there. The bullet was gone and there couldn’t be any of her dress, from what he could see from what the doctor already discarded.

>   Dr. Ginnis straightened and pressed a new cloth against the opening of Sabrina’s wound and looked up at Marius. “It is a good thing that your wife still wears a corset, unlike so many young ladies today.”

  Marius raised his eyebrows in question.

  “It slowed the bullet. Luckily your wife didn’t suffer a fatal injury and nothing vital was struck.” Pausing, he looked at Marius seriously. “Still, there is always the chance for infection. If she doesn’t develop a fever over the next day or so, I am certain she will recover nicely.”

  Marius nodded mutely and prayed that his wife didn’t develop an infection and thanked the Lord her injury hadn’t been as serious as it could have been.

  “Do you have any alcohol?”

  Marius nodded. “Scot Whiskey. Crates of it.”

  A half smile graced the doctor’s face. “I heard rumor of smuggling in the past.” He pulled the cloth away and Marius noted most of the bleeding has stopped. “Could you get me a bottle?”

  Marius was torn between leaving Sabrina and doing what the doctor asked. He would only be gone a minute. With reluctance he left the room and ran to library where two of the bottles from the cellar were shelved.

  He handed the bottle to the doctor. After he removed the cork he looked back up at Marius. “You will need to hold her again.”

  Marius pressed his hands to Sabrina’s shoulder. When the brown liquid entered the wound her back arched and she attempted to roll. Marius bent forward and whispered loving words in her ear, hoping to calm her. Surprisingly, Sabrina did not awaken. It must be the loss of blood keeping her unconscious.

  A moment later the doctor set to stitching the wound. Sabrina lay still and quiet, her breath slow and steady.

  * * *

  Marius stayed with Sabrina through the day. At the insistence of Phoebe, he ate from the tray she brought to the room, but refused to leave Sabrina’s side. She seemed so pale and he worried about how dangerous it was to lose as much blood as she had. He also couldn’t get over his amazement of how she kept her wits about her while she and Simone had been caught on the other side, and replayed their conversation over in his mind. Dr. Ginnis told him it was quite possible Sabrina hadn’t known she had been shot. He had seen similar reactions in war. In the heat of battle men fought, driven to keep moving forward until it was over. Only then would they realize they had been wounded. He couldn’t explain why this happened especially since Sabrina’s loss of blood should have caused her to lose consciousness long before she was brought out of the mine.

  One crisis had passed after Simone had awakened and appeared to have her wits, only suffering a headache. It took much longer for Sabrina. Marius only knew of this development because Richard came in to tell him. Other than that, he knew nothing of what was happening in his household. With each moment that passed that Sabrina didn’t awaken, the more concerned he became. The doctor had assured him that the sleep was not unusual given the trauma of the injury and loss of blood. She needed to rest and heal. Often he touched her cheeks and forehead for signs of fever.

  The only person who bothered him and was a frequent visitor was Phoebe, who spent more time trying to force him to eat and sleep than taking care of Sabrina. As dusk was beginning to fall, Marius finally stretched out on the bed beside his wife, away from her injury. Turning on his own side, he laid a hand on hers and closed his eyes. He would know instantly if she awoke and he would awake himself. Still, he wouldn’t let himself sleep soundly for fear of her developing a fever.

  * * *

  The room was completely dark when Sabrina awoke. It took all her energy just to lift her heavy eyelids only to face blackness. Her mind was foggy. Was she still trapped in the mine? How could she have fallen asleep when they needed to escape? No, they had escaped, or she thought they had. Marius was there, he was helping her walk, and she had felt so strangely weak. Had there been another collapse? Were they trapped again? Where was Marius?

  Panic rose and Sabrina struggled to sit, until a sharp, burning pain shot through her side. Crying out in pain, she fell back against the pillows. Her mind barely registered that she was in a bed before she felt the bed shift with movement from the other side.

  “Sabrina. Don’t move, love, you have been injured. Just hold on for a moment while I light a lamp.” The sudden brightness of the lamp hurt her eyes and she closed them instantly. Her side throbbed, her head hurt and her stomach churned.

  “Let me light a fire before I extinguish the lamp. It won’t be nearly as bright and will be further away.”

  She could hear the thud of wood being dropped and the unmistakable sound of a flint, followed the light faint smell of smoke that tickled her nose. Moments later, the light beside her bed vanished. She slowly opened her eyes as Marius sat in the chair next to the bed. His face was etched with worry. There were small wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, which she had never noticed before and at least a day’s growth of whiskers on his face. What had happened? Simone? She had to be alright. Sabrina was unaware she had spoken the questions out loud until Marius answered.

  “Simone is fine. Besides a few stitches, she only suffered a raging headache.” He grew more serious, lifting her limp hand to his lips. “It is you we have all been worried about.”

  Sabrina’s lips were dry and she tried to lick them only to find her mouth dry as well. In an instant, Marius was gently lifting her and placing a glass to her lips. Sabrina sipped, grateful yet wondering why everyone had been worried. When Marius removed the glass and gently settled her back on the pillows she winced, feeling the pain in her side. “Why would anyone worry about me?”

  Marius raised an eyebrow and one side of his mouth. “Have you not noticed the pain in your side?”

  Her brows knit. “Yes. I must have been hit by falling rocks.”

  Marius shook his head. “If only that were the case.” He looked deeply into her eyes and all his worry had returned. “You were shot, Sabrina.”

  She would remember if she had been shot. Her uncle’s gun did fire, but that young boy had knocked his arm with the shovel so his aim was off. “Uncle missed.”

  Marius leaned forward and kissed her forehead. “No, he didn’t. The bullet struck you in the side. The doctor removed it this morning after we got you out of the mine.”

  Sabrina shook her head in disbelief. “No. I would have known.”

  Marius smiled and kissed her lips before he explained everything that transpired while she was unconscious.

  Sabrina could only stare at him. None of this made any sense at all. Wouldn’t a person remember being shot? Why didn’t she collapse next to Simone? Her mind was becoming muddled and her energy fading. His voice was drifting saying something about Scot Whiskey, her eyes too heavy to remain open. She would need to ask him later. Would it be rude to fall asleep while he talked?

  His lips touched hers and Sabrina sighed.

  “Sleep well, Sabrina.”

  Her eyes were closed before he raised his lips. In the light, his worry receded. She was no longer deathly pale, yet the color in her cheeks wasn’t from a fever as he had checked when he kissed her. He knew he shouldn’t be hasty because an infection could still develop, but hope was restored now that she awakened for at least a short time. He remained sitting by her side, holding her hand and watching her for the remainder of the night. As the dawn creased the sky again, twenty-four hours after the bullet had been removed, Marius sat forward to feel her brow. It was still cool. An incredible relief awakened his muscles and tears burned in his eyes. The danger was finally past. Lying down next to her, he fell into a deep dreamless sleep, still holding her hand, needing that contact with her.

  * * *

  A month later, fully recovered, Sabrina and Marius returned to London.

  “Uncle kept ranting about a legacy,” Sabrina remarked while she and Marius told Ramsey what had happened in Hopewell.

  “Mr. Jacobs mentioned something of the same when we met, but I didn’t ask for an explanation, being more c
oncerned with when our uncle would return.”

  “I’ll have a note sent around asking that he call on us when he has time.” Marius rose from the settee and walked to his desk where he penned a message to be delivered.

  An hour later, Mr. Jacobs arrived at their home, while Ramsey was still present.

  Marius ushered them into the parlor and Sabrina poured the man a cup of tea.

  The man took a hasty sip then set the cup on the table and withdrew papers from a satchel. “You already know how the land inherited from Lady Sabrina’s mother is to be passed so I will not go over it again.”

  He cleared his throat. “I believe it is the Chesterfield legacy that has brought you the recent trouble. Because of this legacy, each of you must promise not to share what I tell you with anyone, other than Lady Chesterfield of course.”

  They nodded, waiting.

  “The secrecy is to protect future daughters, though I doubted any of your ancestors would have ever dreamed of one of their own bringing danger.”

  “Please explain,” Sabrina encouraged, becoming anxious with the cryptic words.

  “The legacy was established during the reign of Queen Elizabeth. For generations the Chesterfield line produced ten daughters for every son and they feared the title would become extinct and the lands and wealth reverted back to the crown. Once a queen was on the throne who certainly understood the plight of not having a male heir, they petitioned their cause. Since then, the one to inherit all the land and wealth would be the eldest of the eldest of the eldest, if they survived.”

  There was a moment of silence before Ramsey spoke. “Sabrina is the eldest, of the eldest, of the eldest.”

  Mr. Jacobs nodded. “The title goes to the male next in line, which is you, Lord Chesterfield. Your uncle knew that his time was limited as far as control over the estates.”