Preston nodded, but worry shone in his eyes. “Yes, of course.”
The dark passage brought them to an open area with a barred cell. Inside, Victor was raging like a wild beast. Sweat poured down his face despite the coolness of the dungeon. Spit flew from his mouth with a barely coherent mix of French and English blather about killing them all, treason, and the glorious emperor. His height left only inches between his head and the low stone ceiling. Each time he flailed and jumped, parts of him would bash against unyielding rock. A gash bled on his forehead and one on his hand.
Alex leaned against the wall watching, while Oliver stood with his arms crossed over his broad chest and his legs apart.
“Has he been like this since you brought him here?” Preston ran his hand through his hair.
“He’s actually calmed a bit.” Oliver pointed and shrugged. “I’ve never seen anything like him. You knew him before, Jacques. Was he always a madman?”
The idea of wrapping his hands around Victor’s throat made Jacques’s hands twitch. Insane or not, he’d hurt Diana on more than one occasion, and now she was above stairs fighting for her life. “He has always been obsessed with his emperor, but no. It would seem losing Diana for a second time has snapped something inside him. If I did not wish so intensely to kill him, I might feel sorry for the bastard.”
Alex turned his head but kept his relaxed pose. From the way his shoulders bunched, he was nowhere near as relaxed as he looked. “How is she?”
Heart in his throat, Jacques swallowed several times before he could answer. “Mrs. Fallcraft is with her. When the surgeon arrives, we will know more.”
“I hope she dies a miserable death.” Victor’s English suddenly perfect, he stared with wide, vacuous eyes at Jacques.
Jacques’s wrath boiled, and it took a great effort not to become as crazed as Victor. Slowly, he approached the bars. “If she dies, you will be next. I would rip your arms off one by one and watch you bleed to death. If they would let me, I would kill you now. You should be happy you are on the other side of these bars, and I do not have the key to your cell. You had better pray Diana MacLeod lives. Otherwise, nothing will save you from my fury.”
Preston’s hand on his shoulder broke through the disturbing escalation of Jacques’s emotions. He strode out of the prison and climbed the stairs two at a time.
At the top, an out-of-breath Mr. Bates stopped short. “Mr. Laurent, I have been looking for you.”
Jacques’s heart stopped. The butler looked ready to drop. Had he lost her? “Is it Miss MacLeod?”
Catching his breath, Mr. Bates nodded. “The surgeon is here.”
Jacques strode down the hall to the parlor and opened the door.
A plump man in a gray suit, with long sideburns and a powdered wig, stood over Diana. He held her wrist and looked at his watch. “I need to get that bullet out, but her heart is beating strong. It might be the pain that keeps her unconscious. Probably a good thing.”
“Will she live?” Jacques demanded.
The doctor hemmed and hawed, looking around the room and avoiding Jacques’s gaze. “Her condition is grave. She has lost blood.”
“Will she live?”
“I… I can’t say for sure. She is young and strong. If we can get the bullet out, and she does not contract an infection in her blood, perhaps. The bullet didn’t invade any organs that I can tell. I see no reason she’s not awake. I shall do what I can to save her, Mr…”
Mrs. Fallcraft stood. “This is Mr. Laurent, Dr. Page. He and Miss MacLeod have been courting. He is understandably upset by today’s events.”
Dr. Page gave a solemn nod and his expression softened. “I understand. I assure you I will do what I can to help the young lady.”
“How can I help?” Jacques wanted to be of use. Finding Diana was a miracle. Never had he expected to need someone as he did her. Losing her now was not possible. He couldn’t bear it.
“I have to cut away her dress. I imagine when I go fishing around, she will wake. Do you think you can hold her still while I work? I’m concerned that the ladies will not be capable of the strength required, and I would guess you would not favor one of the other men holding her in such a way.” Dr. Page raised an eyebrow.
Jacques looked around the room at Honoria and Mrs. Fallcraft. “I will hold her.”
Sebastian and Nathaniel stood to the side watching, but left the room when Dr. Page turned to cut Diana’s dress. He pulled a blade and some kind of tweezer from his bag before washing his hands in a basin.
Seated on the couch facing Diana, Jacques pulled her torso toward him and wrapped his arms around her lower back exactly as the doctor instructed.
Her head lolled then settled against his shoulder. She moaned a weak protest.
Jacques whispered in her ear, “Diana, the doctor must remove the lead ball from your shoulder. It will be painful, but I have you. Stay with me.”
Dr. Page said, “She cannot hear you, sir. She’s not conscious.”
“We don’t know what she hears. Besides, it can do no harm.” Jacques looked at Mrs. Fallcraft, who stood ready to assist the doctor.
She gave him a smile and a nod.
Her moan must have meant she had some sense of what was happening. It didn’t matter if they thought him mad. She was a part of him, and if there was a chance she heard, and his words could soothe her, he would continue. Jacques took a breath. “Let’s get this thing out of her, shall we?”
Dr. Page gave a nod and stepped to Diana’s back.
Mrs. Fallcraft removed the bandages she’d packed around the wound to stop the bleeding.
Where her flesh had been perfect and beautiful, the back of her shoulder was marred by blood and a nasty entry wound. She had done it to herself in an effort to protect him. He would rather have died than see her hurt.
Honoria gasped and covered her mouth. “My poor girl.”
“If anyone feels they will faint or become ill, they should remove themselves from this room. I’ll not be distracted.” Dr. Page made a good point.
Two maids rushed from the room, but two more stayed as did Honoria, who kept her worried gaze on Diana.
Mrs. Fallcraft poured strong spirits over the wound.
Diana stiffened.
He couldn’t bear her pain, but still thought her reaction a good sign. Holding tight, he told her how brave she was and how much he loved her.
Dr. Page cut Diana’s skin and blood ran down her back faster than Mrs. Fallcraft could swab it away. He dug around with his tweezer.
Diana jerked and tried to pull away from the pain, but Jacques held her in place. All the while his heart was in his throat and he wished it was him the doctor was poking around inside. Jacques closed his eyes, trying to absorb her agony.
The clank of steel indicated the offending bullet was removed.
Wrapped in his arms, Diana relaxed until Mrs. Fallcraft began stitching up the wound.
When it was over, Jacques was exhausted and angry at everyone and anyone who had caused his goddess pain.
Mrs. Fallcraft bandaged the wound, then wrapped Diana in a sheet. “You should carry her to her bed. The maids will have prepared her room so we can care for her.”
Obediently doing as he was told, Jacques carried her up the steps and eased her into her bed. He hesitated at Diana’s bedside. The room was buzzing with Mrs. Bates, Honoria, and two maids. Diana’s muscles had relaxed, but she was still deathly pale. He hated to leave her, but the doctor was waiting in the hall.
Outside Diana’s room, Jacques faced Dr. Page. “How is she?”
“The ball hit bone. I didn’t detect any fragments, which is good. The bone will still give her a great deal of pain and may well have cracked. It will take some weeks to heal, and she should remain here until she is fully recovered. That arm will need to be kept immobile while her should
er heals. Bouncing around in a carriage is the last thing she needs. Mrs. Fallcraft and the maids will watch for fever and call me should she exhibit signs of a blood infection.”
“What can I do?” Jacques needed to help in some way.
Dr. Page frowned. “Nursing is for the ladies to attend to. Perhaps you might sit with her and monitor any change. Keep her calm if she becomes agitated. We don’t want her tearing those stitches. She’s already lost too much blood.”
Jacques was grateful to the man. “Thank you, Doctor. I will see that she is well cared for and does not tear the stitches.” He shook his hand and walked back into Diana’s room.
Jacques watched from the shadows while the women fussed over Diana. When they needed to put a clean nightgown on her, he stepped in and lifted her. Despite the maids blushing over Diana’s state of undress, Jacques would help take care of her.
At ten o’clock, Honoria sat dozing in the chair next to Diana’s bed. She was tired and upset, but had refused to go to bed an hour earlier when Cecilia had said she would keep watch.
Jacques stepped forward and knelt next to the chair. “My lady, go to bed. You will do her no good if you make yourself ill. I will stay with her.”
A tear slid down Honoria’s cheek. “I failed in my duty to keep her safe.”
“I share your regret, but Caron’s madness was unpredictable. We could not have known he would attack here at Buckrose. No sane person would attempt to carry her out of this fortress.”
“Are you trying to convince me or yourself?” She cupped his cheek much like his mother always had when he’d been upset as a child.
“I never dreamed she would launch herself between me and that gun. I allowed my own desire to be a man and protect her cloud her strength. I should have known. She is not an ordinary woman by any means.” He loved all the things that made Diana unique, but he wished she were a bit less brave.
“I believe she would do it again given the same circumstance.” Honoria’s smile was sad. “She loves you that fiercely.”
It pained him and gave him great joy. Monique’s betrayal had forced him to discard any hope of love. Falling under Diana’s spell broke the dam and left him drowning in a sea of emotions he thought he’d banished forever. “Go and rest, my lady.”
Nodding, she rose. “You will call me if anything changes?”
“You have my word.” He helped her up and saw her to the door, where she looked back at Diana one last time before stumbling to her own room.
Closing the door, Jacques closed his eyes. He felt as ragged as Diana looked. He could not take the hurt from her, but he experienced it just the same. No longer caring about rules of propriety, Jacques climbed into the bed on Diana’s uninjured side and took great care not to jostle her as he lay beside her. “I am very vexed with you, Diana. You had no right to injure yourself on my behalf. How can I live if you do not survive? You will have to fight to come back to me. I refuse to accept any other outcome.”
He kissed her cheek. “You might be the bravest woman I have ever known. That is saying quite a lot. Still, you should not have tried to protect me. I should be protecting you. Perhaps that is arrogant of me, but you cannot fault me for wanting you safe. We shall have a long talk about this when you wake up.”
Losing Diana was not an option. His heart couldn’t survive it. She was too much a part of that organ’s ability to beat. She was too fragile to hold, so he settled for resting alongside her and placing his hand at her waist.
Several hours passed and rain tapped against the window. Heat emanated from Diana more fiercely than normal body heat. Sitting up, he felt her cheek.
Clammy and hot. Jacques rolled from the bed and rang for a maid.
Not two minutes passed before Cecilia stood in the doorway. Her cap was askew, and her dress crooked at the shoulder, but she curtsied. “What do you need, sir?”
“Miss MacLeod has a fever. Send someone for Dr. Page and see if you can awaken Mrs. Fallcraft.” Jacques was glad he sounded calmer than his racing heart. He’d prayed, but the result was not as he’d hoped.
Diana moaned behind him.
Cecilia ran from the room and her footfall sounded on the stairs a moment later.
Jacques walked to Honoria’s door and knocked.
A shuffle sounded from within before the door flew open. In her lace-trimmed and ruffled gown, Honoria demanded, “What has happened?”
“She has a fever.” He hadn’t intended to sound forlorn, but his voice betrayed his emotions.
With a nod, Honoria said, “I’ll be a moment.” She closed the door.
Jacques went back to Diana’s room. He took the cloth on her dresser and soaked it in the bowl of cool water, then pressed it to her forehead.
Moaning, Diana turned her head from side to side.
Hoping to chase away whatever demons haunted her dreams, he leaned down and pressed his lips to her ear. “Diana, you must be still, or you will tear those stitches. You do not want to have to go through that again. Frankly, I do not think I could take it.”
She stilled, but pain etched lines on her forehead and around her eyes.
Jacques kissed her nose. “Do not leave me, Diana. I need you and cannot live without you in my life. Please.”
Chapter 18
The haze around Diana faded and a throbbing pain took its place. She focused on the voices around her and pulled herself out of the fog. Blinking through the heaviness of her eyelids, Diana forced herself to wake.
She moved her arm. Pain scorched through the right side of her body, taking her breath away.
Jacques’s handsome face came into focus. There were dark rings under his eyes and his hair hung loose instead of being pulled back in a neat queue. Lines formed around his frown. “Be still, Diana. You are all right, but you should try to relax.”
“Jacques.” Her dry throat wouldn’t allow much more.
“I am here. We have been very worried about you.” He ran his fingers down her cheek.
Memories bounced around the periphery of her mind. Walking in the snow, Victor, danger, pain. “I was shot?”
Honoria leaned over her. “Yes, but you’re going to be fine. Dr. Page said the fever is abated and your blood is clean. He wanted to bleed you, but Jacques wouldn’t have it after you’d lost so much blood.”
“Fever?” Had she been ill? “I don’t remember.”
“I am very angry with you.” He didn’t look angry. Tired, relieved, and maybe loving, but not angry. Pushing her hair from her face, he said, “You should not have tried to protect me, but we will talk about that when you are stronger.”
Exhausted and still foggy-brained, Diana closed her eyes. “Good, because I have a thing or two to say about that.”
Honoria laughed. “Oh, thank heavens, there she is. She really is going to be all right.”
It was an effort not to fall asleep. Diana opened her eyes again. Jacques still hovered over her, his face just inches from hers. She needed to touch him but moving hurt too much. “How long?”
“You were injured five days ago. You lost consciousness almost immediately, then took a fever. It broke last night. We’ve been very worried. Do you think you might take a few spoons of broth?”
Had his eyes not been filled with pain and worry, she would have said no to any food. “I will try.”
“I’m going to lift you to sitting. Do you think you can wrap your left arm around my neck?”
The scent of him filled her as he leaned in and wrapped his arms around her lower back. As if her arm weighed twenty pounds, she heaved it over his shoulder and gripped his neck.
Jacques whispered, “Are you ready?”
“Can’t we just stay like this?”
Honoria cleared her throat.
“I would not mind, my love, but the room is less than private.” He chuckled near her ear.
She gripped him tight as he hauled her to a sitting position. Pain forced a cry from her lips.
Jacques held her close until the agony declined to a throb. “Is it better?”
“Yes. You can let go, if you must.” Brazen words flew from her mouth. Perhaps she was delirious from lack of food or some draught she’d been given.
For an instant, he tightened his hug before releasing her. Despite him looking done in, he gave her a smile before backing away.
Cecilia stepped forward with a steaming bowl in her hands. She put a napkin under Diana’s chin and sat at the edge of the bed. “I’m so happy you’re awake, miss.”
“Thank you.” Diana took a spoon of soup, and while she didn’t much like being fed like a baby, she could not have lifted the bowl and managed the spoon. Her right arm was strapped to her side with her hand free but unable to move beyond an inch off her middle.
Honoria stepped to the bed and sat on the chair. “It has been a difficult few days.” She turned to Jacques. “Take yourself to bed, Mr. Laurent. If you fall ill, we’ll all be lost.”
Worry pressed his brows together. He met Diana’s gaze. “I will be back in a few hours. If you need me, send for me.”
“I will. Go and rest.” She drank another spoon of soup. It was bland but warm as it slid down to her stomach.
Once Jacques was gone, Honoria said, “He has barely left your side through all of this. I don’t think he’s had three hours sleep in five days. The rest of them have had little sleep, what with that man in the dungeon, but Jacques refused to leave you.”
Lids heavy, Diana tried to process everything Honoria said. “I couldn’t let him be killed.”
“Of course, you couldn’t. He’s rather angry at you about it, though. Still, he watched you like a hawk and insisted on caring for you. He even held you while that Dr. Page removed the ball from your shoulder.” Honoria cringed at the memory.
Jacques’s whispered words of love echoed inside Diana. She tried to pull the memory forward, but only hazy sounds of his voice remained. Managing another spoonful, she forced it down. “I think I’ve had enough for now, Cecilia. I’m very tired.”
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