* * *
Two days later
Belle woke up feeling every muscle in her body. She remembered her mother and Michael had not left her side. They had been with her each time she awoke, helping her through a nightmare. Blinking her eyes, she looked into the smiling face of a man she could only remember as a boy of four. “Marcus . . . it is you. I didn’t dream it.”
“You recognize me!” Marcus said, smiling.
“Your eyes . . . it is like looking into a mirror . . .” she said, her words drifting away, as she continued to stare into the face she hadn’t seen since she was a child.
“Belle, you didn’t dream it. I was so afraid I’d lose you, just when I had found you again,” he said. “This has been a busy room, sister. Your dog never left your bed until we took him away to feed him, and Mama never left your side, distraught over your condition and crying about an argument you had both had that morning. And of course, His Grace has been here, unwilling to leave except when the doctor came to examine you.”
Chase chose that moment to burst into the room and return to the foot of her bed, licking his lips. He had just eaten. Belle reached her hand towards him and petted him beneath the ears, her favorite spot.
She squeezed his hand. “I do not remember an argument, but I remember her calming my fears whenever I awoke. I’d see her but couldn’t seem to focus.”
“She wouldn’t leave your side. The doctor insisted that you get as much sleep as possible and insisted she dose you with laudanum. After his initial dose, Mama insisted on cutting it out, unless she felt you were in too much pain, fearful you would not wake. You’ve slept for almost two days.”
“I cannot believe you are home,” she said, reaching up to touch his face.
Marcus took out his handkerchief and wiped the tears away from her bruised face. He glanced up at Michael, who stood with Garrett behind him. “There will be more time for us to talk, but you need more rest, and everyone wants to see you.” He winked at her and stood.
Garrett took the chair Marcus had been occupying. “This is truly a day to be thankful, Belle. I cannot believe we have our brother back, and I didn’t lose my precious sister.” He leaned in and kissed her forehead. “Thank goodness we found you. It had to have been a miracle of circumstance. We just happened upon the accident. When I realized it was you, my heart left my chest until I could be sure you had survived, Belle.”
“I feel quite battered, but everything, except my ankle, appears to be in working order,” she said, attempting to move her right foot.
“You were very lucky to escape that accident with only a badly sprained ankle, bruises, and light cuts. It looked much worse when we came upon you,” Garrett said, taking her hand and lightly squeezing it. “We were quite worried about a concussion, but the doctor remained convinced you would fully wake.”
“And Beatrice?” Belle asked. “Is she alright? She hit her head. I tried to hold her, but the carriage kept moving and flipped,” she said, feeling hot tears roll down each side of her face.
Garrett wiped them away. “Beatrice hasn’t awakened yet. But the doctor says there is hope. The driver and the footman are pretty banged up. Father and the duke are eager to find out how this happened, but from the looks of it, the carriage hit a huge pothole. The doctor set a couple of arms and a leg between the two. And there’s lots of bruising. But they will live.” Garrett glanced behind him. “You need rest, so I will leave you to speak with your betrothed. Besides, our parents have lots of questions for Marcus, and I’d like to be there when they ask him.”
Belle reached into her pocket and withdrew the small heart-shaped pebble she had carried around since the day her brother was lost. “Please give this to Marcus. Tell him when I found it.”
“Are you sure? This has always been a source of comfort. You want to give it away?” Garrett asked, visibly concerned.
“Yes. To Marcus. I felt as if the rock had found me that horrible day. Throughout my life, it has given me hope and calmed me. Twins share a lot of things. Marcus must feel a lot of confusion right now, especially to be reintroduced the way he was. He won’t accept it from me, so I’m asking you to give it to him,” she said, her throat thick with emotion.
“I will, Belle, I promise.” Her brother took the rock, enclosing it in his palm before leaving the room.
Michael took the seat next to her and gave her a quick kiss on her forehead. “I thought you were being ripped away from me, Belle,” he rasped. “The moment I saw you laying there, looking lifeless, my heart felt like someone was ripping it from my chest. All I knew was I could not lose you,” he said, kissing her again—this time on the lips.
“My last thought was never seeing you again,” she said, swallowing the lump in her throat. “It’s a miracle that no one was more badly hurt . . . and that I have my twin back.”
“Mother and Anna have been here to check on you and will be delighted to hear the news. She has already spoken to the London modiste, who has agreed to make your wedding dress.”
Belle started to say something, but Michael placed his finger gently on her lips. “It is mother’s way of welcoming you, and her way to apologize for trying to make things the way she wanted them instead of letting you have a voice.”
“But . . .”
“Allow our mothers to work out the details of the dress and trousseau. It’ll keep their focus diverted, if you get my meaning,” he said with eyes full of mirth.
“We might get that fishing trip yet, Belle. I was thinking of a special spot near a certain cottage . . . that will no longer be occupied.”
She swatted at him. “Garrett and Mama will watch us like hawks.”
“Yes . . . your brother has asked to speak with me later today.”
Laughing and wiping tears away, she locked gazes with Michael. “I suppose he will. I hope this fishing trip doesn’t go like this one did or like the day you fished the boot out of the river.”
