“He feels badly?” Yuri’s voice turned deathly low. “He nearly killed her.”
“Stop being dramatic.” The governor waved his hand dismissively. “Everyone knows the attempted-murder charge is ridiculous. Nothing more than an attempt to take revenge out on our family. It will get reduced to a misdemeanor as soon as Marshal Hibbs returns to town.”
“There’s nothing dramatic or vengeful about that charge. Your niece almost died last night, Governor.” Alexei crossed his arms over his chest. “You have Dr. Reid to thank for saving her life.”
The man turned to face him, his mouth set in a grim line. “I have no doubt she was scared, but Preston would never?—”
“Perhaps you should look at Rosalind’s ribs and see the damage.” The words were out of Alexei’s mouth before he could think to stop them. “Then tell me whether you still think we’re being dramatic.”
“You saw my niece’s ribs?” The governor’s face turned red. “Of all the dishonorable, lecherous?—”
“It was medically necessary.” Nathan pushed himself away from the wall where he’d been standing, watching the interchange. “Your brother left Rosalind with a collapsed lung. She was seconds away from suffocating when a servant brought her here. I have over half a dozen witnesses that can testify to that fact in a court of law, should the need arise. I also have the testimony of my wife, who is a doctor and can support the medical veracity of my claim.”
The governor’s lips curled. “This house is the last place Foster should have brought her.”
“This house is currently the only place in town with a doctor.” Alexei could only shake his head. Did the man even realize what he was saying?
“I want to inform you, as her next of kin, that there’s still a good chance your niece will not live.” Nathan moved closer to the governor, his voice professional and void of any emotion. “The damage that the broken ribs did to her lungs might be too great for her to survive.”
The governor’s shoulders loosened, some of the fight draining away from him. “Is it really that bad?”
“Look at her and tell me what you see.” Nathan extended his hand toward Rosalind.
The man moved his gaze back to his niece, who was wincing in pain and taking increasingly fast and shallow breaths. “Very well. I’ll hire a nurse to see to her needs as she recovers. How soon can she be ready to leave?”
“She’s not leaving,” Alexei gritted.
“You just said Preston would be facing charges. Surely it’s safe for me to bring her back to her house while?—”
“No.” Alexei made a slashing motion with his hand. “She’ll stay here, under the same roof as the two doctors who have been caring for her, until they deem her ready to be released.”
The governor narrowed his eyes. “You can’t keep my niece confined here against her will.”
“Just how long have you known about the abuse?” Yuri stepped closer to the governor, his shoulders set in a tight line. “Did you know about her sprained wrist before this? What other injuries did you overlook and fail to report to the Marshal?”
The man stiffened. “I don’t see what a hurt wrist has to do with this.”
“It proves you knew your brother was abusing her and did nothing to prevent it,” Yuri snapped. “We’re not letting her leave with you. You’d have to murder everyone in this room before we’d let you take her.”
The governor’s lips pressed into a flat line. “Fine. I’ll send word to her fiancé about what happened last night. He should be here in a week, maybe less. Then he can marry the girl and be done with it.”
A chill ran down Alexei’s spine. “If you think there is any chance I’ll turn an abused woman over to a man known for having a temper, you are sorely mistaken.”
The governor whirled on him. “You don’t have a say in this, Amos.”
“Why don’t we ask Rosalind what she wants?” Yuri nodded toward the bed.
Rosalind moved her hand up to clutch the sapphire necklace lying against the hollow of her throat. Somehow it had stayed around her neck all this time, even through the procedure Nathan performed last night. “No... I don’t want anything to do with Leeland. I won’t marry him. Not while I recover, and not in May when the wedding is scheduled. The Amoses are right... He’s violent, and he won’t be a good husband to me.”
There was something about how she clutched the necklace against her throat that made Alexei frown, but before he could ask about it, the governor turned back to him, angry lines contorting his face.
“Why are you doing this? Haven’t you done enough already? First the seals, then the harassment lawsuit, then informing Secretary Gray about relocating those backwater Indian towns. And now you’re interfering with my family? Why?”
Alexei leaned forward, crowding the governor’s space. “Because you ordered our shipyard burned to the ground last night.”
“You’re fortunate it was only one building,” he growled, his eyes flashing. “You deserved to have everything burned.”
“And I deserved that because of the seals?” Alexei leaned even closer, until he could feel the governor’s breath on his face.
