It took several minutes of concentrating before she remembered running from Jonathan.Had he caught her?No, Jonathan might be angry, but he wouldn’t have harmed her.But what had really happened?
She thought some more.
Finally, she remembered a glimpse of black and a horse’s hooves.She must have stepped in front of the carriage.No wonder she felt so sore.The whole carriage must have run over her.What a foolish thing to do!But it wasn’t all her fault.If Jonathan hadn’t gotten her so flustered she’d have been more careful.
Jonathan.Jonathan was here!In England.
It hadn’t been a bad dream.He was back in her life.And he definitely hadn’t forgiven her.
She had to be in Jonathan’s house.She tried looking around again, and though her body screamed with pain when she moved, she recognized her surroundings.This was Jonathan’s room.She remembered it from their childhood.
She also remembered how good Jonathan had looked when she saw him.Her longing for him hadn’t diminished over time.If anything, it made her want him more.
Biting her lip, Elizabeth turned slowly toward the door and let out a deep breath as the pain eased.There wasn’t anyone in the room with her.Had Jonathan just thrown her in a room to let her live or die?
She knew he hated her.The thing she didn’t know was how much.
Well, she’d just leave, and then he wouldn’t have to worry.She attempted to sit by pushing herself up on her elbows; however, the pain was so intense that she gave up that notion right away.
“Good morning, mum,” an upstairs maid said as she came through the door.“I’ll go and tell His Lordship that you are awake.”
“No, wait,” Elizabeth called, but her voice was so weak that the woman didn’t hear her.
“Dawson,” Elizabeth murmured.She wanted to see her baby, but she couldn’t have him brought over because then she would have to answer Jonathan’s questions.Damn.How was she going to get out of here?
“I see you’re awake,” Jonathan said as he strode through the door, dressed in a rich brown frock coat and a cream-colored shirt.He regarded her with a speculative gaze.
Elizabeth didn’t know which hurt worse, her head or her heart.No matter what had happened, she loved Jonathan just as much as she ever had, and seeing him only made her want him more.She had to put some distance between them so she could think straight.
“I need to go home,” she said, and then added, “May I have some water?”
Jonathan poured her a glass and held it to her lips.He supported her back with his arm, something anyone would do, but to Elizabeth it seemed more personal.God, Jonathan smelled good.He’d evidently been smoking his pipe because he smelled of cherries and tobacco.
“Thank you,” she murmured.
“You’re welcome.Now tell me—how do you feel today?”he asked pleasantly enough, though his eyes were still hard.
“My head hurts.”
“Let me show you why.”He took her hand and gently placed it behind her head where a huge knot had formed.
“What exactly happened?”
“You ran in front of a carriage that couldn’t stop.Luckily the horse hit you first and threw you to the side or the whole vehicle would have run over you,” Jonathan explained.
“My goodness,” Elizabeth said.“That was a crazy thing to do.”
“I agree.”
Elizabeth’s cheeks heated.He didn’t have to agree with her so readily when it had been just as much his fault.“If you hadn’t gotten me so—”
Jonathan placed his hands on either side of her and leaned down.“So what?”he said in a seductive voice.
“I heard our patient is conscious,” Dr.Toogood said, entering the room.
Jonathan immediately straightened and stood away from the bed as the doctor placed his bag on the table.
Dr.Toogood sat on the side of the bed and took Elizabeth’s hand between his.“You are a very lucky young lady.”
