Mrs. Clint brought soup up for Cora and him as she always did when she thought someone needed something good to eat to help them get well from sickness or injury. “You should rest too, sir. Grace can come sit by her side while you go to your room and rest.”
“I’ll rest, but not in my room. I’m not leaving Cora’s side all night.” He eyed the soup but wasn’t ready to let her go long enough to eat.
“But sir, you can’t be in here with her alone at night.”
“Try to stop me. I’ll leave the door open. You can call a preacher in here now to marry us, but not even the law will pull me from this room.”
“Yes, sir.” Mrs. Clint hovered at the door, but he didn’t care, as long as he never had to be away from Cora again.
“I’m fine. Don’t fret.” Cora ran her fingers through his hair, relaxing him.
He closed his eyes and enjoyed her touch. “I’m calm, but until Grous shows, I won’t let you out of my sight. Who knows what he’s planning.”
“It could be minutes or days until he shows.”
Ed retrieved the soup. “Then I guess we should eat.” He dipped the spoon and then blew on the steaming broth before he held it up to Cora’s lips.
“I can feed myself.”
“Maybe, but I don’t want you lifting that other arm or holding anything.”
A banging at the front door of the home came loud and angry. Ed didn’t have to look to know who waited on the other side.
“I guess we only had to wait minutes,” Cora teased, but this wasn’t a joking matter.
“Don’t move. We don’t know if your ribs are broken, and you could puncture a lung.”
Cora held out her hand to him. “You have to make it look like you don’t know where I am. That I’ve run off and broken our engagement.”
He kissed each knuckle. “Don’t worry. I know.”
“You can’t get angry and do anything to challenge him for what he did.”
“I know.”
“I love you.”
He kissed her forehead. “I know.”
By the time he reached the bottom of the stairs, he was sure Grous would knock the door down.
“Remember, she’s not here,” Ed whispered to Ghost then went to his office. He only hoped this worked the way they’d planned.
“Mr. Neal is in no mood to receive company.” Ghost’s voice came loud and clear.
“He’ll receive me,” Grous said in a gruff I’m-here-to-kill-him tone.
Ed took a hit of whiskey and spilled some on his shirt then went to the hallway to confront the man who’d almost caused the death of his fiancée. “What do you want? I’m in no mood to deal with you.”
Grous took a step back, his mouth falling ajar for a moment. “No, you won’t fool me. I know she’s here.”
“Cora?” Ed gripped his glass tight and let out a low growl. “You haven’t heard? She left me.”
“You’re lying.” Grous shoved Ed out of the way and rushed into his office, turned, went to the dining room, kitchen, and then headed for the back stairs.
Ed had to do something before he found Cora upstairs. So much for this going as planned. “Ghost, get this man out of my house.”
Grous turned on Ed with a look of murder in his eyes. “Look at you. I know you dug her out of that boardinghouse.”
