“Passed out from the pain,” Crawford said, as though to reassure the others in the room. “I can see it now. Louella, hand me the tweezers.”
Crawford bent low to see what he was doing and the rest of them seemed to be holding their breath. Olivia closed her eyes, chanting a plea to God until she heard the ringing sound of metal on metal as Crawford dropped the bullet onto the tray.
It looked far too innocent.
With an approving smile, Louella handed Crawford the threaded needle. Bending low again, the most honorable Duke of Crawford neatly sewed six tidy stitches into the also most honorable Earl of Kingsley’s skin.
Olivia watched in awe.
After tying it off and cutting the thread, Crawford looked up tiredly. “I don’t know…” He stopped and cleared his throat. “I don’t know if it’s enough. We can only hope it doesn’t turn putrid.”
“But the honey?” Louella asked.
“Will help. But…” He shook his head. Suddenly, Crawford looked ten years older than he had that morning. Louella reached over and squeezed her husband’s wrist.
The bullet was out. But Gabriel’s battle had only just begun.
Olivia would not leave him alone. He might awaken and need… more whisky. Or the dose of laudanum. She’d be right here where she could help him.
Please? Don’t let him die!
She slumped onto the chair at the head of Gabriel’s bed and then, leaning forward, buried her face in his neck. She couldn’t leave him. He wasn’t hers to care for. She had no right to be touching him like this but…
She couldn’t help herself.
Louella and Crawford slipped out of the room while Gabriel’s valet applied the honey and a bandage.
Olivia barely had the strength to sit up but wanting to do anything to bring him comfort, she reached up and untied his poor wrists, red from when he’d pulled against the ties.
“Oh, Gabriel,” she whispered.
“He’ll be just fine, ma’am.” The valet sent her a sad smile. “Was good you were here.”
And then in an utter act of kindness, the valet collected some soiled linens and piled them on the tray. “I’ll take these below stairs.”
The man knew. And he was leaving her alone with him.
“Thank you.” Her voice came out sounding almost like a croak. “Thank you.”
He nodded and closed the door softly behind him.
Chapter 31
The Battle
“Gabriel.”Her voice pulled him away from this place—this temporary place that had no pain. Olivia. Hell, he couldn’t leave her alone.
He would not leave her alone. He’d decided that the moment a bullet burned through his side.
Soft tendrils of her hair slid along his jaw. Was she crying?Don’t cry.But nothing came out of his throat. The air he drew in barely reached his lungs.
Oh, hell. He couldn’t die now. Now that he’d finally figured things out.
She sniffed and wiped at her eyes. Using his very last vestiges of strength, he raised one hand to her back.I can hear you.Did she know?
He wanted to say so much more but each breath was a battle. Damn Lockley. Damn his own stupidity for not thinking the blighter would have a pistol up his sleeve.
“I can’t go without telling you… telling you how I feel.” Her breath warmed his skin with each word.
