“I want to sit up now, Lord Corbyn.”
“Very well, but I will help you.” Toby slid an arm under her shoulders and sat her upright.
“Thank you.”
“Let me look at your head now, Liberty.”
“I am Lady Liberty, or my lady,” she said slowly as clearly she was in pain, and any movement hurt. “I don’t need you to look at my head. Helen can take care of me.” She shrank back into the seat to evade the grip he had on her shoulders. When that didn’t work, she said, “Unhand me.”
Ignoring her, he eased her forward and then used his free hand to part the thick copper locks. Matted with blood, they were stuck to her head, and there were so many pins holding the thick mass of curls in place, he wasn’t sure how her head didn’t ache. Toby began to ease them out.
“Ouch,” she whispered with no strength. “Stop that. Where is Helen? She can do it.”
Ignoring her, he continued until the last one lay on the floor of the carriage where he’d thrown them. Toby then studied the cut. It was deep, but not too long, and still bled sluggishly.
“It needs cleaning and dressing,” he said, easing her back onto the seat.
“And I will see that done when we reach the next inn. I’m going to get out of your carriage now, Lord Corbyn.”
“No, you’re not, because you are too weak to do so.”
“You can’t—”
“Get in beside your mistress, Helen, while I speak with Lady Liberty’s footman and driver. Do not let her out of this carriage.”
“At once, my lord,” Helen said, doing as he asked when he’d climbed out.
He shut the door behind the maid and then approached the footman and driver. “I will take one of you to the next inn, and you can organize someone to come and fix that wheel. I will ensure your mistress is safe until you can collect her.”
It was decided the driver would stay with the horses and the footman was soon seated up beside Rory, which his driver would not mind, as he loved to talk.
Opening the carriage door again, he stepped into a tense silence.
“Trouble?” He looked at Helen. The maid shook her head.
“Stop berating your maid for doing the right thing, my lady,” he then said to Liberty.
“Go to hell,” she replied. Then closed her eyes. She was now resting her cheek on the side of the carriage.
They started moving as he took the seat opposite the two women.
Toby watched Liberty and saw every wince or exhale as they hit a bump in the road, but she didn’t make a noise. That too was different. Liberty had been loud and once spoke every thought that came into her head. She’d laughed louder than anyone he knew.
Had he played a part in changing the girl into the woman before him today?
Toby let his eyes run over her.
Her hair was the color of sunset and had once been the bane of her existence because no one else had locks like it. He’d heard men call her beautiful, in a cool, aloof way, but none so far had captured her hand. Hers was a face that made you look again. Want to study the soft arcof her brows and long dark lashes. See the flashes of emotion in her blue eyes. Her top lip was slightly fuller than the bottom, and he wondered if any man had kissed it… her. The bolt of anger told him not to think about that or her too much again.
Her eyes opened suddenly and caught him staring. She then squinted as if to bring him into focus.
“Where are my eyeglasses, Helen?”
“Please,” Toby said, taking them from his pocket and handing them to her.
“Why are you doing this?”
“Helping you?” She nodded at his words. “Because I was there, and you needed my help.”
