She nodded. “And I stayed. And you must too. I love you. You can’t leave me because I love you.”
His eyes drooped. “I love you too,” he whispered. And then he was unconscious, and she screamed.
Chapter 24
Ellis opened his eyes and found himself staring at a gauzy canopy of white. The pillow beneath his head was comfortable, the sheets clean and crisp against his bare skin. This couldn’t be hell. Perhaps he’d done enough in the end to earn heaven. It wasn’t all bad.
Except…this couldn’t be heaven. When his foggy brain began to clear a little, he could see it was just a chamber. A nice chamber, yes, but hardly heavenly. There were a shockingly low number of angels and not a harp to be seen.
Which meant…he wasn’t dead. Somehow. Some way.
There was a woman standing at a table across the way, her back to him. “Juliana?” he called out, his voice rough from his dry throat.
She turned and his heart sank. Not Juliana. One of her sisters.
“You’re awake,” the young woman said as she approached the bed with a cold, wet compress. She pressed it to his lips and he exhaled a sigh of pleasure at the relief of water on his tongue. “Easy now.”
“Anne?” he asked, guessing.
“Indeed.” She sat on the edge of the bed, examining his face closely. “I will fetch Rook and Juliana in a moment.”
He would have jerked into a sitting position but found he was too weak. “They’re here?”
“Yes.” She examined his face closely, as if she were truly seeing him for the first time. “You’ve been quite popular in the last ten days. Your brother Gabriel has been here every day, as well as Marcus Rivers. Even my father made a call.” She frowned. “Although that was to demand Juliana back.”
Ellis swallowed. “She refused.”
“Of course. It was something to see. She’s been forced into the position to soothe him so many times, but she made it clear in no uncertain terms that those days are over. The language she used…well, you’ve rubbed off on her. He left and I somehow think he won’t return. My husband and Thomasina’s will assure it.”
“I’m sorry,” Ellis said, carefully because he couldn’t fully believe that Anne was engaging him in such casual conversation about such a personal matter rather than…say…scratching his eyes out. “But it sounds like he wasn’t worth much as a father.”
“He wasn’t. Not worth a farthing. But you…youapparently are.” She shook her head as if it shocked her. “And I know my husband and your brother and my sister will be happy to see you awake.”
“Wait, did you say ten days?” Her earlier words had finally pierced and shocked his system into understanding.
She nodded. “You were in and out. You lost a good deal of blood. Harcourt’s doctor thought you might even lose the leg.”
Ellis moved the leg she referred to and a shot of heated agony moved up his entire body. He couldn’t help but cry out, and she rested a hand on his to steady him.
“Yes, thatwouldhurt. I wouldn’t recommend it. You’ll be down for another good while.” Anne shifted slightly and took her hand away. “Rook called for your underground doctor after the earl’s brought out a saw. He was the hero and somehow brought you through. But between the pain and the laudanum, you were not to be found. No matter how hard Juliana searched for you as she lay in this bed beside you, willing you to live.”
Ellis shut his eyes as the pain faded slightly. “I’m not worth the effort,” he said.
“Stop that.” Anne’s tone was suddenly harsh, and he opened one eye to find her glaring at him. Rather the same way she had when he’d abandoned her with the man she now called husband. A lifetime ago, it seemed. “If my sister believes you are worth something, if my husband says you are, then I will not hear a word against them.”
He pursed his lips. “Even after what I did to you?”
She sighed. “I had my part in what happened. Running away was my lifeline. And you were, though not in the way I originally thought. You brought me to Rook.”
“Does that make me good enough for your sister?”
“No.” She smiled, and it softened the harsher response. “But if you were to make her happy, forgiveness would come easier.”
“And Thomasina feels the same? Harcourt, who blames me rightly for my part in his brother’s death?” he pressed.
“Thomasina is built to find the best in people,” Anne said. “Harcourt can be earned, I think. Eventually. Your attempt at noble sacrifice impressed him.” She pushed to her feet and walked to the door. “I’ll fetch them.”
She left the room and he stared at the ceiling again. He had prepared for the end. He’d known what it would bring. But now…he was here somehow.
