“That man is not going to stop,” Roarke said, even as his knees wobbled. “And while he would be a fool to try to strike against Flora here while she’s under your protection, I’m certain he’ll go back to my cousins and report what happened. Their ire will turn toward me, and the best way to hurt me is to…to harm my mother.”
Theo let out a breath. “You said something about that to Flora in the foyer. How could they harm her?”
“She…she is not capable of taking care of herself. Her mind is going.” His eyes burned with tears of grief and terror. “And I have very little to maintain her. She lives all but alone, just a companion to assist her. She cannot be left so unprotected now that I know how far my cousins are willing to go. I must go back. I must find some other place to take her…”
He rested back with a moan of both physical and emotional pain. Where? Where could he take her? His little hovel was barely fit for himself. He couldn’t afford to let another arrangement and there would be no money coming from his cousins ever again, he was certain. If they were serious about destroying him, she would burn, too.
“I’ll go back to London,” Theo said gently. “Look at me.”
Roarke blinked to clear his vision and did so. Theo was looking at him evenly, all sparkling humor gone from his eyes. “I will go back to London today, ride as hard and fast as I can,” he said. “I will look into ways to prove that your cousins were involved in this attack that could be used against them. Additionally, I will immediately move your mother and her companion to a safe place. My own home, if need be.”
“She won’t understand,” Roarke said, sitting up again. “She’ll be confused.”
“And I will be kind and gentle and make sure she is a little disrupted as I can make her.” Theo started across the room. “I’ll go get ready to depart and you write a letter explaining my presence to your mother’s companion so she won’t be resistant to my help.”
“Theo,” Roarke called, stopping him at the door. He turned back and Roarke shook his head. “I cannot repay you.”
“Make it up toher,” Theo said. “You’ve made yourself square with me.”
He left then, and Roarke caught his breath. He hadn’t expected forgiveness from any of these people, and yet Theo offered not just that, but help beyond his wildest imagining. The idea that his mother would be unreachable was an enormous relief.
He looked at Callum. “I know you don’t feel the same.”
Callum pursed his lips. “No. But you may make it up to me yet. I’m sure Flora and the other ladies are awaiting news of you. I’ll go tell them you are going to survive. And try to explain to my future bride, who is not so very forgiving, that you will be our houseguest for a few days while you recover.”
He left then and the doctor began to put away his materials and talk to Roarke about what he needed to do for his wound and for the blow to the head that had caused it. But Roarke wasn’t listening. All he could think about was Flora. And that he would be forced into her proximity all over again, only this time without lies between them.
Whether she would allow him to be close to her or make what he had done up to her was another question entirely.
* * *
Flora had further explained what had happened in the woods while Bernadette and Valaria helped her clean up and change into a different gown from the one now stained with Roarke’s blood. Their looks of horror had brought back her own feelings of terror, grief…and relief when Roarke appeared, her savior from the dark.
“I want to go back to the hallway and wait for the doctor to come out,” Flora said, her voice trembling. “I need to know that Roarke is going to recover.”
Valaria let out a long breath. “Yes, of course. But before we return, I want to ask you something and I need you to really think about the answer.”
Flora forced herself to focus on her friend and frowned. Valaria looked very serious now. Grim. “I don’t like your expression.”
“Yes, this man came careening out of the woods and saved you. But do…do you think he created this scenario as a way to get close to you?” Valaria asked.
Bernadette gasped. “Valaria!”
“I hate to think of it too,” Valaria said with a quick glance at their friend. “But Roarke already lied—we can’t assume he wouldn’t do worse.”
Flora knew why Valaria would think that, but hearing those words made her own feelings on the subject starkly clear.
“Yes, we can,” Flora said, firm and filled with faith. “A liar is not the same as this. I have no doubt that Roarke wasn’t involved inanyway in the attack. I know him…even with the lies, I know him well enough to know that. Even if I didn’t, he was too brutal in the way he hit the man, stabbed him in the shoulder, and he was badly hurt.”
Her voice faded as she thought of Roarke dripping in his own blood, his gaze unsteady from the strike that monster who attacked her had thrown. “I’ve never seen so much blood.” She dropped her head and felt the tears start to fall, her terror returning immediately as she asked the question she had kept asking over and over, “Do you think he’ll live?”
“Head wounds bleed, even when they’re not serious,” Valaria said gently, for what had to be the third time. “And Callum seems certain his doctor is the best in the area. I think he’ll be fine. But it’s evident that you still care about this man, that he means more to you than beyond that he protected you.”
Flora gripped her hands at her side. “Yes,” she whispered. “I know you think I’m a fool.”
Valaria’s expression softened. “No, my dear, not you. You are not a fool for caring. He is a fool for not being a better steward of your heart when he was so lucky as to earn even a part of it.” She took her hand. “But I am very grateful to him for saving you.”
“Can we go to him then? And wait?” Flora asked.
