Aislynn returned to his side and laid a gentle hand on his forehead to hopefully offer him a bit of solace.
Mr. Steele held the silver knife and tongs beneath the hot water for several moments before he withdrew them and said, “Hold him steady. I need to remove the ball.”
The other men surrounding the patient held the man’s arms and shoulders firmly to the table while Mr. Steele carefully began to prod the wound. The man moved his legs and muttered some more foul language beneath his breath, but although his jaw was clenched tightly, he did not make as much of a fuss as he had earlier. It seemed that the opium had finally done the trick.
Aislynn watched as Mr. Steele expertly dove into the center of the man’s chest. More blood poured out from his efforts, which one of the other men was quick to wipe away so Mr. Steele could see what he was doing. A short time later, Mr. Steele gathered the sterilized tongs and stealthily removed the single steel ball. He dropped it into a metal pan with a steady exhale. Aislynn understood then the amount of focus and pressure he’d been under to perform the surgery.
“I need the needle threaded?—”
Aislynn was already moving around to his opposite side. “I will take care of that.” It didn’t take long for her to have it expertly threaded and dipped into the metal pail of water before she removed it and handed it to him.
He took a moment for their eyes to meet. “Thank you.”
It was the soft words he spoke that caused her heart to flutter suddenly. Feeling as though she had accomplished something quite remarkable, she returned to her patient with a slight smile gracing her lips.
As soon as the patient had been sewn up with careful consideration, Mr. Steele told the men standing around, “Watch over him and let me know if there are any significant changes.”
One of the men inclined his head. “The pack is indebted to ye, Mr. Steele.”
He brushed off the gratitude. “Just see that this mess is cleaned up and he’s settled upstairs, but not in the last room on the left. That is currently reserved.” He turned to Aislynn. “Come with me.”
Chapter
Six
If the scenario had been different, Aislynn might not have taken too kindly to Mr. Steele’s highhanded way of ordering her about. However, considering he might have just skillfully saved a man’s life, this was one slip in judgment she was going to allow to pass.
They entered a simple study with a few books lining the shelves and a large desk separating two chairs. A sideboard stood in one corner with a single decanter on top. She was starting to wonder if he had a bottle of brandy in every room in the house. She decided to voice her thoughts aloud.
He gave a slight smirk as he poured them both a finger’s worth in two separate tumblers. As he handed her one, he said, “You are very observant. I have found the need to be handy on occasion.”
She sat down on the chair across from his desk while he collapsed into the other and moved his head around his neck. “What a night,” he sighed.
“Indeed. It has been quite enlightening.”
He slid a glance at her. “I am sure you have many questions regarding what that was all about.”
“Actually,” she countered. “I am more interested in how you learned to stitch up a wound like you did. Your sewing skills are quite adept. I thought I was proficient with a needle but I believe you proved me wrong.”
He offered a slight snort as he swirled the liquid around in his glass. “I have been forced to endure many different scenarios over my lifetime, Miss Sims. The least of which is taking care of the wounded because I know they do not have the ability to pay for their needs. I offer my services for free so long as they do not cause me any trouble in the future.”
Aislynn tilted her head to the side. “Are you saying that man in there?—”
He lifted a brow. “Is not someone you want to mess with? Exactly.” His mouth tilted upward. “I do wonder how you expect to tell the leader of one of London’s top smuggling rings that you were just joking about your offer to pleasure him.”
She couldn’t help but goad him a bit. “What makes you think I was not in earnest?”
His glass was halfway to his lips when he slowly set it back down to the hard wood. “I would hope that is meant in jest because I do not intend to save you from certain death just for you to turn my hospitality into your personal brothel.”
His words stung and she wondered if he actually thought her truly capable of such vile acts. She prayed continuously that her talent on the stage might save her from such a dark fate. She straightened in her chair. “You seem to forget that I did not ask for your assistance long term, Mr. Steele. You were the one who demanded that I remain here on a lengthy basis. If you consider me such a low-based woman, I wonder why you bothered to play the knight at all for such a disgraceful damsel in distress.”
Feeling that everything had been said, Aislynn stood and downed her glass then set it firmly on the top of his desk. “Thank you for the drink.”
She had nearly made it to the doorway before he spoke up. “Miss Sims.”
For an instant, she considered ignoring his summons but she forced her steps to slow as she pivoted around to face him. “Mr. Steele?”
He was still seated but there was an intensity to his gaze that shot straight to her core. She had to take a deep breath in order to recall how to operate her lungs properly.
