“I will do the best I can to save her.” He looked around the room, his frown deepening. “This is not an environment I can work in. We must move her so I may perform the surgery.”
The physician looked over at Gray. “Is this her home?”
Gray nodded.
“Then I need her removed to a bedroom.”
With extreme care, Gray curled his arms underneath her limp body and slowly rose. For a moment, he held her close to him and the tears began to fall, wetting his cheeks.
His throat swelled so tight that he feared he’d be unable to breathe. He pressed kisses to the top of her head, praying fervently that she’d open her eyes. He inhaled the scent of her hair, closing his eyes as more tears slipped from his lids.
A piercing scream from the doorway jerked his head up. His heart sank as he took in the distinguished looking couple standing in the drawing room door.
“Get your hands off my daughter,” the earl roared.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Gray tightened his hold on Jenna. Her parents had obviously just arrived back from their travels judging by the amount of luggage piled in the foyer. Sebastian and Quinn shoved their way into the drawing room, and Quinn let out a strangled cry as he saw Jenna’s limp body.
“What have you done to her, Douglas?” Sebastian shouted.
The countess rushed over, cupping Jenna’s face in her slim hands. “My God, what has happened?” she cried.
Her gaze lit on the viscount’s body behind him and she screamed once more, her hands flying to her mouth in horror.
“Put my daughter down,” the earl growled again.
“I can’t do that, my lord,” Gray said bleakly.
“The lady has been shot,” the physician interjected, hurrying to stand in between the earl and Gray. “I had instructed this gentleman to carry her to a bedroom so that I may perform surgery.”
“This way,” the countess choked out hurrying to the doorway.
Gray made to follow her, gingerly bearing Jenna with him. The earl and his sons stood rigidly as he walked by as if it took every ounce of will power not to trounce him.
It mattered not. The only thing that mattered was Jenna’s survival. He would walk through the fires of hell if necessary.
The physician mounted the stairs behind him, all the while shouting directives to the servants to collect all the necessary items for the surgery.
The countess swung open a room he assumed to be Jenna’s, and he gently laid her on the bed, taking care not to disturb the heavy bandage on her shoulder. His heart sank when he saw how much blood already shown through.
Her mother knelt by the bed, stroking Jenna’s hair and weeping softly. The physician quickly explained to the rest of the family gathered that he must perform surgery to remove the ball from her shoulder. He then ordered them from the room, asking only for the maid to remain and assist him.
Gray resisted, standing defiantly by Jenna, his hand gripping hers. The doctor looked sternly at him. “Out with you, young man. I can’t help her unless you are out of the way.” His face softened as Gray stared mutely at him. “I’ll do everything in my power to save her.”
Gray stumbled out of the bedroom, flinching when the door shut behind him. He looked up to see four sets of eyes boring holes through him.
“What have you done?” Quinn demanded, his eyes as red-rimmed as his mother’s.
The earl raised a hand effectively silencing his youngest son. He advanced menacingly toward Gray. “Who are you, and more importantly what have you done to my daughter? And why is Viscount Dudley’s body lying on my drawing room floor?”
Gray held his gaze unflinchingly. “I didn’t shoot her.”
“But if it weren’t for you I rather doubt she would be in this position,” Sebastian said accusingly.
“What are you talking about?” the earl demanded. “Will someone tell me what the devil is going on?” He seemed dangerously close to exploding.
“Let’s retire to the garden,” the countess suggested in a pleading voice. “We are standing in the hall outside her room and all this arguing can’t be good for Jenna.”
