“Ye havenae had liquor since the last of the laudanum, no’ even after Rose’s—Dear God!”
He swung around suddenly, the brandy spilling over the sides of the glass, a horrified expression on his face as if he’d just realized what it could mean.
“It’s no’ Bonnie, is it?Lyon!Bonnie isnae dead…?”
A wry smile tugged at Lyon’s lips. “Nay, she’ll live.”
“Oh, thank fook,” Keith breathed in relief, sinking into the opposite chair, the brandy still clutched in his hand. He took a gulp, then grimaced, then took another gulp. “This really is foul, eh?”
Lyon snorted softly, his head lolling back against the chair. He’d forgotten the warmth liquor could spread through him, but truthfully, he was pleased his brother had taken the brandy from him.
Keith was right. He hadn’t had a drink since he’d beaten the laudanum addiction, and he wasn’t certain why it had seemed like a good idea tonight.
Perhaps something to do with the hopelessness in Bonnie’s eyes.
“So? Are ye going to talk to me about it? If she’s stillbreathing, why are ye in here mourning? The doctors said we wouldnae ken what to expect until she wakes up and?—”
“She woke up.”
Keith jerked forward, spilling the brandy again, cursed, then slammed the glass down on the table beside him. “How is she, Lyon? Dinnae lie.”
“She’s…” Sighing, Lyon closed his eyes. “She’s sad. She said her hearing and sight werenae affected, and I saw her move her limbs under her own power, so I think she’ll recover well enough.”
“But her mood? Do ye think the pain, the injuries…?”
Lyon understood what his brother was asking, so he just shook his head. “Nay, she didnae seem depressed to ken she’d lost her hair, and she handled the pain well.”
“So what is it?”
He remembered the way her beautiful blue eyes had looked when he’d told her the publishing house was gone. There’d been relief her manuscript was safe, and thatshewas safe, but her dream of publishing books for and by women was what had brought her to Oliphant Castle.
It was why she’d pushed him until he’d finally opened up about Rose and her artwork. It was why he’d been able to get to know Bonnie and allow her to know him.
It was why he’d been able to fall in love with her.
And now, through no fault of her own, that dream had been destroyed.
“For so long, she’d been hoping to own a publishing house, Keith. Her sister and Lysander—and Athena—made itpossible, but now…” He exhaled and shook his head, opening his eyes to stare at the crackling fire. “Ye should’ve seen the pain and loss in her eyes when I told her the whole damn thing had been destroyed. She looked as if she’d lost all hope.”
Keith leaned forward and braced his forearms on his knees. “Perhaps it was because of the pain from her injuries?”
“Nay.” Lyon’s voice sounded rough to his own ears, and he knew he needed a drink.
Ofwater.
With a grunt, he pushed himself to his feet, pausing while he allowed the dizziness from the unfamiliar brandy to subside, then stalked toward the drinks niche.
“Nay,” he repeated. “There was laudanum mixed with the water I gave her.” He stared down at the glass of liquid he’d poured himself. “She’ll sleep through the healing, thank Christ.”
He threw back his head and allowed the cool water to slide down his throat, pushing out the toxins he never should’ve allowed himself in the first place.
He didn’t need them.
Not when he had to be strong forher.
As he poured himself more water from the pitcher, Keith asked, “So ye think it was finding out about the publishing house?”
“I think it was everything,” Lyon growled, as he carefully crossed back to his chair with the full glass of water. “Think about it. The last she kenned, she was dying, aye?Then she wakes up in terrible pain, only to learn thateverythingis gone.”
