“Calm down.” Ethan took a deep breath. “I’ve done it before. It’s a medical procedure to replace the blood loss due to a patient’s wound.”
The boy went straight to his mother, narrowing his gaze at Ethan. “And it won’t hurt her?”
“Quite the contrary.” He didn’t mention that blood transfusions could go horribly wrong and cause the patient’s quick death. It had never happened with his blood though, and unless Cora received fresh blood, her chances of surviving were low.
David touched her hand. “She’s still asleep.”
Unconscious, actually. “It’s better that way. The body heals faster during sleep.”
David didn’t seem relieved. “What happens if Lord Roxbury comes here and finds us?”
Ethan scrubbed the back of his neck. “He meant to kill your mother. He’ll probably end up in prison for that. He has no excuses.”
David perched on the edge of the bed next to Ethan. “He wanted to kill me.” His voice broke. “Mama saved me. She stepped in front of Lord Roxbury and took my bullet. She risked dying to protect me.”
Ethan put a hand on David’s shoulder. “Your father is the only culprit here. You did nothing wrong.”
“But if I…” He buried his face in the crook of his arm and sobbed.
Ethan hesitated before patting David’s back. “You did well. You have nothing to be ashamed of.”
The boy shook hard as he sobbed, hiding his face.
“Your mother will be all right,” Ethan said, feeling the blood flowing away from him. “And you need to sleep. You can take the sofa over there unless you want to sleep in another room.”
“No. I want to stay with my mother.” David wiped his face, letting his wet curls hide his eyes. He walked over to the sofa without a word and without looking at Ethan, who was at a loss.
Ethan leant back, opening and closing his fist to pump more blood into the tube. The movement bothered his shoulder, but it was nothing he couldn’t endure. David curled up in a corner ofthe sofa, looking small and fragile. His shoulders shook, but not a sound came out of him. Silent tears streamed down his cheeks.
Ethan reclined his head and regarded the boy. David was too young to deal with gunshots and blood. Ethan had been in his twenties when he’d seen his first gunshot wound, and he’d been too young then too. Should he say something? He’d already told David the situation wasn’t his fault. What more could he say? David kept crying in silence, curled up in a tight ball, and Ethan’s chest tightened.
The only good thing about the awful situation was that now Cora and David would be free.
twelve
NOT A WORD about the Earl of Roxbury having shot his wife was in the newspaper, not even in theEvening Standard. Ethan guessed it was a good thing. Likely, Roxbury tried to keep the incident quiet while he searched for his missing wife and son. It wouldn’t take long before he realised they were in Ethan’s house, but as a precaution, he would allow only Mrs. Parker to enter his bedroom lest gossip spread. For now, Cora and David were safe. More than safe. The blood transfusion had been a success. Cora’s body had reacted well to his blood, and while her skin hadn’t fully recovered its healthy pink colour, it wasn’t deadly pale either.
Cora had slept the whole night and day although Ethan had constantly monitored her pulse and temperature and David had caressed her head. But when Ethan checked on her at dawn, her eyes fluttered open. A flurry of emotion caused him to hitch a breath as her amber gaze set on him.
“Cora, finally.” He examined her eyes and skin, finding no sign of fever.
She gazed around from underneath heavy eyelids. “Where am I? What am I doing here? Where’s David?” She raised her voice when she mentioned David.
“He’s all right. You’re in my house, and David is?—”
“Here.” David jumped off the sofa to hold his mother’s hand. “Mama, I’m here.”
“David brought you here last night. He was very brave,” Ethan said, stepping aside to give them a bit of privacy.
“Darling.” Cora wrapped her good arm around David who buried his face in the crook of her neck.
“I’m all right,” David whispered.
They chatted in soft, hushed tones while Ethan added coal to the stove and fetched a fresh pitcher of water. The tender bond between mother and son touched him.
“I was so worried, Mama.” David smiled for the first time. “Lord Stark saved you.”
Cora touched her bandaged shoulder. “Lord Stark?”
