Captain Jones's Temptation - Audrey Harrison Page 0,34

in a practical way. The welcome she was receiving at the moment suggested that Sophie was as resourceful as ever and that coming here had been the right decision to make.

Sophie, Esther, Mary the maid and Bell carried Matthew into the house, while Lydia carried the still-sleeping Isabella. Sophie indicated that Isabella should be put in the chamber she had just vacated. “It is warm in there. Put some more coal on the fire and tuck her into bed. Esther or you can join her later.”

“We don’t want to take your chamber. We can move into another,” Esther said quickly.

“Nonsense. This is your house by rights; you shall have the chamber that is the most suitable,” Sophie answered.

Lydia shot a look at Esther in response to Sophie’s statement. Esther had never mentioned that she owned a house in which her friend stayed. Although it was typical of Esther to be so caring towards a person she thought highly of, it did not make sense that she never visited Sophie.

Esther ignored Lydia’s unspoken question and concentrated on Mathew. To try to explain was not necessary at the moment. Tending to Matthew was their priority.

Matthew was difficult to undress, but between the four of them they managed to take off his outer layers and leave him in his breeches and shirt. Bell had struggled to take off his boots and threatened to cut them off.

“From the look of them, they cost a pretty penny. Unless you wish to be paying him back for the next few years, I would continue to tug if I were you,” Sophie said, trying to help.

Bell grunted in reply but huffed and puffed until finally the boots released their grip on Matthew. Staggering back slightly, the coachman breathed heavily.

“Well done.” Sophie smiled.

The doctor arrived soon after Matthew was settled. After examining the injury, he stepped back. “The bullet is still inside him. I need to remove it.”

“Then we need water and clean cloths, Mary,” Sophie instructed.

“I shall give him something to help with the pain during the procedure and will leave some for the coming days. He’s lost a lot of blood.”

“Chance of survival?” Sophie asked.

The doctor looked uncomfortable at such a direct question when there were three ladies in the room, but under Sophie’s steady gaze he shook his head. “Slim.”

Lydia had settled Isabella and, when happy she was in a deep sleep, had joined the others in the guest chamber. At the doctor’s words, she reached for Esther for support. She could not face the thought of Matthew losing his life. Unable to stop the tears, she managed to hold in the sobs that threatened to escape.

Esther wrapped her arm around her friend. “He’s not going to die.”

“We can do very little,” the doctor cautioned.

“A start will be to get that bullet out of him. I shall act as nurse,” Sophie said.

“I will do it,” Esther said.

“No. You look half-dead. Go and have a glass of brandy. I shall send Mary with something warming when she returns with the things we need here. Eat what she brings and then go to bed. Mary will have a chamber ready for you,” she said to Lydia. “It will be next door to this room. I will call you if he deteriorates.”

Both women nodded mutely and left the doctor and Sophie to do what needed to be done. After leading the way into a drawing room – in which Mary had managed to set a fire going as well as doing everything else, it seemed – Esther moved to the drinks table and poured two large glasses of brandy.

“Sophie always has the finest brandy,” she said, handing the glass to Lydia. “Drink this. It will do you good.”

“She seems a very capable woman.” Lydia took a drink, wincing as the liquid made her throat constrict.

“She is. I do not think she would have survived in the life she used to lead if she were not stronger than most. She used to put the fear of God into men double her size.”

“This is going to be hard for you,” Lydia said quietly.

“It was the right thing to do,” Esther responded. “Captain Dunn would not have survived the journey if we had tried to go to Lord Longdon. This was the only safe place I could think of.”

“Not necessarily safe for you.”

“The memories are with me wherever I am,” Esther said. “I am probably not in much danger in reality. Not anymore.”

The subject was dropped when Mary brought in a