The Perfect Arrangement (The Not So Saintly Sisters #4) - Annabelle Anders Page 0,20

worse than the one they’d just experienced.

“I’ll get help.”

But he stopped her by putting his left arm around her shoulders, still clutching his knife in his right hand. He did not want her walking alone. If there was one boar, there could just as easily be another.

“Just let me lean on you a little.” His leg was beginning to throb but he kept the pain from sounding in his voice. He didn’t want to worry her, or scare her any worse than she’d already been. “Just a cut. My valet can fix me up as soon as we get back.”

She wrapped her arm around his waist. “Do you think there are more?” He should have realized. This woman who’d consented to marry him was no fool.

“Let’s not remain to find out.”

Chapter 6

Last Chance to Turn Back

One moment Lillian had been tilting her head back, parting her lips, anxious to know if his kiss was all that it promised to be—and within a fraction of a second, she’d been cowering behind him, certain that neither she nor Christian were going to make it to Scotland after all. She’d been quite certain that both of them were going to be torn apart by the deadliest of foes, a wild boar.

It hadn’t seemed as though they’d walked far from the inn, but the distance felt at least ten times as long as she walked slowly beside him, watchful all the while for another animal to leap out at them with snarling teeth and vicious tusks.

She hadn’t sensed any danger at all until he’d ordered her not to move. But the moment he’d placed his hand on her mouth, she’d felt the beast moving toward them. If not for Christian’s quick action, if he hadn’t had the knife on his person…

She swallowed hard, and despite her resolution to remain perfectly calm, a choking sob escaped past her lips.

“We’re almost there.” He increased his pace even though she knew walking was already painful for him. He hardly leaned any of his weight on her except for a few times when he’d nearly lost his balance.

“I know. I’m sorry.”

“I am sorry. I—” he labored a moment, “should have realized.”

“Don’t talk.” As sturdy, as determined as he was, she doubted that even he could prevent himself from losing consciousness if his body chose to do so. “Just a little further.”

There had been so much blood. And the animal had been filthy. She didn’t think Christian had allowed the beast to bite him, but one of the pointed tusks had made a nasty gash in his leg.

This man had placed himself between her and the animal. He’d used his body to protect her.

If his wound putrefied…

She shook her head. She wouldn’t dwell on what might happen. They had already dodged certain death. Tightening her arm around his waist, she tucked her head down and marched onward. He had saved her life.

He was a good man—a very good man. She only wished there was something she could do to save his life as well…

The moment she pushed open the door, the inn keeper had come forward in concern. And then Mr. Smythe was there, as was Coachman John, and Mr. Simmons, Christian’s valet. A doctor was sent for and with nary a look in her direction, the coachman and one of their outriders were carrying their employer upstairs.

Shaking, Lillian didn’t realize Becky was beside her until she felt a wool blanket wrapped around her. “Let’s get you out of that gown, My Lady.” She all but dragged Lillian up the stairs, making horrified sounds at all the blood and how dangerous the country was and demanding a hot bath when they met up with one of the maids.

The bath would have been soothing if it hadn’t turned an almost rusty color, from what was mostly the boar’s blood. It had spurted into her hair, all over her dress, and some had even sprayed onto the side of her face.

Even after she was cleaned, she couldn’t get the image out of her head. And she wasn’t usually squeamish. If she had been, she thought ironically, she never would have answered the ad.

She didn’t fall asleep until the early hours of the morning, and even then, her sleep was fitful.

When Becky tapped her shoulder to wake her up, Lillian was startled to learn that Christian had every intention of continuing their journey as planned. “Mr. Simmons says that His Grace intends to rest for most of the journey. He’s going to