Song of the Heart - Alexa Aston Page 0,64

leg.” She began laughing hysterically. He tried to calm her but didn’t succeed. Finally, her laughter subsided into weeping.

“You’ll be all right, Madeleine,” he assured her. “We’ll get you back to Stanbury. You’ll heal.”

She stared into his eyes, her own a stormy color. “Heal? I’ll never be whole again.”

*

Ashby arrived at the edge of the stream soon after with Lord Marbury’s physician. “Thank God old Marbury never ventures three steps without his doctor in tow.”

Hating to leave her, Garrett stepped out of the way so the doctor could examine Madeleine, pushing and probing. Garrett leaned around and was horrified when he saw the awkward angle of Madeleine’s leg. It sickened him just to look upon it. No wonder she’d been in such pain. Thankfully, she’d passed out again.

“We brought a cart,” Ashby said. “I wasn’t sure how severely she was hurt. The children were very upset. We can lay her across it.”

“Thanks, Ash.” Garrett gave him a weak smile.

Ashby placed a hand upon his shoulder and gave it a slight squeeze.

“My lord?” The physician rose. “I cannot do a complete examination here but this woman is seriously hurt. The leg is definitely broken. Beyond that, I cannot venture to say. She may have internal injuries.”

“Then let’s bring her back to Stanbury. Do whatever it takes, man, just help her.”

The doctor rigged a temporary splint from two branches of a nearby tree. Once it was in place, the three men were able to lift Madeleine and carry her the short distance to the cart. She swam in and out of consciousness on the short trip to Stanbury. Garrett was aware of every jostle the cart made. He cradled her head in his lap, hoping to ease the jarring as Ashby held her leg in place.

Garrett supervised Madeleine being taken to a small upper chamber, where the doctor examined her carefully. After some minutes, he asked Garrett to step in. The physician wore a grave expression on his face.

“I was correct, my lord. The lower leg was damaged, broken in two places.” He shook his head. “There’s more that troubles me, though.”

A fresh wave of fear swept over Garrett. Injuries of any kind could prove fatal. “What mean you?”

“This woman has been sadly mistreated. Her knee is misshapen, as if it had been broken before and not mended properly. Does she walk with a limp?”

“Yes,” Garrett said slowly, anger building within him.

“Well, it may take her a very long time before walks again,” the doctor said bluntly. “The knee joint was weak before. It’s impossible to tell at this time if it is strong enough to hold her weight as the bones in her leg try to mend. She has a long recovery ahead of her.” The doctor frowned. “There’s more, my lord.”

Fear raised the hair along his arms while anger knotted low in his gut. Garrett nodded for him to continue.

“She’s been badly abused. Her legs are scarred rather severely, her back almost as much. Scars like these would not come from an accident. She has been beaten severely, numerous times.”

Speechless at both the accusatory tone as well as the unthinkable revelation, Garrett sucked in his breath. “I’ll have you know, I caused no harm to this woman.”

The physician nodded. “As I suspected. Most of the injuries are not recent, save for her unfortunate fall from the tree.” He paused, glancing back at his patient.

“I gave her something to sleep, to help the pain, but only time will tell.” The physician eyed him with interest. “I recognized her as one of the mummers.”

“Yes.” Garrett’s voice was barely above a whisper. “She is also tutor to my daughter,” he added.

“I see,” said the man, a glimmer in his eyes. “Well, as I said, I’ve given her something for the pain. She’ll sleep deeply for many hours, mayhap even through the night. ’Twould be good if someone could stay with her.”

“I’ll arrange it. Thank you.”

The physician hesitated a moment. “I will check her on the morrow, but I leave midmorning with Lord Marbury.”

Garrett watched the doctor leave and then turned to stare at Madeleine’s still form.

Marbury’s physician had no reason to lie to him yet Garrett found it hard to understand what he’d heard about Madeleine. Doubts lingered. Surely the man exaggerated.

Knowing he shouldn’t pry, he couldn’t resist. He had to know if the physician had spoken the truth. He cared too deeply for this woman. He had to see for himself.

He moved closer to the bed and eased back the sheet. As