left her side a moment to retrieve the brandy and cloth. “Love, this will burn. But I must clean the wound to prevent an infection of the blood.”
“I know.”
He tried to be as gentle as possible. It crushed him to see her be as brave as she was, hardly making a sound, no more than the slightest whimper as he put the brandy-laced cloth to her slender shoulder. Tears were streaming down her cheeks by the time he was done.
He wiped her face with another clean, damp cloth. “I canno’ dress ye yet. The doctor will need to get at yer shoulder. But I’ll stay beside ye and hold yer hand all the while. When he’s done, I’ll dress ye in one of my shirts. Or do ye have a nightrail up in yer maid quarters? I’ll ask Mr. Barrow to fetch it.”
“No need. I can sleep up there once the–”
“Lass, let’s be clear on this point. Ye and I shall never be apart again. I intend to get the special license tomorrow and marry ye before sundown.”
“We have to discuss this.”
“Do ye love me, lass?”
She released a groaning breath. “Yes.”
“With all yer heart and soul?”
She released another groaning breath. “Yes.”
“Good. Discussion is over. I’m not letting ye go. Neither will Rafe. We both love ye too much. There’s nothing complicated about this. However, tonight I’ll respect that we’re not wed. Once the room is cleaned up, ye’ll sleep with Rafe in this big bed, if ye dinna mind.”
“I dinna mind,” she said, mimicking his brogue as she cast him a heartwarming smile.
He glanced around the room, noting the overturned tea cart and the broken cups and plates on the floor. There was no food or drink on the cart, for he’d used the same trick as last time, grabbing an empty one from one of the state rooms. But where did he get that maid’s gown? He’d leave it to Mr. Barrow to investigate.
He stared a long moment at the pool of blood in the center of the carpet, uttering another silent prayer of thanks that the blood had mostly been Lord Gordon’s. “The room looks a shambles now, but all that needs to be done is roll away the cart and then fold up that carpet and haul it away. I’m sure the duke has a dozen just like it carefully stored in this house. His housekeeper will replace it.”
She nodded.
He held her hand and continued to chatter, whether for her sake or his, he wasn’t certain. “Of course, I’ll have to pay for this ruined one. Assuming he’ll let me.”
“Do you think he will ask you to pay?”
Gavin laughed. “Probably not. He’ll feel responsible somehow, although none of this is his fault. Well, I’ll write to him and tell him all that’s happened. While ye and Rafe sleep here tonight, I’ll make a pallet for myself on the floor beside the hearth. Tomorrow, ye’ll sleep in my arms. Rafe won’t mind sleeping on the settee tomorrow. Nor will he mind waking up the next morning and hopping into bed between us. He’ll remember this as the happiest trip he’s ever had.”
“My lord, I have–”
“Taffy, I’m to be yer husband. Will ye kindly call me Gavin now? Save that lordship nonsense for when we’re in company.”
She nodded. “Very well…Gavin. There’s one thing I would like to know.”
“Aye, lass. I have no secrets from ye.”
She glanced toward the door, no doubt to make certain no one could hear them talking. But he’d kept the door shut while undressing her and had yet to open it. “Go on, lass.”
“How did Vera die?”
“Blessed saints, what a question to ask me now.” It roiled his stomach to this day to think of it. But Taffy deserved to know. “She died of a lung infection, lass. That’s what the doctors called it. In truth, she died of a broken heart. After she’d learned of MacPherson’s death, nothing mattered to her any more.”
He paused a moment to regain his composure before proceeding. “I think I mentioned before how she was always entertaining guests in our home. I think it was because she hated the quiet. She wanted noise and constant distraction so she would not think of her true love. But in those quiet times, she’d take long walks and was often caught in the rain because she never went out prepared. She was caught in a freezing deluge one day. I searched for her for hours because it was a bad storm and