lying under the white sheet. “Is-is she dead?” He swayed. She looked dead. His beautiful girl, his darling Nicola looked dead to him. Please, God, please don’t let her be dead.
He blinked, realising he’d missed what the doctor said. “What did you say?”
Harper walked to the bed and felt Nicola’s pulse. “I said that the knife hit her hip bone and skimmed off it. I can’t see evidence of any organs being damaged by the blow. Although deep, the wound is clean. I’ve stitched it and believe she will recover fully from this attack.”
“Why isn’t she awake?” Fran’s voice came out on a choked whisper. She sat on the chair by the bed, tears filling her eyes.
“I’ve given her laudanum.” Harper felt Nicola’s forehead. “The pain was rather intense, but she’s resting peacefully now.” He straightened. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to check other patients. I’ll be back shortly.” With a nod he left the room.
From his position by the door, Nat stared at Nicola’s damaged face. How could anyone have hurt her so savagely? For what purpose? A burning rage filled him. He clenched his fist, fighting the urge to smash someone or something. There was a roaring in his ears. His jaw ached from tension.
“Nat.”
He jerked his gaze away from Nicola to Fran.
“Nat, come closer, take her hand. We need to tell her we’re here and that she is safe.”
“I cannot.” And he couldn’t. He was physically unable to move. His heart cried out to her. He longed to gather her into his arms and hold her forever, but he simply couldn’t.
“Don’t be silly, Nat.” Frances frowned, her whispers growing more demanding. “Come over here. She needs you.”
He took a step back, the desire to flee the room so strong he could hardly resist it.
Frances rose, her expression close to loathing. “Nathaniel West if you leave this room I’ll never speak to you again.”
He sucked in air, not knowing he’d held his breath. Panic gripped him. “Fran…” His chest tightened. His eyes stung.
“Oh, dearest.” Fran ran to him and held him hard against her. For an instant he wanted to repel her embrace. He needed air. He needed…
He needed his love, the one he’d die for.
Through tear-blurred vision he gazed at his darling. She’d been in pain, hurting, crying and he’d not been there. Why wasn’t he with her? Why did he ever let her out of his sight? She was too precious and meant so much to him, so why hadn’t he been there to stop this?
How would she ever forgive him?
He closed his eyes, feeling the hot tears roll down his cheeks. He couldn’t remember the last time he cried and it felt foreign, strange.
“Nat.” Fran smiled up at him, her eyes as wet as his. “Sit with her. Let her know you’re here.”
Allowing her to guide him to the bed, his legs heavy and heart even heavier, he drew nearer to Nicola’s bedside. This close, the bruising on her swollen eye appeared worse, her skin so pale. Pain, a psychical pain in his chest rendered him to his knees beside the bed.
He grabbed her hand and kissed it, laying the palm against his cheek. “Nic, my dar…darling.” He cleared his throat. “Sweetheart, it’s me, Nat. I’m here. I’m holding your hand.” When there was no response he glanced up at Frances standing beside him.
“Perhaps it’s the laudanum.” Fran laid her hand on his shoulder.
“I want to take her home.”
“You can. As soon as she is better.”
“She can get better at home.”
“They won’t allow you to move her, and we don’t want to, not yet.”
He gently touched her hair, always so soft. If only he could hold her, take the hurt from her. “How could anyone do this to her?”
“I don’t know.”
“I’ll find the culprit.” He got to his feet, still holding Nicola’s hand. “I’ll find the person who did this and I will kill him.”
Chapter Nineteen
A dull ache spread from Nicola’s side, engulfing her whole body it seemed. From one eye, she watched the nurse and doctor move to the end of the bed and murmur to each other. They’d finished examining her and changed the bandage on her hip. She’d liked to have known what they said, but tiredness won over curiosity and she closed her eyes.
Whispers woke her. Opening her good eye, she waited for her vision to clear. Frances sat beside the bed, whispering to a nurse who stood in the doorway.
“Thank you, nurse. I’ll sit with her for an hour