He’d been on the brink of death a few hours ago. What he needed to do was shut his mouth, shut down his brain, and do nothing but eat and sleep for the next few days, or as long as it took him to regain his strength.
He hoped she would calm down and return, but she didn’t.
He was about to give up listening for her when the door quietly creaked open. “Genalynn?”
An enormous shadow filled the doorway.
Hen’s teeth.
It was Throck.
He was a dead man if Genalynn had confided in this giant hulk.
But Throck merely walked over to the chair in the corner by the hearth and somehow managed to settle his large frame in it.
“How is Lady Genalynn?” Gideon asked, obviously not learning his lesson and unable to keep his mouth shut.
“Crying.”
The word was like a dagger through his heart. “Throck, I need to see her. I’ll apologize to her. I never meant to make her cry. What I said was inexcusable.”
The man regarded him oddly.
“Help me out of bed.” Gideon tried to roll his legs off the mattress but fell back as a blinding jolt of pain coursed through him. When the pain subsided, he asked Throck again. “Help me up.”
“No.”
Gideon stifled his frustration. “Where are my clothes? Help me get dressed and I’ll go to her.”
“No.”
“Do you know any other words? How about, Yes, I’ll help you. Here are you clothes, Mr. Croft. What else do you need?”
“Lady Genalynn said you are to stay in bed.”
He sighed. “Then summon her for me. I need to speak to her.”
“No.”
Gideon knew he wasn’t going to win this battle. Even if he made it to the door on his own - which was doubtful, anyway - Throck would not let him pass through it. He lay down and closed his eyes, knowing rest was the best way to regain his strength. He was about to drift off when Throck spoke. “She said you asked her to marry you.”
Gideon’s heart began to beat faster. “What else did she say?”
“Nothing else. Why did you ask her to marry you?”
Throck’s fists were the size of cannonballs. Who knew what this giant would do if Gideon gave him an answer he didn’t like? “Because she’s smart. Brave. Compassionate. Beautiful. A woman of quality.”
“Do you love her?”
“That’s a personal question, Throck. I don’t know if I– ”
“Do you love her?” he asked again, but this time his voice was tinged with anger.
“I think I must. I’ve never asked a woman to marry me before. But the words felt right with her. Do you understand? I won’t lie to you and say I do. I don’t know her well enough yet. But I have very good instincts.” He grinned at the man. “They’ve kept me alive in some very bad situations. These instincts tell me not to leave Lady Genalynn behind. These instincts tell me to love her and protect her. Well, I’ll protect her for certain. As for love, I think that will grow in time. I’m halfway there already.”
The man said nothing, just stared at him from his vantage point beside the hearth.
After several minutes of silence, Gideon thought he’d try again. “Help me go to her, Throck.”
He heard the creak of the chair as Throck rose, but instead of coming toward him, he simply tossed a few more logs onto the fire and then sat back down. “No.”
Gideon gave up and fell asleep.
Birds were chirping outside his window and the sun blinded him as its brilliant rays slashed across his face when he awoke the following morning. He tried to get up, felt the familiar pain run up his side and shoot straight into his temples, and fell back with a groan. “Hen’s teeth. That hurt.”
“You’re awake.” Genalynn put aside the garment she had been sewing, perhaps it was his shirt she was mending, and came to his side. “I suppose you’ll need Throck’s help now...the chamber pot.”
“No! I’ll manage on my own.” He glanced at the sewing basket she’d left beside the old wooden chair by the hearth. “You are indeed a wonder. Cooking, sewing, angel of mercy. Is there anything you cannot do?”
“I cannot seem to make you keep quiet,” she teased, sparing him a wary smile as she touched his forehead.
He wanted to grab her soft hand and kiss it. But she’d cried last night because of him and he wasn’t going to behave like an arse with her again. “Genalynn, I’m sorry. I meant what I said about marrying you.