Page 50 of An Unlikely Debutante

‘Clever girl,’ Aunt Lucy murmured, her face screwed up with pain.

Alex quickly grabbed the wood, moved it away and steadied his aunt’s injured leg. Voices outside indicated the doctor had arrived and Alex eased back, knowing he and Lina would have to vacate the carriage to let the medical man in.

‘We’ll be just outside,’ he reassured her.

With the angle the carriage was at and the overcrowding with the three bodies inside it was difficult to decide how to get him and Lina out without hurting Aunt Lucy any further.

‘I’ll have to lift you out,’ he said to Lina, already placing his hands on her waist. Immediately she wriggled free from his touch, as if she couldn’t bear his hands on her. Alex had to hide a grin at her reaction to him. She was angry—angrier than he’d ever seen her before—but she was also worried about her primal reaction to him. He knew he could have her melting in his arms with a few soft kisses and she knew it, too. It made her livid and jittery every time he came close.

‘I climbed out before.’

‘There was more room then.’

Lina studied the gap she had to wriggle through and the available space before eventually conceding.

Gently Alex placed his hands on her waist again, taking his time before lifting her up and through the carriage window. He felt her transfer her weight to someone outside and within a couple of seconds her feet had disappeared and one of the grooms appeared at the window.

‘We’ll have the door off in a couple of minutes, my lord.’

Giving Aunt Lucy’s hand a squeeze, Alex pulled himself through the carriage window. Already Lina was talking to the newly arrived doctor, explaining what had occurred and the problem they were facing.

Not for the first time, Alex admired Lina’s ability to take control of a situation. Most women of his acquaintance allowed the men in their lives to sort out any problems or difficulties that came their way. Even Georgina, who was fiercely independent for a woman of her rank, would stand back and defer to Alex if she were here. Lina didn’t even consider not getting involved—it was one of the things he was so drawn to about her.

‘Lord Whitemore,’ Dr Jacobs greeted him as he approached.

Alex shook the doctor’s hand and indicated the carriage. ‘Can you help?’

‘Let me examine Lady Grenville quickly, but from Miss Lock’s explanation it sounds like a splint will be needed before we even attempt to move your aunt. If the leg is broken, any movement will be very painful, but I do have one or two medicines that might help with that.’

They watched as Dr Jacobs made his way over to the carriage and peered inside.

‘Thank you for helping,’ Alex said quietly to Lina.

‘Your aunt seems nice.’

‘She is. A little scandalous in the eyes of society, but she has a heart of gold.’

They lapsed into silence, watching the men work at removing the carriage door.

‘Will you stay?’ Alex asked, finding he was holding his breath as he waited for Lina to answer.

She remained silent for over a minute, her gaze fixed on some point directly ahead of her, her eyes barely blinking.

‘For now.’

Trying to exercise some restraint, Alex refrained from shooting his fist up in the air. Instead he murmured, ‘I’m glad.’

Now he had a chance. A chance to win his wager—but more important, a chance to spend a little more time with Lina and hopefully even a chance to persuade her they both could enjoy a closer relationship over the next few weeks.