Charlie wandered over and braced a hand against a scrolled bedpost as she studied her brother. Johnny was dressed in a nightshirt, his arm immobilized by a sturdy sling, his strain evident as he rested against the mountain of pillows that all but swallowed up his reedy form. He looked more like the little boy she’d watched over throughout their childhood than the grown man he was becoming.
She silently castigated herself for not doing a better job of protecting him—not just today, but over these last few years. Ever since he’d left for university, life had been difficult for the poor fellow. Between an overcritical father and an overprotective mother, he struggled to find his place. Now he was really in trouble, and it was up to her to pull him out of it.
“How are you feeling, Johnny?”
“Pretty banged up,” he said with a sigh. “Getting home wasn’t much fun.”
“Yes, it was dreadful.”
Thankfully, the Kendricks had stepped into the chaos, helping to get her brother transferred from the island to Ballachulish. Johnny had been tight-lipped and stoic throughout the entire ordeal, only losing his temper when Sir Leslie made a show of trying to help him from the boat to the carriage. Johnny had snapped, telling him to sod off and leave him alone. Fortunately, Kade had intervened, hoisting Johnny out of the boat with an impressive display of strength and more or less carrying him to the carriage. Best of all, he’d done it with a minimum of fuss, while treating Johnny with a kind manner that had defused the situation.
Sir Leslie had been displeased at that but had made an effort to hide it. He’d then loudly blamed himself for Johnny’s injury, since he hadn’t been close enough to prevent thedear boyfrom falling down the embankment in the first place.
Now, of course, Charlie knew that he’d probably pushed Johnny off that embankment, and it had taken all her willpower during dinner not to smash the soup tureen over the blighter’s head.
“Did the doctor give you something for the pain?” she asked.
“Mamma wanted him to give me laudanum drops, but I said no. I feel woolly-headed enough without that nonsense. He did leave me some headache powders.”
Alarmed, she straightened up. “You didn’t hit your head, did you?”
“No, which was a lucky thing. If you can call falling down a stupid cliff lucky,” he bitterly added. “And of course it would be my right collarbone. So now the doctor said I’m to wear this stupid sling for at least a month and not use my right arm at all. How the devil am I supposed to do that, Charlie? And God knows when Mamma will even let me get out of bed.”
Charlie patted her brother’s foot through the bed coverings. “I know, dearest, but look on the bright side. At least you no longer have to pretend to be social, or listen to Melissa crying.”
Johnny let out a spurt of laughter but then winced. “Melissa did make rather a fuss, didn’t she? You’d think she was the one who fell down a cliff.”
“Poor Colin must be wondering what he’s gotten himself into. It’s all this nonsense about the brooch, though. Melissa is convinced that your injury is the result of the curse.”
“I can’t believe Mamma puts up with her nonsense. It was just a careless fall. My own fault.”
She looked her brother straight in the eye. “Are you sure it was your fault?”
He seemed to flinch but quickly recovered. “Of course it was. I swear everyone in this family has lost their minds, even Mamma. You’d think I was maimed for life.”
Charlie tried a different tack. “Speaking of Mamma, I really should be thanking you, Johnny. Your timing was excellent.”
Her brother relaxed a bit. “What do you mean?”
She perched on the bed next to him. “Mamma and Mr. MacDonald came upon Kade and me in a rather awkward situation. Our dear mother, of course, immediately jumped to the wrong conclusion and was getting ready to pitch an absolute fit when you let out that bloodcurdling shriek. Fortuitously, your tumble served as an excellent distraction.”
Of course, Mamma’s instincts were actually bang-on, even though Kade’s hand on her backside had been perfectly innocent. Their kiss in the chapel, though? There’d been nothing innocent about that.
“I’m glad it was good for something,” he replied. “But what were you and Kendrick doing that would make Mamma pitch a fit?”
“It was all rather silly, really. We were looking about the old chapel when a spider crawled up the back of my skirt. Kade was knocking it off me when Mamma and Mr. MacDonald appeared out of nowhere.”
“Are you telling me that Kendrick’s hand was on your arse when Mamma waltzed up? Good God, I’m surprised she didn’t shoot the poor fellow on the spot—or force you to marry him.”
“She’d definitely prefer to shoot him,” Charlie dryly replied.
Though Johnny’s fall had served to distract their mother in the moment, she’d later made it clear that she was immensely displeased with Charlie’s behavior.
“I suppose it’s because she’s so set on you marrying Richard.” Johnny snorted. “As if you’d ever marry that dead bore.”
“In all fairness, I don’t think Richard can help being a bore—which is precisely why Mamma likes him so much. But you’re right on both counts. Both Mamma and Richard’s parents are determined that we marry, and I am equally determined to say no.”
“That’s good, because you should marry Kendrick. He’s not at all swellheaded, even though he’s so famous. Top of the trees, if you ask me.”
