Ethan nodded. “You lost a lot of blood. That was my main concern.”
“He gave you his blood,” David said.
Cora’s eyebrows rose to her hairline. “Really?”
“The transfusion went well. Obviously.” Ethan stoked the fire. “But you must not move. It’s very important that you rest for a few days. The wound required many stitches. You might start bleeding again if you strain yourself.”
“Are you hungry?” David asked.
Cora shook her head. “Not now. Later perhaps. But I’d like a glass of water.”
“It’s normal to feel nauseous after a blood transfusion.” Ethan held her head up and helped her drink in small sips.
Instead, David’s stomach roared like a bear after waking up from hibernation. They burst out laughing. The laughter released the tension in Ethan’s chest.
“Why don’t you go downstairs and ask Cook to have something to eat?” Ethan asked. “I have to check your mother’s wound.”
“Yes, sir.” David kissed his mother’s cheek.
She closed her eyes, hugging him again. He waved happily before shutting the door behind him.
“Thank you for taking care of him,” Cora said when they were alone.
“He’s an independent boy. I didn’t have to do anything.” He prepared the gauze and bottles of disinfectant, hoping the wound didn’t have any signs of infection. He inspected his tools again and scrubbed his hands a second time, stalling.
“I guess Jacob has no idea we’re here,” she said.
“No, he doesn’t, and the newspaper didn’t report anything about the shooting.” He cleared his throat after he’d exhausted the excuses to start. “I have to remove the bandage.” Bandage that wrapped around and covered her chest like a shirt. “If you prefer a nurse, I can find one at the centre. It might take a few hours though.”
“No, I don’t trust a stranger. A nurse will ask questions and understand I’ve been shot. I don’t want to risk Jacob finding us just yet. I don’t want to see him.”
“All right. Good point.” He hesitated before lowering the bedsheet.
As a former soldier, he’d worked with men and handled male bodies without much thought. It was the first time he’d dealt with a woman. The girls he helped at the brothel hadn’t needed anything particular aside from syrups, creams, and potions. Cora was different.
He could only imagine how uncomfortable the situation had to be for her. Meanwhile, he would behave like a gentleman, but the lack of privacy was something both of them had to face. The wound was a few inches over her nipple.
“Changing the bandage will upset the wound, but I’ll give you something for the pain after I finish,” he said. “For now, I need to know where it hurts to understand if everything is all right.”
She gave a quick nod. “I’m ready.”
He wasn’t.
She tilted her head to the side while he carefully unwrapped the bandages. He tried to preserve her modesty, working under the blanket when he could, but there was little he could do about the brushes of his knuckles against her skin. The more he removed the bandages, the more he bared her until she lay half-naked in his bed.
“I apologise.” He pulled the bedsheet up to cover her nipples as much as possible.
“Don’t worry,” she whispered, turning her head towards the bedpost.
The only good thing about the situation was that her cheeks flushed pink. It meant she didn’t have any internal bleeding.
The wound hadn’t swollen or reddened at the edges. He touched it gently but detected no suspicious lump that might indicate an infection. The smell of carbolic acid wouldn’t cover that of blood poisoning. So far so good.
“No infection or bleeding. How’s the pain?” He prepared a fresh set of bandages.
She faced him but avoided his gaze. “My whole arm is sore, and I feel weak.”
“It’s normal. You must rest until you feel better. No, actually, until I say you can leave my bed.” He meant it as a joke, a lame one, but she didn’t smile.
