Page 68 of A Raven Repents

“I’d rather just sleep in the chair here. With him.” Her voice faltered as she remembered the night he’d watched over her from the chair in his room. She hadn’t known him then. Hadn’t known what a good man he was. Hadn’t known that he would love her.

It must not have taken her long to succumb, because next she knew, she was slowly coming awake. There were hushed voices in the room. She recognized Ash’s deep tone, but not the other man’s. It definitely wasn’t Giles. She kept her eyes closed and feigned sleep so she could listen.

“I think it’s best we keep him sedated for another day. Allow him a little time to heal. It’s going to be a hard thing for him to come to grips with when he wakes.”

“You’re absolutely certain it was the right decision?”

“There was no decision, Ash. If there had been even the slightest chance of saving his eye, I would have seen him to a hospital myself.”

Oh God. His eye. The man had taken Giles’ eye.

She pushed down her grief. It took every morsel of self-control she possessed to stay silent, but eventually, the door opened and closed, and they were gone.

She squinted through the sun that shone through the sheer curtains. Apparently, she’d slept for at least a few hours. She walked to the bed and held his hand. Even if he was missing one of his eyes when the bandages came off, she would still love him just the same.

Her mind suddenly flashed back to the face she’d dreamt about. The man from the alley. Now that things were calmer, she knew who the attacker was. Not personally, but she’d seen him before. With her father.

She closed her eyes and anger and grief constricted her heart. This was her father’s doing. She hadn’t even forgiven him for the last thing he’d done, and he’d already made another attempt to get money from her husband. But he hadn’t taken money. He’d taken his eye.

For a few minutes, she simply stood beside the bed, holding his hand. Anger churned in her belly. So much that she feared she might be sick. But she didn’t have time to be sick now. She needed to confront her father. If Ash knew it was her father behind the attack, he just might kill him too.

She walked straight to the back door and opened it, but the large doorman stopped her. “I’m sorry, miss. I can’t allow you to leave.”

“Do you know who I am?” she asked, her voice as haughty as she could make it.

“Yes, Mrs. Henderson.”

“Then you also know you have no authority to keep me here.”

His large body blocked her exit. “Perhaps. But my consequences will be far greater if I allow you to run off on your own.”

“You cannot hold me here. I am not a prisoner!”

“I’m sorry, miss.”

She shoved against his chest, but it was like pushing a brick wall. She had to get out of here. “Please. I just need to see my father. You may even accompany me, if you must.”

After a long pause, he sighed with a small nod, and blew one quick whistle. A moment later, another man came to take his place. He escorted her out of the building, but before they left the alley, he stopped her.

“Let me make one thing very clear. I am hired to ensure your safety. So, Mr. Henderson’s wife or not, if you try to give me the slip, I will throw you over my shoulder and carry you straight back here.”

She’d never been very good at keeping her temper in check, and her first impulse was to challenge him. But she’d already been over enough shoulders to know he wasn’t bluffing, and if she argued, he might change his mind and simply carry her back now. So, as difficult as it was, she held her tongue.

“I understand.”

He hailed a cab and helped her up before climbing in beside her. The first few minutes passed in silence. She was fuming, but she shouldn’t really be angry with this man. He was only doing his job, and she should be grateful for it.

“Thank you…” She trailed off. “What’s your name?”

“Brennan.”

“Thank you, Brennan.”

He didn’t look very happy. “You didn’t leave me much of a choice, did you?”

“I suppose I didn’t. But if there’s any trouble, I’ll take full responsibility for it.”

The cab halted before her father’s townhouse and Brennan instructed the driver to wait and followed her inside. She’d rather he didn’t, but she couldn’t very well stop him. And what did it really matter? Surely, they’d already figured out her father was behind the attack, so what difference would it make if he heard what she had to say?