Page 84 of Discovering Her Earl

“Elaina,” he said but she had already gathered up her things to leave.

She paused before her exit. “I know how you must feel, trying to remember every moment to recall later. I will treasure each memory I’ve made with you.”

With that, she was gone and he was left alone to consider what she had asked, but not allowed him to answer.

If he could choose anyone to be his wife. If he could live the life he truly wanted…

He would most assuredly pick her and the life they had here.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Their time was passing by much too quickly. They would be returning to England the following week. They would arrive home by mid-April and Julian would be married soon after and Lainey… she would continue on as she had before.

Each night as she left his tent to sleep in her lonely bed, it became more difficult to leave him. She knew soon enough every night would be spent alone.

She tried to keep her sadness from ruining the time they had left, but it was there. A distraction she couldn’t stop thinking about.

She secured her pack over her shoulders and set her foot on the first rung of the ladder.

It was mid-day, when the sun was high and they retreated into the cool darkness of the pyramid to complete etchings. She was already thinking of getting through dinner and retiring to her tent so she could sneak into Julian’s tent when everyone was asleep.

She must have been too focused on what would happen once she was alone with him and not paying attention to her climb. Because near the top of the ladder, her foot slipped.

Gripping the ladder with both hands, she turned to bring her foot back up on the rung. Climbing a ladder was no time to be daydreaming about being with a naked Julian.

But before she could start climbing again the ladder shifted and began to fall. She only had time to scream before she fell to the ground. Pain shot through her head and neck. She raised her hand to touch the spot in the back of her head and it came away wet with blood.

Her head suddenly became too heavy to hold up. Her entire body became too cumbersome to move, and she allowed herself to drift away and let go.

*

Julian’s heart pounded as he raced to where Lainey lay in a pile of rubble.

“Ben, please go get Henry and Rose. Right now. Tell them Lainey has been injured,” Julian said as he pulled Lainey’s limp body into his arms and carried her to a nearby table that was covered in etchings and drawings.

Holding her against his body with one arm, he dashed away the papers and a few pieces of broken pottery, so the surface was clear and laid her out.

When he pulled back, he saw the blood covering his sleeve. Tilting her head to the side, he gasped at the blood staining her hair.

“Elaina? Can you hear me?” He moved her to her side, not wanting to set her on her back again. “Oh, God.”

“What has happened?” Henry came in with Rose right behind him. “Is she…?”

“She is breathing. She fell and hit her head, there is so much blood.”

“Dumast has served as a surgeon. Rose, find him and bring him to Lainey’s tent. We’ll take her there. She’ll need to be stitched.”

Henry made a move to lift her, but Julian intercepted him and picked her up instead. Julian needed to feel the warmth of her body and her breath against his neck to ensure she was alive.

Henry followed behind him as they made their way to camp and placed Lainey in her bed.

Against the stark white sheets, Lainey’s skin seemed just as pale.

Julian turned to go find the Comte. He would carry the man to the tent as well, but he rushed in carrying a leather bag.

“What’s happened?” he asked in French.

Julian explained how she’d been working on the wall and fell. He thought that was enough information, but he was asked additional questions. How far up was she? What did she fall on? Had she been awake at all after the fall?