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“Sophia?” He hurried toward her, but his figure began to disappear.
What’s going on?
Black dots began to appear in front of her, dazzled by funny lights, then Jeremy vanished altogether.
“Sophia!” This cry was louder, yet Sophia couldn’t answer. There was such a heaviness to her body that it was the last thing she knew, before everything turned as black as night.
* * *
Jeremy jumped forward, but he feared he would not get there in time. Lady Rumpton was struggling to catch her friend as Sophia sank in her grasp, passing out. Lady Rumpton barely managed to hold Sophia off the ground before Jeremy reached the two of them. He brought his arms up under Sophia’s back, holding her off the gravel drive as he sank to his knees.
In his arms, Sophia’s eyes were closed. There was a paleness to her skin that contrasted the horror of the blood on her gown. Tears swelled in Jeremy’s eyes.
Never had he known such a sudden temptation to cry before. It was there so strongly that he feared he couldn’t stop it. The lump in his throat made it difficult to speak as he took Sophia out of Lady Rumpton’s arms completely, holding her to him.
“We need the nearest physician.” Lady Rumpton took control, moving back to her feet. “Tell me, where is there one?” she called to the staff. Directions followed, but Jeremy barely listened to them.
He was too busy pushing the hair back from Sophia’s face and tilting her face up toward him.
“Sophia? Can you hear me?” He tried to urge her to wake, holding her gently by her head and cheek. She didn’t stir, and not a muscle in her cheek flinched. “Please, Sophia.” He begged her as the first tear escaped down his cheek.
I cannot lose her. It cannot end like this!
The pain he felt in that moment was the worst he had ever known. It was even worse than when his first love had left him. Then, at least he’d had the knowledge he hadn’t been loved back, but this? It was all so different. He had in his arms a woman who had declared her heart was his, and he’d never told her how he felt. Now, she laid here, possibly dying.
Curses escaped his lips as he angled his head, looking to where Lord Elkins was knocked out on the floor. Two manservants were now beside him, with one of them tying up the Earl’s wrists with rope, to make sure he couldn’t escape before the constable got there.
That bastard. He deserves every kind of pain coming his way!
Jeremy held tighter to Sophia and pulled her up to his chest, cradling her there.
She cannot die!
“I know the place. I’ve seen that physician before,” Stephen’s words disturbed Jeremy’s thoughts. “Quick, into the carriage. I’ll take the reins. You,” he clearly addressed their driver, “help the other men to watch over the Earl. We do not want him to escape.”
“Your Grace?” Lady Rumpton’s voice was much closer than Jeremy had expected it. He turned his head, trying to dry the tear that was on his cheek to hide it from view as he did so. He knew he was too slow, for Lady Rumpton’s eyes shot down to his cheek, before returning to meet his gaze. “Can you carry her into the carriage?”
Jeremy didn’t need to say anything. He stood to his feet, holding Sophia safe in his arms, then he hurried into the carriage. Even when Lady Rumpton urged him to lay Sophia down on the carriage bench, he refused, so unwilling to release her.
Instead, he kept her in his arms. As the carriage took off, with Stephen taking the reins, Jeremy never once took his attention off Sophia. Sometimes he brushed her hair back from her forehead, in the hope that she would wake and look at him with those dark eyes. Other times, he entwined one of his hands with hers, hoping she would wake to feel his touch, but she never did.
* * *
The room was bright as Sophia opened her eyes. The first thing she was aware of was the pain in her leg. It was still there, an incessant needling and stinging feeling, yet there was a heaviness to it too now, as if something had been placed over the top of her skin.
“Gently now, My Lady,” a voice said, one she didn’t recognize. As Sophia sat up, she realized she was laying on some cushions, with an older man who had her hand, helping her up. On the man’s other side was Rachel, who was smiling with great relief as she stared at Sophia. “There now. Back with us, I see.”
Sophia looked back and forth across a room, quickly realizing where she was. It was her local physician’s house. Behind him, instruments were laid out on a table, and she had been placed on a chaise longue, stuffed with so many cushions that she was practically swimming in them.
“Oh, you gave me a fright there my friend.” Rachel dropped to her knees beside Sophia and took her hand. Sophia held back to that hand tightly, needing to feel her friend’s presence.
“You gave everyone a fright, it seems,” the physician said with a chuckle. “The Duke of Pemberton is driven that much to distraction that he is causing quite a disturbance in my house.”
Jeremy! Is he here?
Sophia’s eyes shot to the door, wondering where he was.
“Now, My Lady, rest assured, you are well.”
