AllFreeNovel
Share Us
CHAPTERTHIRTY-TWO
“Give me a moment,” Rhys said, his thoughts racing. He closed the door and turned to Elizabeth, wishing he could explain things to her, but doing that would only increase the fear he was seeing in her eyes, and he could not do that to her.
“Rhys, what happened?” she asked, climbing down from the bed, and coming to meet him.
“I think William is hurt,” he replied. “I have to go and see him.”
“I am coming with you.” She turned and started toward her dress, but he pulled her back, his hands circling her shoulders. “I need you to stay here, Elizabeth. It is late and dark.”
“But—”
He kissed her to prevent her dissent. “Ineedyou to remain here where your safety is assured. Do you understand me?”
She nodded, her eyes misting. Rhys hated withholding this information from her, but he believed it was the best way to keep her safe. If she knew that someone was seeking to possibly destroy him and everything dear to him, she would get involved and perhaps even view it as a mystery that she could solve. She would place herself in more danger, and he could not allow that to happen because she was too precious and close to his heart.
He quickly dressed and gave her one final kiss to reassure her before hurrying out. A horse had already been saddled for him, and he rode swiftly to Cullfield with two armed footmen. Webster had not told Rhys exactly what happened to William because Webster did not know, but Rhys could guess, and he hated the feeling clenching his gut. He could not recall the last time he had felt exposed and vulnerable until now.
William’s valet, Grant, met them in the front hall when they arrived. “What happened?” Rhys asked immediately.
“I am uncertain, My Lord. I went to find wax for his boots, and when I returned, I saw this in the sitting room.” Grant pointed at the doorway on Rhys’ left. Rhys walked in immediately and found the evidence of a fight: broken glass everywhere and blood stains on the floor. At his feet was a bloody impression of a hand dragging out into the hall.
“Where is William?” Rhys asked.
“Upstairs with the physician,” Grant replied, and Rhys went up without wasting another moment. He needed to see what had been done to William and to measure the extent of the trouble that had followed him here. He found William unconscious, his face battered and swollen beyond what he could recognize as the man he had left intact just three hours ago. The physician was stitching a long and angry gash on William’s shoulder while his assistant stood by with a bowl of water and towels.
Rhys had to look away for a moment to collect himself before addressing the physician. “How bad are his wounds?”
The physician sighed. “I doubt he will be able to open his eyes or speak for the next few days. He has several broken ribs, and this wound on his shoulder—” The physician looked up at Rhys dolefully. “We must ensure it does not get infected.”
Rhys did not realize his fists were clenched so tightly until he felt his nails biting painfully into his palms. He closed his eyes and breathed, doing what he could under these calamitous circumstances to be calm. Deep within him, the urge to find a pistol and hunt down whoever did this to William was growing, but he knew better than to react.
A reaction might just be what the perpetrator needed to trap Rhys, and he would not give the villain what he wanted so easily. “We need to take him to the Castle once you finish stitching the wound.”
The physician stared at Rhys with incredulity. “My Lord, I would not advise moving him anywhere in his condition.”
“I know, but he was almost killed in this house,” Rhys dissented. “I have to take him to a safer place.”
“Of course, My Lord.” The physician returned to his work while Rhys left to return to the sitting room to search for anything that might give him a clue about the identity of his adversary. He found nothing but broken glass. This person knew how to hide, but Rhys was determined to find him.
He ordered a wagon to be brought, and once William’s wound had been closed, they took him back to the Castle. On the way, Rhys thought of what to say to Elizabeth without alarming her, which was nigh on impossible. She could regret marrying him and reject him entirely if she ever discovered what he had concealed from the world. Rhys had to carefully choose what to reveal to her if he wanted to keep her happy.
* * *
“I should be out there with him,” Elizabeth told Stella an hour after Rhys had left.
“No, you should behere. I am sure he is well,” Stella squeezed Elizabeth’s shoulder reassuringly. “William was hurt, not Rhys.”
“But he could walk into whoever caught William without knowing,” Elizabeth huffed. “He is not telling me anything, but I know that something is gravely wrong.” She rose from her chair and paced in front of the fireplace, feeling helpless.
“Perhaps there is a reason why he is keeping it from you. Maybe he thinks you will be safer with less knowledge.”
“That is a foolish notion, Stella.” Elizabeth threw her hands up in frustration. “I will be safer with more knowledge. Maybe I can help.”
Stella came to take both of her hands. “Please be calm, My Lady.”
Elizabeth felt as though she could not breathe. “How can I be calm when I love him?”
Stella’s expression softened, and she smiled. “You do?”
