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Her face smushed against a fist as her elbow rested upon the arm of a narrow chair, Eleanor’s eyes were closed, but they snapped open quickly, as though she had sensed him looking at her. She leaped to his side and dropped to her knees, a hand coming immediately to his face.
“How are you? Are you in pain? Can you talk?”
“He stabbed me in the gut, Ellie, not the throat.” The statement came out gritty, rather defying his statement.
“You foolish man. What were you thinking?”
“I hardlytriedto get stabbed,” he retorted.
She smoothed a thumb over his cheek again and again. He sighed to himself. He could get used to these sweet touches. He could imagine her touching him like this in the morning or when he ailed perhaps.
“I had to protect you and Demeter, Ellie,” he reminded her. “It was worth getting stabbed for.Youwere worth getting stabbed for.”
“Oh, Oliver.”
He wasn’t certain what her tone meant or if his injury had left him too addled to understand her properly, but he did know one thing—he’d been willing to die for Eleanor for many reasons. The main one being he was totally and utterly in love with her.
And now he just had to figure out what to do about that.
Chapter Twenty-Two
When Eleanor walked into the drawing room and saw Caroline sitting placidly upon the high-backed sofa, her hands neatly in her lap and a delicate smile upon her lips, fire rolled through her. How could she be sitting there, an innocent expression upon her face, as though she had not set men upon her sister and nearly killed Oliver with her actions?
Chastity briefly put a hand to Eleanor’s arm and Eleanor glanced at her fingers upon the blue satin of her gown, then inhaled slowly. Caroline would pay.
Caroline rose gracefully and gestured Eleanor and her sisters in. All three of them refused to let Eleanor do this alone and she found herself grateful for their company. It would take all her willpower not to rip the jeweled comb from Caroline’s tightly coil red hair and drag her to the ground in a most unladylike manner. Given she and Oliver had ended up in the dirt at the coaching inn, it was no less than she deserved.
“To what do I owe this pleasure?” Caroline asked. “I was not aware you knew I was in town.”
Chastity gave Caroline a withering look. “We will not be staying.”
“Oh?” The elegant woman put a hand to her chest. “Well that is a shame. I was just about to take tea.”
“You are taking tea and sitting here as though nothing has happened?” Eleanor spluttered.
“Eleanor,” Cassie warned.
She glanced at her three sisters. Even Demeter did not seem to be simmering with fury as she was, and it was her wedding that had almost been ruined! How could they be so calm?
“What has happened?” Caroline blinked slowly, reminding Eleanor of Simon the cat and his disinterest in anyone other than Aunt Sarah.
“You nearly had a man killed. The Viscount Ashford!” Eleanor thrust a finger at her.
“I have no idea what you mean.” Caroline tittered. “Is this some sort of silly game?”
Demeter folded her arms. “Caroline, we know it was you. You were spotted at our house, and you took our father’s stamp. You tried to have my wedding cancelled and you stole my gown.”
“These are outrageous accusations.” Caroline laughed. “I always knew you Daventry girls were a strange lot but goodness me...”
“You had my sister set upon,” Eleanor said, her breath hot in her throat. “You hired awful men who stabbed my…our friend.”
The final word felt odd on her tongue. Friend. It seemed too mild to describe the relationship she had with Oliver. Friends did not kiss and one’s heart did not feel like it was going to explode when one saw a friend.
But that was something to worry about another time. Once Demeter and Blake were wed and Caroline was dealt with.
“This is all very fanciful.” Caroline waved a hand. “But I am just in London to spend time with my father. I was rather hoping for my visit here to remain quiet seeing as last time I was in Town, my reputation was most sullied.”
“You sullied your reputation yourself,” Chastity reminded her. “By stealing.”
