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He lifted her gingerly into his arms. Her head flopped down and hit his arm.
Tears stung his eyes and mingled with the blood from the cuts on his forehead.
With a severe blow to the head, she needed to be kept warm and jostled as little as possible, but what choice did he have? He must convey her to safety and there was only one way to do that, since the lad had stolen one of the horses.
He hoisted her onto the horse and climbed up behind her. He’d ride for Lady Catherine’s house. They were close, he’d kept track of where the carriage was going. It would be faster than returning to Paris.
He wouldn’t allow himself to think about Indy suffering permanent harm.
She’d wake up soon and first she’d insult him, and call him a pain in her arse, and then she’d kiss him.
Everything would go back to the way it had been only a few hours ago.
Indy kissing him in the carriage. Whispering in his ear...
To be continued.
That’s what he had to believe with all his heart.
That she had a future. That they could have a future.
Together.
Chapter 22
Lady Catherine’s brooding gothic beast of a chateau crouched in darkness. Indy was still slumped in front of him when Raven arrived at the house. She hadn’t stirred.
He lifted her off the horse, handed the reins to a sleepy groom, and carried her up the walkway. No one answered the knocker. He knocked again more loudly.
Finally the door creaked open. “Do you know what time it is?” asked the elderly manservant at the door.
“I’ve no time for conversation. I’m the Duke of Ravenwood. This is Lady India Rochester, a personal friend of Lady Catherine’s. Lady India is injured. I require a comfortable bedchamber, hot water, and fresh towels.”
“What’s all this then?” asked Lady Catherine, appearing behind her servant. “Your Grace, is that you? What’s happened to Indy?”
Raven carried Indy through the door. “She’s had a bad blow to the head. She needs rest.”
Lady Catherine took one look at Indy and didn’t ask any more questions. “This way,” she said. The servant followed, holding a lantern aloft.
“Just to clarify something,” Raven said. “You didn’t send her a note this evening, did you?”
“No.”
“I didn’t think so. It was all a ruse. She received a note purportedly from you saying that you were ill and she should come right away. We climbed into a carriage and were set upon by thieves when we were nearly here. They stole the Wish Diamond.”
“Heavens,” said Lady Catherine as she led the way into a spacious bedchamber. “How dreadful.”
Raven laid Indy down on the bed and began removing her clothing.
“Will she live?” asked Lady Catherine anxiously, wringing her hands over Indy’s bedside.
“It was a forceful blow,” said Raven. “The good news is that he hit the back of her head on the thickest part of her skull.”
“Should I send for Dr. Lowe?” asked Lady Catherine. “Or another physician?”
“There’s nothing any doctor can tell us. All we can do is wait now.”
“There are cases where a person recovers but the memory does not,” said Lady Catherine. “I had a friend once who developed amnesia after a blow to the head.”
