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The sky opened; the rain light but insistent. Worry suddenly gnawed at his bones, and William wheeled his horse around and chased after the direction Pippa traveled. Her speed had left enough hoofprints in the earth for him to follow. Thankfully the rain was light enough to not yet wash away her tracks. The deluge came a little harder, and he urged his horse to go faster, not liking the sense of dread clamoring through his entire body.
“I am being a damn fool,” he cursed under his breath. “She is fine, and I am overreacting to nothing—”
Fear stole his breath when he saw a body lying along the path, thankfully on a thick shrubbery. He had barely reined in Phoenix when he dismounted and ran over to the still form on the ground.
“Pippa,” he shouted, careful to not jar her. “Pippa, can you hear me?”
She made a low noise in her throat but did not awake. Quickly he shed his jacket and created a covering above her, so the rain did not drench her face. William felt along her body, not detecting any broken bones. Her ankle was twisted oddly, and she moaned when he tried to remove the riding boot.
He gently eased her into a sitting position and shook her awake. Her lashes fluttered open, and lavender eyes caught his.
“William?” she asked with a soft gasp. “Are you an apparition?”
“I am very real,” he said gruffly. “Where are you feeling pain, Pippa?”
She appeared confused for precious seconds before she shook her head. “I think…I think I was tossed from my horse. Thunder startled him, and I could not regain control.”
“I know, sweetheart,” he said, rubbing her hands between his. “Tell me, where do you hurt.”
“My ankle.”
“Only there?”
She nodded, her eyes wide and apprehensive. “I will lift you up and take you to my horse. We will ride him together.”
William stood, eased her into his arms and lifted her with easy strength. He walked her over to his horse, hoisted her in the saddle and then mounted behind her. He nudged the horse into a run, and she whimpered at the jostling.
“I know it hurts,” he murmured soothingly by her ear. “But I must get you out of the cold and the rain. I do not want you to catch a fever from exposure.”
“The duke’s estate is behind us.”
“I am not taking you there.”
She said nothing to that, only leaned her back against his, cradling herself against his chest. An odd emotion rose in his throat, and he tried his best to get them to the cottage without jostling her too much. The journey felt unending when it could only have been a few minutes. He entered a wide open clearing, a picturesque cottage perched almost magically in the center. She gasped, and he knew it was from the gardens surrounding the cottage and the beautiful pond to the left. He eased her down, dismounted and swung her into his arms. She did not protest but clasped his shoulders tightly, resting her head trustingly against his chest. Something about her trust humbled William and filled him with an unknown feeling.
He entered the cottage with her carefully, pleased to see a fire had been lit in the hearth and that the provisions requested had been delivered. His local man always came through whenever William sent down one of his unexpected requests.
Pippa glanced around the cottage. “Are we in someone’s home?”
“Yes.” He eased her to the floor. “Come, we need to get you out of these wet clothes and into something warm. Then I will need to look at your foot.”
He led her to a door leading to the cottage’s sole bedroom. Her expression was alive with curiosity, but she made no comment when he removed several blankets from an armoire and handed them to her. William ruffled around, searching for something that she could possibly put on. He plucked one of his shirts and held it out to her.
“This is the only thing suitable I have for you.”
She stared at it for a long time before she reached for it. “Thank you.”
Hell. He had to ask. “Do you need my help in undressing?”
“Perhaps my boots,” she whispered.
Pippa sat on the lone chair in the room, and he removed the first riding boot with no problem. The second one was much harder. She cried out when he tried to tug it off and when he glanced up, tears glistened in her eyes. It damn well gutted him to see it.
“I will have to cut it off,” he said gruffly, reaching into his boot for a hunting knife he always traveled with to the country. William was damn careful, but he still brought her a measure of pain. It took a while to realize with every gasp of pain from her, he paused his actions to soothingly rub her shin and muttered crooning nonsense. Finally, he removed the boot, carefully set them aside and removed her stockings. The ankle was swollen and already mottled. It even appeared as if the skin had broken in a few spots.
“It does not look good,” she whispered.
“It must hurt like the devil.” William scrubbed a hand over his face and peered outside the small bedroom window at the sleeting rain outside. Pippa needed a physician. “Hurry and change from these wet clothes. When you require me, call.”
