To Have and to Hold (33 page)

Dominic winced
as he tried to shake his head, only for pain to shoot up the back of his head,
leaving a dull throbbing in its wake.
 
“Only a little,” he murmured, lying through his teeth.
 
Everything within him ached desperately.
 

“Liar!”
Isobel chided
with a soft smile, knowing full well bruises as deep as his must hurt like the
very devil.
 
“I’ll get you some
Laudanum.”
 
She made to move toward the
table beside the bed only for him to stay her by placing a warm arm across her
waist.
 
It even hurt to make that small
movement, but he gritted his teeth and did it anyway.
 
He wanted, no needed, to have physical
contact with her.
 

“I’m alright for
now.”
 
He didn’t want any more of the
horrible stuff that would render him useless.
 
“Sit with me.”
 
He commanded and
slowly held out his hand towards her, smiling softly when she instantly slid
her hand into his, careful to avoid his cuts.
 

“How many of
them were there?”
 
Isobel asked after
several moments of companionable silence.
 
She knew he was on the verge of sleep again and hated to keep him awake,
but needed to know.

“I am not sure”,
Dominic murmured frowning as he tried to remember.
 
His memory was hazy.
 
“All I can remember was the flash of sparks
from the steel hitting steel as we fought.
 
There seemed to be one after another, but I can’t quite remember if it
was the same person.
 
I think there were
at least three.”
 
Dominic shook his head
slowly in frustration.

“Did you get
yourself home or did they ‘deliver’ you?”
 
Isobel wasn’t sure why she asked but for some reason felt compelled to
ask.

“I got myself
home.
 
I knew I struck two down on the
back road from town, but I managed to escape the third.
 
I can vaguely recall someone else standing
off in the shadows, but they didn’t engage.”

“Rupert”, Isobel
murmured, her voice cold.
 
“He always was
useless with a sword.”

“I am not sure
if it were DeLisle.”
 
Dominic murmured,
trying to recall any details that could help.

“I know there
were questions about DeLisle’s behaviour with his wives, but he is a bully of
the weaker sex.
 
Debauchery is his
favourite pastime.”
 
Isobel ignored
Dominic’s raised brows. She knew it was highly improper for a Lady to be
discussing such things, but Dominic was her husband, and she was anything but a
proper Lady.
 
“This is much more Rupert’s
characteristic.
 
He is a bully through
and through.”
 
She eyed the black and
blue smudges scattering Dominic’s face.
 
“And he is obviously desperate.”
 

“He won’t get to
you.”
 
Despite his battering, Dominic’s
voice was deadly.
 
“I was beaten, but I
am certainly not out.”
 
Inwardly he
wasn’t sure if he was able to get out of bed, but knew there was enough house
staff to at least delay anyone trying to get in.
 

“Where is my
sword?”
 
He tried to raise himself onto
his elbows but was unable to stifle the groan as pain lanced upwards from his
ribs.
 

Isobel gently
pressed his shoulders back down onto the bed.
 
“Sebastian brought it up earlier.”
 
She nodded towards the bedside table where his sword and scabbard sat in
ceremonial glory, highly polished and ready to use.
 
“Edward cleaned it for you and said he has
hidden the dagger where you usually keep it?”
 
Isobel had no idea what he meant but Dominic ignored the query in her
raised brows.

“Thank you.
 
The Magistrate needs to be notified.
 
There will be matters to deal with.”
 
As practical as she could be, Dominic
hesitated in mentioning the bodies lying in the road that would have to be
dealt with.

“Peter left to
pay him a visit and check the area.”
 
At
Dominic’s startled glance she hastened to reassure him.
 
“He took several of the men with him.
 
Sebastian and Edward decided to stay here,
and keep watch.
 
Everyone is heavily
armed, and on guard.”
 
She shuddered at
the mental image of the resultant clash should anyone dare to challenge the
heavily armed group.

“Good.
 
When are they due back?”
 
Having spent too many years in the army,
Dominic was used to being in command.
 
It
galled him to have to lie there whilst the others dealt with the
situation.
 

“I am not sure,
but the house is locked up tight and several of the men are on watch.”
 
The only people allowed near will be the
riders upon their return.
 
“Peter will
come up to see you upon his return.”
 
Isobel
rose and encouraged him to take a drink from the small tumbler of water.
 
She didn’t miss his quickly hidden wince as
he lay back down.
 
“Until then, you must
rest.”
 
Her tone brooked no argument as
she carefully tucked the covers around him.

“Oh darling, I
have missed you so.”
 
Dominic’s voice was
husky as he gazed at the features of his wife he had come to know as intimately
as his own.
 
He knew from the dark
smudges in her eyes that she was close to exhaustion. “Come, lie with me.”
 
He sighed with relief when without question
she carefully eased herself fully clothed onto the covers alongside him. “Under
the covers if you please,” his tone was softly chiding.
 

Propping herself
upon her elbow, she shot her husband a chiding look.
 
“You are in no condition for any of
that!”
 
She warned sternly as she lay
back down, careful to avoid the worst places of bruising.
 
“I am fine thank you.”
 
She murmured, a soft sigh escaping her. This
was where she was meant to be, beside her husband.
 
Well almost, she reminded herself as she eyed
her husband’s battered arm lying atop the pristine white sheet.

“You haven’t
been sleeping very well.”
 
Dominic’s
comment wasn’t a question.
 
The evidence
was there in the dark smudges beneath her eyes.

“I have been
resting sufficiently well, do not worry.”
 
Isobel knew he would only chide her, should she tell him the truth.

“Have you
anything to tell me?”
 
His soft murmur
broke the silence.
 

Isobel knew
instantly what he was asking.
 
She also
knew that if she should tell him the truth, she would never get a moment to
herself.
 
Dominic would have half the
staff in constant attendance upon her, and she would never gain the opportunity
to do what she knew she must.
 

Aware he was
awaiting an answer, she carefully kept her head tucked against his and stared
off across the room, her softly murmured, “I don’t know yet”, settling between
them.
 

Within moments
of the quiet settling between them, Isobel became aware of the change in his
breathing and knew he had once again fallen asleep.
 
Easing her head back against his arm, she
moved slowly lest she disturbed him, but had to look at his beloved features.
 
Tears trickled slowly from her eyes.
 
Her heart ached below her breast as she
looked at his chiselled jaw line darkened by the days’ growth of stubble, and a
myriad of yellow, blue and purple bruises mixed with small cuts and
grazes.
 
Below the cuts, his skin was
paler than she could remember; a clear sign of his weakened condition.
 
Carefully she placed a hand upon his chest,
directly above his heart.
 
Even through
the bed clothing she could feel the steadily reassuring thump.
 
Silence descended upon the room as she lay
beside him, taking as much courage from his half embrace as she could, while
she could.
  

Clearly Dominic
was prepared to fight again, should he be challenged.
 
Even in his weakened state, he was demanding
details of culprits and expecting Peter, Sebastian and Edward to report
back.
 
Isobel knew that as soon as he was
well enough, he would be heading out with the others to capture the surviving
thugs, and bring them to justice.
 
She
shuddered to think what would happen should Peter and Dominic catch up with
Rupert personally.
 
Both were filled with
the urge to seek retribution.
 
They had
been challenged, and as experienced soldiers of war, they never backed down
from an attack.
 
Indeed, if there were
four men who had cornered Dominic on a darkened road, it was a testament to his
skill and dexterity with a sword that got him home alive.
 

Whilst he had
been asleep Isobel had taken the opportunity to scour his wardrobe, managing to
purloin several items she needed for her upcoming ordeal.
 
For it would be an ordeal.
 
She also managed to visit the kitchens and
store rooms to gather a secret supply of paraphernalia she knew from experience
would improve her time alone.
 
Now all
she had to do, was bide her time.
 

Five days later,
much restored and with bruises beginning to fade to blackish green marks,
Dominic paced awkwardly across the length of his study.
 
There was a pile of papers on his desk
demanding his attention, but he would be damned if he could concentrate on
anything other than his wife.

“Confound
it!”
 
He snapped as he paced.
 
Luckily despite the Doctors predictions,
nothing had been broken during his skirmish on the country lane.
 
He had been left with several deep bruises
that were still sore and sometimes painful if he didn’t pay them due heed.
 
There was nothing about him that he couldn’t
cope with, or if he was honest, hadn’t had before.
 

“Not had pie for
breakfast again?”
 
Sebastian teased from
the doorway as he quietly entered, closing the door behind him before approaching
the fireplace.

“It’s my blasted
wife!”
 
Dominic snapped, stalking towards
the oak cabinet beside the door and pouring them both a large brandy.
 
“Damned woman is as frustrating as anyone I
have ever met.”
 
He bit back a curse as
he handed his brother the goblet.
 
After
slugging down half of his drink in a swift gulp, he refilled it and resumed his
pacing.
 

“What has she
done now?”
 
Sebastian found it entirely
amusing that his beautiful sister-in-law could have his elder brother, usually
so cool and unflappable, turned inside out with such ease.

“She is up to
something, I just know it.”
 
Dominic shot
his brother a dire look.
    

“What do you
mean?
 
What has she been doing?”
 
Sebastian was curious.
 
She had been ferocious the night Dominic
returned.
 
The warrior-woman within her
had stunned everyone and had earned her the immediate respect and devotion of
everyone present in the hallway to witness the spectacle.
 
It was most probable she was up to something.
 

“She is not
doing anything in particular.”
 
Dominic
muttered feeling somewhat foolish.
 
Knowing he should just shrug, and shake off his concern, he turned to
his brother.
 
“She is almost too good.
 
Very evasive and careful with her replies.”

“Ah!”
 
Sebastian murmured as he nodded slowly.
 
In reality, he hadn’t a clue what Dominic was
talking about, but had seen enough of Isobel to acknowledge that if she was
being careful, she was most probably up to something.
 
He didn’t envy Dominic in the very least, but
did now understand why they made such an excellent couple.
 
“Do you have any idea what it might be?”
 

Dominic shook
his head in frustration.
 
“No damn it,
but I can’t keep my eye on her all the time.
 
She won’t allow it.
 
She keeps
shooing me off like some pestering child.
 
But I know she is waiting until I leave to do whatever it is she is up
to.”
 
Knowing he was talking in riddles
Dominic stopped, huffing a sigh of frustration.