His Lady Mistress

Elizabeth Rolls295His arms tightened. ‘Shh. It’s all right. You’re safe. Hecan’t hurt you.’‘Where is he?’ She had to know.She felt the tension, the fury that surged through him.‘Under his horse. Dead.’Horror sliced through her.‘I...killed him too, then,’ she whispered. ‘Max...I nevermeant to...’ Abruptly she found herself facing him.His eyes blazed into her. ‘No! Stop it, Verity! It wasn’tyour fault. He accidentally shot his horse, from what I couldsee. It fell right on top of him. You had nothing to do withit. Verity, listen to me—you didn’t kill him.’She felt sick, shaking. Seeing again the horse rearing asthe flint struck it. Falling backwards. She opened her mouth,but he put his fingers over it, gently silencing her.‘No more, darling. You need to be at home.’The doctor gave it as his considered opinion that LadyBlakehurst had a much tougher constitution than her husbandcredited her with. And that, despite the cracked rib, she wouldbe perfectly well in a few days if she rested and were properlylooked after.Max cleared his throat slightly. ‘One thing, doctor. I understandthat my wife may be...that is, she is...!’‘Expecting a happy event in about seven months?’ suggestedthe doctor with a grin. ‘She mentioned it. As I said.Rest. No reason to think there’ll be a problem. Whatever youdo, don’t suggest such a thing to her. Upset can do as muchdamage in these cases as the fall itself! I have pooh-poohedthe idea, but insisted that she remain in bed for a few daysbecause of the cracked rib.’ He fixed Max with a fierce glare.‘However—she needs to put on a little more weight. See toit, my lord.’Max went back to Verity’s room and dismissed the maidand Henny. The latter had to be almost forcibly ejected.