Page 106 of Sinful Persuasion of a Lady in the Making
As Teresa moved out of the way, he pulled himself into a sitting position with a loud and painful groan.
“No, don’t try to do too much,” she urged, but Sebastian tutted and shoed her away. He turned to the men who had come to assist.
“It’s my shoulder that is injured. I can walk, I just need a little help getting up from the ground.”
“Are you sure, My Lord? We can—”
“Just help me up, damn you,” he snapped, but the effort took his breath away. He winced, closed his eyes and slowed his breathing. Then, softer, he said, “I am in pain and my shoulder needs seeing to, and the sooner you help me up, the sooner I can see the physician.”
With exaggerated nods, both men jumped into action, leaning down and helping Sebastian to his feet, and then guiding him as he walked slowly back to the coach.
“Where is my own coach?” he asked. His face was pale yet clammy with sweat, and his hand hovered over his tensed and injured shoulder without actually touching it.
“Don’t even think of it,” Alison said, flashing Jenny a concerned look and then facing Sebastian. “You are coming home with us, where we can ensure you are well looked after.”
“It’s barely…” she gasped for breath, swallowed, licked at his dry lips, “barely a scratch.”
“The physician is already meeting us there,” Teresa said, her tone calm and placating.
“They’re right, Sebastian,” Jenny said softly but urgently, silently begging him to just do as he was told. “Come home with us. We can send word to your coach to meet us there, and once you’d been checked over by the physician, you can go home if you wish.”
“But your husband—” he began as he climbed into the carriage and take his seat. He looked over at Alison, and his mouth opened to finish the sentence, but Jenny could see he had simply run out of energy to argue. Her heart wrenched to see it.
“Don’t worry about Mr. Jones. Your recovery is our first concern.”
When they arrived at the house, there were already two coaches parked outside. One, Jenny knew, would belong to the physician, and she silently thanked the Lord that he was already there.
But the second coach?
She looked at it briefly then turned away. There were more important things to worry about. She dashed up the front steps and went to push open the door, but Fanny had already opened it.
“We’ve prepared the spare bedroom. The physician is already up there, making preparations.”
“Thank you,” Jenny said, just as Sebastian lumbered past them and toward the stairs.
He refused any further help, other than being shown the way, and Jenny found herself biting her tongue to stop herself from reprimanding him. He was a stubborn fool, especially after all they had said about accepting help, but she knew nothing she said would change it. He was seeing the physician, at least. She stood at the bottom of the stairs and watched as he stumbled his way up, moaning and groaning with every step.
“Jenny, this way,” Alison said, putting an arm around her shoulder and guiding her to the parlor.
It was only once she was sitting that it hit her. Sebastian had been shot! Her own skin paled and, as Fanny handed her a cup of sweetened tea, her shaking hands reverberated through the cup and saucer.
Alison said on one side of her, while Teresa sat on the other, each looking at Jenny and soothing her.
“He’s going to be all right now,” Teresa said. “He’s in safe hands.”
Jenny nodded blindly.
“You know, the David was shot, too. When we were courting.”
Jenny turned her head sharply, surprised. She had heard rumors, but she had never known for certain.
“And look at him now,” Teresa continued, smiling broadly. “You would never have guessed it.”
“It does feel a little like history repeating itself,” Alison said with a tired sigh. She squeezed Jenny’s arm. “He’ll get through this, I promise.”
