Page 76 of Foolish Bride
Michael swung onto the horse, then lifted Sheldon behind him.
“I’ll send for a doctor,” Daniel called out and relinquished his horse to Thomas, who followed Michael.
They found Everett exactly where Sheldon had left him in the clearing. His skin was sickly white, and his left leg bled through a tightly bound field dressing made from a torn piece of Sheldon’s jacket.
Michael jumped from the horse and cradled Everett’s head. His heart pounded, and what had started as the best day of his life plummeted into horror. “Everett, talk to me.”
His eyes fluttered open. “I tried to stop them, Michael. I am sorry. I really did try.”
“I know you did, and I am very proud of you. Now stay with me until we get you back to the house, you hear me. Don’t you dare die. I forbid it.”
“Yes, sir,” he whispered.
Thomas knelt at Everett’s leg. “Who tied this dressing?”
“I did,” Sheldon said.
“It’s a good job, boy,” Thomas looked for something to splint the leg with.
“How did you learn to do that?” Michael asked.
Sheldon colored. “I’ve read all your war reports.”
The fact that his youngest brother had invaded his privacy and read his papers would have to wait. The fact that he had gotten anything useful out of them was astonishing. Michael exchanged a look with Thomas, who tore his blouse, then used the fabric to tie a long stick to Everett’s leg.
Middleton arrived with a large carriage carrying Lady Rollins, who was near tears but kept her composure as she helped get her middle son into the transport.
Daniel followed on horseback.
The carriage started back to the house, where a doctor would be waiting to tend to Everett.
Michael, Daniel, and Thomas stood and scanned the tracks of the carriage that had taken Elinor away.
Thomas said, “I will follow the tracks so they don’t go cold. You go back to the house and see to Everett, Mike. Send for Markus and James Hardwig. We will need some law, I suspect.”
Daniel added, “I know Sheldon is distraught, but someone will need to question him and find out who is responsible. It will help to have a motive here.”
Torn between going to see about his brother and finding Elinor, Michael nodded. “I won’t be more than a few hours behind you.”
They all nodded, and twenty years of friendship linked them.
Chapter 17
It had been over an hour since Elinor’s kidnapping, and Michael was dying inside. Thomas hadn’t returned with the kidnapper’s direction, and no report had come from the doctor on Everett’s condition.
Tears streaming down his face, Sheldon clung to the edge of his chair.
“Tell me everything that happened, Sheldon.” Michael held his fists tight at his side to keep from shaking him.
Sheldon cried. “I told you already.”
“You have to remember more,” Michael screamed. What he really wanted was to scream at Everett to stand up and tell him he was fine.
“I cannot.”
Markus stood in the library doorway.
Daniel sat behind the desk, rubbing his eyes.
