His Midnight Bride by Natalie Highland

Author:Natalie Highland [Highland , Natalie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-08-07T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 29

Hurt

It hurt, washing in fiery waves up Bea’s leg. It felt like reality had broken into pieces and was now stabbing through her flesh. If she’d been alone, she probably would have been in tears.

As it was, Earl Julius was sitting at her side, holding her hand and asking that she keep breathing for him. She couldn’t cry, couldn’t make a nuisance of herself any more than she had already.

Foolish, falling like that in front of him. She’d sworn she wouldn’t beg for his attention or call for him but all she wanted in that moment was comfort.

The Baron had broken bone in the past, once or twice when his rage had outstripped his control. Her arm often hurt when it was about to rain, but he’d never gone after her legs.

No, she’d done that all on her own. Damaged herself like an idiot and now he was sacrificing his time sitting with her when he likely had a million more important things to do.

“Are you hurting?”

Bea nodded, and then just as quickly shook it. Mindless, thoughtless, she wasn’t meant to ask him for anything. “I’m alright, just-“

The housekeeper walked back into the room followed by a familiar face as the healer from her time in the Temple walked over to her and reached to take Bea’s chin in her cool fingers.

“Have you lost weight again?” The healer flicked a look over at Julius and then back down at Bea. “Let me see to your injury and then you are going to eat.”

“I’m alright,” Bea knew she was blushing. “I just fell, I’m alright.”

But the healer just shook her head and moved Bea’s skirts out of the way and looked at her foot. It was swollen, overflowing her shoe like some sort of over risen dough.

“That is broken, my Lady,” the healer pointed to Bea’s foot. “I will bind the bones, but you will not be able to walk on it for two days while the healing takes.”

“Oh no,” Bea shook her head and then squeaked in pain when the healer moved her leg so she could get the too tight shoe off.

Julius reached with his other hand and covered the hand he was holding with it. “It’s alright Bea, I’ll help you for the next days while you heal.”

“No,” Bea cried, tears she couldn’t control leaking from her eyes. “It’s too much, too much by far and I can’t ask that of you. I can’t because then you’ll leave and I-“ she snapped her mouth shut, tearing her hand from Julius’ and struggling to rise.

“Stop this nonsense,” the healer said sternly. “If you walk on that foot right now the bones will snap further and you will be on bedrest while it heals.”

She couldn’t get away, couldn’t run from him and the words she’d let slip. All she could do was curl up there on the sofa, as small as possible, and try to will herself out of existence.

It didn’t work, of course. It hadn’t worked when she was young and terrified and hurting in ways she didn’t understand.

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