Page 86

“You will need stitches, Your Grace,” the doctor announced.

“All right.” Percival nodded and then turned to Louisa. “Can you wait in the other chamber? You do not need to see this.”

She smiled and came to take his hand in her own. “You forget that I have had my own experience,” she said, pointing to her face. “You will need something strong.”

She rang the call bell and Anne answered almost immediately.

“Please get Tobias to bring a bottle of the duke’s favourite scotch.” She told the girl.

“Yes, your grace.”

The doctor prepared his instruments while they waited.

A knock sounded on her door a few minutes later and she gave admittance to Tobias who had brought the bottle as well as a glass. The man looked visibly worried at the amount of blood that had stained the shirt he had been wearing but said nothing.

“I will be fine Tobias.” He told him with a smile. “It is only a flesh wound.”

“Indeed, your grace.” He replied.

Tobias poured him a finger of scotch, which he downed in one gulp. It wouldn’t be enough, but Percival didn’t want to drink in front of his wife.

“If you need more, you should have some. I do not mind.” She told him.

“I do not want to over imbibe with you present.”

“I would understand if you did it this once.” She said with a a smile touching his hair. “I had to do the same when they stitched mine.”

He frowned despite himself as he recalled how she had gotten her scar. She must have been in so much pain yet she still smiled and tried to comfort others.

“I do hope you were given the justice you deserved.” He frowned.

She nodded.

“She was exiled from England. Had she not been a nobleman’s daughter it would have been worse for her.”

He nodded and was silent for a moment. The doctor cleared his throat reminding them he was still present.

“You really must drink some more, Percy.” She told him, eyes begging.

He nodded and accepted the glass from her, drinking as she poured until he felt the fringes of alcohol induced sleep.

She held his hand and nodded at the doctor to start, wincing each time the needle pierced Percival’s flesh. He was grateful for the small, soothing circles she rubbed on his hand and how she didn’t swoon at the sight.

“You will need to keep it clean so it doesn’t get infected. Change the bindings tomorrow morning,” the doctor told Louisa. “I will come again the day after tomorrow to see how well he is healing. Until then, Your Grace, do take care with your arm.”

The meaning behind his words was clear, and Louisa flushed.

It was still a marvel how shy she was even after everything they had done. Percival would have to remedy that soon. He liked her innocence, but she needed some corruption.

“Thank you, Doctor.”

Tobias showed the doctor out, leaving them with their much needed privacy.

The second the door clicked shut, Percival pulled his wife into his lap.

“He just told you to be careful with your arm, Percival,” she scolded him. But she didn’t move away, wrapping her arms around his neck. “You never seem to listen.”

He shrugged, smiling naughtily at her. “It would have kept me away from you, so I didn’t see any reason to obey.”