Page 29 of Pretending to Love a Lyon (The Lyon’s Den Connected World)
A melia slept too long. Fran woke her, having been sent by Graham to make sure she didn’t miss this time with her brother, who was awake once more. Dr. Bradley had come at last to check in on Sam.
Amelia hurried to dress, not caring about her hair, only fixing it in a plait and heading to Sam’s room. The door was open, and her heart leaped as she heard her brother’s voice.
“How much longer?” Sam was asking as she entered.
“I cannot say, my lord. I don’t have the ability to see what is happening inside you. This is miraculous. I feel—and it pains me to say this—I am out of my scope with you. I’d like to refer you to a colleague at the medical college.
“No,” Amelia said. The three men turned to her. “No one can know, not yet, not until he is well on his way to recovery.”
“Amelia,” Sam chided, “I am, but I’d like to know what my capabilities are.”
“Rest, Sam,” Amelia said. “It has worked so far. You’ll feel better in time.”
He sighed. “I still feel weak.” He said this to Graham and the doctor. “Is that normal?”
Graham nodded and the doctor shrugged.
“Rest should help your ribs. They should heal with as little movement as possible. Bones are predictable things. They break, they mend. But you also have a wound inside your body, and I don’t know how to treat it.”
“Please explain,” Amelia drew closer and folded her arms.
The doctor sighed. “May I show her?” he asked Sam, who nodded.
Dr. Bradley folded the blanket back, revealing Sam’s chest and the frightening pattern of bruising along his side. His abdomen looked unusual to her. Like he’d been stuffed with feathers.
“You see?”
Amelia’s stomach dropped. She did see it. She’d never be able to unsee this. Sam drew the blanket back up, and she looked him in the eyes. She could see his fear. He may be awake, but they were both still bluffing with Death.
“Can you consult with your colleague without naming my brother?” she asked. “See what can be discovered? If we need to, we will meet with him.”
Dr. Bradley sighed and nodded. “We can try.”
“Is that that blood you suspected was leaking slowly?” Graham asked.
Dr. Bradley nodded. “Yes, it has filled up the available space.”
“Clotted, you mean?” Amelia asked. “We learned this earlier from you.”
“Yes and no. This is why I need further help. This is beyond me.”
Amelia tucked her shaking hands behind her back. “What do we do for now?”
The doctor addressed his instruction to Sam. “Remain still, rest, and continue to take in as much food as you feel like you can. Don’t eat if you don’t feel up to it.”
Sam nodded. “I’ll take up knitting to pass the time.”
Amelia walked to his side and took his hand. “You’ve always wanted to learn Greek.”
Graham escorted the doctor out of the room.
“Why do you look so worried?” Sam asked. “Tell me what has you so troubled.”
“It’s obvious my worry is over you. What else could it be?”
“If I had to guess, it would be Graham’s constant presence. He has been constant, hasn’t he?”
“I can’t seem to be rid of him,” she said, not quite meeting his eye.
“Come now, I can hear it in your voice. You’re glad he’s here, aren’t you?”
Amelia bit her tongue.
“I know you better than you know yourself,” he continued. “You don’t have to say anything—I know Graham annoys you bitterly. You’d rather eat soil than have a conversation with him. But I’m also sure he’s been helpful to you.”
Amelia laughed at the image that brought to her mind, harder than she’d been able to in days, but those tears turned to sobs. He did know her, but he didn’t know what was in her heart now. The way Graham pulled her at opposite ends. She wanted to kiss him madly, and then she wanted to stuff a glove in his mouth to stop him lecturing her. There were times when he looked at her like she was the most stunning creature he’d ever seen. Then the next moment he would look at her like she’d stuck a frog in his breeches. She was hot and cold, hard then soft, floating, and then sinking, and all these sensations made her want to scream.
But her brother couldn’t know these things, that she was a woman hungering for a man’s touch. Sam would rather shoot his toe off than know what was in her mind regarding Graham, she was sure of it.
“Lia,” he said sweetly, “Lia it’s all right.”
“It’s not. I’m so scared, Sam.” The memory of his horrible, bruised and misshapen side loomed in her mind’s eye, more important in this moment than anything she felt about Graham. “I can’t lose you. Promise me, Sam. Promise me you will never leave me.”
“You’re not going to lose me. And you know we’re part of each other no matter where I am or where you are. Though I promise from now on, I will take no more risks. But remember, living in fear is not living.”
“Don’t quote father to me.” She sniffed and wiped her eyes.
“You needed the reminder. And be good to Graham while I’m stuck here. He’s doing his best. He doesn’t know how to handle a woman like you.”
Amelia looked away from her brother. Graham seemed to be handling her just fine. “I will do my best, as well.”
“Thank you. Now, would you be a dear and get me one of those naughty romances you like to read? It might keep me sane while I molder in this bed.”
“Which one would you prefer? Princess Peony and the Lost Duke or The Wilds of Winifred ?”
“Definitely Winifred. She sounds interesting.”
“If you read my books you have to promise to never make fun of them again.”
“I can’t make such a promise. Not until after I read them,” he teased her.
Amelia folded her arms in mock sternness. “Then you can’t have them.”
He stuck out his bottom lip. “Please, Lia? I’m going to be here for days yet.”
“As I said before, you’ve could always learn Greek.”
“I don’t have the mental stamina to learn anything. I’m still healing. Take pity on me.”
Amelia relented. “Winifred it is.”