Page 35 of To Heal a Broken Earl (The Rakes of Mayhem #7)

Something was making an awful lot of noise.

A whirring sound.

And talking.

“Auntie, it’s me, Katie. You must wake up.

Finn’s worried, too. Except right now, he’s sleeping, like you.

Finn got hurt, Auntie, but the doctor said he’s going to be as good as new.

I’ll bet he tells you the same thing.” Katie crawled up on the bed to kiss her aunt on her closed eyes before sliding back down to the floor.

“Just like you always give me, Auntie.” The little girl stepped back.

Emma, still feeling very tired, opened her eyes to see her niece standing next to her, and suddenly realized what was making that noise.

Finn! He was sleeping at the foot of her bed, snoring loudly.

She giggled.

“Auntie Emma, we were so worried about you. That bad man took you. Finn tried to save you and got hurt, but the doctor said he’s going to be fine. Thank goodness I brought Polly in here to watch over Finn and you,” Katie whispered, holding up her doll.

Emma nodded. “Thank you, Polly, for watching over us. And Finn is most definitely a hero.” She placed a gentle kiss on Katie’s forehead. “And don’t worry, I’m here, sweetheart. I’m just a little bruised, but I’ll heal quickly. I’m not going anywhere without you, Katie. Don’t worry.”

“I’m so glad you’re back. Lord Michael saved you and brought you home. And he wouldn’t leave your side. Look.”

Emma turned and was surprised to see Michael seated next to her bed. He, too, was sound asleep.

Tears sprang to her eyes. “Lord Michael is a hero too,” she whispered.

“We’ve got two heroes right here,” Katie said with a yawn.

“Let’s go back to sleep. We all need to rest,” Emma said as her own eyes once more grew heavy. She kissed Katie again and then turned and gazed at Michael and, in a soft voice, said, “I love you, Michael.” And then she closed her eyes and fell asleep again.

Sometime later, Emma opened her eyes to see the spaniel and Katie next to her bed, watching her.

Finn raised a paw and touched her arm, bringing Emma’s gaze to the dog.

“Oh! Finn, I’m so glad to see you are here.

You are a true hero to me, and I love you, little fella,” she said, her gaze moving slowly from Finn to a now-awake Michael as her eyes closed again.

~*~

Michael’s heart hitched. He wished she would say those words to him. Maybe she would one day. “Your aunt will be better soon, angel,” Michael said, kissing Katie on her head. “She’s strong, but she’s been through an awful ordeal and needs her rest now.”

“Michael, would it be all right if I leave Polly next to Auntie for a while longer?” Katie asked. “She’s very good at making you feel better, but I don’t think Auntie Emma has started feeling better yet. And Polly is also good at watching over you.”

“That’s a really wonderful idea. Polly will be an excellent nurse,” Michael agreed, taking the doll and tucking her under one of Emma’s arms. “I’ll put Polly here, so she can be as close as possible to your auntie.”

“Polly watched over Finn when he got hurt. And it made him feel better,” Katie said. “But I think she needs to stay longer with Auntie.”

Michael looked at Finn, who was lying next to Katie’s feet, and could tell that the dog was struggling, but his need to be with the little girl had somewhat overruled his good sense.

Michael had heard that spaniels tended to work through pain, even excessive pain.

That was how Finn kept going when he’d been in the hull of that ship, starving.

“Katie, did Dr. Bianchi mention anything about Finn getting lots of sleep?” he asked.

“Oh, yes. He told me I should be quiet around him and let him nap. I let him sleep. But now he wants to play,” Katie said, giving Michael her sweetest smile.

“Sweetling, I think Finn’s side may be hurting him a lot. He has blood on the bandage,” he said.

“He does?” Katie asked, walking around to the other side of Finn, where he’d been injured. “Oh, Finn. You’re bleeding,” she cried out, sounding anguished.

“Perhaps you should take him back to your room and read to him, and let him cuddle up on his bed,” Lady Beadle suggested, walking into the room. “But first, I need a hug,” she added, pulling Katie close. Then the older woman leaned over and kissed Finn on the head.

“Finn needs another nap, so I’ll take him to my room, where his bed is, Lady Beadle,” Katie said, leading Finn from the room.

“Precious child,” Lady Beadle said. “She’s been worried sick about her aunt.

I’m so glad you found her.” Her tone turned serious.

“But you need some rest, too, Michael Robinson. And I won’t hear no for an answer,” she said, patting the pocket where she’d been keeping her ear horn since her arrival.

“I don’t want to have to tell Lizzy that I failed to take care of her brother while he was on my watch.

We just celebrated your birthday. She’s going to be upset enough that she couldn’t be here to celebrate with you. ”

Michael laughed. “I will. I promise.” Before he left London, Lizzy had sent word that she would be visiting him here, a notice that added more urgency to his need to get the house in decent shape.

Hastings stepped into the room. “My lord, Dr. Bianchi wants to check on Lady Emma again, but he also plans to check on your wound. He needs to change the dressing and do his best to keep it from becoming infected and fevered. We both know how bad that can be.”

The man’s tone suggested he wasn’t taking no for an answer either, which amused Michael. But he was in no mood to quibble anyway. He had been watching Emma sleep most of the night, and she was safe. That was all he wanted to focus on for the time being.

“Fine. I’ll meet you in my room. Just give me a few more minutes with Emma before I leave.”

He heard his valet say, “Stubborn man,” as he left the room, and laughed.

Everyone had finally gone, so he moved his chair closer and sat down next to Emma before taking her hand.

“Emma, there’s so much I want to say. But I will limit it to three things.

First, I will be back as soon as Bianchi is finished checking my wound.

Second, you are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met—inside and outside.

No one in my life could come close to how I see you, my sweet Emma.

” He leaned down. “And I love you, Emma. Please get well, so I can ask you something very important.” He placed a kiss on her lips before standing up to leave.

“I hope you heard me. But if you didn’t, I plan to say it over and over. I love you.”

~*~

Emma opened her eyes, and sunlight was streaming into the room.

Katie was asleep, curled up under her right arm, with her doll in her hands. And Finn was still curled up on the bottom of the bed, snoring away. She thought she remembered them standing next to her, but maybe that had been part of her dreams. She wasn’t sure.

“You’re awake,” Michael whispered in a raspy voice.

A gasp escaped her as she turned to her right and then felt a head rush.

“Careful,” he said, moving forward to place a gentle hand on her forehead. “Would you like some water?”

“Yes, please.”

He poured her a cup of water from a pitcher on the bedside table and helped her sit up as he held the cup to her lips.

“Better?”

“Yes, thank you.”

He set the cup down on the table and then helped ease her back on the pillows.

“How are you ?” she asked softly.

“I’m better, now that you’re awake.” He grinned. “And you?”

“I’m better now that you saved me. You’re a hero.”

“Well, a man has to save one or two damsels in distress if he’s going to be called a hero,” he said, chuckling.

Emma plucked at the coverlet. “I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you about going out of the house without an escort.

Are you angry with me?” she asked, her voice trembling with worry.

“I was caught up in the excitement of your party and had forgotten part of your present. I had polished the penknife we found in the attic, and I wanted to give that to you along with the salve. I was very foolish.”

“You don’t have to apologize, Em,” he said, leaning forward and taking her hand in his. “It was my duty to protect you, and I failed at that. And for that, I am truly sorry.”

A single tear rolled down her face. Michael reached out and brushed it away.

“Well, at least the penknife came in handy,” he said.

“Yes, I managed to stab Morgrave.”

“And then he used it on me. Stabbed it right in my bad leg. And it was the best stabbing ever.”

“What?” she said, as more tears began streaming down her cheeks. “I didn’t know he stabbed you. They didn’t tell me. They said you were fine—I’m so sorry.”

“And I am fine,” he said. “I didn’t tell you that to upset you, darling.” He scooted his chair forward, closing the distance between them. “Please…you have nothing to apologize to me about. That was the best gift I’ve ever received, I think.”

His words, unbelievably warm, wrapped around her like a comforting embrace.

“But how? I didn’t even have the chance to give it to you,” she said, sniffling. “And then that horrible man stabbed you with it.”

“I loved the salve and the handkerchiefs. I found several, and they are beautiful.” He held one up to show her. “But this particular gift, this penknife…may have led me to no longer needing the salve. Although you worked wonders with it.”

“What do you mean?” Emma tried to sit up, but her head began to throb from the exertion, and he helped her lie back down.

“Keep your head on your pillow, darling,” Michael said, smoothing the damp hair from her face.

“According to Dr. Bianchi, it dislodged a piece of shrapnel that had been undetectable in my bone. He found it while cleaning and stitching the wounds. Bianchi hopes that it will heal, and if it does, I may lose the limp—or at least the chronic pain. Not the scarring, of course. My leg won’t be pretty to look at.

But hopefully it will heal properly. If not for the lovely present—that very handsome penknife that I will forever treasure—I might never have been given true relief.

Luckily, Wright found the thing and returned it to me. ” He leaned down and kissed her head.

“You’re telling me the truth?” she said, astonished.

“I have never lied to you, Emma,” he said softly.

“No…you haven’t,” she agreed. “It’s just that it’s hard to believe.”

“I suppose it was fated, as they say,” he said, his lips curved up in a smile.

“Pretty soon this house will be abuzz, and you’ll have nonstop visitors, and we’ll have no privacy.

” His laughter was warm with affection. “And it’s very important that I tell you…

That I love you, Emma. I think I fell in love with you on the very first night we met. ”

“You love me?” she said, in wonder.

“Yes. Is that so hard to believe? Or have I been such a complete grump that you had no idea I’d fallen head over heels in love with you?”

“Well, I sort of had an idea that you liked me enough to keep kissing me. Which I really enjoyed and hopefully will again.”

He laughed as he leaned down and kissed her lightly on the mouth. “Oh, we will definitely be kissing again,” he said with a growl.

“Good, because I love you too,” she said as her eyes blurred with tears.

He kissed her again. “I wanted to tell you how I felt and that I want to spend the rest of my life with you yesterday, after the party was over, but then you went and got yourself kidnapped,” he said with a wink.

“I promise, no more getting myself kidnapped.” A radiant smile broke out across her face.

“Good, because I would like to make you my countess, that is…if you say yes.”

This was everything she had ever dreamed of happening, yet she’d never imagined finding a man she could love as deeply as Michael. “Yes, I will marry you, my lord. As long as you promise to teach me to fish, like you promised, and never get grumpy when I’m trying to do something nice for you.”

“All right, you have a deal. But let’s kiss on it just to make it official.”

“Yes, we must make it official,” she said, giggling.

He beamed at her. “I’d love to teach you to fish. And I suppose we should even discuss teaching you and Katie to swim. With the pond so close on this property, I want to ensure we avoid any mishaps.”

“I can’t believe this is happening,” she whispered. “I heard you…earlier.”

“When?”

“You told me three things…and I listened to each one. Even though I tried, I couldn’t answer you…” Emma said.

“Are you going to marry Lord Wilton, Auntie?” a sleepy Katie said.

“Looks like what we were discussing will have to wait…” Michael whispered teasingly.

“Yes. I’d like to discuss that further,” Emma said, then turned to Katie. “I am,” she said, kissing her niece on the forehead.

“Oh, goody! It’s about time! Isn’t it, Finn?”

The spaniel gave a soft woof.

“See, Finn approves. When is the wedding?” Katie asked.

Emma and Michael looked at each other and burst into laughter.

There would be plenty of time to plan a wedding. In the meantime, Emma would insist on more kissing. And she wouldn’t have it any other way.

~*~