Page 57 of Winterset

Kate

All through the night, I sat by Oliver’s bedside.

He’d been shot in the shoulder, and although the wound had bled profusely, the surgeon had said his injury wasn’t fatal. Oliver had lost consciousness in the carriage, not due to loss of blood but due to shock. Seventeen stitches later, the doctor predicted Oliver should make a full recovery.

Last night, I had not been so certain though.

I hadn’t known right away that Oliver had been injured. I’d heard the gunfire, of course, but Oliver had sat up and fired his own pistol. I’d thought he was all right. I hadn’t known he wasn’t until I’d seen the blood.

So much blood.

Red had stained the right side of his shirt, but I hadn’t been able to tell where it was coming from. His chest? His abdomen? His shoulder? The shocking sight had scared me, and suddenly, I’d been transported back two years to the morning of Papa’s death, standing at his bedside, saying goodbye.

It was breaking morning now, and I was once again sitting at a man’s bedside, but this time he would live.

Through the long, predawn hours Oliver’s breaths were still quite shallow, and he was so still it scared me. But as the sun rose, his breathing grew stronger, until it was finally steady and sure.

Lord Jennings stepped into the room, startling me. “Did you sleep?” he whispered.

I shook my head.

“I can take a turn watching over him,” he offered.

“Thank you, but I want to be here when he wakes.” Surely the laudanum would wear off soon.

“Of course,” Lord Jennings said. “May I sit with you a moment?”

I nodded, and he took the seat on the other side of Oliver’s bed.

Last night, I’d learned that Lord Jennings had ridden out with Oliver to find me.

At a fork in the road, they’d had to separate, but when Lord Jennings had heard shots fired, he’d started back for us.

He’d found Markham lying on the road. The shot Oliver had fired in my defense had indeed been lethal.

I was finally and fully safe. Thanks to Oliver.

“He looks better this morning,” Lord Jennings said quietly. “More color in his cheeks.”

“Yes,” I agreed. “But I’m still scared.” Oliver had survived the shot, but now there was the threat of infection to worry about.

“He will be all right,” Lord Jennings said. “Oliver is quite stubborn, you see, and I daresay he would not give up a life with you even if the devil demanded it.”

I gave Lord Jennings a grateful smile.

“Also,” he said, “the surgeon was skilled, and we are all here to help Ollie through his recovery.”

“Thank you, my lord. I know that will mean so much to him.”

Damon sat with me for several more minutes. “Well, I suppose I should excuse myself. Mother, Hannah, and Charlie are not so patiently awaiting an update. I will go tell them he looks much better this morning.”

“Thank you,” I said again, and he quietly quit the room.

I stared down at Oliver. I’d come so close to losing him last night. I did not know what I would have done if he had died. I loved him so much. I could not bear to think of life without him.

I raised his hand to my lips and kissed it.

Oliver’s eyes fluttered open and found mine.

A shuddering sob escaped my mouth. “Oliver.”

He gave me a weak smile. “You’re here,” he whispered.

“Always.”

“Markham?” he asked.

“We don’t have to worry about him anymore,” I said.

Oliver closed his eyes, the relief of the nightmare’s end visibly sinking in.

When his eyes reopened, he tightened his grip on my hand and pulled me closer.

“I know I don’t deserve you, Kate, but I swear I will work every day for the rest of my life to give you everything you desire.

I want to give you the world. I want you to have everything you have ever wanted: Paris or—”

I laid one finger over his mouth, silencing him. “I only want you , Oliver.”

“You have me, love. Every beat of my selfish heart, every breath of my prideful lungs belongs to you. I am yours, Kate.”

“And I am yours.” I leaned over him and gently kissed his forehead, careful not to jostle him, then sat back. “I love you, Oliver. So much. And I am grateful for all the places you want to take me, but as lovely as Paris might be, I just want to go home. I want to return to Winterset with you.”

“Nothing would make me happier, my love.” He pressed a gentle kiss to the back of my hand. “How long must I wait to call you my wife?”

“How soon can we marry without causing a scandal?”

“Oh, darling. We have already caused the scandal of the century. I daresay there is not anything we could do to surpass it.”