Page 9 of A Scot on Duchess Square
No, she was eager to cut all ties to Solway and his kinsmen now and probably forever.
Miranda had just finished her second cup of tea when the housekeeper, Tilda, bustled in. “Yer Grace, I’ve prepared a guest chamber for the lady and found her some proper clothes to wear. Och, and she’ll need shoes,” she added, glancing at Miranda’s stockinged feet. “Never ye worry, m’lady. We’ll get ye rested and righted.”
“Thank you, Tilda,” Miranda replied, afraid to admit just how tired and achy she was.
But when she rose, she felt a sharp pain to her ribs and doubled over. “Oh,” she gasped, hardly able to let out a breath. Still, she refused to admit one of her ribs might be broken.
Solway immediately caught her up in his arms. “Dinna fight me, Miranda. I’ll carry ye upstairs to yer chamber. Ye’ll do more damage to yerself if ye attempt it on yer own. Tilda will take excellent care of ye.”
He turned to her housekeeper. “Ye must tell me if she’s broken a rib. If it’s safest to keep her here under bed rest for the next few days, then I’ll keep to my schedule and leave for Edinburgh at the end of the week with her. However, if ye feel she is all right to travel, then I’ll take her back to Edinburgh the day after tomorrow.”
Tilda nodded. “And provide escort for her return to London?”
“Aye,” he said. “I’ll no’ be leaving her alone in her delicate condition.”
Delicate condition, indeed!
He made it sound as though she were some sweet young bride carrying her happy bridegroom’s child. What idiotic nonsense.
“Put me down, Solway! I can walk on my own.”
Tilda frowned at her. “M’lady, ye are a stubborn thing, aren’t ye? Listen to His Grace. He’s doing what’s right and looking out for ye. In truth, ye are injured and it is a distinct possibility ye have a broken rib. Do the sensible thing and allow His Grace to look after ye on yer travels home.”
“Never ye worry, Tilda,” he grumbled. “I will look after her whether or no’ she desires it. Dinna listen to her squawking and fussing. She’s just being contrary, no’ that I blame her.”
Miranda was in too much pain to protest. In truth, she barely managed to wrap her arms around Solway’s neck because it hurt so much when raising them.
Her fault for straining the injury by hurling those projectiles at Mongo. She had been so incensed, she was able to ignoreevery jagged twinge and agonizing jolt that tore through her body whenever she threw an object or leaped to her feet.
The pain now overwhelmed her as she calmed down and her body relaxed.
It made sense, she supposed. The body had fascinating abilities. One was oblivious to pain when in the heat of battle, or so she had been told by a retired field general. It had something to do with one’s survival instincts suppressing all pain in order to continue fighting. However, this general had not said anything about the overwhelming pain that gripped oneafterthe battle.
It would have been nice to have the warning.
She remained quiet while Solway carried her up a long staircase that was rather grand. But then, his home was a castle and Solway obviously kept it in good repair.
She rested her head against his shoulder and curled up against him, allowing his strength to warm her and protect her as he strode down a broad hallway toward the room that was to be her bedchamber, hopefully only for this day.
She was worried about Gwenys and needed to be reunited with her as soon as possible.
“Miranda,” Solway said with an ache to his voice, “did I hurt ye when I first came upon ye and drew ye firmly up against me? Am I to blame for crushing yer ribs?”
“No.” She could have lied and claimed he was responsible, but he had used extraordinary care not to hurt her when he’d grabbed her and held her to his body in order to keep her from attacking Mongo. “This injury happened on the ride from Edinburgh to your castle. I was just too angry to feel it or acknowledge it at the time.”
“That does no’ absolve me or make me feel any better. Mongo, thatidjit, hurt ye. Well, it is time he took responsibility for his actions. Ye do whatever ye feel ye need to do.”
While she appreciated his words, she also knew that these Scots protected their own. Solway might allow for some small punishment, but he would never permit the lad to be imprisoned beyond a month or two, nor would he ever allow him to be hanged or sentenced to indentured servitude.
She did not have the strength to further press Solway on the matter. All she wanted to do was get under the covers and sleep.
In this moment, she would not have mindedhisgetting under the covers with her and holding her close to provide her with the warmth of his very fine body.
What?
She immediately banished that wild thought.
Although his skin was deliciously warm.
