Page 67 of The Runaway Duchess
Then her eyes met Damien’s, and he felt his heart tighten as he saw the warmth shining there.
“So have you, it seems,” she mused.
Damien huffed out a chuckle as he looked down at George again, still in shock that not only had the boy come to him for comfort, but that he had actually managed to provide it. After all those years of living in rage, he thought it was impossible. With Caroline, it was different. She had always made him feel different.
It now seemed that George could reveal his softer side as well. A side he had feared he would never have for children. That was why he never wanted to have any. His and Jeremy’s father’s rage seemed to only intensify when it came to children, and he had been terrified he would become the same.
A buzzing sound erupted in his ear, and Damien waved a dismissive hand at the nearby bee as he looked down at George again.
I did that. I made him feel safe enough to fall asleep.
“Shoo,” Caroline murmured, and a moment later, he felt her soft touch brush against his chest.
Damien looked up just in time to see a bee fly off his shirt. It seemed angry at Caroline’s interference, because it flew straight at her.
“Go away,” she whispered, swatting at it through the air. “Pesky things.”
Her hand missed the bee, and Damien watched as it landed on her neck. He reached out to her immediately, but before he could seize the infernal creature, Caroline let out a hiss of pain and jerked. His annoyance shifting to anger, he grabbed it and crushed it in his fist, then tossed it away from them.
“Are you all right?” he whispered, his fingers already moving back to the small red welt on her throat. At the last moment, he realized what he was about to do and stopped himself.
“I am fine,” Caroline said softly. “It was just a little sting.”
Damien’s eyes narrowed as little red veins started to fork from the welt.
Caroline cleared her throat again, the sound drawing Damien’s eyes up to her face. Worry spiked through his veins as he watched the color drain from her cheeks and her brows furrow with doubt.
“Caroline?” he asked, inching closer.
She parted her lips, trying to draw in a breath, and coughed.
“I…” she said, her voice beginning to tremble as her hand tightened around her throat. “I feel strange. It burns.”
Damien shoved himself up to his feet, his hands outstretched to her.
“I am sorry, but I am breaking your rule. Come here,” he commanded as he watched her eyes grow glossy.
She looked up at him, confusion and fear filling her gaze as she swayed. Damien grabbed her shoulders before she fell, and without waiting for her permission, lifted her into his arms. He barely had her against his chest before her eyes rolled back, and another shallow breath escaped her lips.
“Caroline!” Jeremy exclaimed, jumping to his feet to stand by Damien’s side. “What is the matter with her?”
“Bring George inside,” Damien commanded, already moving toward the house.
Not waiting to see if his brother was going to obey, Damien quickened his pace into a run as he felt Caroline’s breathing slow.
“Mrs. McClain!” he shouted, running faster as he held Caroline closer, “Call the physician! Get him here now!”
“She does not look fine!” Damien snapped, glancing down at the still-sleeping woman. She still appeared too pale, too still, too small and fragile.
Wake up!He mentally willed.
“I assure you, Your Grace, that your wife is perfectly all right,” the physician stated calmly, putting his tinctures back into his leather satchel. “She had a minor reaction to the sting. I suspectit was her first ever, which is probably why her airway seized and she collapsed. However, I am leaving behind a recipe for a poultice that will draw out the poison. Your housekeeper will just have to keep the ingredients on hand.”
“If she is ‘perfectly all right,’ then why will she not wake up?” Damien demanded, not at all soothed by the physician’s calm assurance.
“She lost her ability to breathe for a few moments,” the physician explained. “That can wear the body quite a bit. However, she is breathing well and strong now. You can check for yourself if you do not believe me.”
Damien did not waste any time, not caring about any of Caroline’s rules in that particular moment, and leaned down to place a hand on the left side of her chest. He closed his eyes and sighed in relief as he felt not just her breath drawing in and out, but the strong, rhythmic beating of her heart.
