Red Roses Mean Love

Chapter 14

Hayley burst through the door of Albright Cottage half an hour later, Dr. Marshall Wentbridge hot on her heels.

"Where are they?" she asked Grimsley breathlessly.

"In Master Nathan's bedchamber," Grimsley said, twisting his gnarled hands in obvious distress.

Hayley took the stairs three at a time, Marshall right behind her. When they arrived at the bedchamber door, Marshall entered and shooed everyone out.

"I'll speak to you as soon as I've examined him," he said firmly, closing the door on the anxious faces in the hall.

"Did he regain consciousness while I was gone?" Hayley asked, looking from Stephen to Pamela, dreading the answer she saw mirrored in their expressions.

Stephen shook his head. "No. He groaned a few times, but did not open his eyes."

"Is Nathan going to die?" Callie asked in a small, frightened voice. She clutched Miss Josephine to her chest, and peered up at Hayley with wide round eyes.

Pushing her owns fears aside, Hayley dropped to her knees and gathered the child into her arms. "No, darling. Nathan is not going to die," she said, fighting to keep her voice steady. I refuse to let him die. She pressed a kiss to Callie's forehead. "Dr. Wentbridge is going to make Nathan as good as new. In fact, I'm sure he's going to wake up soon, and I bet the very first thing he'll want is one of Pierre's sugar cookies."

"Yes indeed, Callie," Pamela agreed. "Why don't we go to the kitchen and arrange for a tea party with all Nathan's favorite snacks?"

Callie snuffled and wiped her nose with the back of her hand. "A tea party?" she asked, looking from one to the other.

"The very best tea party in the whole world," Hayley promised with a smile.

"All right," Callie agreed, allowing Pamela to take her hand and lead her away.

Hayley turned to Andrew. "Could you please see to Pericles and Dr. Wentbridge's horse? We left them tethered in front of the house. They both need water and oats, and Pericles requires grooming."

Andrew cast a look at the closed bedchamber door. "Will you let me know what the doctor says?" he asked, clearly reluctant to leave.

"The minute he comes out," Hayley promised. She gave Andrew what she hoped was a reassuring pat on his shoulder and watched him walk away. As soon as he was out of sight, her shoulders slumped and she buried her face in her hands.

Stephen watched her struggle for control, and his heart rolled over. She was trying so hard to be brave for everyone, but he knew she was frightened to death. Damn it, he'd never felt so helpless in his life. He couldn't remember the last time he'd asked God for anything, but ever since they'd found Nathan, he'd repeatedly prayed the boy would be all right. He reached out and touched her sleeve.

"Hayley," he said softly, his heart aching for her.

She lifted her head from her hands and looked at him, the tears she'd tried to hold back spilling down her cheeks.

"God, Hayley, please don't cry." The sight of her aqua eyes swimming with tears, her face pale with fright, twisted him into knots. He opened his arms to her, and with a broken sob she threw herself into them.

Stephen clasped her to him, his arms embracing her like bands of steel. She wrapped her arms around his waist and clung to him, burying her face against his shoulder, her tears wetting his shirt. He ran his hands up and down her back, desperate to soothe her. Pressing gentle kisses against her hair, he whispered soft words he hoped were comforting. He didn't know how to help her other than to hold her. Her tears lashed him, wetting right through his shirt to his skin, and continuing down to his very soul. Listening to her muffled sobs, he thought his heart would shatter into a thousand fragments.

When her sobs finally dwindled down to a series of hiccups, Stephen realized the worst was over, and a sigh of profound relief escaped him.

Reaching into the pocket of her gown, she withdrew a handkerchief. She leaned back in the circle of his arms and gave her nose a hearty, unladylike blow.

"Feel better?" he asked, a smile tilting one corner of his mouth. When she looked up at him, his smile faded. Her eyes looked bruised and he clearly read the fear in them.

"I'm so frightened, Stephen," she whispered. "First Mama died. Then Papa…" A sob escaped her. "I couldn't bear it if Nathan-"

"He's going to be all right, Hayley," Stephen said in a fierce voice, and he knew he would give everything he owned to make his words true. He watched a lone tear escape her lashes and travel down her cheek. Reaching out, he captured the droplet on one finger. I didn't know angels cried.

She sniffed and wiped her eyes again with the handkerchief. "I'm sorry I fell apart in such a manner. I don't normally lose control like that. Thank you for being here. For being my friend. For helping Nathan. For holding me."

"You're welcome." Jesus, she looked so frightened, so very vulnerable, staring at him with those huge aqua eyes.

She reached up one hand and laid it against his jaw. "You're a wonderful man, Stephen," she whispered.

A rush of protectiveness crashed over him. He was seized by an overpowering urge to break down the door and shake the doctor until he said that Nathan was going to be all right.

He wanted to chop down the hateful tree that had spilled Nathan from its branches. Unprecedented emotions swamped him … emotions that made him want to destroy anyone or anything that would ever dare hurt this woman who stared up at him as if he were some sort of hero. As if he mattered. As if there were more to him than a title and wealth. You're a wonderful man, Stephen.

He briefly closed his eyes and allowed her words to wash over him again. You're a wonderful man, Stephen. No one, not even his sister, had ever said such a thing to him before. And Stephen himself knew damn well he wasn't wonderful. After all, there was someone who hated him enough to want him dead.

A lump lodged in his throat. He wanted to say something to her, to disabuse her of her incorrect notions, but he couldn't force any words out.

"You are," she said softly, as if she'd read his mind. "You may not think so, but you are. You're not only wonderful, you're noble, and generous, and kind." She laid her hand directly over his heart. "In here. In your heart. In your soul. Where it counts." A wobbly smile touched her lips. "I would never lie to you. Trust me. I know."

Stephen framed her face between his hands, a frown tugging his brows. His gaze probed hers, searching-for what he wasn't sure, but he suddenly felt confused, and somehow vulnerable. I would never lie to you. Everything he'd told her about himself was a lie. He felt like a first-class bastard.

"Hayley, I-"

The bedchamber door opened and Marshall Wentbridge entered the hall. If he was surprised to find Hayley and Stephen standing so close together, with Hayley's palms resting on Stephen's chest and his hands cupping her face, he gave no indication of it.

"How is Nathan?" Hayley asked, stepping away from Stephen. "Is he all right?"

"He's fine," Marshall assured her with a smile.

Stephen watched her squeeze her eyes shut for several seconds. His own body felt liquid with relief.

"Thank God," she said, grabbing Stephen's hand and squeezing it hard.

"He suffered no broken bones, and he awoke while I was examining him," Marshall went on. "He's a very lucky young man. I put a salve on the cut on his forehead, which, by the way, is little more than a scratch, and cautioned him in my severest tones to stay out of trees."

"Maybe he'll listen to you," Hayley said with a shaky laugh. "He certainly hasn't listened to me."

"He's resting now if you'd like to see him. I gave him a bit of laudanum, so he won't be awake for very long. He needs to stay in bed for a day or two, then he'll be good as new."

Hayley grabbed both of Marshall's hands between hers. "Thank you, Marshall. From my heart, I thank you. Will you tell the others that Nathan is fine? And perhaps you'd like to stay for tea?"

"I'd be happy to, on both accounts," Marshall said with a smile, then headed toward the stairs.

Hayley opened the door and looked back at Stephen when he hesitated.

"Come on," she urged. When he still hesitated, she took his hand and pulled him into the room. "You helped rescue Nathan. You're part of the family, Stephen. Come with me."

You're part of the family. Stephen looked down at his hand that Hayley clasped, their fingers intertwined, and allowed her to pull him into Nathan's bedchamber.

You're part of the family.

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