ays. Her presence in his house gave him something to come home to.
She was his life.
His very soul.
He slowly became aware of the insistent pressure of hands prising his arms from around her and instinctively he tried to shove them away, but was pinned back as she was gently lifted from his lap by a grave looking Edward who quickly swept her out of the room.
“What the hell are you doing?” Dominic snarled, rising to follow. He entered the hallway to find Mrs Holcome rushing toward him.
At the bottom of the stairs, Sebastian placed a restraining hand on Dominic’s shoulder when he made to follow them up the stairs. “They are going to settle her in the bed while we wait for the doctor. Let Mrs Holcombe work on her, she knows what she is doing.”
The next hour had been the worst of his entire life, Dominic thought later that night as he sat beside the bed. Exhaustion fogged his thoughts, but he refused to give in to it. A tray of food lay untouched beside him; he had no appetite for anything other than his wife. He needed her to open her eyes and reassure him she would be alright.
The doctor, when he had arrived, had been unable to find any bullet hole and had instead stitched the long, thin gash along her ribs carefully before declaring that her surface wound would heal in time. There was no imminent danger to her life; she had most probably fainted through the shock of the ordeal she had experienced.
Several hours later, Isobel awoke and slowly became aware of the looming presence above her. Without opening her eyes, she knew who it was. His familiar woodsy scent was enough. Ignoring the burning pain in her side, she raised her eyes to meet the emerald gaze of her husband.
“Hello,” he whispered with a tender smile.
“Hello,” Isobel replied softly through lips that were dry and cracked. “I am so thirsty.”
Without further hesitation, Isobel was lifted by the shoulders enough to drink thirstily from a goblet of water that had appeared from nowhere.
“You know, you really must stop doing this,” he declared when she was settled upon the plush pillows once more.
“What?” Isobel frowned, wondering what he meant.
“Lying upon your sick bed, and making me worry myself to death!” His voice was full of raw emotion. He placed a tender kiss upon her lips. “God, Isobel!” He couldn’t prevent the surge of emotion that thickened his voice, and rested his forehead briefly upon hers, savouring the feel of her being so close, and so alive.
“Rupert?” She had to know.
“Will be tried for attempted murder, kidnap, embezzlement and hideous debts he has no hope of repaying. He has been taken to Derby gaol to await trial. At best, he will hang from the gallows. At worst, he will be transported, but he is most definitely out of our lives for good.” Dominic couldn’t hide his deep satisfaction at either possibility.
“I hope he remains in prison,” Isobel watched as her husband’s eyebrows rose incredulously. “I don’t want him to swing for his crimes.”
At Dominic’s frown of consternation she continued. “I want him to suffer. I want him to understand what it is like to lose everything, to live knowing there will be no escape from the misery of destitution and starvation.”
Dominic suddenly pushed himself away from the bed. Ignoring her interested gaze, he quickly removed his shirt and breeches, and slid into the bed beside her on her good side. He carefully tugged her around until she lay within the comforting strength of his arms.
“Then I think we should both pray for a lenient judge. However I think we need to understand that given his crimes, he is most likely to swing from the gallows. Attempted murder will now be added to his list of crimes after all, and that carries the harshest punishment.” Dominic’s voice held no sympathy for the sordid little man, who had so nearly destroyed his future. Gently kissing the top of her head, he felt raw emotion slide through him as the memories of the day clouded his thoughts.
“I thought I had lost you again,” he murmured, pressing a soft kiss on her brow. “I thought it was bad enough to lose you to death. I stood beside your grave with Peter, and felt a grief that brought me to my knees.” He was unable to keep his voice steady as those horrific memories came flooding back. “Despite everything I have experienced in life, nothing could have prepared me for losing the one woman who held my heart, my very future in her hands. To stand beside your graveside in the drizzle, believing you to be far from my reach, was unbearable.” His voice turned husky with emotion. “I would have gladly crawled into that tiny space, and lay with you had I been able.”
Isobel slid her head backwards to look into his eyes, stunned at the moisture she found shimmering on his lashes, “I love you, Dominic.”
She was suddenly emboldened by the certainty of her future, yet desperate to hear him say the words she so longed to hear.
“I love you, my wife,” Dominic slid a whispering kiss upon her lips. “I love you too.” He peppered tiny kisses upon her lips tenderly. There was nothing passionate about them, they were gentle, caring kisses meant to reassure, console and seek comfort.
Her heart soared as she absorbed his husky words.
Silence settled between them for several moments while they enjoyed being able to just lie together without any threat of mad uncles to darken their happiness.
“Can I ask you something?” Isobel hated to break the peace, but desperately needed to know. At his answering nod, she settled her head upon his chest and hesitantly whispered, “Did you believe the marriage documents were real?”
Dominic frowned up at the ceiling for several moments. “At first, yes. As I told you before, you were so desperately ill when you arrived here, I couldn’t be certain if you didn’t wish to acknowledge a marriage to DeLisle through sheer trauma. But it was only for a few moments. The wisdom of knowing you soon made me realise that you would never enter into a bigamous marriage.”
Isobel eased backward in his arms until she could meet his steady gaze lovingly. “I love you. I have from the very moment we met, and I shall do so for the remainder of my days.”