Kate walked over to her and clutched her hand. “You’re in one of the guest rooms of Mrs. Littleton’s house.”
“Where’s Colin?”
“Mrs. and Miss Featherstone are here looking after him.”
“Where is Mia? I must speak with her now.” Selina closed her eyes, praying the dizziness would soon pass.
“I shall get her for you.”
Kate walked away while Selina continued to breathe in deeply to calm her nerves. She had to find out what had happened to Colin. She could hardly remember anything except hearing a loud sound and then falling to the ground.
“So you decided to wake up, did you?” Mia walked into the room with a smile. “I would wager you don’t remember much at all.”
“No,” Selina said, suddenly wondering why her shoulder hurt. Did she land on it after they fell?
“Do you remember being shot?”
“What are you talking about?” She had not been shot. That is something a person would remember.
“Yes you were, but you were only grazed. His Grace probably saved your life by turning you away from the gunman.”
“Where is Colin?”
“The duke is well. He is still sleeping off the effects of the laudanum Mother gave him.”
“Why did she give him laudanum?” God, she wished this awful taste in her mouth would go away and her head would clear. She felt as if a piece of her mind was gone.
“For the same reason I gave you some,” Mia said with a smile. “Just not as much. Your wound needed just three stitches.”
“Stitches?” she mumbled. “You sewed me?”
“Of course, Mother was busy with His Grace.”
“What happened to him?” Mia had said Colin had turned her away. He’d protected her from the shooting. So how could he have been hurt? It must have been the fall. Probably his bad ankle again. “How is Colin?”
“Selina, sit back and let me tell you what happened while you were sleeping.”
Selina resisted the urge to get up and see Colin. She doubted she could even stand much less walk to wherever he was at the moment. She knew he was in good hands with Mia’s mother watching him.
“Lady Katherine told me she saw the entire thing. A man was standing at the terrace doorway. As you and the duke danced closer, the man raised his pistol and shot at the duke. She said His Grace must have noticed the man because he turned you quickly so you wouldn’t be hurt.”
Selina put a hand to her head. “Wait, how did I get shot if he turned me?”
“The bullet went clean through him and then grazed your shoulder.”
“He was shot!” She rose to her feet only to start to falter.
Mia grabbed her arm and forced her to sit back down. “Yes, His Grace was shot but he is all right. The bullet went straight through.”
“He saved my life,” she said softly. Colin had put himself in harm’s way to save her. Her heart swelled with love for him. “Can I see him now?”
Mia looked up and waited for her mother to nod before she spoke. “Yes, but I believe he is still unconscious.”
“I don’t care. I have to be there when he wakes.”
“Of course you do.” Mia helped Selina to her feet.
Another wave of dizziness swept over her. “Don’t ever give me laudanum again.”