Page 77 of A Whisper of Desire
“You were hurt in the crash and have had a major stomach wound, plus another bump on the head. The wound has healed nicely, but for a week I thought I might lose you. You developed a small infection, but you’re my strong girl. You fought it off and won.”
She heard the emotion behind his words. “I’m sorry I gave you such a fright.”
He kissed her palm. “Just ensure you don’t do it again.”
She smiled and nodded. “When can we go home?”
“I see my patient is feeling better.”
A tall, thin man in uniform entered the room.
“I’m Dr. Colbert. If your husband would let go of your hand, I’d like to observe your condition. Then I might be able to give you an answer to your question.”
Maitland pressed another kiss to her palm and then vacated his seat next to the bed so that the doctor could examine her.
She felt no embarrassment as he peeled down her blankets to just past her waist. She noted she was wearing a man’s oversized white shirt. He smiled reassuringly as he lifted up the shirt to expose her stomach.
An ugly jagged scar the size of her palm could be seen on the bottom right area of her stomach. She’d expected the wound would not be pretty, but it was far worse than she’d expected.
Maitland seemed so sad and concerned, but she supposed it was because of the infection. She knew those could be deadly.
The scar still looked a little red and scabby, but there was no pus or other signs of putrefaction evident.
The doctor gently prodded the area. “Any pain or major discomfort?”
“Well, it’s sore and it hurts when I try to move.”
“I think the soreness is more the internal bruising to your muscles and other organs. Give it time and you’ll fully recover.”
“When can I take her home?”
He stood up and looked at Maitland. “She can leave when it’s comfortable enough for her to stay sitting up for the whole day. I’ll give you my notes on her injuries for your personal physician.”
Marisa laughed. “I think he’ll be able to see my injury. The scar is self-explanatory.”
She watched as Maitland frowned and shook his head at Dr. Colbert. Without looking at her, Maitland sunk back into the chair recently vacated by the doctor, exhaustion etching his face.
“I think you should go and get some sleep, sweetheart. You look as if you’ve been awake the whole three weeks.”
The doctor laughed. “He pretty much has been.”
Marisa’s mouth opened, but before she could scold her dedicated husband, Hadley’s head poked round the door.
“Fabulous. You’re awake.”
“Hello, Hadley. Did you stay for Maitland?” When Hadley nodded in the affirmative, she felt humbled. “Thank you for being here with him.”
“Maitland would do it for me, should I require it. Arend would have stayed, but someone had to escort Isobel home, and he’s not known for his bedside manner. Besides, he has sent for the other Libertine Scholars to join us in London to update them on Angelo’s death. Unfortunately, Angelo’s demise means we have come to a dead end, so to speak.”
Tiredness fogged her brain, but she knew something. What was it? Angelo had said something to her as he lay dying.
“Fleur de Lily,” she said softly. “He said as he died, Fleur de Lily.”
Hadley ran a hand through his hair and shrugged as he looked at Maitland. “It doesn’t mean anything to me.”
“Nor me, I’m afraid, but I hope it might mean something to Arend. Those two had a past.”
Marisa plucked at the sheet, trying to remember something else. The night she’d been grabbed, Marisa thought, perhaps she’d seen something important as she stepped out of the room, but when Angelo grabbed her leg, her attention was diverted. There had been a shadow farther along the corridor. A person passed a window at the top of the stairs and the gaslight outside had illuminated the face, but only for the blink of an eye.
