Page 146 of Feathers in the Wind
Alone, Deliverance wrapped her arms around herself, rocking back and forth as the tears of shock and relief poured out, turning the dust and dirt on her face to mud. She didn't hear the door open, or her sister enter the room until she felt Penitence's arms around her.
“Oh, Liv, thank the Lord you are safe,” Penitence said. “I heard the explosion. Meg says you and Collyer were on Hawk Tower when the round hit.”
Deliverance sobbed into her sister's shoulder. “He saved my life, Pen.”
“Who?”
“Luke and now he's hurt. What if he dies?”
Penitence hushed her as if she were a child as Meg reappeared with the brandy and water. Together the two women washed the worst of the dust and dirt from Deliverance’s face and hands but when they suggested she take to her bed to rest, she refused. Instead, she took a hefty gulp of brandy and rose unsteadily to her feet.
“I'm fine. Don’t fuss,” she lied.
“Liv, you've had a nasty shock. I really think you should rest.”
“I need to see if Luke is all right.”
“I'll go,” Penitence offered.
Deliverance shook her head. “No. I must see for myself.”
At the door she stopped. “Pen, you must give me your word, you won't try and see Jack?”
Penitence's mouth drooped, and she nodded. “You have my parole. Just please don't lock me up again.”
* * *
With Toby still incarcerated,Deliverance found his sister, Lovedie, in attendance in Luke's bed chamber. Lovedie looked up from winding clean bandages as Deliverance entered. She stood and dropped a curtsey.
Deliverance waved a hand at the door. “You can leave.”
Lovedie didn't move.
“You should rest, Mistress Felton,” Lovedie said. “You've had a bad fright today.”
“I'm fine. I'll sit with Captain Collyer for a little while. Please fetch me a little broth.”
Lovedie's mouth compressed in a tight line and she gave Deliverance another small bob curtsey before leaving the room.
Deliverance waited until the door shut behind the girl before moving across to the bed. She stood for a moment looking down into Luke's ashen face, made paler by the neat bandage tied around his head. A slight starring of crimson on the white linen marked where the wound had bled but it did not seem to be spreading.
She sat on the end of Luke's bed, pulling her feet up beneath her and wrapped her arms around her knees, watching the gentle rise and fall of his chest. They had been arguing when the missile thrown up by the Thunderer had hit. If those had been the last words they had exchanged…
Luke stirred and grimaced, life flooding back into his face. His eyes opened and he looked up at the panelled ceiling of Sir John Felton's best bed.
“How do you feel?” Deliverance asked.
He raised his head slightly to see where the voice had come from and fell back on the pillows with a curse. “I've got a headache to rival the worst excesses of drink,” he said closing his eyes. He beckoned her with his right hand, patting the bed next to him. “Move closer... can't see you down there.”
Deliverance obliged, perching on the side of the bed next to him. He looked up at her and smiled. “How are you?”
“I'm fine... thanks to you. You saved my life,” Deliverance took the hand that lay on the outside of the covers in hers.
“Anything to silence you.” He closed his eyes and grimaced. “What were we arguing about?”
“Nothing of importance,” Deliverance said.
Not now she had taken command and rescinded the execution order. Luke didn’t need to be bothered with such things right now.
