Page 10 of The Moonstone Major
He smiled at her. “I won’t mind.”
“Good, then consider yourself told. Did you miss me at all?”
Chapter Three
Had he missedChloe?
Only every second out of every day.
“Major Brennan, what happened?” Cormac, the Marquess of Burness, called out to him as they drew up in the wagon. Concern etched his face, and he now hurried down the steps of his manor house when he noticed Chloe’s injured ankle.
Fionn quickly told him about the runaway phaeton.
“Dear heaven, Chloe! You might have been killed.”
“But I came out of it with just a sprained ankle,” she assured her brother-in-law.
“And bruised ribs,” Fionn added with a grumble, for he did not want her making light of what had happened. “Wrap your arms around my neck while I lift you in my arms. Do not be so foolish as to claim you can walk on your own.”
“Fine. You needn’t be an ogre about it.” She sighed. “I owe Major Brennan an enormous debt of gratitude that I can never adequately repay.”
“I’ve told you. You owe me nothing.”
“Stop being so valiant. I find it quite irritating, you know.” She laughed lightly and immediately winced. “Ow.”
His heart tightened, for her every wince or gasp reminded him of just how closely she had come to being killed. “Stop cracking jokes. You’ll only strain your injured ribs worse.”
“You needn’t bark orders at me. I am not one of the soldiers under your command.”
He tried not to smile, but couldn’t help it. “I should hope not. I am not in the habit of carrying them in my arms.”
“Follow me, Fionn.” The marquess shook his head. “Blessed saints, we had better get her comfortably settled before her sisters see her.” He led the way, making no attempt to take her, since he had lost an arm shortly after the battle at Waterloo and could not possibly handle the task of carrying her inside.
Fionn did not mind at all, for Chloe’s body was sweet perfection and he was in no hurry to let her go.
But this was the closest he was ever going to allow himself to get to her.
After today, he would never touch Chloe again.
“Melrose will show you the way upstairs to Chloe’s room. Let me get Phoebe. She’s with my brother and his family. They’ve just arrived for their annual visit and are having refreshments on the terrace. You will stay and join us, of course.”
Chloe shot Fionn a grin. “See, I am not the only one who wants you here.”
He sighed.
“You both look a mess. My wife will help Chloe, but you’ll need the mud stains brushed out of your uniform. I can loan you some clean clothes to wear while my staff attends to your garments.”
Chloe’s grin turned even smugger. “I told you my brother-in-law would offer.”
“My valet, Gunyon, is a marvel. He will attend to you. But Chloe, what are we to do with you? Your ankle looks very bad.”
“It is,” Fionn agreed, for he had learned a little about medical treatment while on the battlefield. “It needs to be soaked in cold water or have ice put on it, if you have any. Then it must be firmly bound and Chloe’s foot elevated. She needs to keep off it as much as possible, at least for the next three or four days.”
He met Chloe’s stubborn gaze. “Don’t scowl at me. You know I am right. You need to remain in bed, and that’s an end to it.”
“And miss seeing Ella and Imogen?”
“They are here for the entire month,” the marquess said. “You will have plenty of time to enjoy my nieces. Listen to Fionn—he knows what he is talking about. I’ll send one of the footmen into town to summon the doctor.”
