Page 23 of Beneath the Beastly Duke's Mask
She finally stopped at the bottom of the second staircase, her body battered, and bruised so terribly that all she could do was moan. She was so overwhelmed that she could hardly keep her eyes open. Blackness was enveloping her, granting her the reprieve she needed from her pain. As her eyes fluttered, her body sprawled on the floor, she noticed a figure standing on the landing above. It was Mirabel. Then, Arabella knew no more.
Chapter 9
Henry's heart just about stopped when he heard the soul-piercing shriek. Something was wrong. No one screamed like that unless something terrible had happened. He was only briefly paralyzed by shock before he leapt to his feet and ran out of the drawing room, uncertain about where the shriek had come from.
It was definitely from above, so he headed to the stairs, only to find Mirabel running down the second staircase. He noticed scattered books behind her before his gaze traveled down to something that put his heart in his mouth. A small, crumpled figure lay still between the first and second flight of stairs, a figure he immediately recognized as Arabella.
Henry flew up the stairs, taking them two at a time. His heart was beating so fast that the blood thundered in his ears, causing momentary deafness. He reached Arabella just after Mirabel, finding the maid crying over the fallen figure.
“What happened?” Henry asked, digging his nails into his palms. The bite of pain was just enough to keep himself from panicking.
"I just heard a cry and ran out to see her rolling down the stairs," Mirabel cried. "She must have been carrying the books and tripped. Oh!" she wailed. "What are we going to do, Your Grace? Do you think she will be fine?"
Henry frowned briefly at the insincerity he detected in the woman's voice. However, he didn't have time to think about that. Arabella was hurt, but he didn't know how badly until a physician had a look at her.
“Do not move her,” Henry cautioned the maid. “You could worsen her injuries. Have the footman call the physician. Tell him to take the carriage and bring the physician quickly. We have no time to waste.”
“Yes, Your Grace,” Mirabel replied, moving to her feet rather slowly.
Henry frowned at her. “Moving that slowly is not going to help Arabella,” he said. “You need to move faster than that.”
Mirabel flushed slightly. “Yes, Your Grace,” she said. “My apologies. I think I'm still in shock.”
Henry nodded, turning away from her as she scrambled off. Seeing Arabella in her fallen state was shredding him apart on the inside. He couldn't even carry her in his arms because he was worried he might further her injuries. He had worked on his family farm before coming to Euston and had seen what the wrong movement could do to an injured animal. The same could be said of people.
Leaning closer, Henry inspected Arabella's body. Her limbs didn't appear to be twisted into odd angles, but he couldn't exclude such injuries until the physician had his say. Henry reached out and touched a silky black curl that had escaped her cap during her tumble.
It contrasted and complemented her pale skin perfectly, matching the inkiness of her thick eyebrows and long eyelashes. He had seen prettier people in his life, but Arabella had a uniqueness about her that made her seem like the most interesting and beautiful person in the room.
Henry didn't know if it was the brightness of her amber-colored eyes or how she readily offered anyone a smile. Whatever it was, it made a person sit up and take notice of her.
“Please be well,” he whispered, gently touching her brow.
Arabella seemed to be breathing, but it didn't sound as strong as he would have liked. She likely had internal injuries or possibly even bleeding, and he could do nothing about it. His panic rose again, but he stamped it down. Henry refused to let it overwhelm him—Arabella didn't need that.
"What happened, Your Grace?" his housekeeper cried, appearing beside him. "I heard a cry, but I couldn't find the source until now. How did this happen?"
“It's Arabella?” another servant cried. “What happened?”
“Arabella!” Jane cried at the top of the stairs before running down. “Why does this house have to be so big?” Henry heard her add, her voice thick with emotion. “Who did it?” she demanded, kneeling beside Arabella.
Henry frowned. “What do you mean? Why do you believe someone did something?”
Jane looked up, her eyes wide. “Do not mind her, Your Grace,” Mrs. Cooper said, drawing his attention. “Jane is simply distressed. We all are. Do you know what happened?”
Henry couldn't get a word in as more servants rushed toward them, some crying and others talking over each other. The commotion was doing nothing to help him control his emotions. He was trying to appear calm, but his heart felt so tight he could hardly breathe.
Arabella's lifeless body was lying on the floor, and he didn't know how badly she was hurt, but his servants seemed more concerned about how they were feeling about her condition rather than the actual condition.
“All of you hold your tongues!” he bellowed. They all immediately fell silent. “I need everyone to go except Mrs. Cooper. Arabella does not need this noise.”
“You're perfectly correct, Your Grace,” Mrs. Cooper said, her voice not quite stable. She was more worried than she appeared. “Go on, all of you. Back to work. I will inform you of Arabella's condition, but there is no reason for the house to come to a standstill.”
The servants reluctantly turned away but continued to whisper as they walked off. Henry could breathe a little better, but his heart was still tight like someone kept squeezing it.
“The physician should be coming shortly,” he said, his voice a bit gruff. “Mirabel has sent the footman with the carriage.”
“Why don't I wait here with Arabella, Your Grace?” his housekeeper suggested. “I'll wait for the physician. There is no need for you to wait.”
