Page 88 of How to Cross a Marquess (The Way to a Lord's Heart 3)

“It makes no sense,” she said, echoing his thought. “I was driving along the lane—”

“Alone.”

“Yes, Roger, as I often have.” She held his gaze until he had to look down. “And suddenly an arrow went through my arm.” She looked at the bandage as if she still couldn’t believe it. “I would assume it was a bizarre accident, but there was another when I was bent over.”

“What?”

“It flew right above my head. If I hadn’t crouched down, this would have been much more serious.”

Roger couldn’t sit still. He had to get up and pace. “This is unbelievable.”

“And there was one more shot after that. At least. Then Dexter ran. That’s all I saw.” She frowned. “Someone was aiming at me. One arrow might be a mistake, but not three.”

“If I had been with you—” he began.

“What? You would have caught the arrows with your bare hands?”

Of course he couldn’t have done that, though he might have wished he could. “Why would anyone do this? How did they dare?”

Fenella shook her head. “I don’t believe I have enemies. Now, if my brothers-in-law had not left the neighborhood, I might suspect Gissing.”

“This is not a joking matter!”

“I know that.” She put a hand to her wound.

“Are you in pain?”

“A little. Some.”

“The doctor will be here soon.”

“I’m not sure that’s—”

“He will look at it!”

“Very well.”

“I didn’t mean to shout.” He sat down beside her again and took her hand. “I’ve been so worried about you. And I am far more concerned now that I hear what happened.”

She looked down at her bandage. “This isn’t too bad.”

“But it very nearly was, apparently. You will take a closed carriage from now on, should you go out. And have servants with you. We must withdraw from that scene in the Lindisfarne pageant obviously, and—”

“Roger,” she interrupted.

He couldn’t stop. “No one can touch you within these walls. I’ve never been so glad to live in a fortified castle. You will stay at home and be safe.”

“Forever?”

Her dry tone on this one word brought him up short. His hand tightened on her fingers. “For a while.”

“We must look into this incident and find the person responsible,” she answered. “We will investigate, discover if anyone saw something, and bring the archer to justice. But I won’t hide. I won’t have my life so narrowed.”

He started to object.

Fenella held up a hand. “I agree to use a closed carriage and not go out alone.” She sighed. “I suppose I can’t ride either, for now. But I won’t be made a prisoner in my own house.”

“Aren’t you afraid? Because I’m terrified.”

---