Page 22 of Noble Scoundrel

Her breath puffed out in a heavy gust, and she opened her eyes to see Hale leaning over her, his face a mask of grave tension as he carefully lowered her arm and nestled it to her side then bent her forearm across her waist.

“Stay here and don’t move.” His voice was stern as he turned and strode from the room.

Katherine wasn’t going anywhere just yet. Though the odd useless numbness had left her arm, the spot where the horse’s hoof had made contact was throbbing anew, as was her twisted ankle. She lifted her head and pulled up her skirt with her good hand to risk a glance at the pained limb and noted some swelling above her fashionable boots.

Hale returned at that moment, with a length of cloth thrown over his arm and a small jar in his hand.

She quickly tried to lower her skirts back over her legs, but it wasn’t so easy to accomplish while laid out flat.

His tone was sardonic. “Don’t bother. I’ll be tossing them up again in a moment.”

Chapter Eight

“Excuse me?” she asked in alarm as her belly fluttered.

He lowered himself to a crouch beside her. “Not what you’re thinking.” He lifted the jar. “A poultice. For your other injuries.”

“That’s not necessary, Mr. Hale,” she argued as she used her good arm to awkwardly push up to a seated position. Unfortunately, she couldn’t rise from the bed completely with him in her space as he was. She pinned him with her most intimidating scowl. “Do you mind?”

His smile widened. “I can’t say I’ve ever minded anyone, to be honest.”

Katherine rolled her eyes. “While that doesn’t surprise me in the slightest, Frederick and I need to be going.”

“Eventually.”

He set the jar and cloth on the bedside table and started grabbing the pillows he’d earlier discarded to set them behind her so she could sit more comfortably. Then he reached for the jar again. As he twisted the lid, it released a pungent aroma that immediately had her wrinkling her nose in disgust.

Seeing her reaction, he chuckled. The sound was rich and heavy, settling low in her core.

“The worse the smell the stronger the medicine.”

“I’m not sure that’s true. Either way, what on earth makes you think I’d let you anywhere near me with it?”

His eyes darkened. “Because I’m all you’ve got.”

“I’ll be fine,” she muttered tensely.

---