Page 45 of The Highlander's English Bride

He breathed out, willing the pain to fade. “Not your fault. Just give me a few more seconds, all right?”

“Perhaps we should send for a doctor?”

“Lass, there’s nothing a sawbones can do about this particular problem.”

She blinked, then turned a bright pink. “I’mexceptionallysorry.”

“Not to worry.”

As he carefully hoisted himself up, Chloe and Vivien came rushing up the staircase.

“Aden said you needed help,” Vivien said. “What’s wrong?”

“I was robbed,” Sabrina dolefully replied. “A terrible man took my mother’s pearls.”

Chloe folded her into a comforting hug. “That’s awful. Are you all right?”

“I’m unharmed.”

Vivien leveled a stern look at Graeme. “And you just let this person run off with Sabrina’s jewels?”

He glared right back. “He had a bloody pistol on her, Vivien.”

“There was really nothing Mr. Kendrick could do,” Sabrina explained. “The villain came right up behind me out of the blue, with his awful pistol.”

“And I was a good ten feet away, unfortunately.” He grimaced but finally managed to straighten up.

“Graeme, are you injured?” Chloe asked.

“Mr. Kendrick hurt himself when he fell on the floor,” Sabrina explained.

Vivien frowned. “That sounds quite unhelpful of you, Graeme.”

“I didn’t justhappento fall. Lady Sabrina tripped me.”

“Not on purpose,” she protested.

“You shouldnothave been wandering about unescorted.” Now that she was safe, his frustration—and the remnants of his gut-wrenching fear for her—had resurfaced.

“He has a point, dearest,” Vivien said. “Theaters can be a trifle dodgy.”

“I wasn’t wandering. I was following Mr. Kendrick.”

Chloe, who was trying to repair Sabrina’s hair, raised her eyebrows. “Also not very appropriate. Dear girl, please stand still while I fix your coiffure.”

“Why were you following me?” Graeme couldn’t help asking.

She wrinkled her nose. “Because I wanted to apologize for the other night, when I was rather beastly to you.”

“Oh. Well, no harm done, lass.” Then he mentally grimaced at his idiotic response.

Vivien looked ready to laugh, but a swell of voices had her glancing toward the stairwell. “The interval is over.”

Chloe started to usher Sabrina toward their box. “Coming, Graeme?”

Sabrina glanced over her shoulder. “Aden did say you were to stay with me, Mr. Kendrick.”

“For all the damn good it will do,” he muttered. The thief was probably long gone by now.

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