The Complete Regency Surrender Collection. Louise Allen

he took before Hodges began his attack. Periodically he would clench his teeth, the veins in his neck straining as he pushed his head back into his pillows. His breathing was rapid and shallow, and his left hand was clenched into a tight fist, his knuckles visibly white.

      At the next burst of lightning she walked slowly over to the bed. The coppery smell of blood filled the air. ‘What is taking so long?’

      Hodges glanced up from his work. ‘The ball is lodged deep, near a bone.’ He began to dig again and Gabriel’s body stiffened.

      She should stroke his brow. She should hold his hand. She should do something to offer him comfort. Instead she wrapped her arms around herself, unable to touch him. ‘Can’t we give him more brandy, or try laudanum?’

      Hodges shook his head. ‘His Grace abhors laudanum. Best not to stop and just have at it.’

      Gabriel squeezed his eyes shut and nodded. ‘Tell me...about...the woman in black.’

      He needed a distraction. That she could give. ‘I saw her with Janvier once outside Madame Devy’s. He had appeared unhappy that I had seen them together.’

      He nodded and squeezed his eyes shut again.

      There was a ‘clunk’ followed by the sound of the lead ball rolling around in the silver bowl. In unison Gabriel, Bennett and Olivia let out an audible sigh of relief.

      ‘It’s out,’ Hodges said, releasing a breath. ‘I’ll stitch it up and then attend to these bloody sheets.’

      A large stack of sheets had been placed under Gabriel’s right shoulder. It appeared Hodges had previous experience handling situations such as this. How many times had Gabriel been shot? She recalled the scar Nicholas had found on him. Were there others?

      Her thoughts turned to Andrew, who had changed out of his disguise and headed to Richmond to see to the interrogation of the woman in black and Janvier. If she hadn’t spotted that woman...if she had not seen her with Janvier...would Andrew still be alive?

      It wasn’t long before Gabriel’s wound was stitched, bandaged and the crimson sheets removed from under him. Hodges had given him another large glass of brandy before leaving the room with Bennett.

      Now, they were alone.

      Gabriel was taking gulps of brandy as he lay with his eyes closed, propped up by a mountain of pillows. His breathing was still erratic. Finally he handed over the empty glass and looked at her with sleepy eyes. Thunder rumbled in the distance.

      ‘Thank you for staying.’

      ‘Is there anything I can do to ease your pain?’

      He blinked with heavy lids. ‘Do not leave me.’

      She wasn’t sure if he meant for the time being or forever. Watching him endure the painful bullet extraction and knowing he had placed his own life before Andrew’s had jumbled her emotions. And she didn’t like it one bit. ‘I will be here should you need anything.’

      In what felt like a few short moments, his breathing was deep and even. At least he could sleep.

      Olivia tried to recall the last time she had been in the very masculine room, with its forest-green walls and dark furnishings. Her gaze skimmed over his large tester bed with the silk-brocade bed hangings and settled on the two wingback chairs by the fireplace. She would guard his bedside from there.

      As she rested her head against the back of the chair, her eyes were drawn to a hint of beige cloth sticking out from under Gabriel’s bed. Getting down on her hands and knees, she pulled out a long rolled-up piece of canvas, tied with a black ribbon. Curious what he would keep in such an unusual location, she moved closer to the fireplace and untied the ribbon. The sight of her unfinished portrait left her breathless.

      Gabriel hated the portrait. He must not have wanted anyone to find it. But why hadn’t he burned it? Or shot holes through it as he had done with the candles in their ballroom?

      She stood with her hands on her hips over the painting that had resulted in the downfall of two men she had considered her friends. There was a low flame in the fireplace, giving Olivia a way to remove some memories of the past few weeks. The canvas burned quickly, replacing the coppery smell of blood in the room with smoke. All that was left was ash. The portrait was gone, as if all her sittings had never happened. If only she could erase her feelings for Gabriel that easily.

      Thinking about him was making her head hurt along with her heart. She needed to find something to occupy herself until morning. Then she would direct Colette to pack her things and she and Nicholas would leave for Victoria’s.

      * * *

      It was difficult for Gabriel to open his eyes to the sound of Bennett’s voice and the soft patter of rain. He stretched his legs under the piles of blankets and went to turn onto his right side. That’s when the shooting pain ripped through his shoulder.

      ‘Easy, sir,’ his butler said in a soft whisper. ‘Your injury is fresh.’

      It was as if his mind had blocked out the events of the last few hours except for the image of Olivia at his bedside. He struggled to sit up with the aid of Bennett. ‘Where is my wife?’ He knew he sounded a bit panic-stricken, but at the moment he didn’t care.

      A terrible sense of foreboding gripped him. The pain in his heart outweighed that of his wound. He no longer believed love was purely sentimental drivel reserved for schoolboys and poets. He knew in his heart he loved Olivia. He probably always had. And she needed to know. It didn’t matter the hour. He would go to Victoria’s and demand to speak with her. Throwing back the covers, he swung his legs around to stand. The sudden movement made him dizzy.

      ‘Sir, please,’ Bennett begged, ‘you will open your wound if you persist in moving so.’

      Nothing was going to stop him from going to her. He grabbed Bennett by the arm and realised his servant was in his banyan. Bennett’s astonishment at being grabbed by his employer was obvious.

      ‘Forgive me,’ Gabriel said, releasing his grip. ‘Fetch Hodges, I need to get dressed.’

      ‘But, sir, she is over there.’ Bennett pointed to Olivia’s huddled form, curled up in one of the chairs by the fireplace.

      She was asleep—in his room—on his chair. She hadn’t left him. Relief flooded his body in a rush and he was grateful he wasn’t standing.

      ‘I woke you because this letter arrived.’

      Gabriel took the folded paper from Bennett, taking note of his brother’s seal. ‘What time is it?’

      ‘Five o’clock. May I offer you anything? Shall we check your bandage?’

      The dressing was still pristine. That was a good sign. ‘No, that will be all for the night.’

      His butler hesitated before leaving the room. The minute the door closed, Gabriel rubbed away tears that had been waiting to fall. She hadn’t left him—yet.

      He read the note from Andrew and tossed it into the fire. As the paper curled and burned away, Gabriel took a few deep breaths. It was finally over. Prinny was safe and no one had died to ensure it.

      At some point during the night Olivia had changed into her nightclothes. Now she was curled up fast asleep in her dressing gown. The day had been physically and emotionally draining for both of them. Caressing her check gently, he took comfort in the warmth of her skin before heaviness settled around his heart.

      Olivia blinked up at him through sleepy eyes. ‘You should be in bed.’

      A sad smile tugged his lips at the sound of her voice. ‘I thought you had left,’ he said.

      ‘I told you, I would stay.’

      * * *

      Olivia rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and studied Gabriel. There was life back in his eyes and he was standing tall, not hunched in pain. She could leave him now. He was on the mend.

      ‘When