The accidental groom

Chapter 24 Up Close and Dangerous

Chapter 24

Up Close and Dangerous

Alexander pulled her to her feet and ran before she had time to even register his command . Lizize panted to keep up , expecting any minute to feel the next shot between her shoulder blades. How long did it take to reload a gun ? Only minutes surely . Her breath rasped painfully in her chest .

He continued to drag her with him . Finally when they neared the outskirts of the woods he pushed her behind her tree . "Stay here , I am going back in ---"

He wanted to leave her ? And go back , dear God he would die ."But ----"

"He is after me " He glared fiercely into her eyes . "I cannot defend myself with you near me . So do not move from your hiding place till I come to get you out . "

His last words coincided with the blast of yet another shot

Suddenly she gasped in pain . It was completely involuntary . She certainly would never have drawn him back to her intentially . It was merely her surprise at the sting of the bullet in her arm . It only nicked her . Yet she was still staring incredulously at the blood appearing on her cloak as Alexander turned to pull her close .

His reaction at seeing the blood was a bit faster than her own. He buried her in the cocoon of his chest , arms and cloak within seconds.

She was trying in vain, to find an opening in the voluminous cloak wrapped about her , so she could at least get her head out of it .No such luck .

She was starting to feel a bit dizzy as well , and her effort of trying to take her head out had made the feeling even worse .They seemed to be running in a mist .The woods were dark and eerie and she was frightened, but for ,Alexander not herself. He just kept on walking, going further and further .By the time Alexander picked her up to carry her out of harm , she had fainted , not because of the pain , which she could withstand better than most but because of the blood loss. Since she was hidden under his cloak neither of them could see how much was the blood loss .

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What is taking the doctor so long? Alexander yelled .

Elizabeth tried to open her eyes to see him, knew that he still held her , but simply could not muster the strength . Her senses were still spinning dizzily . There was a ringing in her ears which made hearing difficult . She needed to sleep , in order to regain her strength but the burning sting on her arm kept her from succumbing .

"I am all right , I don't need a doctor ." she muttered ." Just get me some herbs from my medicine chest".

He ignored her while holding her across his lap and undoing her hat . He then turned her just enough to reach her back and began unbuttoning her bodice .

Surely he didn't mean to undress her now ! But his face was so serious , so grave that she asked the question gently ."What are you doing?'

"Finding , where else you are hurt ?'

'I told you I am all right" she murmured

He didn't answer but continued working on her buttons . He drew the dress off her shoulders , opened her stays then stilled looking at her side . Lizzie followed his eyes . A thin line of blood stained her chemise just beside her breast . There was a corresponding tear in the fabric of her dress . Gently Alexander loosened the chemise's tie and pulled it away , at the same time barking orders at Mary to fetch some cold water and sponge .

Lizzie winced as his fingers lightly brushed against the sensitive skin of her chest.

She looked down to see the wound , Now that she saw it Lizzie felt it burn . Somehow in all the confusion of the first shot she had not noticed the pain of the second shot .

'He nearly had you .' Alexander said , as he traced the cut . 'A few inches in and he would have hit your heart. 'His voice was calm , but she did not like the way his nostrils had flared making white indents beside his nose.

'Alexander, it's not your fault '

'If his aim had not been off ......'His voice was oddly hoarse.

'Its not your fault '

He finally looked up . She did not like what she saw.

'Yes it is my fault. I nearly got you killed today. 'He said it so softly that she almost did not hear him.

She frowned ' What do you mean ?'

She had supposed that the man shooting at them was some kind of poacher. Or perhaps a madman. But Alexander was implying that the attacker had been targeting them specifically. That someone was trying to kill him ?

He smoothed his thumb over her lips and tenderly kissed her. Even as she accepted his tongue in her mouth. She realized he hadn't answered her question. And that scared her more than anything else had that day .