Through the Darkness: Of Love and Loss Series Book One

4

Elyria walked as calmly as possible down the hall to the linen closet and ducked inside right before Nurse Winters and Major Buchanan marched past her toward Captain Monterose's room. Leaning against the door, she pressed it closed and let out a heavy sigh.

Her hands trembled, and her heart raced. Either because she'd cut it too close to being discovered by Nurse Winters or because she'd just faced a rattlesnake in its den and lived to tell the tale.

She scoffed at her nonsense and shook her head. Perhaps that last bit might be a tad overdramatic for what had just transpired with the patient. But, the longer she thought about it, she couldn't come up with a more apt description of the situation.

It had been thrilling and terrorizing all at once and one of the first times she'd been thankful for her blindness. Because Elyria was sure if she'd seen the man able to put up such a fight while wounded and blinded by the bandages covering his eyes, she didn't doubt she would never have dared enter his room.

Perhaps helping him might be why she'd given in to Daphne's urging to volunteer with her at the hospital. Her dear friend often said there was a purpose for everyone in everything, however small.

What if Captain Monterose was hers?

The thought brought a smile to her face and gave her the courage needed to leave the sanctuary of the linen closet. An action she instantly regretted.

"MISS ORMOND," Nurse Winters barked from down the hall. "Major Buchanan wishes to speak with you. This way."

Elyria muttered a curse under her breath and turned. Her throat tightened around a lump of trepidation, making it difficult to croak out, "Yes, Head Nurse." So much for thinking she'd gone undetected.

With head bowed in what she hoped looked like meek submission, she tried to remain calm and retraced her steps toward Captain Monterose's room.

"Ah...El-yyrr-iiaaa," Major Buchanan said, drawing out each syllable of her name in such an unpleasant way it made her cringe.

"Yes, Major," she replied, striving for a demure tone while bracing for a stern rebuking. For a brief second, she contemplated beating him to it and admitting her guilt.

But however remote the chance might be that both he and Nurse Winters were unaware she'd trespassed into the Captain's room, she knew it would be safer to hold her tongue.

He hmmm'd and clicked his tongue before stating, "The time has arrived for you to prove yourself, girl."

She frowned and forced a nervous swallow. Her shoulders tensed. "Sir?"

"What is it you said to me when you first started here? A blind woman is just as capable as any other when keeping dying men company."

Elyria clenched her jaw tight and slowly nodded, though it was nowhere close. If only she had the nerve to correct him and repeat what she'd actually said when persuading him to allow her to volunteer here. However, to do so would serve no purpose than to boot her out the front door.

The room fell quiet. Neither Major Buchanan nor Nurse Winters made a sound.

"Yes, sir," Elyria said a few seconds later, realizing he expected more than her silence for an answer. "I believe I did say something along those lines."

Kicking broken pieces of wood out of his path and causing them to skate across the floor, they thunked against the opposite wall. He took four heavy-footed steps toward her before he came to a stop. "Your new duties, as of this moment, Miss Ormond, will consist of tending to Captain Monterose until he either succumbs to his wounds or is released from our care."

Her stomach dropped with dread. She couldn't help but ask, "Is there much chance of that, sir? That he'll succumb to his wounds?"

"Of course there is. If you could see him, you'd understand," he said, his tone full of disapproval. "What a foolish question to ask..."

"Yes, sir," she murmured, wishing once more she was brave enough to speak her mind. "Sorry, sir."

"In his current state, he'll be lucky to make it through the night," the Major added softly, a faint note of compassion in his voice. "But, from what Nurse Winters told me of his arrival this morning, he may just have enough fight left in his mangled bones to prove me wrong."

Elyria swallowed convulsively. "Then I hope that to be the case, sir."

"I wouldn't expect anything less from you, Miss Ormond."

His disapproving tone made it clear he did not mean that statement to be a compliment. However, Elyria decided—just to be contrary—she would take it as one and bit her tongue to keep silent.

"I'll see that this mess is cleaned up; we can't have you tripping over shards of wood, now can we?" Nurse Winters said from behind. "And that fresh linens and water are brought in. Of course, Tabitha or one of the more experienced nurses will still be in each day to change his dressings and ensure he's being taken care of correctly."

Inwardly seething at the tone of superiority in Nurse Winter's voice, Elyria nodded and tightened her hold on her walking stick. "May I ask... what are the extent of his wounds?"

Deafening silence settled over the room, leaving no doubt her question had somehow proved her worthlessness to them.

Finally, Nurse Winters sighed and said, "Bullet wound to the left shoulder, broken right forearm, a large gash along his right thigh, moderate burns along twenty percent of the right side of his body—"

"Yes, yes, he's badly wounded. But most importantly," Major Buchanan interjected, "you'll find the two of you have something in common..."

Elyria frowned, "Sir?"

"Blindness," he said, the thinly veiled excitement in his voice all but proclaiming he'd finally found a use for her presence.

Tears stung her eyes, but she clenched her jaw and refused to let them fall.

"Although," Nurse Winters added, "with any luck, Captain Monterose's will be a temporary affliction... unlike yours."

"Yes," Major Buchanan murmured, walking past Elyria. "But you see, that makes you the perfect caretaker for our young Captain."

Elyria curled her left hand into a tight fist and turned, confusion and irritation plain in her voice when she said, "I'm not sure I understand your meaning, sir."

Major Buchanan came to a stop and turned to face her once more. "If Captain Monterose survives and doesn't regain his eyesight, you can show him the ropes."

Nurse Winters choked on a giggle, clearing her throat before she murmured, "Pardon me."

"Of being blind," Elyria said, striving for a civil tone despite the fury bubbling inside her. Never before in her life had she wanted to cause bodily harm to another living person as badly as she wanted to at that moment.

If she'd been a man—and able to see her targets—she would have punched both of them square in their condescending faces without hesitation.

"Exactly!" The Major paused for a moment before adding, "Oh, and Miss Ormond..."

"Yes, sir?" She ground out, forcing her lips into a polite smile.

"Don't make me regret this."