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When Lily opened her eyes again, Edward was waiting at her side. He hadn't left her the entire night, despite Dr. Shannon's insistence that he get some sleep.
"I'll sleep when Lily's well again," he'd said, and the doctor had seen the fire burning in his eyes and had known better than to argue with him.
Edward had finally slept, but not until his body was so exhausted that his eyes revolted and refused to stay open any longer. Even then, he did not leave her room. He sat in a chair in the corner, his legs sprawled out and his body hunched over.
Myra crept in every now and again, checking on both him and Lily. He'd put her to sleep in his bed, never entertaining the thought that she might go anywhere else.
Now, she moaned softly, and her eyes fluttered. The morning light streamed into the room and when her lids opened and stayed open, Edward felt tears prick in the corners of his eyes.
"Oh, thank the dear Lord," he said, taking her hand in his and kissing it.
She smiled sweetly up at him.
"What's happened?" she asked, her eyes slowly moving around the room. "Where am I?"
"You're in my bedroom," he said, and even as injured as they both were, he felt the heat that passed between them. He kissed her forehead and absently stroked her hair, taking it gently between his fingers.
"How do you feel?" he asked her.
"I don't know," she said, biting her lip. Her hand reached out from under the covers and touched her stomach. "Am I... am I all right?" He saw the fear in her eyes and kissed her tenderly on the lips.
"The danger has passed," he told her. "Dr. Shannon says your child is fine."
She burst into tears, her hand frantically attempting to wipe them away, but they came too fast.
"I'm sorry," she cried.
"For what?" he asked, bewildered. "What could you think you had to apologize for?"
Her eyes widened. "All of it. It's all my fault. If I had never married Ray... if I hadn't taken his abuse for so long... you nearly died because of me."
"You must stop tormenting yourself with things you cannot change. None of what you've described is your fault; it is his."
She looked up, and her jaw dropped open. "Oh, my word, your shoulder. I'd nearly forgotten.” She sat up in bed, a little too fast. He saw her eyes go glassy.
"Sssh," he said, "I am fit as a fiddle." He lifted his shirt for her, revealing the wound she was so worried about. Her eyes widened, but he did not think it was because of the patch Dr. Shannon had affixed to his shoulder. Her hand trailed over the tight muscles that formed his chest, tracing an invisible line from his collarbone to his belly button. He inhaled deeply, and the door to his room opened.
She flinched, and Edward jumped back, fixing his shirt. Myra and his father both eyed them with suspicion.
"I see our patient is awake," Myra said. "I shall fetch Dr. Shannon."
"I'll get him," Mr. Saunders said. "You've done so much already; you must be exhausted."
She paused and looked at him. "Are you certain?"
"It's the least I can do."
She nodded, and he kissed her hand before turning to Lily and saying, "I'm glad to see you're better." Then he took his leave and Myra began fiddling with Lily's pillows. She glanced at Edward while she spoke to Lily.
"I'm glad you're awake. I didn't think I was going to get him to eat while you were still out, and I was beginning to fear he'd starve himself to death. Dr. Shannon gave me strict instructions to provide him with soup and meat to aid in the repair of his shoulder. Imagine what he'll say once he learns Edward's taken in nothing but water for the past two days." She shook her head, but a small smile crept up on her face.
"Two days?" Lily asked, looking bewildered. "Is that how long I've been asleep?"
Edward nodded. "I was afraid it may be even longer, but then last night you began to stir, and I dared to hope the worst was behind us."
She touched her hand to her belly, resting it there. Her bottom lip stuck out. Her cheeks were still wet but she had stopped crying. "You're positive there's nothing wrong with the child?" she asked almost in a whisper.
This time, Myra helped Edward to assure her that everything was fine. Only then did she begin to relax.
"Are you hungry?" Myra asked. "The cook has a few things going in preparation for supper, but I'm certain I can sneak you in something now if you like. She'll never notice."
Lily shook her head.
"You must eat," Edward told her, one hand going under her chin and tilting her head back. Her red hair was messy and wild, a look he thought rather fitting on her. Her green eyes shone with emotion.
"I'm not hungry," she said.
Edward sighed. "Neither am I, but I know that Dr. Shannon would want us both to partake of something. At least soup." He sat on the edge of the bed, cradling her hand in his. "If I eat, will you eat, too?" He could see her thinking about it, and so leaned close to her and whispered, "If you do not eat, then I daresay you must be weaker than I thought. Perhaps kissing you should be out of the question as well."
He pulled away from her and smiled triumphantly when she said, "All right, some soup. And perhaps a biscuit or two. I want to keep my strength up for whatever may come my way."
Edward's heart stuttered at the heat in her eyes. It was unmistakable to him. He wondered if Myra could see it as well.
When Myra had excused herself to get the food, Edward filled Lily in on everything she had missed.
"Ray's dead," he told her, not mincing words. There was no need to with her. She was stronger than any woman he'd ever known, and he knew that she would do better to hear the truth from him than the gossip from the town when she next ventured outside.
"Dead?" she said, shock clearly showing on her face. "Did Bridget hit him hard enough with that pipe to kill him?"
Edward shook his head. "Not precisely, no. When Ray fell to the ground after Bridget hit him, he did not lose consciousness, he only acted as if he did. When we let our guard down, he made a grab for the gun again, only this time I was able to get it before he did, and I fired."
Lily's face paled. "You shot him?" she said in a croak.
"Yes. He's gone forever." Edward paused, uncertain what to make of the lack of color on her face or the sweat that had broken out on her brow. "Are you angry with me?" he asked, thinking perhaps some part of her had still loved Ray, despite everything.
She looked sharply at him. "Mad at you?"
By way of answer, she pulled him to her and kissed him hard, attempting to drag him onto the bed with her. He found he did not mind so very much and allowed her to topple him onto the mattress. He rolled on top of her, only the thin sheet of fabric between their bodies. He could feel her chest rise and fall against him, her breasts pushing into his body as if calling to him.
Her breath came in hot waves that he longed to feel on his bare skin. He wanted to taste more than just her lips and knew that if he did not soon get off her soon, he would do just that, married or not.
Freeing himself from her was a struggle, and one that she did not make any easier. She insisted on keeping her arms wrapped around his neck, and when he attempted to pry them off, she only kissed him instead and moved her hands to his chest.
Finally, Edward managed to extricate himself from her. He stood, the lower portion of his body throbbing with need, and sat back in the chair nearest her bed.
"What's become of Bridget?" Lily asked after a minute when her panting had subsided.
He took a breath. "Jailed."
"Jailed?" she nearly squealed. "For how long? For what?"
"For hiding Ray when the sheriff was looking for him. For conspiracy."
"But she saved our lives, did she not?"
Edward admitted that he could not have gotten the upper hand on Ray had Bridget not intervened.
"Then she should go free."
"She may yet. She is only at the sheriff's station. She goes before a judge in a week's time, and Robert Shannon has already volunteered to help her. I've told him to spare no expense."
Lily said that was kind of him. Her voice grew soft and fatigue crept back in.
Edward watched her eyes begin to flutter closed again. "Next Sunday," he said quickly before she was asleep, and he'd lost his nerve. She sat up straighter and stared blankly at him.
"What of it?" she asked.
He took several deep breaths and reached into his breast pocket, producing the same black velvet box he had produced last time he'd attempted this. He opened the box and showed her the square-cut diamond that lay inside it.
"Next Sunday," he said again. "Marry me."
Her eyes watered all over again. Edward's heart hammered in his chest as he waited for her answer.
"Are you certain you want to?" she asked.
"What sort of question is that?" he demanded. "I have the ring, I have the home and the money and everything a man of my position should have. The only thing I'm lacking is you."
"What of the child?" she muttered, casting her eyes to the floor.
"I beg you to forgive my foolish reaction to learning of the news. Now, nothing could make me happier."
She was still looking at the floor. He moved back to the bed and forced her eyes to meet his. "Why do you hesitate?"
"When the child grows... they may ask questions."
"Let them be asked. I shall answer them however you instruct me."
She paused. "I think it would be better if they never knew of Ray at all. If they were to grow up thinking of you as their father."
"Then it shall be done," he said.
Her eyes brightened. "Truly? You will raise this child as yours?"
"All that I have, they shall have. If God grants us the joy of producing more children, then this first one shall share equally with their brothers and sisters."
"Her brothers and sisters," Lily said.
Edward's eyes opened. "It's a girl?"
She nodded. "Well, at least according to Mrs. Ashton. I suppose we cannot be certain until the moment arrives."
"So..." he said. "Sunday?"
She smiled and nodded. "Sunday."
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