“Where have you been?”
“I saw a man I knew from my last position. We were catching each other up on things.”
“Very good,” Braden said with a smile. “I would like to return home now.”
“Will the earl be joining you?”
“No.” Braden climbed up into the carriage. As they drove down the street, he resolved to have Emily Eldridge followed by a runner. If she met Jonathon again, the runner would intervene and bring his brother home. That settled in his mind, he sat slight forward, eager to return to the house. It was time to court the woman living under his roof.
But as the carriage hit a rut, Braden heard a loud crack and braced himself for the accident. The wheel broke loose from the coach, tipping the coach to the right before crashing to the ground. He felt his head hit the side and then everything went black.
“Mia! Get down here this instant!” Hart’s voice boomed through the hall as he held Middleton’s limp body in his arms.
“What is going on?” Tia said, jumping to her feet. She ran out of the salon and stopped in disbelief. “No!”
Mia pushed passed her sister. “What is wrong—Simon, bring him up to his lordship’s room. Nelson, get the housekeeper to boil water. Tia, where is your bag?”
Tia barely heard her sister. She could only stare at Braden’s body. He looked limp and blood dripped from his head.
“Tia!” Mia shouted.
She blinked and looked at her sister. “Not again. I can’t go through this again.”
“Where is your bag?”
“In my room,” she answered.
“Where is your room?” Mia yelled.
“Upstairs, of course.”
“God help me.” Mia grabbed her arm and yanked her toward the staircase. “I don’t know this house—show me.”
Tia followed her sister in a daze. She couldn’t lose him. She couldn’t.
“Which room?” Mia asked as they reached the top step.
“Here.” Tia opened the door to her bedchamber.
Mia seized the satchel and raced out of the room. “Where is Middleton’s room?”
“In here, Mia,” Hart’s voice shouted from Middleton’s room.
“I was going to show you,” Tia said softly. She followed her sister into Braden’s bedchamber. The love of her life lay lifeless on the bed. She couldn’t comprehend what was happening.
“What is wrong with your sister?”
“Shock,” Mia replied.
“What can I do to help?” Hart asked.
“Get her a brandy and a seat before I have a second patient to att
end to and this one is enough.”
Hart poured a brandy and forced Tia to sit on the chair. “Sit, Miss Featherstone. Middleton will be all right.”
She wanted to believe that, but couldn’t. Hart pressed a brandy into her hands. Without a thought, she drank it. Nelson and Mrs. Abbott raced into the room.