CHAPTER21
This time when Edward opened his eyes, there was no needle in his arm, and no physician barking orders, but there were many people in the room. First, he could feel there was someone at his side, though it took his eyes a minute to adjust to the bright sunlight in the room to see her clearly.
It was Julia. She was sat leaning on the side of the physician’s table, with her hand firmly wrapped around his own. Standing on Edward’s other side was Charles, with his hand on Esther’s shoulder who was sat beside him.
“You can stop touching her right now.” Edward’s words did not have the effect he had expected. His vision focused completely as Charles smiled and leaned forward, as did Esther, jumping to her feet, the better to look him in the eye. Julia’s hand tightened around his own, and Edward squeezed too, not wanting to let go of her just yet.
“Oh, Edward, those are you first words?” Esther laughed as she reached down to him. She brushed the hair back from his forehead, allowing him to feel how damp it was with sweat. “Not ‘will I be well’?”
“I have woken, haven’t I?” he asked as he tried to sit up. There was a wooziness in his head that made it difficult to sit at all. “I presume that means I will live.”
“That feeling will be the sedative,” Charles said as he walked round Esther and came to help Charles sit up. “The physician said it was strong. He said you will be fine after some rest.” He pressed pillows behind Edward’s back, keeping him straight as Edward turned an angry glare on him. “Still hate me?”
“He carried you all the way to the carriage, and from there to here, Edward,” Julia’s voice was quiet, but Edward turned to look at her, nevertheless, seeing her full smile. “You owe him his quick thinking.”
“And you owe Julia the staunching of your wound. It could have been much worse, according to the physician.”
Edward lifted Julia’s hand toward him and kissed the back. Part of him couldn’t believe she was still here with him, that all was not lost. He held onto that hand, keeping it to his lips for a minute longer, loving the way she smiled with it.
“What happened to Lord Gillet?” he asked Julia.
“Your friend pointed out what trouble he would be in for this.”
“He may have warned him he could hang for murder,” Esther added. “I rather think Lord Gillet might take your warning to heart, Charles, and leave the country.”
“Let us hope he does, then that is the last we will see of him.” Charles smiled ridiculously at Esther, and she smiled back.
Edward couldn’t stand it anymore. As he looked between them, he gestured a hand in their direction.
“Tell me all,” he said. Charles paled at once, his smile vanishing. “Do not offer me that innocent look. You are my friend, and she is my sister. How could you do this?”
“Because I fell in love with her.” Charles’ words made Edward pause. For some reason, his own hand tightened around Julia’s all the more and drew her forward. From the pull, she could no longer stay seated but had to stand at his side. He was glad to have her closer.
“You love her?” Edward said in a small voice, then he looked to Esther, seeing the giddy smile that was on her face. “Then would someone explain to me how we ended up here? With you miserable every time I saw you?” He gestured to Charles. “And you refusing to tell me that he was the father of your child?” He motioned to Esther last.
“That was my doing.” Charles looked rather sad, turning his focus on Esther. “I let my heart run away with me, before I realized I was not good enough for your sister. I ended it, saying she deserved another, a finer man than I.”
“You two are smiling at each other like you’re the greatest things ever made by God.” Edward sighed in disbelief.
“They made up whilst you were sleeping,” Julia said quietly to him.
“Hmm, they don’t have my blessing yet,” Edward pointed out. Julia narrowed her gaze at him, in clear disapproval. “He hasn’t asked for it.”
“I couldn’t tell you who the father was, Edward,” Esther spoke up now, earning his gaze. “I love Charles too, and I was terrified if I told him I was with child that he would reject me again.”
“It was not a rejection,” Charles said quickly. “It was my decision that you were too good for me.”
“I’m inclined to agree with you,” Edward murmured, at which point Julia tapped him on his good arm. “Ow, am I not injured enough?”
“Speak sense, and you will have no further injury.” Her words made him smile a little as he looked back to Charles, where that smile faded.
“I want to make this right, Edward. Not just because of the child, but because of Esther. I love her.” He smiled as he looked down at Esther’s stomach. “Please, may I have your blessing to marry your sister?”
Edward felt something snap inside of him. He couldn’t be angry at Charles forever, despite his temptation to be.
“You have my blessing.” Edward nodded, watching as Charles’ and Esther’s smiles grew to something that was absurd. “But you and I will still talk at some point about you bedding my sister out of wedlock.” He warned Charles with a raised finger.
“Very well.” Charles sighed, clearly in a little fear.