“We must tell the physician you are awake.” Esther took Charles’ hand and dragged him out of the room, before any more discussion could be made.
With the door closed, Edward turned his focus on Julia and acted quickly. He lifted her hand to his lips, kissing it, then he pulled her down so that she was sat on the physician’s table beside him, where he kissed her lips. She giggled into that kiss before pulling back.
“You seem rather happy to see me,” she teased him.
“Deliriously so.” He sat back, feeling a contentment begin to rise within him. “Thank you. For what you did.” He gestured down to the bandage on his arm. As he moved, he felt the bandage pull at his skin, and he winced.
“Does it hurt?” Julia loosened her hand from his and walked round the table, coming to his other side. With gentle fingers, she placed her hand near his wound, clearly inspecting the work with the bandage.
“I wish I could say it did not.” Edward winced before meeting her eyes. “Tell me, is it true? Did Lord Gillet run off and flee?”
“He did.” Julia tilted her chin high, looking rather victorious about the idea. “Your friend’s threat clearly worked well. I think you have solved our problem, Edward. He will not be bothering us again.”
“Who knew I just had to take a bullet for you, to accomplish that?”
“Speaking of which.” She tapped him in the arm.
“Ow! That was the injured arm.”
“I’m sorry, but I need you to take me seriously now. You are not to do this again. Ever.”
“Julia.”
“I mean it, ever!” She reiterated sternly. “One duel was quite enough for my nerves. I never want to see you go through all this again.” She huffed loudly, showing the extents of her fears.
“You were worried for me?” he asked teasingly as he leaned up off his pillows.
“Perhaps a little. In case you hadn’t noticed, I’m rather fond of you these days.” As her words played with him, she looked down at where her hand was resting on his arm. He rather suspected she was trying to hide the madness of her blush that betrayed her true feelings.
That sight… it is all I wanted.
“Rather fond?” He chose to make the moment light. “I admit, I rather hoped you would feel something a little more for me after what we shared last night.”
“Do you need tapping on the arm again?”
“No!” He exclaimed, holding up his hands in surrender and pulling a mischievous giggle from her. “I have learned my lesson.”
“Speaking of which, you cannot be angry at your friend for long.” Julia glanced to the closed door, clearly wary of it opening again before she moved toward Edward, whispering quietly. “They did no more than you and I did, right?”
“True.”
“So, can you be angry at them for doing something you and I did?”
“Julia, we are betrothed. In a fashion.” He added, making her shake her head in disbelief.
“As you say, in a fashion. Your sister looks so happy. Pray, do not be angry at them for long.”
Edward sighed as he thought of the way Charles had held onto Esther’s hand so tightly.
“I wish I could be angrier for longer, but I think it will pass soon enough. I have seen firsthand how miserable Charles has been for the last few months, and if that is all because he has been lovesick over my sister, then I cannot blame him when his heart is in the right place.” Edward reached for Julia’s hand once again, finding he needed some sort of connection with her.
“Speaking of being lovesick,” Julia said with a small smile. “That was the very word your sister used to describe you, was it not?”
“She did use that word, didn’t she?” He titled his head to the side, watching Julia closely for her reaction. “It seems my sister knows me better sometimes than I know myself.”
“What do you mean?” Julia’s breathing quickened.
Is that with hope?