"Stay here," she instructed the sisters. On silent feet, she moved closer. Yes, there most certainly was a bandage wrapped around Austin's head. God in heaven, what had happened to him? Clearly he'd suffered an injury. Was Elizabeth hurt as well?
Pushing aside any possible embarrassment, she knelt beside Elizabeth and gently shook her shoulder. "Elizabeth, wake up."
Elizabeth came awake slowly, gradually becoming aware of a voice repeating her name in an urgent fashion. She forced her heavy eyelids open a tiny bit. Her muscles were stiff and it seemed as if stones poked into her skin.
Her confusion disappeared instantly when she became aware of two things at once. She was curled up against Austin's warm body, and a pair of surprise-widened blue eyes was staring at her.
Her eyes snapped open and she bolted upright, pushing her tangled hair from her face. "Caroline!"
"Elizabeth, what happened? Are you all right? Why is Austin's head bandaged?"
"He fell from Myst."
A derisive snort sounded from the doorway. Turning, Elizabeth saw two Digby daughters-she wasn't sure which ones-standing in the archway. One squinted at her, the other gaped.
Caroline touched her arm, reclaiming her attention. "How badly is he hurt?"
"He hit his head and sustained a cut that required several stitches. As far as I was able to determine, he did not break any bones."
Caroline's face visibly paled. "My God. Are you injured?"
"No." She reached out and touched Austin's forehead and was relieved that he showed no signs of fever.
Fear flickered through Caroline's expression. "He is going to be all right, isn't he?"
"Yes." In an attempt to calm Caroline's fears, Elizabeth smiled at her. "Your brother has an exceptionally hard head."
"Indeed he does." Caroline gathered her into her arms. "My God Elizabeth. You saved Austin's life. I'll always be in your debt. Can I do anything to help?"
"You could start by removing your knee from my fingers," came Austin's raspy voice. "The last thing I need is one more aching body part."
Caroline gasped and immediately moved back. "Austin. Are you all right?" Lifting his hand she cradled it against her cheek.
"I'm a bit sore around the edges, but otherwise fine." His eyes settled on Elizabeth.
She offered him a gentle smile. "You're looking better."
"I'm feeling better. Thanks to you."
Their gazes met and held. Elizabeth longed to reach out and touch him, but controlled the impulse in front of Caroline and the Digby daughters. There was something in his eyes, something intense and compelling, but she couldn't read the expression. Tearing her gaze from his, she stood and attempted to brush the twigs and dirt from her rumpled gown.
"Do you feel well enough to travel back to the house?" Caroline asked. "Shall I return to the house and bring help?"
Austin forced himself to give Caroline his full attention. When he did the significance of her question hit him squarely between the eyes. "Help? God no." With an effort he pushed himself into a sitting position, then sat for a moment with his eyes closed waiting for the waves of dizziness to pass. After a moment and a series of deep breaths, he felt considerably better.
"Surely you realize, Caroline, that you cannot bring anyone here. Elizabeth would be ruined. We need to get her back to the house before someone misses her or sees her looking so disheveled. Now. Before it's too late."
Caroline coughed into her hand then inclined her head in a meaningful fashion toward the doorway.
With a sense of dread Austin turned around. Two young women, one who resembled a bug wearing a bonnet and the other an open-mouthed carp, gaped at him.
He closed his eyes and groaned. In addition to then-other faults, the Digby daughters had miserable timing.
He was getting married.
Austin sat in his private study and watched the door close behind his mother and Lady Penbroke. Lady Pen-broke was ecstatic, her feathers dancing and quivering with her excitement. His mother's reaction to his news had been a bit more reserved, but he knew she understood his responsibility to marry Elizabeth and she respected his decision. She'd naturally hoped for him to marry a highborn English girl, but he had no doubt that she'd cope with the situation and do all she could to ease Elizabeth's entrance into her new position. She and Lady Penbroke had agreed to make the necessary arrangements for the wedding. His only request was that they not tell anyone of their plans until he'd spoken to Elizabeth and formally announced their betrothal.
He ran a hand over his face, then leaned back in his chair. Marriage. He'd known the instant he'd seen the Digby daughters at the tower that he would have to marry Elizabeth. She'd saved his life and ruined herself in the process. Of course, both Digby daughters had vowed ad nauseam, that they wouldn't breathe a word of what they'd seen, and he supposed that was possible. After all, the idiotic chits didn't want him off the marriage mart-unless it was to leg-shackle himself to one of them, a prospect that brought a shudder and had him reaching for his brandy. But their promised silence was not something he trusted.
Marriage. He'd avoided it for years. Yet, for reasons he could not decipher, he wasn't distressed at the prospect. He realized a few eyebrows would be raised at his choice of an American for his duchess, but as she was the niece of an earl, he knew the ripple would quickly quiet.
In fact, he knew damn well that once the engagement was announced, the same people who now disparaged Miss Elizabeth Matthews, Colonial Upstart, would seek to gain the favor of the future Duchess of Bradford. Although the knowledge disgusted him, he couldn't squelch the grim satisfaction that flowed through him. No one would dare utter another unkind word against her without incurring his wrath.
A series of mental pictures of Elizabeth rose before him. Elizabeth tumbling out of the bushes. Sleeping under the huge oak tree. Sketching him. Sliding off her horse. Covered in mud. Smiling. Laughing. Teasing.
A smile tugged at his lips. Although there was no denying this was a marriage of convenience to save her from ruin, he suspected he wouldn't find married life boring.
And of course marriage would allow him to bed her. His pulse stirred at the very thought. He pictured her lying in his bed her beautiful hair spread all around her, her arms reaching out for him. That part of his marriage would be very… pleasurable.
Now all he had to do was propose.
When Elizabeth entered his study late that afternoon in answer to his summons, Austin was amused by the thorough visual inspection she gave him.
"How are you feeling?" she asked looking concerned. "You should be resting."
"I'm fine, thanks to you." He smiled at her and was rewarded with a delicate pink blush.
"Is your wound causing you any discomfort? I can mix you a remedy if it is."
He recalled the last foul-tasting tisane she'd given him and barely suppressed a shudder. "It hardly hurts at all. That salve you prepared worked wonders."
"I'm glad." Her gaze scanned his face, then rested on the bandage at his temple. "It is indeed fortunate that I possess such a robust constitution or you may have frightened me to death." Once again meeting his eyes, she said briskly, "But we've already argued about that. I understand you wish to discuss something with me?"
Austin hesitated, not quite sure how to proceed. He normally was never at a loss for words, especially with a woman, but then he'd never proposed before.
He cleared his throat. "I'm sure you're aware that what happened last evening and our being discovered together this morning essentially destroyed your reputation."
She raised her brows. "Have the Digby girls been gossiping in spite of their promises not to? Caroline all but held me prisoner in her bedchamber since we arrived back at the house this morning, and she's refused to discuss matters with me until you and I spoke. If a scandal is brewing, surely we can squelch any rumors. After all, nothing happened between us."