His Wicked Seduction novel Chapter 72

Horatia lay curled up against Lucien's body as he slept in his bed. No one dared to point out the impropriety of it and if they had Horatia would have screamed. As it was, everyone was very polite, even the doctor from Hexby, whom Gregory had returned with ten minutes after she, Lucien and Cedric had escaped the cottage.

Lucien's injury from the duel had indeed been minor, a scratch. The doctor had assured them that head wounds, even grazes tended to bleed profusely. The concussion had been of far more concern, but that too had passed. Unless Lucien suffered an unexpected infection, he would be fine. Horatia hadn't left Lucien's side since they'd returned to the house, other than to quickly bathe and change. Now the doctor was attending to Cedric, who was resting in the room across the hall. Horatia stroked Lucien's hair back from his forehead and placed a delicate kiss to his brow.

"I cannot believe that Gordon escaped," she whispered. The idea that the man who had tried to kill her was still out there was terrifying.

"He won't be back," Lucien said with such certainty that she pulled away a little to stare at him.

"How do you know?"

"We know who he is and what he was hired to do. We are safe from him." The implied but not entirely safe hung heavy in the air.

"Horatia? The doctor would like to speak to you," Lady Rochester said quietly from the doorway. Her eyes settled on Horatia and Lucien, but she didn't say anything, a sad smile crossing her lips.

Poor Lady Rochester was pale and the lines around her eyes, which had once been only there from joy and laughter, seemed to age her with concern over her son.

"Is everything all right?" Horatia asked, sitting up.

"He...the doctor has news regarding your brother."

Horatia slid from the bed and steadied herself. "Bad news?"

Lady Rochester's hesitation worried Horatia. "Yes. He wishes to speak to you and Audrey alone. Cedric is sleeping right now. The doctor will see you in his room."

Horatia couldn't seem to move. Her body felt as though it had turned to marble. She couldn't take much more of this. It was as though her entire body was strung like a harp's strings and she was seconds away from snapping.

Horatia crossed the hall and found Audrey and the doctor waiting for her in the other room. She shut the door behind her.

"You have news?" She was unable to look away from the sleeping form of her brother.

The gray-haired doctor cleared his throat. "Yes. It seems that Lord Sheridan has suffered a very serious injury to the head. I'm afraid that he has lost his sight...completely."

Audrey clung to a bedpost for support. Tears began to roll down her cheeks but she said nothing.

"He's blind?" Horatia asked.

"I am not sure if the condition is permanent, but I thought I should advise you immediately so that you might prepare for the worst. Life for someone without sight can be very difficult, but made easier by the support of one's family..."

The doctor droned on but Horatia ceased listening. Her head turned back towards Cedric. A strip of gauze had been wound around his head, over his eyes.

Blind. Her brother was blind. Her own vision seemed to spot and darken before she remembered to breathe and her vision cleared.