Left At The Crooked Pine Book 7

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

The door crashed open startling the awaiting women. A dark shadow loomed in the now open doorway, staggering slightly under the weight of the body in his arms. Kate, Juliana and Maddie hurried towards them all talking at once. Jon hushed them all firmly as he walked in behind Mitchell and bade that they wait in the parlour for him to come back. They all objected but Mitchell finally spoke up they listened.

“Please,” he asked them his voice low and pained. They all stopped their arguing and stared at him sympathetically. “And can some one please send for the doctor now.” Then he turned and walked away from them all, Bianca still cradled carefully in his arms and went slowly up the grand stair case, taking every care not to jostle her. But she did not wake, even when his arms gave out slightly and he had to take a firmer grip on her to stop her from falling which must have surely caused her pain, just as she had not awoken in the whole time since they had found her.

Something was terribly wrong with her and Mitchell did not want to consider what this might lead to. He lay her carefully on their bed, the one they had never had even used yet, and gently brushed her matted blonde hair away from her face. Not in a long time had he seen a woman in such a bad state, but no army had been through here molesting women and killing their husbands, it was just a group of thieves and his wife. It sent him into a killing rage he had not felt since leaving the forces in India. He tamped down on it. Now was not the time to hunt down the enemies, he had new priorities- Bianca.

An age later the doctor arrived and Mitchell was hustled out of the room, so the doctor could inspect Bianca in private. The older man came out white and shaken.

“How did this happen to her?” he asked softly. Mitchell ignored the question and asked,

“Is she going to be alright?”

“She needs time and that is all I can really do for her at this time. She has concussion and may not awaken for many days even a week. I have cleaned her cuts and stitched closed the larger wounds, the rest of her injuries appear to be internal; broken ribs, sprained wrist, copious bruising over her torso, legs and arms, black eyes, hand prints on her face, neck and lower arms and wrists. She has been severely beaten Sir. I ask again who did this to her?”

From the disgusted look the doctor was giving him Mitchell could tell what the old man was thinking and his anger rose again, hot and lethal.

“I did not do this to my wife doctor, and I take great offense at the implication that I did.” Mitchell growled his voice low and lethal. The doctor gulped and stuttered,

“I never actually said that sir.” Mitchell snorted at the doctor’s objection.

“You didn’t have to I could see it in your eyes. A group of criminals did this to her, she was missing for almost a whole day, before myself, her brother and her friends rescued her. And it was because of my job as a member of the law enforcement that this happened, but it was not my hands that did it. You have no real need to know this private information, but out of courtesy and because of the concern you have shown my wife I have told you this. Now I would appreciate that this information went no further so I have a greater chance of catching the perpetrator.”  He kept his voice calm and unchangeable.

“Forgive me sir,” the doctor asked chastened. “I am sorry to hear of the terrible circumstances your wife has unfortunately been exposed to and hope the problem is resolved soon. Apply hot or cold compresses to her bruising to help relieve her pain and make sure she has suitable bed rest until her ribs no longer pain her so much at least.”   

“It will be done, now I want to see my wife again.” He pushed past the doctor and in to the darkened bedroom, taking up his vigil at Bianca's side once more. It was interrupted at one point when Frank and Ellis returned, wet and exhausted and empty handed. But Mitchell couldn’t bring himself to care right now. Everything could wait until Bianca was well again.

~

She was cold, so cold; then a something warm and comforting trailed over her aching skin slowly. Arching slightly Bianca tried to get closer to the heat, but the movement sent stabbing pain through her body and she cried out. A soft, low voice reverberated through her sounding familiar and soothing and she quieted.

Gently, careful to avoid the newly stitched cut on Bianca's pale forehead, Mitchell stroked her golden hair back revelling in the softness of it knowing it was as close to his wife he could get with out hurting her. Her eyelids fluttered and she squinted around her through swollen eyes.

“Mitchell?” she asked her voice quiet and scratchy. Mitchell straighten in his chair, his heart racing. She was awake. For the first time in two long days. He was so tired but he daren’t sleep in case he missed her return to consciousness. And now his wait had been rewarded. A few hours earlier he had almost given in to Kate’s scolding that he should sleep or he would be no good to man or beast but he had refused and was glad now.

“I’m here flower. How are you feeling?” he replied leaning over her so she didn’t have to move to be able to see him.

“Thirsty.” He held a glass of water to her cracked lips and slowly tipped some cool water down her dry throat. Some went down the wrong way causing her to cough and then cry out as pain shot through her chest because of her broken ribs. “Sorry sweetheart, it will stop soon just take slow shallow breathes.”

She tried to do as he said, fighting the pain until it gradually eased, fat hot tears rolling down her cheeks. Mitchell's warm, callous roughened hand slid into hers and he held her hand carefully. Gradually, comforted by his presence, Bianca drifted back into an exhausted sleep and this time Mitchell followed her into dreamland, safe in the knowledge that they would awaken together.

~

When Bianca awoke for the second time, she found herself cradled in her husband’s arms as he slept on. For the first time in their very short marriage she didn’t try to leap away from him, she felt a security she had never felt before until she had met him. It was all very curious, but she didn’t have the energy to contemplate the depths of her emotions right now.

She was very worried though and wanted reassurance from Mitchell that he was going to solve this issue soon. Bianca might be inexperienced and young still, but she had observed her brother and older sisters enter into their marriages and knew that no marriage was easy and give and take was definitely involved.

But would he give up his strange and terrifying job for a marriage he didn’t want? Why was he acting so concerned for her now when he had admit to her he did not want children with her? Was it her or the idea of children he was not willing to accept? There were so many questions she wanted the answers to, but no way to find them out.  So she didn’t bother trying right now and drifted back in to sleep.

~

It had been light when Mitchell had lain down to sleep next to his battered wife. But now it was dark and he was fairly sure it was a great deal more than a few hours later. He shifted carefully to sit up in the bed without disturbing her. Gently he wove his fingers through Bianca's long golden tresses and combed them out slowly until the waist length hair was fanned out around their bodies.

A strange kind of peace settled over him as he lay there absorbing all his new emotions. For the first time in a long time he had been truly scared. Being at war hadn’t scared him. Chasing and being chased by criminals did not scare him. But when he had realised that Bianca could have been taken away from him forever, fear coursed through. Even with his limited experience with the emotion he knew what he felt for Bianca could be none other than love.

Love.

One tiny four letter word with so much meaning behind it. How could he prove to her that he truly did love her when he had already made so many mistakes? Especially when it was such a new feeling to him. He sighed; this was going to be hard work. A small part of him knew he would have to reveal yet more parts of his life that he wished to keep secret. He knew it was his own unwillingness to talk about his child phobia that had resulted in Bianca’s kidnapping. Stupid, stupid man he chastised himself. Well actions have always been said to speak louder to words. He just hoped it was true. Now he just needed a plan of action.

Carefully he pulled her into his arms so she was settled comfortably over his chest and began to formulate his next move. His eyelids drooped heavily over his eyes and he didn’t fight it. Green eyes closed, he sighed deeply and knew his plans would have to wait until tomorrow as he let sleeps claim him.