To Defy A Duke

Chapter 22

"He died while I was with James."

"Does my mother know?" He falls back onto his pillows.

"Only James, you and I," Eliza says slowly.

A thought crosses her mind as she watches him process her news. "What do you think drove Dominic to challenge you?"

"He didn't." He replies.

"I am sorry?" She must have misheard.

"I challenged him." He states.

"Are you insane? What on earth made you do such a thing?" She yells.

"You."

"What?"

"He insulted my fiance." He says like it is an obvious reason.

"And I hit him, all was settled!" She shouts

"Not for me." He insists, "He insulted your pride."

"So you challenged him to duel." She says exasperatedly.

"It was the only logical explanation."

"No, it wasn't!" Eliza cries, "I almost lost you because of your pride, not mine."

"I was defending you! Any gentleman would have done the same." He yells back

"Jasper, I don't need you to defend me." She says softly, she sits on his bed. "However heroic and brave you are, please don't almost die on me again." She places her hand on his face.

"Fine." He concedes. Eliza breathes a sigh of relief. "Thank you."

"I remember you saying Charlotte is pregnant," Harrington says, recalling what he first heard when he woke up.

"Might be, but it's a secret so shush." She puts a finger to her mouth.

Harrington raises his eyebrows.

"I thought you were unconscious." She says defensively.

"Our wedding has been moved up then? To next week?" He asks

"Oh well, do you think you will be strong enough then?"

"It's just a wedding," He says breezily.

"You won't be that confident when you see Charlotte's plans, they gave me a headache just looking at them." She says knowingly.

"I'll be there, headache and all." He promises.

"I think it will either be the Friday or Saturday, so you have a week or so. Is that enough time for you to recover your strength?"

"He'll be fine." Helen says bustling with a tray of soup and tea, "Sorry I heard you through the door and I may have been listening." She says guiltily putting the tray next to the bed. "Get plenty of this chicken soup down you and you'll be perfect to get married."

"I brought you a glass of ginger beer." She says to Eliza who accepts the glass.

"Thank you, mother," Harrington says sitting up properly, he lifts the floral china bowl from the tray, places it on his lap and picks up a spoon.

"Supper will be ready at 7 if you would you like to eat something," Helen says to Eliza.

"Thank you." She replies, sipping her ginger beer.

"Eat it all Jasper," Helen calls to him as she closes the door.

"That smells really good," Eliza says breathing in the sent of chicken and rosemary.

"It is." Harrington agrees, sipping the steaming soup. Eliza's stomach chooses that moment to growl loudly, she blushes and he pauses his spoon halfway to his mouth and stares at her stomach with amusement.

"Are you hungry?" He asks, laughter in his eyes, she puts the glass on the side table.

"Maybe." She says looking at the clock, 6:15, an excruciating 45 minutes before supper. Harrington returns to his soup.

"This soup is good." He says unapologetically.

"Share?" Eliza asks hopefully.

"Hmmm." He tilts his head in thought. Taking advantage of his distraction she steals the spoon from his hand and dips it into the soup, she gulps it down and relishes the tasty food even as it burns her mouth and throat.

"You're right," She says, "It's good."

Harrington stares at her in shock with no hint of anger but a slight slip of annoyance.

"I am the injured patient and you are stealing my get better soup." He snatches the spoon from her.

"True but I am hungry," Eliza says with a grin. He sighs defeatedly and offers her a spoon full, she looks at him warily but opens her mouth and he feeds her the soup.

"Thank you."

"It makes me sick to see Harrington trying to be nice."

"James!" Eliza leaps from the bed and hugs him. "I wondered when you were going to arrive."

He pats her on the back.

"You alright?" He asks Harrington.

"Yes." He says rigidly, Eliza lets go of James and shifts awkwardly.

"I should go, let you talk." She goes to leave but James touches her shoulder.

"No, stay." He says, Harrington nods in agreement.

"James, there's something I need to ask you and I need you, to be honest." He says seriously, his face drawn.

"Of course." James looks nervous and Eliza feels just as anxious at Harrington's expression.

"I am getting married next week, will you be my best man?"