Only With Your Love (Vallerands #2)(51)

“Your family has been good to me,” she said. “My life here has been quiet and peaceful. Until you arrived.”

He grinned. “Trouble seems to follow me like a flea-bitten dog.”

“I hope that you leave soon and take it with you.”

“God, so do I.” Justin touched the bandage over his face. “When will this come off?”

“I do not know. The eyes are usually the quickest to heal.”

His fingers moved experimentally over the cloth. “How bad are the injuries?” His voice took on a new edge. “How long does this thing have to stay on?”

“I am not a doctor.”

“You know enough to guess.”

She could not give him a guess, not when there was a chance he would never be able to see again. “You need time and rest,” she said calmly. “That is all I can tell you.”

Justin was unnaturally still, as if he could read her mind. “Have I lost one of my eyes? Both?”

“I do not know how much vision you will have. First we will have to wait and—”

“Then I’ll find out for myself.” He dug his fingers underneath the bandage and began to pull it off.

Celia stared at him in horror, then grasped his hand in hers. “Justin, stop it! Justin—”

He shook her off impatiently.

“No, it is too soon, you will hurt yourself!” She flew back to him, chattering in French, trying in vain to stop him from tugging off the white linen strips. Even in his weakened condition he was able to keep her at bay. The bandages fell to the floor.

Justin tried to open his eyes and his head was filled with a white-hot explosion. He gave a garbled cry, shielding his face with his arms. Dimly he heard Celia’s voice over his vicious curses.

Panic-stricken, Celia rushed to his writhing form. “Oh, you stubborn fool, of course it is too soon for you to see anything! Stop it, you’ve hurt yourself!”

He felt her touch his head and he shoved her away, maddened by the pain. Undaunted, Celia persisted in prying his hands from his face, and she wrapped a towel over his eyes. Noeline entered the room, having heard the commotion as she passed by. Her dark eyes took in the situation in one glance. Celia looked at her wildly. “A sedative,” she said, somehow managing to sound calm. “Quickly.” Wordlessly Noeline went to the dresser and poured fresh water into a glass. Justin groaned, feeling as if his eyeballs had been ripped out.

“Be still,” Celia hissed into his ear, pulling his head against her soft shoulder. It was the only way to keep him from doing more damage. “You deserve this—I told you not to take those bandages off! If you want to be able to see again, you’ll rest quietly and allow yourself time to heal!”

“Get the hell away from me…unfeeling bitch…” he gasped, but his shaking arm stole around her waist as if she were his only refuge. His breath burned through her dress like steam. She grasped the edge of the sheet and yanked it over his na**d body, feeling somehow protective of him. Ridiculous, considering that Noeline had known him since the day he’d been born.

Noeline brought the sleeping draft, and Celia took the glass in her free hand. “Justin, drink this.”

“What is it?” he asked through clenched teeth.

“Something to help you.” She forced it against his mouth until she heard the glass click against his teeth. Some of the liquid sloshed onto her breast.

He choked a little and swore helplessly. “No, goddamn—”

“Drink this now,” she said, her voice soft but unyielding.

He downed the contents of the glass in a few gulps, some of the liquid trickling from his chin to her bodice. While Justin swallowed, Celia looked at Noeline despairingly. “Please bring some more of that balm you made for his eyes. And some clean strips of linen.”

Noeline frowned at the pair on the bed as if such dramatic scenes were too much for her limited patience. “Oui, madame.”

Celia set the glass aside and looked at the dark head cradled against her shoulder. Justin was quiet except for his rough breathing. She could only guess at his suffering. His head dropped heavily against her breast, then lifted as he tried to fight the oblivion stealing over him. Celia’s aggravation was tempered by a new feeling of tenderness. He was like a big, bad-tempered animal that lashed out at those trying to help him. “Justin,” she said gently, cradling his head. “It’s all right. Rest now.”

“I won’t be blind,” he mumbled. “I won’t be…led around…”

“No, you will be fine,” she crooned. “Quiet now. Quiet.” She continued to murmur reassurances until he sighed deeply and slumped against her, his arm loosening from around her waist.

They kept Justin sedated the next day, deciding that it was the only way to keep him still and allow his wounds further time to mend. “He is not going to make things easy for us,” Lysette said ruefully. “You may have had experience with difficult patients in the past, Celia, but I assure you Justin will prove to be the worst you’ve ever encountered.” Justin was too groggy to resist as Lysette and Celia administered another small dose of laudanum.

Unfortunately, when Justin finally awakened he proved Lysette’s prediction to be true. His mood was ugly, every word spoken in a tone of pure meanness. He was even insulting to Lysette, snapping at her irritably. “Bring me something decent to eat,” he growled. “No more of this sickroom swill.”