Captured by Love (Michigan Brides #3)(66)

He shifted and his features contorted in pain. His hold on her hand tightened, his breath coming in gasps. “I’m sorry we have to meet like this, Angelique,” he said haltingly. “This wasn’t the reunion I’d dreamed about.”

“Shhh,” she whispered, smoothing his hair off his forehead. “Just rest now.”

He closed his eyes and didn’t move. Had he passed out?

“We need to get the doctor, Pierre.”

“I’ve already considered it.” Pierre’s answer was close to her ear. “But it’s too risky. Dr. Henderson’s leanings are with the British.”

“He’s known Jean since he was a boy. He wouldn’t turn his back on him now.”

“This is war, Angelique. We can’t trust anyone.”

“That’s ridiculous.” She pulled her hand away from Jean and sat back. “Jean needs a doctor right away. If you won’t go get him, I will.”

“Even if the doctor wants to help Jean, it would still be too risky. We can’t chance word getting out that there’s a wounded American on the island.”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“The British would find him, haul him up to prison, and leave him there to die.”

She paused, letting the truth of his words sink in. “But the Americans will retake the island today, won’t they?”

“Not a chance in the world.” Pierre spat the words. “Not after the way Colonel Croghan bungled the whole landing.”

With a weary sigh he sat back next to her. For a moment the steady dripping of water somewhere farther back in the cave filled the silence, along with Jean’s heavy breathing.

They couldn’t just sit there and do nothing. “Jean needs help.” She started crawling on her hands and knees backward toward the entrance. “And I’m going for it.”

“You’re not going anywhere.” Pierre followed after her, grabbing her around the waist and hoisting her until she was practically sitting on his lap.

She pushed against him. “Let me go.”

But he clamped his arms around her, and the steel of his muscles trapped her.

“Pierre’s right,” Jean said, his voice surprising her. “We can’t let anyone else know I’m here.”

She held herself tense against Pierre.

“I’m just grateful Pierre got me off Dousman’s field when he did,” Jean said. “I’ve seen what the Indians do to the injured who are left behind.”

“We can’t just leave that bullet in your leg,” Angelique said.

“Pierre will sneak me off the island tonight and take me back to my ship.” Jean’s voice grew weaker. “I’ll be under the care of an American surgeon eventually.”

Would it be soon enough to prevent infection? She didn’t ask the question, but instead the desperation of the situation fell over her, as if crushing her under its weight. She buried her face against Pierre’s chest and sucked in a breath. She couldn’t keep from wrapping her arms around him, drawing strength from his presence.

He relaxed his grip. One of his hands splayed across her back while the other slid up into the waves of hair that tumbled about her head.

She rested her cheek against his shirt, and the rapid thumping of his heart pulsed through the linen. At the same time she could feel the heat of his breath against her hair, and the kiss he pressed on the top of her head. She was glad for the darkness of the cave that hid them from Jean.

“Pierre asked for my forgiveness for his past and told me he was a changed man,” Jean said.

She stiffened, dislodged herself from Pierre, and was relieved when he didn’t try to hang on to her.

“Of course I told him I forgave him.” There was something strained in Jean’s voice that sliced into her.

“You’d be proud of him,” she said. “Once he saw the condition of the farm, he let his brigade go on without him so that he could stay and help Miriam for the summer.”

She moved closer to Jean again, praying he hadn’t suspected anything between her and Pierre, and hoping that Pierre hadn’t mentioned anything about their relationship and their plan to get married. They couldn’t break the news to Jean this way, not when he was wounded and in pain.

“It looks like you and Pierre are still close.” Jean’s breathing became more labored, the pain more pronounced.

She could feel his attention bouncing back and forth between them, and panic rushed through her. “We’ve always been the best of friends. You know that.”

“I’m sure you told him we’re engaged, that we’re getting married just as soon as the war is over?”

“Of course I did.”

Pierre cleared his throat. She held her breath. She had to stop Pierre from saying anything about their plans to Jean. They couldn’t hurt him like this.

Before Pierre could get a word out, Jean spoke again. “Then I guess Pierre really has changed. Because the Pierre I used to know would have taken one look at you, saw what a beautiful woman you’d become, and decided he needed to have you for himself, regardless of anyone else’s feelings or previous commitments.”

The hard truth of Jean’s words pummeled into her chest. And whatever Pierre was planning to say fizzled into a sigh.