side.
"How do you feel, Marshal? " "Like I'm in the middle of a war.
What's the matter with you two, fighting with a dying man between
you?
" Daniel was so relieved to see his friend awake a huge grin crossed
his face.
Grace was teary-eyed. "I'm sorry we disturbed you."
"You shouldn't shout at a lady, " Cooper told Daniel before turning to
Grace. "And you should have told us what you knew. Now, don't cry,
darling'."
"You're not dying, are you, Cooper? " Daniel asked.
Cooper would have laughed, but he didn't have the stamina. He felt as
weak and used up as a hundred-year-old plow horse. "I don't suppose I
am, " he said. "I asked you a question, " he reminded him. "Help me
sit up, fetch me a glass of water, and then tell me if you've figured
it out yet." Grace hurried to place two pillows behind the marshal's
back while Daniel lifted him up. A moment later, Daniel handed him a
glass of water, then pulled his chair closer to the bed.
Grace felt Cooper's brow, smiled because it didn't feel overly warm to
her, and then politely excused herself and tried to leave the room so
that they would have privacy for their talk.
"Grace, come back here, " Daniel ordered.
When she went back to the chair across from him, Daniel shook his head
at her and motioned for her to come to him.
"Are you going to introduce me to the lady? " Cooper asked.
"My name is Grace Winthrop, " she said, and instinctively started to
curtsy.
"She's Lady Grace Winthrop, " Daniel told his friend. "She already
knows who you are, Cooper." He patted the side of the bed next to
Daniel. "Sit with me, darling'."
"She isn't your darling'."
"She isn't? " he asked before taking a long swallow of the cool
water.
"No, she isn't, " Daniel replied. "She's mine." Grace stumbled and
fell on the foot of the bed. She was too astounded by his comment to
argue. Did all men make so little sense? Daniel had kissed her, then
shouted at her, and then he said the most ridiculously romantic thing
she'd ever heard.
She simply had to get away from him as quickly as possible before he
turned her mind into mush.
"Cooper fancies himself a lady's man, " Daniel remarked.
"I am a lady's man, " Cooper corrected.
Daniel settled back in his chair and relaxed. His friend was going to
make it. Now it was time to talk about what had happened. He was
pretty sure he had it all figured out, but he wanted confirmation.
"So tell me, Cooper, did Rebecca shoot you or was it someone else? "
Grace was so taken aback by the question, she jumped to her feet to
protest. "You cannot be serious, Daniel. You can't possibly believe
that sweet Rebecca had anything to do with this." Images of Rebecca