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"No, it ainst an artery And I wouldn’t care to bleed out down here"
She crawled closer to hi her face close to his to examine hiray, and when she pressed her fingers to his forehead, she felt cool moisture
"Don’t worry," he murree If anything, it orse than it looked She was infused with panic as she wondered if he were going into shock, a condition in which the heart did not puh blood to maintain the body It had been described as a " off her riding coat, she tried to lay it over his chest
"What are you doing?" he asked
"Trying to keep you warar sound "Don’t be ridiculous First, the injury isn’t that bad Second, this tiny thing is not capable of keeping any part of nificant injury," she said, "and I do not agree to your plan I have a better one"
"Of course you do," he replied sardonically "Marks, for once would you do as I ask?"
"No, I’h debris for both of us to climb out"
"You can’t even see, damn it And you can’t move these timbers and stones You’re too satory re upward and squinting at her surroundings Identifying the highest pile of debris, she made her way to it and hunted for nearby rocks
"I’atory" He sounded exasperated "Your stature is absolutely perfect forrocks Blast it, Marks, you’re going to hurt yourself--"
"Stay there," Catherine said sharply, hearing him push some heavy object aside "You’ll worsen your injury, and then it will be evena heap of ashlar blocks, she picked one up and lugged it up the pile, trying not to trip over her own skirts
"You’re not strong enough," Leo said, sounding aggravated and out of breath
"What I lack in physical strength," she replied, going for another block, "ICould we set aside the heroic fortitude for one bloodyto argue with you, my lord I need to saverocks"
Somewhere amid the ordeal, Leo decided hazily that he would never underestiain Ounce for ounce, she was therocks and debris while half blind and ha back and forth across his vision like an industrious mole She had decided to build awould stop her
Occasionally she stopped and put her hand on his forehead or throat, checking his teain
It wasto let a woman do such ithout him--but every time he tried to stand, he became dizzy and disoriented His shoulder was on fire, and he couldn’t use his left ar his eyes
He must have drifted off for a fewhe are of was Catherine’s urgent hands shaking hi here?" He had the confused i, and she wanted him to awaken before his usual hour
"Don’t sleep," she said with an anxious frown "I’ve built the pile high enough that we can climb out now Come with me"
His body felt as if it had been encased in lead He was overwheler"
"Now, er him until he obeyed "Coroan, lurching until he had staggered to his feet A cold burst of pain radiated from his shoulder and arm, and a few helpless curses slipped out before he could stop himself Oddly, Catherine didn’t rebuke him
"Over there," she said "And don’t trip--you’re too heavy for me to catch"
Profoundly irritated but aware that she was trying to help hi his balance
"Is Leo short for Leonard?" she asked, confusing him
"Confound it, Marks, I don’t want to talk now"
"Answerto keep hi heavily "It’s just Leo My father loved the constellations Leo is the … constellation of high suulus" He paused to stare blearily at the pile she had made "Well How efficient you are The next time I take an architectural commission--" He paused to catch his breath "I’ll recommend you as the contractor"
"Just think if I’d had my spectacles," she said "I could have o first, and I’ll follow"
"Hold on toyou’ve ever said to ether laboriously, while Leo’s blood turned to ice and his wound ached and his brains went to round in an aard sideways sprawl, he was infuriated with Catherine for o to such effort when he’d wanted to stay in the pit and rest The sun was blinding, and he felt hot and strange A ferocious ache had settled behind his eyes
"I’ll fetch ether"
The prospect ofBut faced with her ruthless insistence, he had no choice but to comply Very well He would ride He would bloody well ride until he expired, and Catherine would appear at the house with his corpse seated behind her
Leo sat there fuer gave hi up behind her, sat the horse, and put his good ar with disco, her spine a steady axis that centered them both Now all he had to do was endure His resentment evaporated, dispersed by thrills of pain