Free Sinful Possession by Samantha Holt Page B

closed his eyes and hoped
his brother would understand why he wasn’t by his bedside. As soon as the
headache was gone, he would be back by his side. The strain must have brought
it on.
    He threw an arm over his
eyes and felt the lethargy that always came with his headaches creep over him.
So often, moments of stress seemed to make him ill. What sort of a man could
not deal with the stress of life? He hated his body for being so weak
sometimes. Hated himself for letting them bring him so low.
    Ash didn’t wish to sleep. He
wanted to be at his brother’s side. But the thickness in his head meant he
could hardly move. His muscles were heavy as though someone had tied weights to
them, and if he tried to move his head, the world spun and his stomach lurched.
Better to stay hidden away than let anyone see him like this, even his brother.
    His brother who currently
had a hole in his leg thanks to him. Hopefully Lila and Anna would see to him.
Lila would do a good job of looking after him. She was that sort of a woman.
All heart. She deserved someone better than a man with a weak one.

Chapter Eight
    “Where’s Ash?”
    Lila glanced at Anna. What
could she say to Harris? Your twin brother prefers his bed to being at your
bedside?
    Lila took his hand and eyed
his clammy skin. The morning light had begun to flicker through the thick
curtains, spilling tiny streams of light over the bedding. Anna had accompanied
Lila for most of the night with the exception of checking on the search party
and ensuring their security was tight. No one would get into the house, she
assured her.
    But Ash had remained in his
room. She’d even been so bold as to slip in, fearing for him after going
through such a traumatic experience, but he’d been asleep. She could hardly
believe it. His brother had been shot, and the man was sleeping. How was it
even possible? Fatigue had made her mouth dry and her eyes itchy but there was
no chance she could sleep for a moment while Harris was still in a great deal
of pain and his future was uncertain.
    “He is abed, is he not?”
Harris asked with a wry, but slightly pained, smile.
    “I believe so,” she replied.
    “It does not matter. After
all, I have two lovely ladies to take care of me.”
    He swung a glance Anna’s way,
and Lila noticed the spark of admiration there. If she was not much mistaken,
it was possible Anna might be attracted to him too. She would not blame her.
These brothers were handsome indeed, and if she had never met Ash, she was
certain Harris would be easy to fall for.
    “I shall check on him soon,”
Lila said. “He was very concerned for you.”
    Harris waved a hand. “My
brother is the way he is. As soon as anything exciting happens, he vanishes. He’s
done it for as long as I can remember. Thankfully I’m not ready to utter my
last words yet.”
    “That’s a fine job,” Ash’s
voice came from the doorway. “I have little intention of hearing them, and no
doubt you’d go on forever.”
    “I am very well, thank you,
brother,” Harris replied with a slight grin.
    Lila stood and came to Ash’s
side. “Your brother seems to be doing well,” she said. “You are lucky. You
should have been here. What if it had been worse?”
    He glanced at her, and she
noted the redness rimming his eyes. His skin had a sickly cast to it, and his
clothes were rumpled. Had he been drinking perhaps? Was that it? He’d drunk
himself into a stupor and could not awaken? She swallowed. It was odd, she had
not thought him the type to indulge. Turning to alcohol seemed too weak a habit
for a man like Ash.
    “I am here now,” he said
quietly before moving to take up the seat beside his brother’s bed. “Are you
still in pain?”
    “Not really. Nicely dosed up
at present. These ladies can attest to that.”
    “I’m sure they can. I hope
you remembered to hold your tongue at least a little.”
    Harris laughed. “I can
hardly be to blame if the laudanum was addling my wits now, can