Scoundrel With A Noble Heart (sequel of Disgraceful)

Chapter 23

Marguerite said nothing more, allowing Goddard time and space to dwell on the matter. She remained there to offer him her quiet support. Time crawled in silence, that seemed to grow oppressive with every passing minute. The wait appeared to be an unbearable torture for Goddard, who glanced impatiently at the door every few minutes and never stopped flicking his fingers on his clad thigh.

After what seemed like ages, the door opened and the doctor stepped out of the room. Goddard leapt to his feet, and practically pounced on the older man, not even giving him a second to draw breath.

"How is he?"

"He will be fine. He lost a lot of blood but thankfully the stab didn't get into his vital organ."

Goddard's face instantly cleared at the news. He continued to ask the doctor several other questions, while Marguerite slipped into the room. The nurse, who had just finished tidying up after the doctor, informed her a moment before leaving.
"We've had him cleaned up for now, make sure to keep the wound dry and clean, and replace the bandage everyday. Be careful not to cause further injuries when removing the bandage and always wash your hands before taking care of him."

"I'll remember that. Thank you, nurse."

Marguerite hurried across to see the man, and jolted to a stop at the bedside once she saw that the man was naked. She immediately averted her eyes, but she'd already caught a glimpse of the forbidden zone between his legs. Blushing from head to toe, she turned around and fixed her wide-eyed stare at the wall. She'd never seen a nude man before, much less that particular body part.

Well, that was not entirely true. She'd accidentally got a fleeting view of the mysterious organ a long time ago, when she was a child. One day, her mother took her out shopping. Getting bored waiting for her mother as the woman bargained with a street vendor, Marguerite wandered around and came across a boy who was peeing in the corner of an alley.

Surprised to find out that the other sex did the thing differently, she stopped and stared. She recalled the shape, it resembled a tail, a short one, and little Maggie wondered why it was sticking out from the front, and not the back. And now that she saw the body part in a grown man, it was really different from what she remembered. It did look formidable, even in this state.

Her gaze swept around and landed on a heap of clothes on the floor, inches away from the bedfoot. She took the discarded shirt and trousers, only to find that they had been soiled with dirt and blood, and also badly torn. Desperate for anything at all to cover the body part, she dipped into the folds of her gown and pulled out a handkerchief.

Keeping her head averted, Marguerite stepped closer to the edge of the bed and spread the handkerchief over the forbidden spot, then she pulled away and took a peek to check if she'd put it in the right place.

A shocked gasp escaped her when she glimpsed a shadowy bushes peeking out from beneath the cloth because she'd placed it a little bit too low. She turned away and kept her gaze fixed on some point around his chest. Anxious not to touch the private part, she pinched the edge of the handkerchief and adjusted the position. Then she stole a glance again, and this time she breathed in relief to see that the entire body part had been well covered.

However, the rest of the man's body riveted her attention. Her curious gaze taking in his long legs, bare thighs and the smooth chest above the wrapped abdomen. Compassion rose in her bowels when she saw how thin the man was. He looked like he hadn't eaten anything in a week. Even so, the minute her eyes fell upon his face, Marguerite couldn't for a second tear her gaze away.

The young man had a breathtaking beauty, he looked like he just came out of a fairytale book. She could easily imagine him as a prince who came riding up the tower where a princess was trapped. Only in this version, it was the prince who needed saving. Without blinking, she marvelled at his dark, fine eyebrows, at how long and thick his eyelashes were. They looked like a sooty fan above his highbone cheeks, that swept up into a straight, aristocratic nose. Her gaze drifted to his well-shaped yet bloodless lips, and the tip of her tongue unwittingly moistened her own.

Just then the man stirred, startling Marguerite out of her fascination. She caught her breath, watching in anticipation as the man's long lashes flickered and his eyelids peeled back. His head turned on the pillows, and when his heavy-lidded gaze met hers, Marguerite just forgot to breathe. She couldn't remember if she'd ever seen such a piercing blue.

The moment he opened his eyes, Matthew knew he was already dead, because he found himself looking into the face of an angel.

She looked exactly like what he'd imagined. Calm, gentle eyes that seemed to be able to capture a soul that was lost. Long, shiny hair the color of gold framed a face so fair it seemed to glow with radiant light. She dressed in white, shimmering gown, just like what he'd seen in pictures.

"You're coming round."
The angel's voice was soft and pleasant to his ear.
"It's all right. You're safe now."

So he was in heaven. Though he couldn't imagine how he'd come to earn the reward of a place in there while he'd done nothing to deserve that. But perhaps he'd redeemed himself at the last moment, for giving his life to save a stranger.

"I want to see my mother."
He sounded like he'd got a frog in his throat.

"You have a family? Great. Can you tell me your address?"

"Address?" He repeated, confused.

"Yes, so I can contact your mother. Where do you live?"

Matthew stared dumbly at the angel in front of him. It was so strange. He'd always thought the angels, like God, knew everything.

At the moment, the fog obscuring his mind began to lift, and Matthew gradually acknowledged his surroundings. His eyes landed on a gilded overmantle mirror, a matching cornice, boiserie panel with water-gilding, and ornate carvings on the walls, also coated in gold, every which way. The immense room had enough gold to dazzle the eyes but it certainly was not heaven.

"Where am I?"
Matthew pushed himself off the bed and flinched when sharp pain shot through his stomach.

"Careful! Don't lift your head off the pillows."
Quick, gentle hands reached out to hold him in place. He lifted his head up enough to peer down to his midsection. He found that his wounded stomach had been swathed in bandage, and the very next second, he jerked in surprise to see that he had nothing on him but a handkerchief over his vulnerable part. Unfortunately the cloth slid off his body from the abrupt movement, and a good portion of flesh was revealed to Marguerite before she had a chance to avert her gaze. She couldn't repress a shriek as she shifted away. Color spread throughout her chest and into her face. She turned her back as Matthew scrabbled for the dainty fabric between his legs, the other hand clumsily reached down to cover himself.

To be continued
Update will be available every Friday night