Remember Then

XXI. Criminal Acts

"What the bloody hell have you done!" Ralph demanded, hissing at Nicholas.

Be brushed his brother aside and went straight to the bed where he deposited Sophia's limp form. She did not even stir.

"Nick, have you gone insane!" Ralph frantically asked, following him to the bed. He was half-dressed, his torso bare, ready to go to bed.

Nicholas threw his brother a wayward glance. "The dog found me," he uttered.

"What?"

"The dog, Aabha," he said, motioning his head to the door. "The one waiting outside the door. Go and fetch her."

"What?"

Nicholas rolled his head with annoyance. "Fetch the bloody dog outside and let her in. Make haste before anyone sees you."

Ralph rushed to the door while Nicholas bent down to shake Sophia awake. "Wake up," he muttered, frowning at her pale face.

"What is going on, Nick?" Ralph asked as he shut the door close, Aabha bounding on the bed where she started to lick on Sophia's face.

"She is waking up," he said, noting Sophia's movement.

His brother grabbed his arm and whirled him to face him. "What the bloody hell is happening!"

Nicholas sighed. "As I have said, brother, I found her after the dog rushed to find me."

"Found her where?"

"In the corridor, being attacked by a man."

Ralph's face contorted in disbelief. "Attacked?"

Sophia moaned from the bed. Aabha whimpered beside her, resting its head on Sophia's chest. Nicholas bent down to shake her to full consciousness and when her eyes fluttered, he breathed a sigh of relief.

But it was merely until her eyes fluttered open and she gasped in terror.

"You're safe," Nicholas could not help but say, bending down to whisper above her.

"Nich—Lord Whiston," she rasped, correcting herself. She looked about the room blindly. "Where am I? How did I—"

"You were attacked in the corridor," Nicholas supplied, straightening to full height.

Having been reminded by her attack earlier, her eyes widened and she attempted to jump out of bed. "Marcus! I have to find Marcus!" she cried out.

"Perhaps you ought to calm down first, Miss Sophia," Ralph said gently beside Nicholas.

Sophia froze when she realized there was another person in the room with them. Her turned ashen at the mention of Ralph's name.

"Very pleased to meet you after more than a year of your attempt to have me killed," Ralph added with derision which Nicholas allowed. He did not take his eyes off her as his brother spoke, reading the invisible signs she was not showing.

He could not bloody hell find anything useful other than her obvious dread and panic over her lover.

Nicholas did his best to remain impassive, yet the look on Sophia's face made his resolve waver slightly. She looked utterly distraught and lost.

Was she acting? Was she not?

"Who was the man who attacked you?" he asked, stopping her when she attempted to step away from the bed.

She shook her head. "I do not know. I do not know. Oh God, we have to find Marcus!" She tried to pull away from his grasp but Nicholas could not let her go. Not when she just regained her consciousness and most definitely while there was something going on that involved Durley.