The Marriage Spell by Mary Jo Putney Read Free Book Online Page B

or hell, but a perfectly normal bedroom. Unthinking, he turned his head. Though his neck ached fiercely, there was no horrible crunch of broken bones.
    Ransom was slumped in a chair by the bed, but he shot upright when Jack moved. “Thank God you’re awake and moving!” He leaned forward, his face blazing with relief. “Even though your breathing was better, I couldn’t quite believe you would survive. How do you feel?”
    â€œLike I fell off Dancer and the whole damned hunting field rode over me,” Jack said in a rasping voice. “Other than that, well enough.” With effort, he raised his right arm, regarding it with amazement before letting it flop back onto the mattress. “I take it my injuries were less severe than they seemed at first?”
    Ransom shook his head. “Your injuries were mortal, Jack. Your life was saved by a healing circle conducted by that remarkable woman whom you pledged to marry if she was successful.”
    Jack gasped. He had promised to marry some female? Patchy memories began to surface. Being carried to the wizard’s house. An Amazon with startling eyes, his fear of dying, which led him to agree to her terms even though he’d believed his situation hopeless. Dear God, he really had promised to marry an Amazonian wizard!
    Unthinkable. Yet he had given his word, and the Amazon had recalled him from the brink of death. He had been given a second chance, and he certainly couldn’t start a new life by breaking his word. He must make the best of the situation. “I guess you’d better go to London and purchase a special license.”
    Ransom frowned. “Are you serious? Surely you would rather wait until you feel stronger. You still have a great deal of healing to do. Besides, maybe she can be persuaded to accept some other payment for her services.”
    â€œâ€˜If it were done, ’twere well it were done quickly,’” Jack murmured, wondering how badly he was butchering the quote. “I made a promise, so there’s no point in waiting. Weren’t you the one who suggested that I would enjoy shocking everyone in the ton? Time I got started on that.”
    Ransom rose, a faint smile on his face. “If this is what you want, I’ll leave for London immediately. I’m better at riding than sickrooms.”
    Jack managed to lift his hand and extend it to his friend. “Thanks for being here.”
    Ransom shook his hand, hard. “Ashby’s here, too. We’ve taken turns sleeping.”
    â€œI am fortunate in my friends,” Jack whispered, his strength fading fast.
    â€œOne makes good friends by being a good friend. I’ll be back by the end of the week.” Ransom touched his shoulder. “Sleep well, Jack.”
    As he slid into peaceful slumber, Jack made a mental note to ask Ashby what his bride’s name was.
    W ith a groan, Abby rolled over, aching in every muscle. What time was it? She opened her eyes and saw noon sunshine. She also found her friend Judith, the midwife, snoozing in the bed a foot away. What the devil?
    Judith opened her eyes and covered her mouth as she yawned. Though she was several years older than Abby, in the light she looked like a young girl. A tired young girl. “So you’re awake,” Judith observed. “How do you feel?”
    â€œExhausted.” Abby pushed herself to a sitting position and ran one hand through her loose hair. It was tangled abominably because she hadn’t braided it before going to bed. Since she didn’t remember going to bed, she assumed that someone had taken the pins from her hair and removed her gown and stays. “I don’t wish to appear inhospitable, but what are you doing here?”
    Judith grinned and sat up herself. Like Abby, she wore a chemise rather than a nightgown. “Beds were in short supply last night,” she explained. “Everyone who participated in the circle was far too