To Love and Protect (59 page)

“Someone else can fight the war for you,” Dr. McGregor calmly replied.

“You don’t understand…”

“No,
you
don’t understand.
 
If you do not take some days to heal, then you are not going to get better.
 
You are lucky that rib stopped the bullet.
 
If it hadn’t you could very well be visiting with St. Peter.
 
As it is, you have a broken rib and a damaged lung.
 
I don’t know how else to say it, but your body needs rest.”

“A week is all I can give you.”

“Damn stubborn Scot.”

That conversation had occurred three weeks ago.
 
In that time, they had buried a prime minister, another had been appointed, and the upstart colonists thought to wage war against their mother country.
 
And who could forget the assassination attempt on Prinny last year?
 
Had it only been a year ago
, he mused introspectively.
 
Time rushed past at an amazing rate of speed and he could do nothing to slow it down.
 
Forty loomed ever closer, causing him to catch his breath at times.

Now, Mack sat in the comfortable leather chair in his study and lifted his booted legs onto the ottoman.
 
He leaned his head back and closed his eyes.
 
He welcomed the silence as it soothed his soul.
 
He was glad that when he moved to London all those years ago, that he invested in this house rather than taking rooms at one of the hotels in London.
 
He missed the Highlands of Scotland, but doubted he could ever go back there.
 
Laird McKenzie would not welcome him, and his mother belonged with her husband, as it should be.

“Sir, I didn’t hear you come in.
 
Would you like something to eat?” John Bartlett, his man servant asked.
 
John did everything for Mack, except keeping the house clean.
 
For that, he had a woman come in once a week.

“I slipped in a few minutes ago, John.
 
It seems I will be underfoot for a while.”

“And why’s that?”

“I have been relieved of my position.”

“But you are the Director of the War Office.”

“Not anymore.
 
It seems people are concerned about my health.
 
I say I’m too ornery to die.”

“Too true, sir.
 
Well, what do you plan to do?”

“Either prove to everyone I am as healthy as an ox, or prove Presley is inept.”

“And how do you plan to do that.”

“The hell if I know, John,” Mack sighed, holding his aching, bandage-wrapped side.

Coming Late Fall/Winter 2014