Glorious Victorious Darcys 01.5 - His Broken Angel Read Online Free Page A

the leather-clad aviatrix then scowled at Doc. If they meant to intimidate him they’d have to do better than that. He’d been working alongside Tuck and his formidable crew long enough to hold his own among lethal gunslingers.
    “Have you met her before?” P.J. asked as she descended to a lower deck.
    “Lily? No, but Tuck talks about her sometimes. I know she’s young, I know she’s shy, and I know he did his best to ensure she was raised in tender surroundings.”
    “Yes, well, perhaps Lily Gentry would have benefitted from less mollycoddling.”
    “You don’t like her.”
    “I don’t have time for her.” P.J. paused outside a door. “We’re sitting ducks in this skytown, Doc.
We
being your brother and me and a crew of three others. Whether you believe in our cause or not—”
    “I believe in the cause, Miss Darcy. What I can’t support is senseless violence.”
    A huge grin split her freckled face. “We should be in accord then. Be assured all of our actions are considered most intensively.”
    She opened the splintered door of a cabin, freeing a wave of trapped heat that fogged their goggles.
    P.J. pushed her protective eye gear to her forehead.
    Doc cleared his shaded lenses with a swipe of his sleeve.
    He spied a crude coal-burning steam generator—the source of the stifling heat—then beyond that, primitive furnishings including a bed piled high with blankets. The body beneath the blankets shifted and a face, eyes squeezed closed, lifted from the pillow.
    Doc got his first gander at Lily Gentry.
    His brain froze as though zapped by a stun gun.
    High cheekbones, pert nose, thick lashes, full lips. Her long, straight hair reminded him of corn silk. A lighter shade of gold and feather fine. How could someone so lovely look so tragic?
    His heart jerked.
An angel on earth
.
    “Leave us,” he said to P.J.
    “But—”
    He gently nudged the aviatrix aside, moved into the oppressive room, and shut the door with a groaning thud.
    “Who is it?” came a panicked voice.
    Forcing his senses sober, Doc focused on the injured woman. He was a professional, for God’s sake. “Name’s Doc Blue, Miss Gentry. I’m a friend of your brother’s.”
    Or at least I used to be
.
    “Tuck?” She bolted upright then fell back against her pillows with a pained groaned.
    “I’m alone,” Doc said, moving bedside. “Tuck’s unaware of your circumstance.”
    “Thank God.” Eyes still squeezed shut, chest heaving, she palmed her bandaged forehead. “I … I don’t want him to see me like this.”
    “He won’t.” Every fiber of Doc’s body ached to take this frightened woman into his arms. To comfort. To cherish.
    Smitten at first sight
.
    The affliction rocked his already shaky world. Being physically and emotionally attracted to Lily Gentry was all kinds of wrong.
    Battling a barrage of emotions, Doc eyed his fragile patient.
Trembling hands. Pale complexion. Dark circles beneath her eyes.
“Jasper sent for me because I’ve got some tricks up my sleeve when it comes to doctoring. I’ll have you up and around in no time.”
    “Up and around and walking into walls?” Tears beaded at the corners of her closed lids. “Go away.”
    “Can’t do that.”
    “Don’t want your help.”
    “Don’t rightly care.” Doc had treated some cantankerous souls in his time, but none had rattled his composure like this wisp of a girl. Did she truly expect him to abandon her in a skytown? Among outlaws? Did she honestly believe he’d allow her to suffer prolonged misery when he could hasten her recovery? “I’m beholden to your brother for years of kindness, Miss Gentry. He’d want me to tend to your good health, and that’s what I’m going to do.”
    “You can’t right my world.”
    “I can try.” Doc set aside his medical bag, swept off his derby, and studied Lily’s ashen face as he unbuttoned his wool duster.
    She opened her eyes and his breath stalled.
    Blue as a cloudless sky
.
    She looked in his