Conquering a Viscount by Macy Barnes

doctor shook his head.  “Her fate is in God’s hands now; the only thing you can do is pray.” 
                  Jonathan was in a daze.  He held Juliet down so the doctor could cauterize the wound close.  She was so weak that she fainted when the heat was applied to her shoulder.  Long after the doctor left and Juliet’s mother retired to her room, Jonathan still sat at Juliet’s side, stroking her hair.  He watched every movement of her chest to make sure she still breathed.  It was shallow, but she was still breathing.
                  He said nothing as Clinton came in and sat at his sister’s side, crying and begging her to fight for her life.  Emily came in soon after and she fell to the floor beside the bed begging Juliet to forgive her. She had no idea her family was capable of such horror.  Juliet remained motionless.
                  Thomas came in and tried to get him to leave the room and get some sleep, to which he refused.  He would not leave her side.  She could wake up at any moment and he didn’t want her to be alone.  God forbid she should be alone if she drew her last breath.
                  Clinton came back in the room and sat across from him.  He finally looked up at his friend.  Clinton looked like hell.  He was sure he looked no better.  He felt as if he were in his own personal hell, watching the woman he loved fight for her life.
                  “You know it’s not really proper for you to be the one in Juliet’s room with her.” Clinton said after a moment.
                  “I intend to marry her, once she has recovered.  Surely, a fiancé should be allowed t o sit at his loved ones bedside? ” Jonathan asked him.
                  “So you finally realized what the rest of us have known all along.” Clinton stood up and leaned down and placed a soft kiss upon her head.  “Let’s just pray she lives to hear those words from your lips.”
                  Jonathan continued stroking her hair and leaned over to kiss her.  Tears pooled in his eyes as he took in her frailness.  If fever set in, she would more than likely die.  “I love you.” He whispered brokenly into her ear.  He brought his chair closer to her bed and laid his head next to hers.  “Please don’t leave me.” He begged before succumbing to sleep.
     
    ~~~*****~~~
                 
    Jonathan was awoken by Juliet thrashing violently in the bed.  Her cheeks were flushed and her skin was hot to the touch.  He rushed to the door and yelled for the maid to get help.  Fever had set in sometime during the night.
                  “ Jonathan !” she yelled out. “Help me please.” She whimpered in her delirium. 
                  He rushed back to her side. “Shush, love, I am here.  I would never leave you.”
                  She seemed to hear his words and calmed down.  He quickly checked her wound to see if her movement had reopened it and let out a sigh in relief that it was still closed.  Clinton came running into the room still in his night clothes.  “Fetch the doctor.” Jonathan told him. “Fever has set in.”
                  Several maids hurried in with pails of water and rags.  He allowed them to push him from the room as they made haste in wiping down her heated body with the cool water.  He slid down to the floor in the hallway and buried his head in his knees.  She had to survive.  He could not live without her.  If the man who shot her was not already dead he would shoot him again.
                  Someone sat down next to him, but he did not look up.  When a small hand grasped his he looked up to see Elisabeth looking at him.  “She will live Jonathan .” She whispered.  “Juliet loves you too much to leave you behind.  You have no idea how much she loves you.”  He squeezed her hand in