"What of you?" Belle asked the tall, handsome doctor.
"Starving, I have to admit."
"Well, there are the other sandwiches."
"We ought to save them just in case."
"Eating one won't do any harm."
He nodded, and she handed it to him. He chewed wearily but with relish. She sat back down between the men to share the warmth.
"Better?" she asked after a time.
"Much." He leaned his head back. "Can you let me have about twenty minutes' sleep? I feel like my eyes are dancing in my head. But make sure I don't sleep too long. I need to spell James. He can't stay up there much longer with that leg."
"I'll watch over you, I promise."
He rested his head on the crown of hers, and closed his gritty eyes. It seemed as though he had only just shut them when she was shaking him awake. Her tone became increasingly urgent.
"Doctor! Dr. Sanderson! You must get up. You said not to let you sleep, and James is just about done in. He says the road is getting worse. The snow is much deeper, almost up to the horse's chest."
"How far do you think we've gone?" he asked as he shook his head to try to clear it of the erotic visions which had been swirling in his head, all featuring a raven-haired woman with deep blue eyes.
"I caught the glimpse of a milestone when I opened the window to call up to him. I think we have another two miles to go if we're lucky."
He fumbled through his clothing and eventually pulled out his fob watch. "Nearly midnight. Drat, you let me sleep too long."
"I could barely wake you as it was," she said defensively.
He patted her shoulder. "Come on, help me get James down off the box before he perishes."
They struggled with the near-frozen young man, and got him back down in one piece, just.
Once back in the safety of the coach, all four of them considered their options while James tried to thaw out.
Blake had to tamp down the huge surge of jealousy he felt over Belle helping the other man, but he noticed she did not touch his face in the way she had his.
Was it possible she liked him, rather than James? Or was it that she had become more wary after his uncontrollable display of ardor?
Whatever the reason, he could find no fault with her nursing abilities. Once again he thanked God that he had had someone so capable helping him. That she had been spared serious injury.
"Is the snow as bad as he says?" she asked after a time.
"Aye, it's deep."
"We have shovels. We'll just have to dig."
"James can barely stand, and Mr. Greengage is in no fit state-"
"I meant you and I. Get James warmed up, put him back on the box, and press forward. We haven't come all this way to perish now."
"No one is going to perish," Blake said firmly. "Please, Belle, you've been very brave up until now. Try not to panic at this stage."
"I'm not. We're so close. Mr. Greengage needs help. Either your driver didn't get through, or no one is able or willing to help us. They've probably given us up for dead. It's only another two or three miles at most and then this whole ordeal will be over. We dig a trench just wide enough to pass through, and head for the next village."
Blake looked at James. He was still shivering uncontrollably, but he nodded. "I'll do it if you will. And at least the wind seems to be dying down." He drank in her appearance as if trying to memorize it.
"Check through the bags. Yours too, Belle. We need every single piece of clothing on us that we can fit. Woolen stockings can be used as mufflers, even as mittens if need be. Get all those bottles heated. We head out in fifteen minutes. We have nothing to lose at this stage by trying. If we get through, hot food and warm beds await us. If we don't, one of us can run for help as soon as the sun is up."
"You could do that now. Take the horse," Belle suggested.
"It's tempting, but I don't want to risk it. If anything happens to me, then everything would be on your shoulders, Belle. I don't want to risk it. It's a third option, but we're better off sticking together at this stage. It may only be two miles, but anything can happen when you're on your own. We have food, shelter and warmth. I'm not going to risk ending up worse off. If you don't mind digging, then we dig."
"I'm almost ready," she said, hauling on the last of her petticoats, which she put on right over her dress. She was relieved her linen was so pristine thanks to the auspices of her housekeeper Maggie, whose motto was ‘cleanliness is next to godliness.'
She saw Blake staring down at her, and tried not to blush. But that kiss they had shared before made it hard to look him in the eye.