Clara arrived quickly—the efficiency of an assistant who had been summoned with a tone that communicated urgency and had responded accordingly. She carried the ice pack and first aid kit with the practiced calm of someone who had handled unexpected situations at her employer's direction before and had learned not to ask questions about them.
Liam took the ice pack from her without standing up. He was still on one knee in front of her, her foot resting on his lap, and he applied the compress with the careful, deliberate pressure of someone who understood that getting this wrong would hurt her and had decided not to get it wrong.
She inhaled through her teeth.
He stopped immediately. Looked up at her. "I'm sorry. I'll be gentler."
She said nothing. Looked at the garden.
