A doctor's office? God, the very notion itself was unfathomable. The last thing he needed was another stranger poking about through his business.

Shaking his head (and then immediately regretting it due to the nauseating waves of dizziness), Ben muttered, "No, no, that's out of the question...but thank you. I've sustained far worse than this."

A musket ball wound arguably was worse than this head injury, yet the continuous tunnel vision was beginning to become a problem. The man was suddenly at his flank, and despite his bruised pride, Ben finally slumped into the stranger's hold and allowed the man to guide him toward the door.

"I can't leave my horse," he said more stubbornly. "Unless you can tether her to your carriage, I will not abandon her here."

Cannot be more urgent? Oh, this man didn't know the half of it...

Nearly snorting at the assumption, Ben gripped the man's coat between his fingers, swaying along as they stumbled outdoors. "I have a meeting to attend," he said. "I'm scheduled to visit with someone in town, and if I don't make my appointment...well..." He nearly tripped, causing the two of them to stagger to the left. Placing a hand over his eyes, he slurred, "I'll make a terrible first impression. Please...just help me get there. Then I'll be someone else's problem."

This man was so stubborn! So stubborn and thankless and even stupid — but Adonis couldn’t leave him to his own devices. He could only stop arguing…and take the gentleman to a doctor’s office instead of whoever he was supposed to meet. Deception was a last resort, one he wouldn’t fall back on unless he deemed it urgent. And just the fact that this man had lost consciousness and was now unable to walk was enough to justify a lie. A lie to save a life; small price to pay.

“Very well, sir. I’ll take you to your appointment.” Only, Adonis had come on foot. There was no carriage to tether the horse to. His family’s carriage couldn’t be seen in this part of town, and his father didn’t even know he had gone for a ‘stroll’.

It would be hard — really hard — to ride a horse with a half-conscious man. Especially one who kept stumbling. But what other choice did Adonis have?