She gave him a long, cautious look, wondering if he’d even make it through the night, but there was something about the way he sat, proud even in defeat, that made her think that if anyone could make it, maybe he could. And with that, she dashed back to the front door, seeing that Adelaide was having a much harder time getting the other soldier off the ground. He’d half-crawled, half-dragged himself with Addy’s assistance, but she needed him inside and hidden from sight immediately.

“Grab him under the arm,” Elise said. “I’ll take this side. We need to get him to the table, next to the other soldier.”

She saw Addy grit her teeth from the exertion, the man a deadweight, and they hauled him up so he could stumble forward. What she hadn’t been expecting was the sudden howl he let out the moment they had him upright.

“Shhh!” she hissed.

“Elise, he’s in pain!” Addy scolded.

“Pain or not, we don’t need anyone else coming here looking to see what’s happening, do we?” Elise snapped back. “We could be killed for hiding them here!”

Adelaide gave her a sharp stare but Elise ignored her, cross with her naivety, kicking the door shut behind them as they helped the soldier across the room. One of his legs was useless, dragging behind him, and she could tell that was the primary source of his pain.

When they finally had him next to his comrade, she instructed her sister to lower him. “Carefully does it, nice and slow.”

They both grunted with the effort as they levered him into a chair. Then, as his eyes closed in relief, they stood back for a moment. Elise caught her breath, looking at both the men now sitting at their table and wondering what on earth they’d done. Inviting them in was one thing, but these men looked close to death and she was no nurse. What were they going to do?

“Addy,” she said, beckoning for her to follow. She walked into the kitchen, leaning her head closer to her sister. “I need you to scrub the blood off the doorstep. We can’t have any evidence that anyone injured came here tonight, do you understand?”

“Yes, of course.”

Elise glanced back, shaking her head that she’d so easily given in. She didn’t even want to think how long they’d have them for. “You need to clean it as best you can, then check for marks from where they dragged themselves and come in and help me.”

Addy’s fingers brushed against her arm. “Do you know what to do for them? I mean, they’re so badly injured . . .”