Perhaps he should have spoken a bit softer, he mused, reaching up his good hand to steady her as she broke concentration. Merlin, her expression was so crinkled with worry, it nearly made him chuckle. He attempted to shift his weight - it couldn't have been comfortable for her to have all his weight on her lap - but let out a hiss of pain as he did so. "My ribs." He responded, though that was rather obvious. Though the splinter was out, his side was still throbbing. It was going to be rather a difficult task getting back to the ballroom, what with his injury and her ankle —
The events preceding the cabinet falling on him came crashing back to him and he moved to sit up, casting her a concerned look as he clutched at his side. "I pushed you." He said, his eyes full of regret. "I'm so sorry Miss Skovgard, please forgive me; are you okay?" In his panic, he hadn't attempted to be gentle, there hadn't been any time. But that should have excused that he'd shoved her quite hard out of the way, likely doing more damage to her sore ankle again and impeding their (rather already failed) mission in the process.
The events preceding the cabinet falling on him came crashing back to him and he moved to sit up, casting her a concerned look as he clutched at his side. "I pushed you." He said, his eyes full of regret. "I'm so sorry Miss Skovgard, please forgive me; are you okay?" In his panic, he hadn't attempted to be gentle, there hadn't been any time. But that should have excused that he'd shoved her quite hard out of the way, likely doing more damage to her sore ankle again and impeding their (rather already failed) mission in the process.