brother’s rescuer, her companion through this darkest night of her life. Of course a gentleman would inform another gentleman of a catastrophe concerning his family. Lord Marden could not know the situation at Renslow Hall and he was trying his honorable, noble best. Now he was trying his best to stay awake, the dear man. Any of the maids could have been as much assistance, but his fine sense of duty made him stay, just as it had made him write to her brother. She should respect a man who acted so conscientiously, not resent him.
Athena decided she would have to apologize when the earl woke up. For now she took an extra blanket and draped it over him, making sure to cover his bare toes. Without looking at them too much.
*
Ian awoke to his shoulder being shaken. “Please, my lord. I need help.”
He was on his feet in an instant, but he needed a moment to reorient himself in the dimly lighted room. He heard a panting sound that was not coming from the dog. Oh, Lord. “What should I do?”
“We need to immerse him in a cool bath. The footmen are bringing it, but I cannot manage by myself.”
“Of course not. Hopkins and I will handle the bath. Gently, I promise.”
“No, I only need you to lift him. I helped bathe him for years when he had fevers as a child.”
“He is not an infant now, and he will not welcome the ministrations of his sister, I guarantee you.”
Athena almost argued, but knew his lordship was right, loath as she was to take her eyes off Troy, lest he slip away while she was not watching. Then the earl said, “I shall have a bath sent to your room at the same time, a hot bath, so you might relax for a bit.”
The offer was too tempting. Athena felt as if she had been wearing the same gown for a week. She hurried, and then put on the other gown she had brought, thankfully pressed and hung up by one of the maids while she tended her brother. When she returned to the sickroom, Troy was back in bed in a fresh nightshirt, much cooler to her touch. The earl was back in the chair next to the bed, speaking softly to Troy, who did seem to be listening.
“Why do you not take a nap? Our patient seems much improved,” Lord Marden said. “I am watching.”
Troy added, “’M fine, Attie.”
Athena felt peculiar settling onto the pallet in Troy’s room in front of the earl. On the other hand, she was afraid if she went to her own bed, no one would awaken her. His lordship was altogether too gentlemanly, too noble. She would have taken the other cushioned chair, but Roma was sleeping in it.
“Don’t be a goose. Sleep on the cot here. Troy and I will try to keep our voices lowered, unless he knows some ribald sea chanteys I have not heard.”
Athena smiled and lay on the narrow bed, careful to spread her skirts over her ankles. The earl came and placed a blanket over her. “I doubt I can manage two patients.”
He really was the kindest man she had ever known, if a trifle overbearing, Athena thought, falling asleep almost the instant her head touched the pillow.
She did not know if the earl called to her or one of the maids came in with a clattering tray. She only knew Troy’s breathing was harsh and ragged. She leaped to her feet. “You should have woken me!”
“He was fine a minute ago. What should I do?”
“Hold him up so I can try to get more of the medicine into him.”
The medicine dribbled out of Troy’s unresponsive mouth. He did not answer Athena’s urgings, and his skin felt cold and clammy.
“I sent for thesurgeon. Perhaps we should send for your Mr. Wiggs, too?”
“No! Troy does not like him. And he does not need a minister. He is not dying. He cannot be!”
Ian feared he was, though. And the sister was grasping the boy’s hand, but looking at Ian, crying, “Do something!”
The dog was at the side of the bed, whining, looking up at him, too.
He wasn’t God, although he had already done the Devil’s work. What could he do? Attie was all red-faced again, tears
Athena decided she would have to apologize when the earl woke up. For now she took an extra blanket and draped it over him, making sure to cover his bare toes. Without looking at them too much.
*
Ian awoke to his shoulder being shaken. “Please, my lord. I need help.”
He was on his feet in an instant, but he needed a moment to reorient himself in the dimly lighted room. He heard a panting sound that was not coming from the dog. Oh, Lord. “What should I do?”
“We need to immerse him in a cool bath. The footmen are bringing it, but I cannot manage by myself.”
“Of course not. Hopkins and I will handle the bath. Gently, I promise.”
“No, I only need you to lift him. I helped bathe him for years when he had fevers as a child.”
“He is not an infant now, and he will not welcome the ministrations of his sister, I guarantee you.”
Athena almost argued, but knew his lordship was right, loath as she was to take her eyes off Troy, lest he slip away while she was not watching. Then the earl said, “I shall have a bath sent to your room at the same time, a hot bath, so you might relax for a bit.”
The offer was too tempting. Athena felt as if she had been wearing the same gown for a week. She hurried, and then put on the other gown she had brought, thankfully pressed and hung up by one of the maids while she tended her brother. When she returned to the sickroom, Troy was back in bed in a fresh nightshirt, much cooler to her touch. The earl was back in the chair next to the bed, speaking softly to Troy, who did seem to be listening.
“Why do you not take a nap? Our patient seems much improved,” Lord Marden said. “I am watching.”
Troy added, “’M fine, Attie.”
Athena felt peculiar settling onto the pallet in Troy’s room in front of the earl. On the other hand, she was afraid if she went to her own bed, no one would awaken her. His lordship was altogether too gentlemanly, too noble. She would have taken the other cushioned chair, but Roma was sleeping in it.
“Don’t be a goose. Sleep on the cot here. Troy and I will try to keep our voices lowered, unless he knows some ribald sea chanteys I have not heard.”
Athena smiled and lay on the narrow bed, careful to spread her skirts over her ankles. The earl came and placed a blanket over her. “I doubt I can manage two patients.”
He really was the kindest man she had ever known, if a trifle overbearing, Athena thought, falling asleep almost the instant her head touched the pillow.
She did not know if the earl called to her or one of the maids came in with a clattering tray. She only knew Troy’s breathing was harsh and ragged. She leaped to her feet. “You should have woken me!”
“He was fine a minute ago. What should I do?”
“Hold him up so I can try to get more of the medicine into him.”
The medicine dribbled out of Troy’s unresponsive mouth. He did not answer Athena’s urgings, and his skin felt cold and clammy.
“I sent for thesurgeon. Perhaps we should send for your Mr. Wiggs, too?”
“No! Troy does not like him. And he does not need a minister. He is not dying. He cannot be!”
Ian feared he was, though. And the sister was grasping the boy’s hand, but looking at Ian, crying, “Do something!”
The dog was at the side of the bed, whining, looking up at him, too.
He wasn’t God, although he had already done the Devil’s work. What could he do? Attie was all red-faced again, tears
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