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before his gaze slid to the doctor.
“Sir? Can you hear me, sir?” the doctor held his attention.
“Of course I can hear you. You’re shouting,” Max said grumpily. And then, trying to sit up, “What’s going on?” But the slight movement drew a low, agonized groan from him, and a cry of, “Dear God, my head!”
“You were hit, sir. Nothing to worry about. Close your eyes now and rest. That’s it.”
Max didn’t need to be told twice. He had already shut his eyes and appeared to have fallen asleep, or lost consciousness. The doctor was pleased with even that brief, lucid moment, however.
“He’ll be right as rain,” he announced with jovial certainty. “I’ll come and see him in the morning, but I don’t expect there to be any complications now.” He caught Marietta’s wide-eyed glance and smiled reassuringly, “Oh, he’ll be sore, miss, don’t doubt it, but he’ll live to make his nurse’s life a misery, you mark my words. I’ve seen forthright gentlemen like him before, and they don’t like to be incapacitated.”
After a few more stern instructions, the doctor and Dobson left the room, and Marietta was alone with Max.
He didn’t wake again, or move. Watching him in silence, she decided that he looked even more like a Byronic hero than before, if that were possible. Although Marietta had never been much of an admirer of the wild antics of the late Lord Byron—Victorian society considered him shocking—Francesca was besotted with him. So romantic, so tragic! As she looked upon the stricken Lord Roseby, for the first time Marietta could understand Francesca’s addiction.
It was an amazing thing, to find oneself attracted to a man one didn’t know. The jolt of recognition, the tingling in her bones, frightened her and Marietta had no intention of allowing it to go further. She had enjoyed flirting with Max earlier, and she felt sorry for him now, but there must be no more to it than that. Max would recover and go his own way, and she would go hers.
Aphrodite arrived in due course. She had a worry line etched upon her normally smooth brow, and Marietta noticed that her eyes were tired. “You must go home at once, Marietta,” she said. “I should never have let you stay so long. I will sit with Lord Roseby.”
Marietta looked again at Aphrodite’s weary face. “No. You go to Vivianna. I don’t mind staying—I want to. I know Lord Roseby, remember? If he were to wake in pain and confusion…Well, it will not be such a shock if he sees me rather than some stranger.”
Aphrodite gave her a look that was a mixture of amusement, irritation and doubt. “I am sure Lady Greentree would be very cross with me if I let you stay here with a man you hardly know. It is not the done thing, Marietta.”
“Mama would be cross if I did not stay,” Marietta corrected her politely. “She brought me up to always be kind and helpful to injured creatures, no matter who or what they are.”
Aphrodite gave a little snort of laughter. “Very good, Marietta! You are accomplished at getting your own way, I see.”
“Honestly, Aphrodite, I will be perfectly all right. It is my duty to stay. Please, I feel as if it is partly my fault. If I hadn’t made him cross he would never have strode off in such high dudgeon. He’d still be here, enjoying himself.” She did feel responsible for Max, and not just because his leaving had been her fault. It was as if she already knew him well enough to worry about his welfare.
Aphrodite sighed and shook her head. “Very good at getting your own way,” she murmured. Then, with a little shrug, “Very well. The doctor has told me he may be thirsty when he wakes, so I will have some water brought up for him. And there will be broth kept warm downstairs, in case he needs that later on. As for you…one of the servants will bring you tea and sandwiches, Marietta, mon petit puce .”
Startled, Marietta blinked. Did Aphrodite just call her a little flea?
But
“Sir? Can you hear me, sir?” the doctor held his attention.
“Of course I can hear you. You’re shouting,” Max said grumpily. And then, trying to sit up, “What’s going on?” But the slight movement drew a low, agonized groan from him, and a cry of, “Dear God, my head!”
“You were hit, sir. Nothing to worry about. Close your eyes now and rest. That’s it.”
Max didn’t need to be told twice. He had already shut his eyes and appeared to have fallen asleep, or lost consciousness. The doctor was pleased with even that brief, lucid moment, however.
“He’ll be right as rain,” he announced with jovial certainty. “I’ll come and see him in the morning, but I don’t expect there to be any complications now.” He caught Marietta’s wide-eyed glance and smiled reassuringly, “Oh, he’ll be sore, miss, don’t doubt it, but he’ll live to make his nurse’s life a misery, you mark my words. I’ve seen forthright gentlemen like him before, and they don’t like to be incapacitated.”
After a few more stern instructions, the doctor and Dobson left the room, and Marietta was alone with Max.
He didn’t wake again, or move. Watching him in silence, she decided that he looked even more like a Byronic hero than before, if that were possible. Although Marietta had never been much of an admirer of the wild antics of the late Lord Byron—Victorian society considered him shocking—Francesca was besotted with him. So romantic, so tragic! As she looked upon the stricken Lord Roseby, for the first time Marietta could understand Francesca’s addiction.
It was an amazing thing, to find oneself attracted to a man one didn’t know. The jolt of recognition, the tingling in her bones, frightened her and Marietta had no intention of allowing it to go further. She had enjoyed flirting with Max earlier, and she felt sorry for him now, but there must be no more to it than that. Max would recover and go his own way, and she would go hers.
Aphrodite arrived in due course. She had a worry line etched upon her normally smooth brow, and Marietta noticed that her eyes were tired. “You must go home at once, Marietta,” she said. “I should never have let you stay so long. I will sit with Lord Roseby.”
Marietta looked again at Aphrodite’s weary face. “No. You go to Vivianna. I don’t mind staying—I want to. I know Lord Roseby, remember? If he were to wake in pain and confusion…Well, it will not be such a shock if he sees me rather than some stranger.”
Aphrodite gave her a look that was a mixture of amusement, irritation and doubt. “I am sure Lady Greentree would be very cross with me if I let you stay here with a man you hardly know. It is not the done thing, Marietta.”
“Mama would be cross if I did not stay,” Marietta corrected her politely. “She brought me up to always be kind and helpful to injured creatures, no matter who or what they are.”
Aphrodite gave a little snort of laughter. “Very good, Marietta! You are accomplished at getting your own way, I see.”
“Honestly, Aphrodite, I will be perfectly all right. It is my duty to stay. Please, I feel as if it is partly my fault. If I hadn’t made him cross he would never have strode off in such high dudgeon. He’d still be here, enjoying himself.” She did feel responsible for Max, and not just because his leaving had been her fault. It was as if she already knew him well enough to worry about his welfare.
Aphrodite sighed and shook her head. “Very good at getting your own way,” she murmured. Then, with a little shrug, “Very well. The doctor has told me he may be thirsty when he wakes, so I will have some water brought up for him. And there will be broth kept warm downstairs, in case he needs that later on. As for you…one of the servants will bring you tea and sandwiches, Marietta, mon petit puce .”
Startled, Marietta blinked. Did Aphrodite just call her a little flea?
But
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