“I certainly did not faint. I was merely resting my eyes.”
“Oh, you did faint,” Rebecca insisted.
“Now, now, Becca. This is no time to squabble.” Father got a better hold on Rafferty’s arm and tugged. “Up on your feet, my lord.”
Rafferty stumbled up to his six feet and whatever inches tall he was and then lifted a hand to his head, his expression twisted in pain. “Damn, that stings now. It damn well does.”
“Keeping silent might keep the pain at bay,” Rebecca advised as she found the gloves she’d discarded earlier. Rafferty cursed far too much.
Rafferty snorted. “Of course you would recommend that.”
The earl draped one arm about the duke’s shoulders. They were almost of the same height and seemed to move easily together along the avenue.
When the manor came into view, Rebecca breathed a sigh of relief to be home again.
At the door, a footman drew close but his eyes were wide upon her. He enquired after her health and, once assured she’d suffered no harm, he produced a letter. “This came earlier today by special messenger.”
Upon reading the sender’s name, she was filled with apprehension. Rebecca pocketed the letter before her father noticed. “Thank you.”
The footman lowered his gaze to the floor. “Shall I send your maid to attend you, madam?”
“Yes, please do. Also, can you deliver Lord Rafferty his usual requirement—white wine for this time of day?”
“Very good, madam.” The fellow scurried away, glancing back over his shoulder once.
“Mrs. Warner!”
She looked up at the sound of the duke’s call. He and Rafferty had paused halfway up the staircase and were both looking at her. Rafferty was grinning now.
“Yes?”
“Perhaps you should retire to your room to change. Immediately.”
She glanced down—and saw her undergarments were on display. Her face heated and she quickly tugged up her gown and retied her shawl over herself. “I will.”
Clutching the shoulder of her ruined gown, she hurried up the staircase until she reached the gentlemen. Rafferty was no longer grinning; he was sweating again, as if the effort of movement was more than he could bear. Although she didn’t want to care, she could not help but feel she should be worried about him. He had saved her.
Rebecca fell into step with them, saw Rafferty safely to his bedchamber, and then hurried to her own. Once there, she rang for a maid and moved to the mirror. “Oh!”
She put her hands to her head and groaned. Her gown looked like she’d been running wild for days, and her hair, her crowning glory, looked like a birds nest! She found what few pins remained and ran her fingers through her hair until stopped by knots. Crestfallen that she’d been seen looking less than her best beyond her bedchamber, she turned for the wash basin to cleanse her fingers of Rafferty’s blood. Then she sat at her dressing table to await her maid’s assistance.
It was a short wait. Nancy arrived very quickly but her eyes grew round in shock upon seeing her. “Oh, madam, I’ve just heard the terrible news! Are you hurt?”
Her wrist had seemed a little tender but she was sure the discomfort would pass by tomorrow. “I’m fine, but my hair and gown did not survive unscathed. Can you help me?”
“Happy to,” Nancy assured her and began to work her magic.
She put Rebecca’s long hair to rights again, coiling it into a loose chignon, and removed the damaged gown with assurances it would be repaired by nightfall. She helped Rebecca into a new day gown and fresh slippers.
Rebecca sent the maid away before she read her letter.
Thank heaven she had, for the contents were not pleasing.
Her friend, Mrs. Charlotte Benning, claimed to have exceedingly good news to share. The widow was to journey to Bath soon and was to stay for the month of August. Rebecca was invited to join her there if she were not otherwise engaged.
Rebecca folded the letter and tucked it away in a drawer to answer later.
Rebecca’s last stay in Bath had been an awkward holiday she’d rather not repeat. Charlotte Benning had arrived unexpectedly at Rebecca’s door and claimed her holiday lease had fallen though. At such short notice, with no other acceptable accommodation found, Charlotte had asked to stay with Rebecca. Rebecca had felt obligated to agree because of their years of friendship but soon came to regret it.