“Send the missive to Lord Newbury instead. It ishiscane.”
“I doubt he wants to hear from me.”
“It is only a note of information. And I’m sure he’s out of his laudanum fog by now.”
Rose’s eyes narrowed at his use of Robert’s phrase. “You were not listening at the door, were you?”
His eyes widened in horror. “The servants listening at a door? God forbid, my lady.”
Rose laughed. A genuine laugh, such as she had not had in several days. “Point taken, sir.” She looked at the cane again, unable to keep the affection out of her voice. “I’ll send the note to Lord Newbury. One never knows what might walk through an open door, Davis.”
“Indeed, Lady Rose. Indeed.”
*
Thomas read thenote twice, then handed it to Robert, who sat beside his bed. He waited for his brother to scan the words, knowing immediately when Robert had reached the pertinent information, as his eyebrows arched toward his hairline.
Thomas was still absorbing the words. “How in the world did she achieve such a thing?”
A smile slowly spread across Robert’s face. “Do you remember me telling you that you underestimate Lady Rose Timmons at your own peril?”
“But I withdrew my offer. She has no obligation at all to me. Why would she do this?”
“I suspect Lady Rose’s sense of obligation has less to do with who’s on the receiving end and more centered on what’s in her heart.” He handed the note back to Thomas. “Do you want me to retrieve the cane... or would you prefer to invite her to deliver it in person?”
“I’m not up to stairs yet, and I cannot just invite her into my bedchamber.”
Robert’s grin broadened. “Dear brother, she has already been in your bedchamber.”
“I beg your pardon.”
“Don’t beg mine. And if you doubt me, ask Mother. She’s the one who brought Rose and her father here after your surgery.”
“Dear God, you’re serious.”
“I am.” He pointed at the foot of the bed. “She sat on that bench, keeping vigil most of the night. She has seen you in completedishabille—sans cravatandshirt—and the color of granite. She swooned a little bit, but I don’t think it was because you were half naked.”
“She thought I was going to die.”
“We all did.”
Thomas pointed at the note. “She thinks Bentley was behind it.”
“We all do. Well... except for you until you came to your senses.”
Thomas scanned the note again, trying not to think about Rose swooning when she thought he might die. “Are you going to be at Campion’s tomorrow night?”
“With a brace of pistols and four of Bill’s finest.” He paused. “The question is, brother, what do you want us to do? With you as a living witness, you could stand against them with a magistrate. Or we could just let events take their course with Bill’s men.”
“But if that happens, we will not be able to tie them to Bentley.”
“Might not anyway. Either way, they will wind up dead. They will hang for what they did to you.”
“But it will not be us doing the killing.”
Robert paused. “I thought you would say that. I have sent a message to Bow Street. Now, about Lady Rose—”
Thomas shook his head. “I cannot see her yet. As I said, I cannot receive her downstairs, and I’m definitely not receiving her up here. Keeping vigil is one thing, but I’m no longer half dead.”
