Julius’s stomachrolled in protest, but he picked his way through his breakfast. Bite by bite his stomach subsided, and the strength returned to his limbs. The colors in the room were brighter, and his awareness of the beautiful young maiden at his side rose as he ate.
He might be injured, but he was still a man, after all.
Audrey finished her meal, rising to collect another cup of the awful brew. She brought it over, and he dutifully swallowed it. At least the tepid drink assuaged his thirst.
By the time they were finished eating, Patrick had returned with clean sheets and Audrey’s garments. The old servant helped Julius from the bed to sit in the armchair, where he watched while the two of them changed the bedding.
When they were done, Audrey took her clothing to a room down the hall to wash up and get dressed. Patrick supported him to his washstand to do the same, helping Julius into a fresh pair of trousers and a loose shirt from the wardrobe.
The chair was returned to the table by the window, where Julius sat. His side ached, but he felt much better, and he concluded that getting some rest and a few good meals in his belly would put him back to rights.
Audrey returned, exquisite with her freshly combed hair re-pinned and the gray mourning gown, which accentuated the silver hue of her eyes. She might be one of the few women of his acquaintance who was attractive in one of those drab gowns, what with her creamy skin, blonde tresses, and those eyes! Her eyes were fascinating.
Julius reminded himself that a wedding might be unavoidable, but he was not to get any ideas of a propermarriage. The sort of marriage that started off full of hope and eventually entrapped both parties—and their children—in misery. He had hated seeing the growing distance between Lord Snarling and his mother throughout his youth.
Audrey interrupted his thoughts with the question he had been dreading.
“How do you know the fourth suspect is innocent? What was the attack about?”
Julius flushed. It was inevitable he would have to explain his stupidity to someone, and he was rather embarrassed that Audrey was the first person to hear the explanation, but he owed it to her after involving her so deeply in his plot. It was sobering to acknowledge he could have gotten himself killed with his idiotic antics!
“I thought to draw the killer out by sending blackmail notes providing different locations for a meeting. None of the men showed, but I assume that one of the suspects had his man follow me.”
Horror crossed her features, and her plump lower lip dropped. “Julius! You could have been killed!”
“I freely admit it was a poorly devised plan,” he grumbled, mortified, as he twisted his signet ring.
“Poorly devised! It was barely a plan at all! You are pursuing a cold-blooded killer.” Under her breath, she mumbled something like daft imbecile. Julius’s lips quivered despite his embarrassment. He was growing to like the tempestuous Miss Gideon. One moment she was professional competence, and the next she was waving a sword at a blackguard in the street. He would like to see her unravel when she made love for the first time.
The thought sent a tide of lust cascading to his groin as he acknowledged he would be the man to bed her, what with their impending vows. Julius tilted his head to examine his virginaltemptress. Did Audrey know what fate awaited them? That their wedding was inevitable now that she had run off with him?
“Yes, but now I know it was one of the three men I attempted to blackmail, which improves my odds of discovering who it is. I shall need to follow them to learn more about them.”
Audrey harrumphed. “Not today. You must rest until your strength returns. What would you do if you encountered that villain? You are as weak as a kitten.”
“Tomorrow, perhaps?”
She nibbled on her lip, thinking. “Mayhap, but I would need to accompany you. And, strategy must be considered. Some sort of disguise, perhaps. Your first attempt was waving a red flag in front of a bull and racing away with the hopes it would not gore and trample you to your death.”
Julius gave an exaggerated pout, drawing a reluctant giggle from his headstrong healer. The throaty tone caused a shiver to run down his spine. Mayhap a wedding night with Audrey would not be so torturous. He could think of worse companions with whom to enter the parson’s trap.
“Shall we play piquet?”
His brows shot up in surprise, but Audrey was already across the room searching through her valise. She held up a pack of cards in victory.
“What does that bag not contain?”
She shrugged. “Sometimes patients are bored. The cards are in here for those occasions.”
Julius grinned. “We can play, but I warn you I will not be gentle.”
As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he realized the double entendre. His thoughts had been hovering in the wrong direction since he had eaten, and the flirting was inadvertent. Audrey’s nostrils flared. She must have noted the train of his thought, being a worldly individual who had followed her fatherinto all sorts of patients’ rooms, but she brushed it aside as if she had not heard him.
Walking over with the cards, she shifted a chair to face the table where he sat. Her face was downcast, her blonde lashes fanning her cheeks, but Julius did not miss the reddening of her ears that spoke to her awareness of his words.
CHAPTER 7
“I always made my food congenial to my constitution, and my health was always excellent.”
