“Here we are.” She placed a serviette over her gown and balanced the bowl on it, then scooped the first spoonful and fed it to him. When he finished the pot-liquor she smiled. “I hope for your sake the doctor will allow you to have real food soon.”
“I hope it’s soon.” It was satisfying to be able to speak in whole sentences.
“I am sure you do.” She took away the bowl and poured a glass of something. “You are a much better patient than my father or brothers.”
“I’m trying.” When she turned her eyes were twinkling like emeralds in candlelight. “Come here.”
Henrietta stepped over to the bed and sat on it. “Can you drink more barley water?”
“In a minute.” The problem was that he did not think he could get up and use the chamber pot. Just the thought of it made his head ache more.
He wrapped his hand around her much smaller one. “How did you come to be here?”
“I brought you home.” As she tilted her head, her forehead creased. “Do you remember what happened?”
“I was hit on the side of the head. I remember being lifted into the coach.” When had he lost consciousness? “I heard you say I must be moved to the town coach, but I don’t remember anything after that.” Except a gunshot.
“When we got here Mrs. Garford helped me clean your wound and bandage it. My sister sent over my maid and clothes”—Henrietta grinned at him—“and I have been here ever since.”
She slid past the part of her sister so quickly he almost didn’t notice it. “Your sister?”
“Yes.” Her face scrunched up adorably. “We had a horrible row, but something must have happened between the time I left and she appeared here.” She shook her head. “Merton has come by to see how you are doing, as have the Exeters and the Turleys. Your mother looked in on you, but she really isnotgood at nursing.”
That made Nate chuckle. “It’s not one of her strong points.”
“She kept talking to you and telling you to wake up, as if you could hear her,” Henrietta said in a bemused tone.
“No doubt she thought I was just being difficult.” He would have chuckled, but it might make his head hurt more.
“Yes, well.” Henrietta smiled cheerfully. “She quickly lost patience, and Styles and I took over again.”
He glanced at the door when it opened, and a gentleman a bit taller than medium height with light brown hair and a worried look on his countenance entered the room.
“Dr. Daintree.” Henrietta stood. “Our patient has awakened. Once a few hours before dawn and then again about an hour ago. I gave him the powder last night. He’s had a glass of barley water and just finished a bowl of broth.”
“Excellent.” The concern on the doctor’s face was replaced by a smile. “I’m glad to hear you are mending, my lord.”
She glanced from Nate to the doctor. “Allow me to introduce you. Fotherby, this is Dr. Lord Robert Daintree. Dr. Daintree, Lord Fotherby.”
“My lord,” Nate said.
“None of that.” The doctor scowled at Henrietta. “Doctor is good enough.” Millie, the head maid, came in with a bowl and linens. Once she’d set them down, Daintree moved to the bed. “Miss Stern, I will require your assistance.”
“Of course.” Henrietta joined him at the head of the bed and began removing the bandages.
Once she had finished, Daintree took out his quizzer and inspected Nate’s injury. “It’s healing well. You will still require a loose bandage for another several days, but after that we can dispense with it.”
Nate’s stomach growled. “Can I eat food?”
The doctor laughed. “Yes. Just a little at first. You haven’t had much of anything in the last four days, and you don’t want to get sick.”
“I promise to be careful.” That wouldn’t be hard. He had been almost full from the pot-liquor.
The doctor opened his bag and handed Henrietta several packets. “One every four to six hours for his pain.”
“I will make sure he takes them.” Henrietta glanced at Nate. Thank the Lord he was healing. She poured out a half glass of barley water and mixed a packet in it. “I will give him a dose now, and we shall see how he does.”
“Very well.” Daintree snapped his bag shut. “I’ll stop by tomorrow.”
