“Thank you.” She walked him to the door. When she turned back around Styles was there. “I am going to give him something for the pain now. But he will need you to attend to him soon enough. When he does have to get up, be very careful of his head.”
“I will, miss.” The valet glanced at the bed. “You have taken better care of him than anyone else could have.”
A feeling of joy filled her. It was not just that Nate was awake and seemed to be healing, but that all the servants had been so welcoming to her and her maid. Henrietta had finally found her home. “Thank you. I appreciate you telling me. And thank you for helping me take care of him.” Nate stirred restlessly, and she hurried back to the bed. “It is time for your medicine.”
“If you insist.” He sighed, but his tone was teasing.
“I do.” She raised her brow and gave him a stern look. “Unless, of course, you wish to put off the wedding.”
“Absolutely not.” He helped her guide the glass to his mouth and drank. “We are not going to have much time to prepare for the wedding.”
“The preparations are already being made.” She took away the glass. “When you did not awaken the day after you were attacked, we were concerned. But my grandmother and your mother decided you would probably not die and began planning the wedding breakfast. Grandmamma also contacted the rector at St George’s and set a date for the ceremony. I sent a note to my mantua-maker with a list of what I required, and she was kind enough to come here to discuss the details with me.” Henrietta should probably tell him about the invitation his mother made. “Your mother wrote to my parents and invited them and the children to stay here before the wedding. They will arrive in a few days’ time.”
Nate’s eyes widened. “Your parents are going to stay here?”
She did not understand it either. “It appears so. I have had enough to keep me busy and left it to them.” She grinned at him. “I suppose they are of an age to make the decisions they think proper.”
He let out a laugh and immediately clutched the side of his head. “I must not do that again for a while.”
Henrietta could not imagine how much pain he was in. She should not have made the joke. “I am so sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.” He dropped his hand from his head and took her fingers in his. “How could you have known?”
Just then a large, shaggy head bumped her arm and pushed under it. “Padraig stayed with you the whole time.”
She removed her fingers from Nate’s hand and he stroked the dog. “I’ll be up and about in no time.” He glanced at her. “I trust he’s been going for walks.”
“Yes.” Oh, dear, how was she to tell him that his small shoe-boy had been walking the dog? She would wait. “Yes. He is being exercised.”
Nate yawned. “I think I am going back to sleep.”
Henrietta straightened the covers. “That is the best thing for you. I shall have Cook prepare something for when you awaken.”
“Thank you.” His hands covered hers. “For everything.”
She brought his fingers to her lips and kissed them. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” He kissed her knuckles. “And I cannot wait to be your husband.”
“Neither can I.” Henrietta brushed a hand over his forehead. “Sleep now.”
Nate closed his eyes and was soon asleep. She wished she could crawl into bed with him. Instead, she glanced at Padraig. “Keep him safe while I get someone to sit with him. I am about to fall asleep on my feet.”
She walked to the dressing room door, and Styles opened it. “I’ll stay with him, miss.”
Henrietta nodded. “He would most likely be fine, but until he can get up on his own, it is better to have one of us with him.”
She stifled her yawn until she was in the corridor. Lord, she was tired. It was as if the energy that had sustained her over the past four days had vanished. But before she slept she had to send Merton a note that Nate had woken and would be fine.
Sitting at the desk in her bedchamber she pulled out a piece of paper and dipped the pen in the standish.
My dear Merton,
Fotherby awoke today. Dr. Daintree has been to see him and expects him to make a full recovery. He still has quite a bit of pain where he was hit, but that should lessen soon.
Your friend and sister,
Henrietta
