Lucien was silent. He hadn’t known that. This whole time she had been mere steps away, and yet he never saw her.
“I see,” he replied evenly. “I suppose… I suppose it was more convenient to put me in there that night.”
His heart sank as he spoke. Alex wasn’t a sentimental fool like him. She made decisions driven by simple logic. And her continued distance proved that.
Freddie studied him. “We can move you to another room, if—”
“No.” The word came out far sharper than he intended. “That won’t be necessary,” he added more gently. “I think I need to spend more time out of bed, that’s all.”
“Mmm,” Freddie hummed. “As long as the doctor approves.”
Lucien rolled his eyes. He was damned tired of needing that man’s approval for everything. “It’s fine as long as the pain doesn’t worsen.”
She patted his arm. “I’m sure you know best.”
Lucien let out a dry laugh. He wasn’t sure about anything these days.
On the sixth day, he felt considerably stronger and the swelling on his face had gone. There was still some faint bruising around his eye and jaw, but Lucien thought it made him look rather roguish.
The day passed in the usual manner: He took a turn around the back garden with Mrs. Atkinson, played several rounds of cardswith Freddie, and gossiped with Mrs. Drummond over his midday meal. Dr. Mosley had come again and was pleased with Lucien’s progress.
“You’re well enough to return home tomorrow. Though between us fellows, I can tell the lady of the house you need another day or two,” he added with a sly look.
Lucien gave him a puzzled frown. “Pardon?”
“There’s no need to play coy with me, young man.” The doctor chuckled. “When I was your age I’d have done much worse to stay so close to my fiancée. We’ve been married forty-two years now, and I swear it has gone by like that,” he said with a snap of his fingers.
“Congratulations, but I’m not engaged to anyone,” Lucien grumbled.
The last thing he wanted to hear about was this man’s felicitous home life.
Both of Dr. Mosley’s bushy white eyebrows rose considerably. “Oh. My mistake. I just assumed—”
Lucien huffed. He was getting quite tired of people’s assumptions. “Assumed what?”
“I’ve known Miss Alexandra her whole life,” the older man began. “I’ve seen her through every childhood sickness. Every injury—though granted she didn’t have many of those,” he digressed until Lucien gave him an exasperated look. “The point is,” Dr. Mosley continued, “I’ve never,everseen her as distressed as she was the night they brought you here.”
Lucien blinked. “Oh.”
“Yes,” the doctor said with a laugh. “Oh.” Then he rose and put on his hat. “She’s an interesting woman, Alexandra. Isn’t one to suffer fools, I gather.”
“No, she isn’t,” Lucien agreed.
The doctor arched a brow. “Luckily, you don’t strike me as a fool. Try not to prove me wrong,” he said with a wink and left the room.
Lucien let out a sigh and tilted his head back against the pillows. That remained to be seen.
That evening Freddie and her parents went to dine with the Ericsons, ostensibly to discuss wedding plans. Lucien joined Mrs. Drummond in the servant’s hall for a light supper, then headed back to his room. As he made his way down the hall, a soft light flickered under Alex’s bedroom door. Lucien paused, momentarily struck by the urge to knock.
No. If Alex wanted you, she would just come out and say so,he thought morosely.
Lucien shuffled off to his room and settled into a chair to read another one of Mrs. Atkinson’s novels. But every few sentences, he would glance at the door and wonder if she was still in her room. Freddie had mentioned they were all taking Inspector Holland’s warning seriously by staying close to home and never going out alone, but then, Alex had never been one for following orders. Perhaps she had taken the chance to slip away for the night. Which meant she could be in danger at this very moment. Really, it was Lucien’sdutyto check on her.
He snapped the book shut and stood.
As he stepped into the darkened hall, a golden light spilled out from under her door.
Lucien wasn’t sure if he was relieved or disappointed. Then irritation won out. He stalked down the hall, or as close to it as his still tender side allowed. Before he could think twice, Lucien knocked on her door. He’d had quite enough of this. If she intended to hidefrom him indefinitely, then she would have to say it to his face. Lucien began to knock harder as Alex pulled the door open.
