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Benedick didn’t dignify that with an answer. “When this is over, you bastard, you and I are going to have a serious reckoning. ”
Lucien’s scarred face curved in a malicious grin. “I’ll be looking forward to it. But in the meantime do you suppose we might pay attention to what’s important?”
Miranda hadn’t exaggerated. Brandon lay on the narrow bed, his color dead white. The doctor had already removed the stained clothes, and Brandon’s thin, scarred chest rose up and down, imperceptibly. His skinny, clawlike hands were stained with blood, though Miranda was busy washing them clean.
“You shouldn’t be doing that!” Benedick said abruptly. “We should call a servant or something…”
“No!” Miranda snapped. “The fewer people who know about this the better. Besides, I need to be able to do something. ” She reached out and brushed a shock of his dark hair away from his face. “Poor little baby brother,” she whispered, tears in her eyes.
“He’s in rough shape, but he should make it,” the doctor, a thin man with sad eyes far older than his years, murmured. “The amount of opium he ingested has a depressive effect on the heart, slowing it down, and I feared it might stop beating completely, but it’s already coming back, and his breathing is better. Even his color is improving. ”
Benedick looked at the sickly yellow and white of Brandon’s skin. “His color is improving?” he said doubtfully.
“You should have seen him when he first arrived,” Miranda said. She glanced up at the doctor. “What can we do?”
“Watch him. As long as he cannot add more opium or anything similar, such as laudanum syrup, then he should continue to come back. Keep any sort of spirits away from him, as well. Tie him to the bed if you must, but don’t let him ingest anything more for at least two days. If you can, a full week would be better. ”
“Two days?” Miranda echoed, incensed. “He’s never going to touch that filthy stuff again. ”
The doctor looked at her sadly. “In my experience, my lady, that’s seldom the case. He’s a habitual user, and while I imagine he started as a response to the pain of his injuries, he now uses it to shut out the world, and it’s hard to bring someone back from that. Apart from his addiction, he’s in one piece. No injuries, broken bones or the like. ”
“And the blood?” Lucien spoke then, and the man lifted his head.
“I saw no blood, my lord,” he said calmly.
Lucien nodded. “You’ll be taken care of as per usual. ”
Benedick’s annoyance grew. “He’s my brother. I’ll take care of any remuneration. If you’ll tell me where to have it sent, Doctor…?” He waited for the man to supply his name, but the doctor looked from the Scorpion back to him, and shrugged.
“We’re better off without names,” he said gently. “And the Scorpion knows how to get in touch with me. I leave it to you two gentlemen to sort out who pays. ” There was a cynical twist to his mouth, before he turned to Miranda and put a gentle hand on her head as she sat beside Brandon, clutching his thin hand in hers. “Don’t worry, dear lady. He’ll be better soon. And then you may begin the hard work of convincing him to stay away from the opium. I wish you luck. ”
She smiled up at him, but the man had already vanished, like the ghost he was.
At that point Brandon’s eyes fluttered open, just for a moment, and then closed again. Not before Benedick saw the expression of clear panic in his bloodshot eyes.
“He’s waking up!” Miranda said, her voice brimming with excitement.
Benedick had to wonder if his brother-in-law had seen that same look of horrified pleading. “You need to come downstairs with me, my love, and have something to eat. You’ve been pacing and hovering for too long. ”
“But Brandon needs me!” she cried, mutinous.
“Brandon has Benedick, who is more than capable of providing nursing duties, and most likely better at holding a chamber pot. And you, my dear, need to consider the baby, and eat properly. ”
“You’re not fighting fairly,” she shot back.
“Of course not, my love. ” He held out his arm, and after a moment she rose and took it.
“But I’m coming right back. Do you understand?” she said stubbornly.
“You could do with a short nap. Then you may come back, and by then your baby brother will probably feel better able to withstand so much family and your dauntless enthusiasm. ” He put his hand over hers, leading her away. “Leave this to Neddie. ”
Benedick waited until they were out of earshot, stifling his irritation at the Scorpion’s mocking use o
f the pet name only his siblings were allowed to utter. When he turned back, Brandon’s eyes were open and full of blinding despair.
“I killed her, Neddie,” he whispered, his voice a painful rasp. “I told him I wouldn’t. I told him there wasn’t anything that would make me do it, but I killed her anyway. ”
“Hush, now,” Benedick said, taking the seat beside him and holding the hand Miranda had abandoned. There was still blood beneath the fingernails, and he hoped Brandon couldn’t see it. “Who told you to kill her? And who is she?”
