"You can try." Heopened the french doors leading to the terrace. He added haltingly,"Please."
Good God, Ruel must be franticif he was desperate enough to plead. "I'll try."
Margaret came out of thesummerhouse and closed the door behind her. "She's better."
A muscle jerked in Ruel'scheek. "Thank God."
"The fever's down and shev/oke up long enough to answer some of the doctor's questions. He said thefever should leave her entirely in a few hours."
"What the hell's wrongwith her?"
"Malaria. She contractedit in Kasanpore and the fever recurs periodically."
"She never told me."
"Nor me," Margaretsaid. "And I've known her for three years. She's not a woman who confidesher weaknesses." She wearily rubbed the back of her neck. "I must goback in case Ian needs me. I'll come and see her this afternoon."
"No, I'll take care ofher from now on."
"You don't appear to havedone much in that nature as yet."
He flinched. "I said I'ddo it. She might find facing you awkward."
"You're trying to saveher shame? How unusual. Your tardy gallantry is unnecessary. Jane and Iunderstand each other. She knows I wouldn't blame her for your sins." Shemet his gaze. "And I'm not sure it's not my duty to take her back to thepalace with me."
"She wouldn't go."
"I think she would. Shewouldn't admit it, but she's always been afraid of you."
"Not anymore," hesaid with a crooked smile. "Not when she's not burning up with fever. Andeven if she were, she wouldn't go. We have an arrangement."
She snorted. "She hasmore intelligence than to make a pact with a conscienceless rogue like you. Whyis she here?"
"You wouldn't want toknow."
"You may be right."She was suddenly overcome with weariness. She did not need this additionalburden weighing on her when she was so bewildered and strained herself. Who wasshe to call Ruel down for his iniquities when she had lately found herselffalling into the same temptation? "Can I trust you not to—"
"Oh, for God's sake, doyou think I'm going to jump into bed with her while she can barely lift herhand?" he asked explosively.
Whatever had happened here,Jane's illness had shaken Ruel. She had never seen him so pale and distraughtas when he had appeared at her door. She could not be sure it would last, butJane was safe with him for the time being. "If you need anything of me,let me know."
She started back up the pathtoward the palace.
Ruel looked like a death head,Jane thought hazily. Something had to be done. She would tell him she wouldtake the watch over Ian tonight. Not that she had much hope of success whenRuel was so afraid Ian would slip away if he wasn't there to pull him back. "Haveto... rest."
Ruel's gaze flew to her face."What?"
"You should rest more.You look… " She trailed off as she came fully awake. This was not thebungalow in Kasanpore in those days they had worked together to keep Ian alive.This was the summerhouse…
"You're the one who needsrest." Ruel leaned forward and put a glass of water to her lips."Drink."
She swallowed the water."I've been ill?"
"Fever. For the past twodays. The doctor said it was a comparatively mild attack." His lipstightened. "It didn't seem mild to me."
She vaguely recalled thedoctor staring down at her, asking her questions, talking to someone elseacross the bed. "Margaret... was here too?"
"Yes. Why didn't you tellme you'd had malaria?"
