After Bennett departed from the dining room, he ascended the grand staircase that led to the bedchambers on the second level. It wasn’t long before he arrived at the guest bedchamber that Miss Delphine was residing in.
He rapped on the door and it was promptly opened by a maid.
“Is Miss Delphine awake?” Bennett asked.
The maid tipped her head in affirmation and opened the door wide for him to enter. “Yes, my lord,” she replied with a curtsy. “Please, do come in.”
Bennett stepped into the room and saw that Miss Delphine was sitting up in bed with a tray of food in front of her. His gaze immediately went to her forehead, where a thick bandage was wrapped around it. However, he was pleased to see that her complexion had returned to its natural color and the scratches that had marred her face when he first found her had faded. Even under these circumstances, he could tell she was beautiful with high cheekbones and a delicately pointed nose.
Miss Delphine met his gaze with curiosity and asked, “Are you another doctor?”
“I am not,” he replied. “I am Lord Dunsby.”
Her eyes widened in surprise. “My lord, I cannot thank you enough for what you did,” she rushed out. “From what I have been told, you saved my life. I owe you a great debt.”
Bennett offered her a smile, hoping to set her at ease. “You owe me nothing. It is not often that I am able to save a woman in distress.” He gestured towards the chair by her bedside. “May I?”
Miss Delphine nodded, granting him permission to sit down.
As he settled into the seat, he said, “I understand that we are to call you Miss Delphine for now.”
Tears welled up in her eyes, then spilled over, a silent testament to the emotions that must be swelling inside of her. “Why cannot I remember who I am?” she asked with a tremble in her voice.
He could hear the fear in her voice and the surge of protection that he felt when he had held her in his arms earlierreturned. He couldn’t deny the feeling of responsibility that washed over him. He would do whatever it took to help this young woman regain her memories.
Delphine could feel the tears start to stream down her face and she ducked her head, embarrassed by the show of her emotions. She may not remember much, but she knew that this was not how a lady acted.
“I am sorry, my lord,” she said in a shaky voice. “I fear that I am not quite myself at the moment.”
“You have nothing to apologize for,” Lord Dunsby reassured her. The way he spoke his words, she believed him.
“I just wish I could remember.”
Lord Dunsby reached into his jacket pocket and removed a white handkerchief, extending it towards her. “Just as we have questions about you, you must have questions about me and my family. Would it help if I told you a bit about myself? It might help jog your memory.”
She accepted the handkerchief and wiped her eyes. “I suppose it couldn’t hurt.” Which was the truth. Her situation couldn’t get much worse.
“Very good,” Lord Dunsby said, settling back in his chair. “I was born on a crisp morning in the spring, and I have been told that I was the handsomest of babies. Which is good. I have seen some rather unfortunate babies in my day.” He shuddered dramatically to emphasize his point.
Delphine could hear the amusement in his tone, and she felt herself begin to relax. Bringing her gaze up, she asked, “Are not all babies a blessing?”
“They are, regardless of their attractiveness,” Lord Dunsby said with a smile. “Furthermore, I was, and still am, the most important person in my parents’ lives. They only hadmy brother and sisters to be my playmates. They are to entertain me.”
“Are your siblings aware of that fact?”
His smile only seemed to grow. “How could they not be? Besides, my mother calls me her favorite all the time.”
“I do not think a mother has a favorite child.”
“You would think, but I would like to think I gave my parents the most important gift of all.” He paused. “The gift of beingmyparents.”
A laugh escaped Delphine’s lips and she brought her hand up to cover her mouth. “How generous of you, my lord.”
“I thought so, as well,” Lord Dunsby said. “Now, here I am, nearing thirty years old and I have still managed to avoid the parson’s mouse trap. Which is for the best. If I took a wife, how would my family manage without my constant presence?”
“I would imagine they would continue on as they have been,” Delphine replied.
With a glance over his shoulder, Lord Dunsby lowered his voice and said in a conspiratorial tone, “I am, by far, the most interesting person in my family.”
