“Indeed, in most cases,” the doctor averred.
“Now, Doctor,” Miss Mayton said, “if Lord Harveston was to be very, very careful, might he not descend to the drawing room of an evening?”
“Is Lady Cordelia to descend to the drawing room?” Percival asked.
“She is not and you are not,” the doctor said sternly. “You both have the sort of injuries that are not life threatening, but if not treated properly may carry life-long effects. I do not suppose Lady Cordelia would like a permanent limp and you should wish to be addlepated, all to hear the latest gossip? You would make a very fine pair.”
“Nobody said we were a pair,” Percival said.
“No? I had thought…”
“As had I,” Miss Mayton said, staring down at him.
“That is, nobody said we werenota pair either,” Percival said. “The thing has not been discussed.”
Miss Mayton looked very satisfied with that response. She rose and walked to the window. “Ah, Lord Hamill has seized the day, I think. And Lord Poppin is soaking wet.”
She walked to the fireplace mantel and straightened a picture frame on it. “Perhaps the whales capsized him.”
This made Percival laugh despite himself.
The doctor rose. “My work is done here for now. Lord Harveston, I will leave your valet with tincture of laudanum to treat the headache that is likely to result from your adventure and will return in three days’ time unless you take a turn. Do follow my advice and do not venture out just because you feel you can—your brain needs time to settle.”
The doctor bowed. Then he stared at Miss Mayton.
She stared back at him.
“Miss Mayton,” he said, “I hesitate to leave you in a man’s room?”
Miss Mayton seemed to come to her senses. “Goodness, no, you had better not.”
Jameston took the vial from the doctor and showed them out.
What a day.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Cordelia had beenwaiting anxiously and staring at the door. She’d also been determinedly ignoring Lynette’s various comments on the day, which tended toward not being surprised to find out somebody was dead.
She must know if Lord Harveston was unharmed.
There had been footsteps overhead, and muffled talking. But then in a clearer sound, she was certain she heard Miss Mayton say “the whales capsized him.”
It made no sense whatsoever, but unless she was beginning to experience false delusions, she was very sure she’d heard it.
Lynette had been no help to confirm it, she’d been too busy muttering to herself.
Finally the door opened.
Her aunt hurried through it. “Lord Harveston only has a commotion of the brain and the doctor says if he will rest for a few days and be careful a few weeks longer the commotion will subside and he will be right as rain.”
Cordelia breathed a sigh of relief. He would be all right. They both would be.
Lynette looked a little annoyed to hear it and Cordelia supposed she had been counting on being right in her prediction of disaster.
“I’ll go see what’s to be done about your dinner, Lady Cordelia,” Lynette said. “I’d like to hear what they’re saying about all this in the servants’ quarters.”
Her maid closed the door behind her.
