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“Yes, of Banker Grange,” Rebecca answered softly as she gave him her hand. He helped steady her before Felicia took hold of her.
He bowed himself off, and Felicia heard him as she steered Rebecca off, giving orders in the background. She sighed contentedly. He was so ever capable of anything.
“Oh, Felicia,” Rebecca said as they got inside unnoticed and moved towards the stairs. “You have been wonderful. I have quite forgotten my body is nearly broken.”
“Tosh, broken indeed. Bruised and battered but dashed well strong. In fact, another woman would be swooning and carrying on. You are made of sturdy stuff.” Felicia encouraged her as they stared at the long steps before them. She was secretly worried about getting her charge up those steps.
“I shall forever be in yours and Mr. Ashton’s debt,” Rebecca said gravely. “You put yourself at jeopardy for me … a stranger. How can I ever repay you?”
“Such nonsense. I have only known you less than an hour but am already certain you would have done the same had you been in my situation.” She eyed her new friend comically and said, “And now that we are friends, you may be sorry, for I may call on you for help one day.”
They both laughed at this, and Rebecca said softly, “Still, you are quite remarkable, and since we are friends, you must call me Becky.”
“Then, you shall call me what my very dearest friend in all the world calls me—Flip. No one else does.”
* * *
It was an hour later that saw Felicia helping Becky into one of the day gowns Ashton had purchased for her. It was a bit too short for Becky, as she was a good three inches taller than Felicia, but she looked well considering all her bruises and after her hot bath said she felt a good deal refreshed.
Felicia had washed up, and in her pretty lace shirt and still wearing her black riding skirt, she helped Becky back towards the stairs. However, Scott, who was out of bed and standing in his britches and shirtsleeves in his doorway, called out, “What the deuce is going on? And who is your friend, Flip?”
Ashton came up the stairs at that moment and clucked his tongue. “What the devil are you doing out of bed, young man?”
“Had to stretch my legs, sir, and getting restless. The doctor came by and said I was on the mend. Don’t see the harm, Besides, I was hoping to catch Flip and hear her version of your adventure—had some from one of the servants.”
Felicia pulled Becky forward, as her new friend had hung back and tried using her as a shield.
Felicia laughed, for she realized and understood that Becky was shy of meeting Scott while she sported a black eye and a red welt on her face. She said encouragingly, “Nothing to worry about, Becky, ’tis only Scott.”
She went on and introduced him to her new charge and noticed that while Becky stared for a moment, she immediately lowered her eyes and found something on the hardwood flooring that held her attention.
Scott’s voice was outraged when he said, “Did the blackguards do that to you! Damn their ugly souls.” He turned to Ashton. “Sir … we must see them hanged for this.”
Ashton nodded gravely. “They will I believe suffer for this day’s work, never fear.”
“Good,” Scott said.
Becky put a hand to her face as though covering it from view, and Scott told her, “Do forgive me, Miss Wilson, but I have to tell you that I have never seen anyone look as good as you do with a black eye.”
Fe
licia rapped him lightly on his hand. “What about the time I fell out of the tree and had a black eye for a week?”
He laughed. “No … Miss Wilson’s black eye is prettier.”
Becky laughed and put up her hand. “Enough, please.”
Felicia laughed, but it suddenly caught in her throat. She was an observant person, and at that moment she noted that Scott was gazing raptly at her new friend.
This grabbed Felicia’s attention as nothing else would.
Here was her lifelong friend, who had never really been in the petticoat line, positively taken with her new friend. It was all too obvious to her, for she knew him so well, that he couldn’t take his eyes off Becky. She was for a moment astonished as she watched him stare at Becky, gulp, and then as he moved a step without putting attention into it, nearly trip over himself.
His left arm was in a sling, and Felicia had supposed the doctor had constructed this to keep Scott from using it since the wound was directly beneath his shoulder. He paid his sling no mind but used his left hand as he bowed over Becky’s hand and told her, “Miss Wilson, I am and will be your obedient servant for anything you might need.”
Felicia was overcome by this and burst out laughing. He glared at her and returned his attention to Becky. “Miss Wilson.” He nodded to Felicia and Ashton. “Do come in and be comfortable, as I did promise not to leave my room for another day.”
Becky hesitated, and she glanced at Felicia. He hurriedly added, “Flip, bring her in, see her seated. Let’s not keep her standing after the ordeal she has been through.”
