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Giulia’s gaze drew back to Mr. Pepper. He was the next Earl of Hart and he’d been shot. It was no wonder Lord Hart had been so concerned last night.
“Do you know the relation between this man and Lord Hart?” she asked Tilly. “In what way are they cousins?”
Tilly’s eyes widened. She shook her head. “I don’t know, miss.”
Giulia swallowed a sigh.
“Can I get you anything, miss? Tea?” Tilly asked, inching toward the door.
Giulia knew the maid was going to run straight to the butler when she left to verify Giulia’s claims, and she didn’t fault her for it. Giulia would have done the same thing. “Tea sounds lovely.”
Tilly bobbed a curtsy and fled.
Giulia ran her hands down the front of her serviceable gray dress. It was one of three she owned. Or possibly one of two now that the one she wore the previous day had an array of bloodstains, dirt stains, and rips from kneeling on the road. It was hard losing a possession when she had so few to call her own; as soon as her mourning period was over and she could acceptably wear colors again, she did not want to look at a gray dress for the rest of her life. Though, it could be worse. At least she was through with black.
She shivered and brushed away the revulsion. Black had been horrid beside her skin tone, making her look pale and sickly. If only she had gotten her mother’s beautiful Italian skin, she would be able to wear any color with grace. But no, of all the traits she’d inherited from the Italian blood, her skin color had not been among them. Her ridiculous, unruly hair was. And her boring brown eyes. But every other part of her was English—including her language. Father had made sure of that.
Giulia approached the bed and laid a hand across Nicholas Pepper’s forehead. He was warm—too warm. It was hard to know exactly, but she was fairly sure he was beginning a fever. Not entirely a surprise. Dr. Hendricks had explained to her how the body would fever to fight potential infection, but she would need to make certain it didn’t rise too high.
She got a good look at his face with the light of day peeking behind the drapes, and her breath caught. He had to be one of the handsomest men she had ever encountered. And in her adventurous life, she had encountered her share of the species. Not that she was a proficient, for none of them had ever shown any interest in her. No one except Ames, that is.
A motion under the blankets caught her attention and Giulia’s gaze flicked back to Mr. Pepper’s face. Lines formed between his brow and outlined his eyes. He was waking.
“Nicholas Pepper,” she murmured, lowering herself onto the chair beside his bed. “You are going to be fine.” Giulia felt his brow again, assuring herself he was the same temperature. Warm, but not hot.
Nicholas Pepper’s pale eyelashes fluttered, and he squeezed his eyes closed. The laudanum must be wearing off.
The door opened and Tilly stepped in carrying a tray.
“Wonderful timing, Tilly. Would you be so kind as to fetch some broth for our patient? I believe he’s waking.”
“Yes, Miss Pepper. Right away.”
Tilly set down the tea tray on a table beside the bed and scurried out. Giulia leaned over the invalid and picked up another pillow. Sliding her hand under his neck she began to lift.
“I am going to lay a cool pillow under your head, and I would like you to try and sip some broth. I know, broth sounds like the last thing you would like to eat. But, you must do what you can to regain your strength. Your body is going to do its part to heal you; the least you can do is nourish it.” She placed the fresh pillow under his head and laid him back down.
His face was set in an eternal grimace.
“Do not bother pretending you are still asleep. I can tell you are rising from the fog. You looked much more peaceful a moment ago when you were sleeping.” She paused, debating the merits of changing his dressing while he was still somewhat unconscious. No, it would be easier while he was alert. “It cannot be comfortable recovering from a gunshot wound. But the doctor did say you were fortunate in the placement of the bullet and will likely have a full recovery with use of your arm. Is that not wonderful news?”
Tilly entered the room with a bowl of broth, setting it on the tea tray.
“Thank you Tilly, that will be all.”
Giulia sat on the chair beside the bed and pulled it as close as she could.
She leaned in and lowered her voice. Mr. Pepper was most likely suffering from a headache due to the medicine, if not from the kick she had given him last night. “Are you ready to eat a few spoonfuls of broth? If you could open your eyes it would make my job easier, but if not, I will tell you when to open your mouth.”
She waited patiently while his eyelids fluttered. He hardly peeked at her before closing them again. “Oh, is it too bright? Allow me to darken the room.”
She crossed to the window and pulled the drapes shut, closing out the last bit of light. She was able to see from the rays peeking around the curtains, but only just.
Mr. Pepper’s eyes were a brilliant green, and still quite hazy. She imagined they were stunning when they were clear. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Perhaps he was waiting for the soup, but he looked frustrated.
“Do not push yourself,” she said, settling beside him. “The broth will help.”
Giulia lifted a spoon to his mouth, and he drank. It was tedious and unpleasant to watch. The poor man was struggling nearly as much to swallow as he was to stay awake. And it was no secret that his injury pained him.
