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“How long?” she pushed out, fighting the mounting frustration threatening to clog her throat with tears. “A few days?”
“More like a few weeks,” said Mr. Stanton. “It might only be a sprain but it’s a bad one and it could easily get worse if you don’t take it easy.”
Judging from the terrible fever she’d suffered through last night, she wasn’t doubting it.
“I don’t have a few weeks,” she told him, hoping she didn’t sound desperate. “I have to get to London.”
Mr. Stanton rummaged into his bag and pulled out a fresh set of bandages, which he went about wrapping over her ankle. “I understand the urgency, Miss Brown. Do you have anyone you can stay with while there? Someone who can help you?”
She knew many people in London who might be able to help her, friends she had met during the last Season. But would they keep her a secret and keep her father from finding her? Would she able to hide if her father came looking for her? Belle doubted it.
She could feel the weight of Stephen’s eyes on her and she rose hers to meet it. He stared at her as if he could sense what she was thinking, and Belle didn’t bother to hide it. Despair was already beginning to consume her.
Mr. Stanton wasted no time wrapping her ankle and before she knew it, he was getting to his feet. “There you have it, Miss Brown,” he said, putting his hands on his hips in self-satisfaction. “All good. Now, where should we—”
“Mr. Stanton?” Stephen spoke up. “May I have a word?”
Mr. Stanton looked at Stephen, brows raising slightly in question. Stephen jerked his head toward the door. She watched them walk away, staring curiously.
* * *
Stephen put his hand on Mr. Stanton’s shoulder, glancing at Hannah to see that she was staring at them. He tried to turn his back slightly to her so that she wouldn’t be able to read his lips. “I’d like to ask a favor of you.”
“My Lord, after all the things you’ve done for me while we were in the army, I’m willing to do a million favors for you. Oh, I guess it is Your Grace now, is it?”
Stephen huffed at the man’s exaggeration. Despite the years they’d been apart, Stephen was happy to know that Mr. Stanton’s jovial attitude was the same. “It seems to me like Hannah doesn’t have anywhere to go, though she isn’t saying it. I was wondering if she could stay with you until she has recovered.”
“Nowhere to go, you say?” Mr. Stanton looked at Hannah and his eyes darted back so quickly that Stephen could guess what he might have seen. A young girl staring intently at him, perhaps, probably aware of the fact that they were talking about her even though they both made sure to keep their voices low.
“She’s quite mysterious, don’t you think? There is something about her that seems…different. She told me that she ran away from her employer and that she was heading to London, but I get the feeling that she doesn’t really have anywhere to go.”
Mr. Stanton hummed thoughtfully. “We should ask her to be sure. But I do have an extra bedroom that I’d be able to put her in, if she doesn’t have somewhere to go. I don’t mind lending a helping hand.”
“Thank you. There’s one more thing, though. She doesn’t know who I am.”
Those gigantic brows that threatened to swallow his eyes whole shot to Mr. Stanton’s hairline. “You don’t mean to tell her who you are?”
“She assumes I’m a commoner. And I think it would be best if we kept it that way. So please, address me as Stephen. Or, Mr. Norton, if you’d prefer.” He would hate for Hannah to suddenly begin treating him like a Duke. Somehow, he’d already grown use to how comfortably she spoke with him.
“If that is what you wish, Your Grace.” Stephen didn’t miss the mischievous glint in his eyes as Mr. Stanton turned his attention back to Hannah.
She watched him approach, with all the intensity of a watchful predator, despite the fact that she was very injured.
“Miss Brown,” Mr. Stanton said, sinking down to her side. “Do you have anyone to stay with in London?”
Hannah’s eyes darted to Stephen, as if knowing that he was to blame for the question, but when she looked back at Mr. Stanton, she silently shook her head.
“Then, you don’t have to worry. I have an extra room you can stay in until you’re better.”
“I wouldn’t want to be a burden…” she began but Stephen didn’t miss the eagerness in her eyes.
“It wouldn’t be,” Mr. Stanton said with a shake of his head and a broad grin. “I think my wife will be happy to have some more company in the house. Although, I’m beginning to think it’s a bad idea to have more women around to go up against me.”
Hannah giggled. Stephen released the breath he didn’t realize he had been holding. He couldn’t tell how she would react to the offer.
“Thank you for the offer, Mr. Stanton,” she said. “I’ll be out of your hair as soon as I’m able.”
“Don’t you worry about it. Now, let’s get you to your feet.”
