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“Oh, when she wakes up, I shall lecture her till she is deaf—”
“Not about that.” I believed she had already learned that lesson the hard way, traveling alone and getting hurt. “I mean her reputation.”
“What of it?”
“Evander, all the town, if not the county, is talking about her and Dr. Darrington. Do you think they are fools? First, he was welcomed here, then he was banned, next Verity is at his inn, and now add to the story that he carries her into the estate bloodied?”
“She was injured—”
“Even still, I fear what will be said of a young lady who has gone through all she has with a man she’s not wedded to. It is all a massive scandal that shall last throughout her life.”
He frowned. “What are you saying?”
“I am asking if Dr. Darrington’s birth is so pernicious that you would rather leave your sister open to ridicule.”
“She will be the subject of ridicule for being with him.”
“But at the very least, she will be with the man she loves and who loves her. Even you must admit that.” I squeezed his hand. “She looks at him as I look at you, and he looks at her as you look at me. Is that not what you want for her? To be loved?”
He closed his eyes and hung his head. “I see it, but I struggle to accept it. What if we are only seeing the good side of him? What if I accept this, and he is like Fitzwilliam?”
“You must let go of Fitzwilliam, my love. He is gone. You must look at Dr. Darrington as he is. There is nothing similar between them in my eyes. You must set aside his position and question him as you would have any other suitor who came for her hand.”
“I know him to be soft-hearted, since he requested we be gentle with Datura even after all she has done, all he had personally witnessed.”
“Compassion toward one’s enemies is a godly trait, so you must not fault him for it.”
“We are not in heaven. In reality, women are to be protected, and I do not believe he can do so.”
“Did he not jump into a well after her? I believe he will manage to take care of her admirably.”
He frowned and nearly pouted. “Must you advocate for them?”
“How ill-suited it would be for me to be named Aphrodite and not champion love.”
“Of course, it would be now that you seek to adhere to your name.” He scoffed and laughed as he pulled me into his arms.
31
Theodore
When I entered her room, she quickly shut her journal again.
“Double, double, toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble?” I said to her, making her mouth drop open and her eyes widen.
“Macbeth?” The duchess’s eyebrows furrowed as she looked at me from her seat at Verity’s bedside. She glanced between us. “What is the reason for quoting that?”
“Nothing. He is merely teasing me,” Verity replied, and I hung my head to hide my smile.
“I see. I shall step aside and allow you to work, Dr. Darrington,” the duchess said, rising.
“Thank you, Your Grace, and thank you for the room as well. Forgive me for putting you out.”
“There are far too many rooms for me to be put out. If anyone has suffered, it is poor Mrs. Stoneshire.” She giggled and moved to the window. “When I sent for your things, she nearly wept.”
“You sent for his things?” Verity asked, sitting up, hopefully. “So, does that mean—”
“He was injured in the process of saving you, Verity. It would be most impolite of us to send him back to an inn,” she said, and I watched Verity slowly sink back into the bed dejectedly. Walking forward, I sat on the side of the bed.
“How is your arm?”
“Fine. How is yours?”
“Sore,” I replied, taking her arm to examine it myself. It had been only a few hours since everything had unfolded, but I was glad to see the wound did not look infected even after being left exposed for so long.
“Is it wise for you to treat yourself?” she asked me as I redid the dressing for her.
“Is it wise for you to walk alone into town at any hour of the day?” I replied, causing her to frown.
“Evander already lectured me. I believe my ears are still ringing, and now you come here to join him.”
“Whatever he said was correct—”
“You are not to be on his side.”
“Why?”
“Because he is against us.”
“He is against me, not you. But whoever is for you is ultimately for me.”
“And whoever is against you is against me. So ultimately he is against us.”
I stared at her, and she stared back. Again, I found myself seeking not to smile. Instead, I focused on her ankle, which rested on a pillow. I pressed the side of it with my good hand, and she winced. “It is not broken, but it is sprained, as I thought. We will need to wrap cold towels around it for twenty minutes every two to three hours for another day or two.”
