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“It’s about time you fools got here.” With a great deal of pain Edwin raised himself up on his elbows and regarded his two friends, Manchester and Brennan. “Do you have any idea how much pain I’ve been in?”
; “Well, you slammed your body into a tree when your horse threw you. I would expect you to be in pain.” Brennan grinned at him.
Edwin closed his eyes. “Not that. Idiots, both of you. The doctor won’t allow any spirits in this entire building. Can you imagine?”
Both men stared at him, aghast. “No spirits? You’ve been without brandy since we left you here?”
“No spirits, and yes I’ve been without since then. I hope you brought some with you. The termagant is out making calls so…” He beckoned with his one good hand.
“I never travel without my good friend,” Manchester said as he withdrew a silver flask from his jacket pocket.
“Me neither,” Brennan added, producing his own flask.
Edwin grabbed the closest flask and downed half the container. “Ah.” He wiped his mouth with his hand. “Heaven.”
“No. I’m afraid it’s not heaven, my lord. But hell.” Dr. Stevens stood in the doorway to the infirmary room, her hands fisted at her side, the look on her face enough to frighten Lucifer himself.
“Ah, shite.” Sterling mumbled.
Chapter 3
Edwin closed his eyes and groaned.
Dr. Stevens dropped her arms to her side and walked slowly to the three men who remained as still as statues, the tapping of her shoes on the floor the only sound in the room. She held her hand out to Edwin. As annoyed as he was with her treating him like a recalcitrant child, nevertheless he handed over the flask.
She turned to Brennon and held her other hand out. He looked over at Edwin who shrugged. It was his decision. Slowly he gave her the flask. “That’s a family heirloom, you know.”
Her brows rose. “It is a pity that your family honors drink so much that they carry it in an heirloom.”
Brennan flushed which amused Edwin since very little embarrassed the man. He’d seen him in some very questionable circumstances over the years. But then Dr. Stevens had way about her that could make many a man fall to his knees.
And he wasn’t just speaking of her rigid nature. Why a woman with such beauty and lovely curves chose to unfemale herself by working as a doctor continued to puzzle him. Even with all his injuries his thoughts came alive and a part of his body he preferred not to have Dr. Stevens notice, reacted.
“Gentlemen—which I am sure you are not—you may leave now. Do not return. You are not welcome here. My patient is having a difficult enough time adjusting to no alcohol without his friends—and I use the term loosely—sabotaging his efforts.”
All three men stared at her as if she’d spoken a foreign language. Edwin had been certain she would toss him out with the others, but she actually made it sound as though she was doing him a favor by banning Brennan and Manchester and protecting him from their intended harm.
It had been a long time since anyone concerned themselves with his welfare. Grateful he was not going to have to hobble out behind them, he gestured with his head to the door. “Time to go, lads.”
“Are you going to allow her to dictate to you?” Manchester seemed appalled. No doubt, since as the heir to his father’s dukedom he’d not had anyone tell him what to do since he’d been in short pants and couldn’t understand why Edwin, as a member of the nobility, would tolerate it.
“Do you see the shape I’m in? I have no choice. Now be off with you.” For some very odd reason, he felt embarrassed for his friends. They did appear to be like children trying to avoid discipline from the headmaster after causing mischief with their teacher.
Brennan shrugged, always the easiest going of the group. “You better get well fast, friend. You are missing out.”
Dr. Stevens followed them to the door. Edwin heard her from the entrance. “Are you the two who brought Lord Sterling to my front door?”
“Yes.” It sounded like Brennan’s voice.
“The next time you deign to bring someone who has been seriously injured to a doctor, do take the time from your continuing levity to knock on the door and advise the doctor what happened to the patient. The man you refer to as friend could have died out there.”
“We knocked on the door!” Brennan’s voice almost sounded like a small boy caught with a pilfered biscuit.
“How very noble of you. ‘Tis too bad you didn’t want for an answer.” The swish of the door opening and rapidly closing was soon followed by footsteps down the corridor.
Edwin flinched knowing he was not going to get away with what had just happened.
