The Unexpected Duchess(52)
“What? No. Why?”
“Never mind. Is my hand fixed?”
“Just a minute.” She gathered the clean linens from the desktop where she’d set them and wrapped them tightly around his wound, taking care to ensure that the poultice remained firmly in place. “There.”
He pulled his hand from her grasp.
“You should see a doctor tomorrow. Have him look at it and make certain it’s not infected.”
“It’ll be fine.” He stood up and gestured toward the stairs. “Do you mind if I, um, leave through the front door?”
She smiled at that. “I think it would be best.”
“Sorry to bother you this evening, my lady.”
“Be careful getting home.”
He made his way to the door of her bedchamber, opened it, and looked back at her. “Give your proper Lord Berkeley my best.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Lucy knocked lightly on the door to Cass’s bedchamber. “May I come in?”
“Lucy, is that you?” her friend replied in an equally soft voice.
“Yes.”
“Of course you may come in,” Cass called.
Lucy shuffled inside. She was still wearing her night rail and summer robe of soft linen. She hadn’t been able to sleep after the encounter with Derek. Derek. What about Derek? How did she feel about Derek? She didn’t know. He was the most confusing man she’d ever met. What had he been thinking, swinging into her bedchamber in the middle of the night? In addition to breaking his own neck, he might have ruined her reputation, brought the whole house running to see what the commotion was, or all three. He’d been reckless tonight, out of control, and she’d never seen him be either. And if she didn’t know any better, she’d say the man was severely jealous of Lord Berkeley. Not that there was anything to be jealous of. Why, Lord Berkeley had been the first man to pay attention to Lucy in an age. He was handsome and knew how to dance, but she’d only just met him. She had no idea what his true character was. She assumed that he must not be too odious since Garrett saw fit to befriend him, but that hardly meant she and he would make a good match. Still, it was promising, and she did intend to see him again. Before they’d left the ball, she’d agreed to allow him to call on her.
But for some reason she felt as if it was no coincidence that the same night she and Lord Berkeley had danced, Derek had come swinging through her window. Was it? Oh, why and when had everything got so out of control? That’s why she’d come to visit Cass. She had to tell Cass that Derek knew Julian. Until tonight, she’d thought it might be too much for her friend, but now she realized Cass deserved to know everything.
She took a deep breath. Not only did she not know what to think about Derek, she didn’t know what to say to Cass. And there was absolutely no way to explain why she had the man’s bloody cravat folded up in the bottom drawer of her wardrobe … and she may have sniffed it—the non-bloodied part—a few times before she put it there.
She made her way over to Cass’s bedside and sat on the edge of the mattress next to her friend. “I’m sorry I woke you.”
Cass yawned and stretched her arms high above her head. “It’s all right, Lucy. But what is it? What’s wrong?” She snuggled her cheek against her pillow.
Lucy straightened the wrinkles out of her robe. “I’m sorry about the other night, Cass.”
Cass’s brow furrowed. “Sorry for what, Lucy?”
“Sorry I got into a fight with the duke in front of you at the Assembly Rooms. I was just trying to help. For some reason he makes me so … so … angry. I don’t know why.”
Cass gave her a soft smile. “You’ve always had a temper, Luce. That’s what makes you so fierce and strong. You’re not a ninny like I am. It’s what I’ve always admired about you.”
“You’re not a ninny, Cass.”
“Aren’t I?”
“No. You’re lovely and friendly and think the best of everyone.”
“Fat lot of good it’s done me.” Cass gave a wan smile.
“You’re lovely, Cass. Derek … The duke is quite taken with you.”
Cass yawned again and gave her a sleepy smile. “And Lord Berkeley seems quite taken with you.”
Lucy looked down to where her fingers were intertwined in her lap, resting against her white robe. “That’s why I came to your room, Cass.”
“Why?”
“First, I want to tell you what the duke said to me two nights ago.” She couldn’t call him Derek, not in front of Cass.
Cass’s blue eyes widened. “What is it?”