“Dr. Daintree.” Henrietta stood. “Our patient has awakened. Once a few hours before dawn and then again about an hour ago. I gave him the powder last night. He’s had a glass of barley water and just finished a bowl of broth.”
“Excellent.” The concern on the doctor’s face was replaced by a smile. “I’m glad to hear you are mending, my lord.”
She glanced from Nate to the doctor. “Allow me to introduce you. Fotherby, this is Dr. Lord Robert Daintree. Dr. Daintree, Lord Fotherby.”
“My lord,” Nate said.
“None of that.” The doctor scowled at Henrietta. “Doctor is good enough.” Millie, the head maid, came in with a bowl and linens. Once she’d set them down, Daintree moved to the bed. “Miss Stern, I will require your assistance.”
“Of course.” Henrietta joined him at the head of the bed and began removing the bandages.
Once she had finished, Daintree took out his quizzer and inspected Nate’s injury. “It’s healing well. You will still require a loose bandage for another several days, but after that we can dispense with it.”
Nate’s stomach growled. “Can I eat food?”
The doctor laughed. “Yes. Just a little at first. You haven’t had much of anything in the last four days, and you don’t want to get sick.”
“I promise to be careful.” That wouldn’t be hard. He had been almost full from the pot-liquor.
The doctor opened his bag and handed Henrietta several packets. “One every four to six hours for his pain.”
“I will make sure he takes them.” Henrietta glanced at Nate. Thank the Lord he was healing. She poured out a half glass of barley water and mixed a packet in it. “I will give him a dose now, and we shall see how he does.”
“Very well.” Daintree snapped his bag shut. “I’ll stop by tomorrow.”
“Thank you.” She walked him to the door. When she turned back around Styles was there. “I am going to give him something for the pain now. But he will need you to attend to him soon enough. When he does have to get up, be very careful of his head.”
“I will, miss.” The valet glanced at the bed. “You have taken better care of him than anyone else could have.”
A feeling of joy filled her. It was not just that Nate was awake and seemed to be healing, but that all the servants had been so welcoming to her and her maid. Henrietta had finally found her home. “Thank you. I appreciate you telling me. And thank you for helping me take care of him.” Nate stirred restlessly, and she hurried back to the bed. “It is time for your medicine.”
“If you insist.” He sighed, but his tone was teasing.
“I do.” She raised her brow and gave him a stern look. “Unless, of course, you wish to put off the wedding.”
“Absolutely not.” He helped her guide the glass to his mouth and drank. “We are not going to have much time to prepare for the wedding.”
“The preparations are already being made.” She took away the glass. “When you did not awaken the day after you were attacked, we were concerned. But my grandmother and your mother decided you would probably not die and began planning the wedding breakfast. Grandmamma also contacted the rector at St George’s and set a date for the ceremony. I sent a note to my mantua-maker with a list of what I required, and she was kind enough to come here to discuss the details with me.” Henrietta should probably tell him about the invitation his mother made. “Your mother wrote to my parents and invited them and the children to stay here before the wedding. They will arrive in a few days’ time.”
Nate’s eyes widened. “Your parents are going to stay here?”
She did not understand it either. “It appears so. I have had enough to keep me busy and left it to them.” She grinned at him. “I suppose they are of an age to make the decisions they think proper.”
He let out a laugh and immediately clutched the side of his head. “I must not do that again for a while.”
Henrietta could not imagine how much pain he was in. She should not have made the joke. “I am so sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.” He dropped his hand from his head and took her fingers in his. “How could you have known?”
Just then a large, shaggy head bumped her arm and pushed under it. “Padraig stayed with you the whole time.”
She removed her fingers from Nate’s hand and he stroked the dog. “I’ll be up and about in no time.” He glanced at her. “I trust he’s been going for walks.”
“Yes.” Oh, dear, how was she to tell him that his small shoe-boy had been walking the dog? She would wait. “Yes. He is being exercised.”
Nate yawned. “I think I am going back to sleep.”
Henrietta straightened the covers. “That is the best thing for you. I shall have Cook prepare something for when you awaken.”
“Thank you.” His hands covered hers. “For everything.”
She brought his fingers to her lips and kissed them. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” He kissed her knuckles. “And I cannot wait to be your husband.”
“Neither can I.” Henrietta brushed a hand over his forehead. “Sleep now.”
Nate closed his eyes and was soon asleep. She wished she could crawl into bed with him. Instead, she glanced at Padraig. “Keep him safe while I get someone to sit with him. I am about to fall asleep on my feet.”
She walked to the dressing room door, and Styles opened it. “I’ll stay with him, miss.”
Henrietta nodded. “He would most likely be fine, but until he can get up on his own, it is better to have one of us with him.”
She stifled her yawn until she was in the corridor. Lord, she was tired. It was as if the energy that had sustained her over the past four days had vanished. But before she slept she had to send Merton a note that Nate had woken and would be fine.
Sitting at the desk in her bedchamber she pulled out a piece of paper and dipped the pen in the standish.
My dear Merton,
Fotherby awoke today. Dr. Daintree has been to see him and expects him to make a full recovery. He still has quite a bit of pain where he was hit, but that should lessen soon.
Your friend and sister,
Henrietta
She sanded and folded the note, then sealed it.
Spyer entered the room, and Henrietta moved to the dressing table. “I have a message for Merton.”
She sighed with relief when her maid took apart her plait and began to brush her hair before braiding it again. “I’ll get it sent out as soon as you’re in bed.”
“Thank you.” She barely noticed her gown slipping down and her stays being removed. Once she had her nightgown on she slipped between the soft linen sheets.
Her maid closed the bed hangings, and Henrietta’s thoughts went to her brother-in-law and Nate.
At first she had been surprised at the concern Merton had shown for his old friend. But it became clear that the changes Nate had made in himself had allowed Merton to forgive him. Now if only her sister could be brought around.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Nate was allowed out of bed two days after he’d woken up. Thereafter, his healing rapidly improved. Now, a few days later, he had only a slight soreness where he’d been hit. The only problem was that his mother seemed intent on keeping them apart. They had not been left alone for more than a minute at a time. He’d argue with her that he and Henrietta were betrothed, but it wouldn’t do any good. He had been pleased that Henrietta had decided to remain here. Although, considering her parents would arrive tomorrow, it was not as unusual as one might think. He still couldn’t work out exactly why they were staying at his house instead of Merton’s.