To Protect and to Cherish (20 page)

             
“There is one small matter,” Tellem began with a degree of hesitancy.

             
“Can I relay it to him, or would it be better for you to address this in person?”

             
Tellem thought for a moment, “I think he’s made a decision about it already. Maybe you could just ask him?”

             
Jillian was grateful to the man, “Would you like to write it down or is it a simple message?”

             
Tellem laughed, “I think you can manage.”

             
He gave her the information, and she promised to send the answer down with Oswin.

             
She returned to her husband’s room to find that man attempting to get out of his chair.

“Oswin, get these cursed blankets off of me,” he was struggling against the many layers of fabric.

The valet looked up in relief when the duchess entered the room.

“Thank you, O
swin,” Jillian indicated the bathing chamber with a nod of her head.

The man bowed stiffly, “If there is nothing else, madam.”

“Actually,” she released her husband from the sheath in which she had fastened him securely, “his grace has a message for you to give to Tellem.”

Slade frowned up at her.

Jillian looked down at the irate man, “He wishes to know if you have made a decision on whether to turn east or west with the current drainage ditch. He said all other business can wait until tomorrow.”

Slade folded his
arms across his chest, an action that was formerly impossible due to the swaddling method his wife had employed, “I’ll go tell him myself.”

Jillian arched her eyebrow.

The duke braced his hands against the chair’s armrests and rose to his feet, “You may be excused, Oswin.”

That man knew better than to defy his master, but Jillian hoped he would wait outside the door.

“Slade,” she moved closer to his side to offer her assistance, “why don’t you give me the answer to the question?”

“Because,” he snarled at her, “I am going downstairs to talk to him myself.”

Jillian wrapped an arm around his waist, causing him to intake a sharp breath, “Did I hurt you?” she pulled his arm over her shoulder so he could lean on him as they walked toward the bed.

“No,” the answer was curt, but, at least, he wasn’t yelling.

She helped him sit on the edge of the bed and untied the belt of his robe. He seemed too engrossed in what she was doing to argue that she had led him to the bed rather than his dressing room.

She reached up and gently pulled the robe from his shoulders.

“Are you afraid you’ll have to go back to your uncle if something happens to me?”

Jillian knelt to lift his feet into the bed, “You wouldn’t do that to me, Slade.
I’m sure you have provided for me in any case.”

He lay down at her slight push and then rolled over so she could remove the robe from under him.

“I don’t have time to take a nap in the middle of the day, Jillian. I’m not a child.”

Jillian dared to sit on the edge of the bed, “I know you aren’t, Slade. But you need to
give your body a chance to recover from the accident.”

His eyes raked over her form, “Are you going to stay in here to make me more comfortable?”

Her heart skipped a beat, “If that would help you rest, I would.”

He propped himself up on his elbows and looked more closely at her, “Rest?”

She knew what he was asking, but before she could get into that topic, she needed an answer, “What shall I say to Tellem?”

He grunted and flopped back into his pillow, “Tell him go west. I don’t want to deal with the grove of hickory.”

Jillian reached out and squeezed her husband’s hand, “I’ll go pass on the message.”

She tried to rise, but he pulled on her hand. She looked back at his face to find he wore an expression that looked almost vulnerable.

“You’re coming back?”

She placed a second hand on his, “As soon as I can.”

Oswin was pacing the hall; he looked up as soon as the door opened.

“Please let Tellem know his grace would like to go west to avoid the hickory grove.”

Oswin nodded, “Go west?”

She nodded, “His grace will call you if he needs anything else. He is going to rest for a while.”

Jillian thought she saw the hint of a smile touch the man’s eyes before his professional mien returned.

Jillian found her husband sleeping in his chamber. She had no desire to wake him, but she was concerned the injury to his head and the chill he had taken may cause more damage than was readily evident. Added to that, the duchess had promised Slade she would return.

She retrieved a book from her own chambers and pulled a chair to his bedside to wait.

CHAPTER
15

Slade woke with a headache. For that reason, he left his eyes closed. He breathed deeply and inhaled the familiar scent of his wife.

She had come back as she promised. How long had he been asleep? Surely not long if she was still in his room. It felt late in the day, however. Perhaps someone had drawn the curtains.

He opened his eyes to peer through them at his wife. She was asleep in the chair. He gave a soft snort. That was likely why she was still in the room – she had fallen asleep while watching him.

He rose up on his elbows, opening his eyes all the way.

Jillian stirred. He sat up and watched her. There was no question about it, she was beautiful.
He well knew that a pretty face did not guarantee a loving woman. He sighed and lay back. She had seemed so kind, so tender. And she appeared to be responsive to him as well. He had thought she was as eager to be with him as he was to be with her. He sat up again – just to see her. How else had he been deceived by the lovely woman before him?

Her eyelids fluttered.

Jillian awoke to the sensation that someone was watching her. She opened her eyes to discover it was her husband.

“Slade,” her voice sounded fuzzy even to her own ears, “how long have you been awake?”

“I’m not sure. What time of day is it?”

She rose to her feet and looked out the window, “I believe the sun will rise soon.”

She looked back at him to discover a flicker of surprise passing over his features.

“Do you need anything?”

He began to throw off his covers, but then remembered the state of undress in which he had gone to bed the previous evening.

“I have personal needs.”

She understood immediately and reached for his robe, “Shall I get Oswin to assist you?”

He growled, “Oswin is likely asleep, and I have not had need assistance for that matter since I was a small child.”

She did not feel it prudent to remind him he was injured and may need help walking.

She turned her face away so he could rise and tie his own robe.

When Jillian looked back, he was staring at her with an eyebrow raised, “Do you feel the need to remain with me?”

She felt her ears warm at the implication, but she was not about to be cowed by his boorish behavior.

She clasped her hands in front of herself, “I will see that you can walk by yourself, and then I will leave you.”

He heaved a great sigh and took a step. He winced, but she could see he was not so very unsteady on his feet.

“I shall await you in the sitting room. If you feel you cannot walk that far to come find me, you can simply call to me, and I will come back.”

She turned
on her heel and left him.

She was not surprised that he joined her a short time later. It would have been admitting to a weakness to call out to her.

“What time did I lie down yesterday?”

She watched him make his way carefully to the chair, “It was shortly before the noon hour.”

He sat gingerly, pulling his wrapper closer to himself, “And how long have you been in here?”

She rose to retrieve a lap robe from another chair and covered him with it, “I have been here most of the time.”

“Did you go to dinner or did they bring it?” he brushed her hand away in irritation.

“Slade,” she took a chair nearer him, “are you hungry?”

He frowned at her, “No. I’m not hungry – though I should be. It seems I have not eaten since yesterday morning.”

She wondered if it would be wise to suggest he go back to bed for a while.

“What did you and the doctor discuss after I went to sleep last night? Was it the likelihood of me dying?”

Her heart clenched at the very thought, but she knew he would neither appreciate nor believe her if she told him how that hurt her.

“Certainly not. Mr. Mitchell believes you are not any more likely to die soon than he or I. He felt it wise to allow you to sleep as much as possible, but other than that conversation, I never spoke to him outside of your presence.”

“So, I am well enough to resume my duties?”

He was baiting her, “If you feel you are up to it, I imagine I cannot prevent you. However, I believe your leg is still giving you significant pain.”

He rubbed that offending limb before seeming to realize what he had been doing and his hand darted back to his lap.

“So, you will remain with me if I choose to obey and stay in bed today?”

“I will,” she
knew he was trying to get a rise out of her, but she would actually welcome the time with him. Perhaps they would have an opportunity to discuss the discordance between them.

He threw off the lap blanket and rose, “I have not the time for that,” and he stalked into his room, slamming the door behind himself.

Jillian sighed and went into her own chambers. She decided not to take to her own bed. The sun was already beginning to peek over the horizon, and, though she had not slept well in Slade’s armchair, she knew it would be pointless to try now.

Erin
was waiting in the dressing room, “Would you care to bathe before you dress for the day, milady?”

“Have you the water all ready?” Jillian was always pleased by her maid’s efficiency.

“It is nearly filled,” Erin began unlacing the back of her mistress’s dress.

Jillian was in and out of the tub quickly, knowing she needed to be fast to keep abreast her husband’s actions this day.

“Do you wish me to do your hair, milady?”Erin asked as she helped to fasten the fresh clothing.

“Something simple,
Erin,” she sat at the dressing table. “I do not wish to be away from his grace long.”

Erin
set about her work with dexterous hands, “I believe his grace has left his chambers, milady.”

Jillian bit back a groan, “Thank you,
Erin.”

The lady’s maid was finished in record time and Jillian left shortly after with a sincere thanks.

Having not eaten since the previous morning, Jillian was beginning to feel lightheaded, but she felt it most urgent to find her husband.

He was alone in his study.

“Can I do something for you, Jillian?” he looked up when she entered.

“I was going to ask you the same thing, Slade. Have you eaten?”

He shook his head.

She came further into the room to better see him. His complexion was not good, and she wondered if he was in pain.

“May I have them bring you a tray in here?” she did not want him walking to the breakfast room, but she thought it better to keep that opinion to herself, “You appear to be quite wrapped up in your work already.”

He looked irritated at the beginning of her little speech, but softened by the end.

“Thank you,” his tone was more gentle than it had been as of late. “Perhaps later.”

Jillian knew she should not press, but she wondered when he would eat if not now, “I will ask someone to prepare something for you in about an hour?”

His eyes narrowed, “You are deciding my meal times, are you?”

             
“Would you prefer it in two hours?”

             
He began to rise, but must have changed his mind, “I would prefer to determine for myself when I am hungry and when I am not.”

             
“Slade,” she sat down across the table from him, “I am trying to help. It has been some time since you have taken anything, and, given your weakened condition. . .”

             
“I am not an invalid!” he snapped.

             
Jillian gave up trying. She rose to her feet and walked as calmly from the room as anybody could in the situation.

             
“Mrs. Bailey,” she found the woman supervising the polishing of the silver, “his grace will be calling for something to eat. Please ask cook to have something prepared so it can arrive quickly.”