As if sensing Matthew’s need to be of use, Gabriel said, “You may go find Bradshaw and tell him to summon the doctor,” he said. “And then come upstairs and help me look after Mama.”
As Matthew dashed off toward the terrace, Claire said, “I don’t need looking—”
“Claire.” It was just one word, just her name, but it held all the snap of a command. She was jostled a bit as he climbed the steps up onto the terrace. Luckily, Matthew had left the door hanging wide open.
Sukey jumped as they entered, and a lump of sugar went sailing out of its dish as the tray jostled.
“Mrs. Hotchkiss will take tea upstairs,” Gabriel said. “Please retrieve her nightgown, Sukey. She’s taken a tumble and will be remaining in bed until the doctor arrives to look her over.”
Plainly nervous, Sukey bobbed what must have been half a dozen curtsies in rapid succession. “Of—of course, sir,” she stammered. “Right away.”
“You’re making them nervous,” Claire said, as he proceeded through the kitchen and down the hallway, presumably bound for the staircase. “They don’t know how to react. Theyalreadydon’t know how they ought to treat me.”
“With respect.” This was offered with a disdainful sniff. “You’ll forgive me if the staff’s sensibilities are not foremost on my mind right now.”
“I’m one of them!”
“No,” he bit off, “you’re not.”
“Of course I—” She turned her head, startled to realize that they had passed her room. “Where are you going? My room is—”Retrieveher nightgown, he’d said.Retrieve.From her room to…elsewhere. And she had the unpleasant thought that she knew where that might be.
Reluctant to voice that suspicion lest she make a fool of herself, she bit her tongue until he shifted her to reach for the doorknob. Then the words exploded in a rush.
“I can’t be in your room! It’s entirely inappropriate!”
“You’ve already been in my room,” he said. “And it’s certainlymoreappropriate now than it was then.” He kicked the door shut behind him, crossing the carpeted floor swiftly. “You’re my wife, Claire. It’s perfectly acceptable for you to be here.”
“I’m not.” At least she didn’twantto be, and shouldn’t that count for something? But he was setting her down on the bed, and she practicallysankinto the soft mattress.
He yanked the bedding out from beneath her, his motions fast and furious, his hands full of silk sheets and velvety counterpane. “You’re certainly not going back to your room at the moment,” he said. “It’s miserable. Dour. I had no idea that servants were kept in such conditions.”
It was actually quite a comfortable little room, at least as far as servants’ quarters went. There might not be a fireplace, but there was certainly an excess of blankets to ward off the chill of winter. The allotment of candles she received was quite generous, even if they were tallow. The bed was in good repair, the ropes well-tightened to keep the mattress from sagging. Though it wasn’t a shade of his as far as opulence, it was quite the most comfortable room she’d ever had.
“It suits my needs,” she said, somewhat defensively, well aware that she was being unnecessarily argumentative.
He jabbed a finger at her in aggravation. “Expectbetter,” he said. “In all things, you should expectbetter.” And then he cast the covers at her, and she flailed beneath them, trying not to drown in luxurious fabrics.
A knock on the door quieted her, and a moment later Sukey entered, carrying the tea tray. A swath of fabric was draped over her arm, and Matthew hung near her skirts, creeping in beside her.
“Sukey,” Gabriel said, “help Mrs. Hotchkiss get changed; her shoulder pains her and I don’t want her managing it alone.” Then he dropped his hand onto Matthew’s shoulder as their son came up beside him. “Matthew, I’m entrusting to you the most important task of all.”
Wide-eyed and serious, Matthew nodded.
“You must keep your mama company and ensure that, no matterwhat, she stays in bed.”
Claire choked on her fury, seething inwardly. He had to know that she would obey that dictate only because to do otherwise would make Matthew feel as if he had failed in this, his most important assignment. Hehadto.
And of course, he did. She could see the triumph gleaming in his eyes as he swept out of the room.
∞∞∞
By the time Gabriel returned with the doctor in tow, Claire had been changed and ensconced in bed. A handful of pins rested on the bedside table, and her hair had been bound into a neat plait, hanging over her shoulder. Matthew was tucked in beside her, no doubt scattering a wealth of crumbs as he chattered between bites of a tea cake.
“Good day, Mrs. Hotchkiss,” Dr. Barnes said. “I suppose this is getting to be a bit of a habit, isn’t it?”
“Lady Leighton,” Gabriel muttered irritably, pacing the length of the room like a caged beast.
“Mrs. Hotchkiss,” Claire returned placidly, graciously accepting the somewhat crumbled tea cake that Matthew pressed into her hand.
