***
“I’ll walk you out, Dr. Elliott,” Richmond said, inclining his head to Emma before following the doctor out the door. When they reached the foyer, he asked. “Are you sure my sister’s leg will heal properly?It was a nasty break.”
“Lady Charlotte is young and healthy, and I haven’t seen any sign of complications, but she must be careful not to overdo it.”
“I’ll make sure of it. A bath chair should arrive in the next day or two.”
“That’s good. Don’t hesitate to send for me if anything changes. Good day, Your Grace.”
“Good day, Dr. Elliott.”
Richmond walked down the hall to Edgerton’s study and knocked on the door.
“Come.”
He opened the door and walked inside. “Edgerton, do you have a moment?”
“Of course. What may I do for you?”
“I need to go to London for a few days.”
“I see. Don’t worry about Lady Charlotte or Lady Sophia. They’ll be properly taken care of,” Edgerton said.
“I’m not worried about that. However, there’s another matter I’d like to discuss with you.”
“Sounds serious. Shall I send for a tea tray?”
“No, this won’t take long. The day of my sister’s accident, I heard your mother admonishing Miss Bainbridge for ruining the house party.”
“My mother’s always been concernedabout appearances.”
“Your mother’s words were very hurtful to your sister, especially since it wasn’t her fault the horse reared. With my departure for London tomorrow, I wouldn’t want your mother to feel I’m upset with the family. Nothing could be further from the truth.”
“I did speak to her about her comments to Emma. I, too, felt she was too harsh, and I shall make sure she understands that all is well with you as well. Is there anything else?”
“No. That was all,” Richmond said, striding from the room. He was glad that Edgerton had told his mother to stop blaming Emma for something out of her control. This trip to London was ill-timed, but it was necessary to keep the duchy running smoothly.
It was going to be a long seven days until he saw Emma’s beautiful face again.
Chapter 9
Emma hurried up the stairs to Charlotte’s bedchamber, clutching a copy ofEmmabyA Lady. It had been two weeks since Charlotte’s accident, and Emma had been faithful to her word and visited her every day. She knocked on the door.
“Come.”
“Good morning. I have a wonderful surprise for you today,” Emma said, walking into the room.
Charlotte’s face lit up with a smile. “Oh, I love surprises. What is it?”
Emma took up her usual position in the chair by the bed and held out the book. “I’ve heard so much about this one, and I found it in the bookstore yesterday.”
“What a wonderful surprise. Thank you, Emma. You’ve been so generous in spending your time with me. It means the world to me.”
Emma squeezed her hand. “It’s my pleasure. I love spending time with you.”
Before she had a chance to open the book, a voice from the doorway said, “Good morning, ladies.”
Her head jerked up. She should have shut the door, so at least she would have had some warning and not been surprised by the duke’s sudden appearance. He was impeccably dressed for riding, sporting a tan waistcoat, breeches, and a hunter-green jacket that hugged his broad shoulders. His boots were polished to a high shine. No matter how many times she saw him, she was continually surprised by how the man could always look so handsome. In the grand scheme of things, that hardly seemed fair. Women spent hours trying to look their best, and Emma suspected Richmond probably tumbled out of bed looking impossibly handsome.
