“You were the one that went running off in the woods at night by yourself! What did you think would happen? A pleasant midnight stroll?”
“Fair point,” he said with a chuckle and sat back a little. She perched on the bed beside him, releasing him a little, though his arms never left her waist, so that she was cradled against him.
“How are you feeling? I kept asking Lord Dodge last night how you were, but all he would say is that you were improving,” she asked with worry. She had even accosted the physician before he had left that same day, determined to know something more. The physician had assured her that Francis would make a full recovery, but it was not the same as hearing it from Francis’ own lips.
“My head is still sore, but the sickness is long past, and I am not as dizzy as I was before, though the physician tells me the dizziness might continue for a little longer yet,” Francis said, still not taking his arms away from her.
“Your Grace, you are holding onto me rather tightly,” she said with a smile, loving the feeling of those arms around her.
“I think it’s because I’m scared if I’ll let go, I’ll lose you,” he said in a whisper. “Thank god you found me, Phoebe. Heaven knows what would have happened if I had stayed out in the woods for much longer. And why are you calling me ‘Your Grace’ again?” She chuckled at the mock outrage he employed, delighted to see that he was doing so much better he could actually make a jest. “I am Francis, that is my name.”
“Very well, Francis,” she said softly. “What happened to you?” She lifted a hand and hovered it over where the bandage used to be on his head. It had now been removed to show a bruise that was beginning to heal and a cut that was sealing itself back together.
“I wish I knew,” he said softly. “Phoebe, there is something you should know though –”
There was a quick rap at the door.
“Damn,” Francis muttered. “I’m going to have to release you now.”
She giggled and stepped up from the bed, out of his arms. She crossed the room a little, putting distance between the two of them and straightening her skirt.
“Enter!” Francis called to the door. It was duly opened by Lord Dodge, who was followed in by a Constable. “Ah, Constable, thank you for coming.”
“Your Grace. My name is Constable Jenkins. I was so sorry to hear of your attack.” The Constable hurried through the room and took a chair by Francis’ bed, sitting down with a small notebook he placed on his knee. “Lord Dodge has given me an account of what has happened, but if you can handle it, I would like to hear from you what happened.”
“Of course.” As Francis went into telling the tale, Phoebe could feel eyes upon her. She turned to see Lord Dodge was still standing in the doorway, looking at her with a smirk upon his lips.
“What is it?” She mouthed the words for only him to see. He seemed to laugh under his breath and shake his head, before taking a few more steps into the room, passing close by her so he could whisper.
“You’re blushing, my Lady,” he said with a small laugh as he crossed the room closer to Francis. Phoebe smiled and hung her head, trying to hide that blush. It seemed little use in trying to hide what was between her and Francis, her own tendency to blush was betraying it!
“Are there any details you can share about this man that attacked you?” the Constable asked, drawing Phoebe’s attention back toward Francis. He paused before replying and looked toward her. “Your Grace?” the Constable prompted him on.
“If I may,” Francis said, gesturing to the notebook and pencil in the Constable’s hand. They were duly passed over and instead of replying by words, Francis scribbled something down before passing the book back to the Constable. Phoebe stepped forward, intent on seeing what he had written down, but Lord Dodge stepped in the way, blocking her sight.
This is a little odd,Phoebe thought as she walked around him again, but the Constable promptly closed the notebook so she couldn’t see at all.
“This morning, Your Grace, myself and my junior attended your gamekeeper as he did a sweep of the perimeter wall of the estate,” the Constable said, leaning forward with a grave countenance. “We found what seemed to be scuff marks in the wall, and torn clothes too. It would appear that whoever did attack you, climbed in and out of the estate by this point in the wall. It is a little shorter here than elsewhere, so it would be easier for him than tackling the locked gate.”
“Yes, I suspected as much,” Francis said, lifting a hand and scratching his chin.
“Have you gathered any evidence that suggests it was a thief?” Lord Dodge addressed his question to the Constable.
“None so far. If he did take anything, he did not drop it, and nothing can be found to be missing from the estate. It is possible he took something from the garden, of course, but that may be more difficult to tell. Can you think of any other reason why there could be an intruder on the estate?”
Phoebe was waiting for the words to come, for both Francis and Lord Dodge glanced her way, but they said nothing.
“No, I cannot think of a single reason,” Francis said, making Phoebe frown. She couldn’t understand why he wouldn’t mention the Viscount. After all, it was possible it could have been him. Graham had stormed into Lord and Lady Dodge’s house and searched it himself! Was it so odd to think he could be willing to do the same to this house?
Well, he might not know Lord and Lady Dodge have come here.
“There is something else we found during our search,” the Constable said, shaking Phoebe out of her thoughts. “The rock that was used to strike you, Your Grace. It is blood-stained and was discarded on the ground close to where you were attacked. It seems he took the closest weapon to hand he could find to attack you.”
“Not a planned attack then?” Lord Dodge said.
“No, I think not. Whoever struck you, did it because you were chasing them.” The Constable stood to his feet, showing that the conversation was coming to a close. “I would recommend urging some of your men to patrol the grounds every now and then. If your intruder had an ulterior motive beside theft, then they could come back again. At least then we’ll know what they want. I will leave you in peace to recover now.”
“Thank you,” Francis said with a smile and the Constable bowed before hurrying out of the room.
