“I cannot coax a word from her now. She is talking nonsense. Perhaps she has a fever...”
The two men entered, and Lina attempted to turn her face away and cover it, but Dr. Doyle encircled her wrists and pulled her away from the wall.
The same look of concern clouded his face as well.
Well,Lina thought.How do you like that? Both of them, playing her for a fool!
“Lina,” Dr. Doyle said, looking into her eyes, his expression now clinical, examining her as a doctor might. He felt her skin and put his fingers on her wrist to feel for her pulse.
“Where are you injured, my love?”
Lina pursed her lips and closed her eyes to indicate that she would not cooperate with him. It was the only stand she could make.
“The matter seems to be with her right foot,” Mr. Blackstone said.
With her eyes closed, she could feel Dr. Doyle’s hands upon her body, squeezing her gently, pulling her clothing away to look at her leg, fingers pausing before they reached her throbbing foot. “She’s sprained it quite violently,” Dr. Doyle said, without touching it. “My dear Lina, whatever could you have been thinking? You shall have to rest your foot for weeks, my darling, and the wedding shall be delayed.”
This made Lina sob, a great howl which she attempted to contain but which warbled up in her throat anyway, and so she brought her hands to her face to cover it.
“Lina,” Dr. Doyle’s voice was saying, and she heard the two men speak to each other, though in snippets, for her own sobbing, trapped in her chest, was making it difficult for her to hear.
“Well, what has she said?!” Dr. Doyle snapped. “She does not suffer from a fever.”
“Could it be that she is delirious, or somehow gone mad?” Mr. Blackstone wondered.
Lina opened her eyes and pushed herself up on her elbows. “I have not gone mad!” she almost shouted.
The two men looked at her, silent.
“Lina,” Dr. Doyle finally said, very gently. He reached for her hands, and she recoiled.
“Please, my darling, tell me whatever has possessed you,” Mr. Blackstone coaxed again.
Her eyes flew from one to the other. How concerned they managed to look, how deceptive!
She glared at Dr. Doyle, and his words again surfaced in her mind, making her anger flare wildly.
“I heard you,” she heard herself hissing. And then it came pouring from her, louder with each word, rage building as she spoke. “I heard what you said to your friend! I heard you offer me to him! And I shall not be a plaything to... to...” her fists were balled up and she was furious, and then a great feeling of sadness swallowed her whole. “I loved you!” she shouted, imploding. She fell back on the bed. “I am such a fool for loving you, you are so... very vile...” her crying consumed her words, for as much as she wanted to be strong and filled with rage, her sadness consumed her.
“But Lina, what...what are you speaking of? What is she speaking of?” she heard Mr. Blackstone say.
“I heard you,” Lina muttered, shaking her head. “I know what I heard...”
The two men exchanged glances, and Lina cried, not caring what they discussed.
“Lina,” Dr. Doyle said, addressing her, grasping her wrists and forcing her to look at him. “Where did you hear this? What did you hear?”
“I heard you!” she said. “I was in the... stairway. I heard your voice, I heard what you said. I shall never forget it. You said... ‘perhaps we can come to some arrangement, perhaps allow the Moulay to take his pleasure with Miss Blanchet...”
Doyle sat back, still holding her hands. For a moment he looked perplexed, as if he were reaching into his memory and not finding such a vile offer. What acting, Lina thought bitterly, and it angered her further. “Do not pretend you know not of what I speak, for I shall not—!”
But Lina was interrupted by laughter. Her face turned icy and she glared at Mr. Blackstone, from whom it emanated. He was shaking his head, and he reached out and caught Lina’s wrist as she wrenched it free from Doyle’s confused grip and lifted her hand to slap him.
“What was the last thing you heard, my little mouse? Those words?”
He looked at Dr. Doyle, a smile on his lips. “Do you know that when I first visited the Harlowes, Miss Blanchet was out in the grove, sneaking up to spy upon me as I approached? Her guardian warned me of her habits.” He looked at Lina, still holding her wrist, and brought her hand to his warm lips. “You have been quite naughty, my dear Lina. And you have been quite misinformed. I do hope this teaches you a lesson about sneaking and spying upon your lovers.”
Lina was ready to continue her diatribe, but confusion caught her words in her throat, and she stared at Mr. Blackstone.
