Brooke’s eyes flared at that display of impatience. Alfreda’s hand was knocked away from him as well as the leeches, which were now squirming on the bed beside him.
“That, m’lord, was very—detrimental. There was time—”
“If you insult me again...”
The wolf didn’t finish his threat, but threat it certainly was. Brooke was amazed that Alfreda wasn’t already on her way out the door. How had Alfreda insulted him? By not rushing immediately to help him? By giving him sound advice that he apparently already knew? Perhaps he’d guessed, as Brooke had, that Alfreda had been about to say “foolish” instead of “detrimental”? Or maybe he was feverishly imagining some other slight?
That was possible. In fact, all of his churlishness thus far could have been induced by his fever and his discomfort. But that might just be wishful thinking on her part.
If anyone had been insulted, it was Alfreda. Brooke thought about leading her maid out of there and leaving the wolf to his fate. If only she could. If only she could defy everyone, even the Prince Regent. But she was still by law in the hands of her parents, and they had thrown her to this wolf. High dudgeon would only lead to embarrassment afterward because she couldn’t leave this place. She would still have to deal with Dominic Wolfe, and getting him beholden to her could definitely make those dealings go easier.
But she was still angry enough to tell Alfreda, “I think the less time we spend in here the better.”
She said it deliberately to direct his anger away from Alfreda and back to her. She hoped it would prompt him to kick her out of his house. If he was going to make that costly mistake, he would do it when he was in a rage. But she didn’t hear the words that would free her, and he didn’t even glance her way. He was still glaring at Alfreda.
But amazingly, Alfreda wasn’t done with offering her help. “It’s too bad your doctor doesn’t wield a needle better. Your wound is going to leave a jagged scar. We could make it much neater.”
“You or her?”
“Me, m’lord.”
“Then say ‘me,’ damnit.”
Alfreda stiffened and stood back. “I am not your maid, I am hers. Do not presume—”
“You truly wish to butt heads with me?” Dominic cut in darkly.
“I am not butting heads, merely stating a fact,” Alfreda insisted.
“Careful, wench. If this marriage occurs, I will be the one paying your wage.”
“You are welcome to, but it isn’t necessary. Lady Whitworth is dear to me. I will serve her with or without a wage.”
Alfreda was annoying him more and more with every word she said. Brooke could tell from his increasingly feral expression. Finally he growled, “I think you should stay out of my sight.”
Alfreda was quick to make that happen. Brooke was speechless as she watched her dearest friend leave the room. When Brooke looked back at the ungrateful wretch in the bed, her light green eyes blazed with anger. “That was very ungracious of you, Lord Wolfe, considering she was only here to help you at my request.”
“Do I look miraculously healed by either of you?” he shot back.
“You look like a beast determined to be a nasty churl. Shecanfix you. You would mend quicker—more’s the pity!”
Brooke marched out of the room, slamming the door behind her. The satisfying sound did nothing to quiet her rage.
Chapter Fifteen
OUT OF SIGHT, OUTof mind. How Brooke wished that were true! But Dominic Wolfe had used a single word that had eased some of her rage before she got to her room.If.He’d said,If this marriage occurs... Was there still a possibility that he might do something to keep it from happening?
She found Alfreda collapsed in one of the reading chairs. The maid looked tired. She wasn’t any more used to nasty confrontations such as that than Brooke was.
Collapsing on the bed herself, leaving her lower legs to dangle over the side, she said, “He’s intolerable. We need to consider other options.”
“I wasn’t expecting him to be so handsome,” Alfreda remarked.
“What’s that got to do with anything?”
“Well, it does sort of make him tolerable, I would think, at least in your eyes.”
Brooke snorted.
