She turned to find Wesley coming toward her. “Are you well. You are extremely pale. Perhaps you should return to bed.”
“Is Miranda well?”
“Yes.” He grinned. “And I have a son.”
The relief was so great that Violet swayed and had to grasp the wall for balance.
“You are going back to bed,” he insisted.
“I must eat,” Violet argued.
“I’ll have a tray delivered to you,” he insisted. “I’ll also call for a maid to help you change out of your clothing.”
He turned her easily enough and marched her back to her chamber.
“This is so very odd,” she muttered.
“What is odd?” he asked with humor.
“I’m a bit befuddled.” Violet frowned. “I’m never befuddled, and I don’t believe I like it.”
“You are exhausted,” Wesley reminded her. “You’ve only been home an hour, so you haven’t slept long, even though you did drift off in the curricle.”
“How long did I sleep in total?” she asked. She usually could do the calculation herself, but her mind didn’t seem to want to work, or focus, and she did not like it one bit.
“Two hours at the most, though I’m uncertain, but not nearly long enough for what you’ve endured.”
“I agree. I’d been awake nearly a day and night when I first encountered Lord Eardly.”
“Yes, Violet, and I’m certain being traumatized had nothing to do with your exhaustion.”
She blinked up at him. Certainly, she’d recall trauma, yet she didn’t. Had something happened that she didn’t recall?
No, she remembered everything from when she first encountered Eardly until Lord Ferrard arrived. “I suffered no trauma,” she assured her brother, and she didn’t wish for him to believe the experience was worse than it had been.
“Perhaps not physically, but emotionally it would be trying for anyone.”
Yes, she supposed he was correct, but she’d recovered well enough, and once she slept a bit more and had something to eat, she’d be back to her normal self. After all, several studies had shown that those who were lacking sleep, or without nourishment, often failed in their reason, which was certainly why she was a bit befuddled and not quite herself.
“I assume that Lord Ferrard delivered Eardly to the magistrate and is now on his way to Sussex?”
The very idea that he was now gone from Laswell caused her physical pain in the location of her heart.
“No, Violet.”
“Then what have you done with Eardly. Certainly, he hasn’t escaped.”
“Eardly has been taken care of. As for Ferrard, he is to return this afternoon. He’s anxious and will want news of your recovery.”
Anxious? She wasn’t ill or hurt. “He has no reason to be anxious.”
Wesley led her to the bed and Violet sank into the softness, thankful to no longer be walking or standing.
“While you might not believe your abduction was traumatic, it was for the rest of us, as we were beside ourselves with worry.” Violet yawned as she settled back onto her pillows.
“Ferrard will not be satisfied until he sees for himself that you are well.”
Violet frowned. It really was not necessary that Ferrard return. However, she wasn’t eager for him to return to Sussex either. She had to thank him.
