“I know, love.” He set her down on a bed, a big, soft one that held his scent on the pillows. She felt bereft when he left her side. But he only moved away for a moment to issue more instructions to the club’s staff.
He was so gentle with her when he returned. “One of my lads has gone to fetch the doctor. My cook is preparing a marrow broth for you. My steward will bring up more blankets for you. You’re shivering, Berry.”
She gave a slight nod. “You mentioned someone called Pudge?”
He smiled. “He’s one of my best men and will protect Lord Berwick. Wait till you see him. He’s the size of a mountain. He’ll give Hawthorne a good scare, and a good thrashing if the fool resists.”
Berry nodded, but the slightest jostling made her wince. “I know Dr. Farthingale fairly well. He’s been looking after Mrs. Garland, too.”
“Has he, sweetheart?”
“For many years now,” she said, her voice sounding raspy to her own ears, which were still ringing from the blow she had taken to the head. “I have every confidence in him.”
“So do I. He provided excellent medical services to the orphans. Mostly after my time, but that’s how I learned of him. He’s treated several of my wounds over the past few years.”
She reached out to touch his face. “You were hurt?”
“Nothing too serious. You’ll be in good hands with him. But it could be a while before he arrives. I’ll need to stop the bleeding.”
“Am I really bleeding?”
“Yes, love. You must have been struck hard over the head with a cudgel.”
“It hurts like blazes. Hawthorne is the rat who hit me.”
“I’m so sorry, Berry.” He plucked the egret feather out of her hair and set it on a night table beside the bed. “I should have stayed with you.”
“Not your fault. You couldn’t have come with me.”
He moved away again and returned with a wet cloth that he gently used to dab the blood away, and then he set another dampened cloth upon her forehead. “I’m going to take off your shoes now, and then I need to have a closer look at your arm and shoulder. Does anything feel broken?”
“No, just bruised. I fell on my knees and then hit my left arm and shoulder when I stumbled to the ground. Oh, Gideon. I suddenly feel ill.” She rolled over to the side of the bed and began to heave.
“Bollocks,” he muttered, and grabbed the chamber pot from under the bed. “I have you, love. Let it come out. I won’t let go of you.”
“Don’t. Please, don’t ever let go of me.”
“I’m right here, Berry. Always. For as long as you need me.”
She expelled every bit of the delicious supper she had just eaten. When there was nothing left inside of her, Gideon set aside the disgustingly odorous chamber pot and eased her gently onto her back in his bed.
He tucked pillows behind her head so that she was not lying flat, and then dampened yet another cloth and dabbed cologne on it before putting it back on her head. “There, sweetheart. Are you feeling any better?”
“Oh, not yet.” She rolled forward again, clambering over him as she aimed for the chamber pot and tossed up more of her supper.
When the heaves finally stopped, she collapsed in a sprawl across his lap. Her bosom rested upon his muscled thighs, and her heart was racing so that she thought he might have felt it beating against his thighs. It was quite scandalous, but she hadn’t the strength to move off him yet. “I’m sorry.”
“Oh, Berry. You needn’t apologize. You have a concussion. Nausea is one of the symptoms.” He turned to one of his staff members who must have walked in while she was heaving. “Horace, bring up some apple cider. And some oat biscuits.”
“At once, Mr. Knight,” the young man said, and hurried away.
“Berry, you might have to spend the night here.” Gideon spoke so gently to her and stroked her body to soothe her as she remained limp and exhausted atop him. “You’re going to have a wicked lump on your head by morning. Dr. Farthingale might decide it is too dangerous to move you in your present condition.”
“But I must go home.” Although, how would she manage it when she could not even lift her head and was speaking into hisleg? “I’ll be ruined if word gets out that I spent the night here. Oh dear. Others have seen me.”
“Henry brought you to my club through a back entrance,” he said, continuing to run his big, roughened hands over her body with exquisite care. “None of the patrons saw you, and no one on my staff is going to tattle. They would never betray you. But if gossip somehow spreads, then rest assured I will do all in my power to save your reputation.”
“How? Nothing short of marriage would remove the scandal.”
