“Don’t kill him. He’s not worth it.” Reese’s gaze was drawn to a dark patch on Jem’s palm. Her stomach twisted. She grabbed his hand and held it up to the lantern. It was blood. “Are you cut?”
“It’s just a scratch. I think it might have been one of his teeth.”
“Is your tetanus shot current?” Reese examined it more closely.
“Yes.” Jem gave a wry smile and touched her cheek again. “Now let’s hope no one thinks I did this, andyoubit me.”
“That’s not funny,” she said, but an almost hysterical giggle escaped.
He said nothing but pulled her into his arms. Reese started to cry and pressed her face against his neck, her arms around his waist. She had no idea how long they stood there like that, but at the sound of heavy footsteps running toward them, Jem straightened. He didn’t release her.
“Is Miss Clarisse injured?” the Earl asked.
“No.” Reese straightened and brushed at her cheeks.
“That’s my girl,” Gareth said softly, his gaze approving. “However, if we wish to avoid a scandal, we must slip you inside, out of sight of the servants. Come.”
“You okay now?” Jem asked quietly.
“I think so.” He took her hand, and she clenched it tightly.
“When I saw what was happening, I bid my man to wait here,” Gareth said softly when they approached the front door. “I trust him to say nothing.”
Reese tried to lift the cowl of her cape over her head with one hand, and Jem helped with the other side.
The Earl gave the door a soft tap, and the valet opened it immediately. His gaze darted to her face for a second, but then he looked at his lord, waiting for instructions.
“Get her ladyship.” Gareth held a finger to his lips.
“Aye, my lord.” The man closed the door.
“Over here.” The Earl guided them into the shadows and blew out the lantern before putting it down. “I most humbly apologize that any woman who is a guest in my house should be thus treated. I never thought . . .”
Reese decided he must have been thinking of his sister, and she patted his arm. “They thought if they compromised me, I’d have to marry one of them.” Jem’s hand in hers twitched.
“That has to be one of the stupidest things I’ve ever heard,” he said. “Did they never consider trying to court you?”
“That’s what they do to women here,” she said. “My lord, you need to watch out for Sir Slimy, I mean Lord Howard. He’s just like Reggie and Ned.”
“Has he—” Gareth began, his voice a growl.
“Not yet, but he was watching Ellen the same way I’ve caught Ned watching me.”
The door opened, and her ladyship peeked out. “Clarisse?” she whispered.
“Over here.” Gareth guided his sister’s hand to Reese’s. “Miss Clarisse has had a fright, but I believe she will be fine. I need you to tend her. No servants.”
“Of course. I— Oh.” Ellen gave Jem a quick curtsy. “When did Mr. Taylor arrive?”
“I arrived in time to offer assistance to my cousin,” Jem said.
“While you see to Miss Clarisse,” the Earl said, “I will show Mr. Taylor to his room.”
“Jem, don’t forget your hand.” Reese reached for the one with the scratch. “You have to scrub it really well with that horrible lye soap because—”
“Because people can die of a staph infection here.” He brought their clasped hands up like he meant to kiss hers. The Earl gave a grunt that was part growl. Jem stopped just short of his mouth, but the corner of his mouth quirked up. His gaze met hers, and the tenderness there felt like one of Nellie’s potions, easing the hurt. “I’ll scrub it well. I have plenty of reasons to be alive.” He released her hand and bowed first to Ellen and then to Reese.
“Come.” Ellen put an arm around Reese’s back, and they hurried upstairs to her bedroom. Her ladyship slipped into Lulu’s little room and told her not to bother them. The maid tried to protest, but Ellen could put on the noble attitude as good as her brother when she wanted to.
