“I am here, madam. Reassembling my medical box,” Amir said calmly. “And I’m no one’s man. We are friends.”
“Friends? Reassembling?”
“He dropped it so he could catch you before you hit your head,” Emerson said. “I doubt it would have knocked any sense into you had that happened, regardless.”
“That’s a horrible thing to say.” Tears pooled in her eyes.
He grabbed her hands, still stained with his blood, and brought them to his lips. “Forgive me, Rose. My humor is often questionable when I am under duress.”
“Oh.” She gave him a watery smile. “You were teasing me.”
“Yes.”
“You best allow Mr.—”
“Amir.”
“Mr. Amir—”
“Just Amir.”
“All right,justAmir, then, to bandage you up before you cause further damage to your person. I-I’ll call for my carriage.”
Emerson scowled. “We shall escort you.”
She snorted.
“Does that sound not breach common etiquette?” he said lightly.
She stopped, and her blush was distinguishable even in the low light. Then her eyes narrowed. “You’re teasing me again.”
“Yes.”
He came—slowly—to his feet and put out his hand.
She slapped it away. “You’ve already ruined some of my work, do you wish to destroy the rest?”
Smiling, he inclined his head and stepped back, lowering his hand, and honestly appreciating her candidness.
“Emerson,” Amir said. Emerson glanced over to see a bandage dangling from one hand. “If you please?”
He moved back across the room and allowed Amir to once more cleanse then dab the wound dry before bandaging his ribs for protection. It was tender, and he valiantly prayed it would avoid infection. To be abed amidst the vile shenanigans going on could not be borne.
His senses, and hearing, told him Rose was back at the basin attempting to wash her hands.
“What of Stockton?” he asked Amir softly.
“The earl is snug in his bed with a footman posted at the door. I doubt he’ll wake before noon on the morrow.”
“Good. I need a shirt and coat if I’m to escort the lady home,” Emerson said, steeling himself against the pain. “This is deuced inconvenient.” Mostly due now to the impossibility of smothering Rose with his body. “Do the servants know Lady Stanford is here?”
“No. I told Yates I would see to you and sent him to bed as well.” Amir finished packing up the medical box. “I’ll retrieve the garments for you and call for her carriage.”
“You cannot think to go out again,” Rose demanded sharply, crossing the room to him.
“You cannot think I shall allow you to return home alone at this hour,” he retorted. The latch on the door touched his ear. He let out an exasperated breath. “I don’t wish to frighten you, Rose—”
“But?”
