“You were right to do so. Wait for me in the corridor.”
Needing little encouragement, Olivia scuttled to the door without glancing back. She’d seen quite enough of his lordship’s naked body for one day. His male smell and the memory of his hard body beneath her was enough! Any more of him would completely unnerve her.
He joined her in two long strides, shoes on his feet, his banyan flowing around the breeches he had quickly thrown on. “Right, come along.”
She heard a pistol cock as he strode off down the hall.
A gun? She suppressed a shudder and hurried after him as he took the stairs two at a time.
When they reached the entry, Jack sat leaning against the wall, his hands on his head, obviously in pain.
Redcliffe put his pistol on the table and crouched beside him. “Are you badly hurt, Jack? Should I send for the doctor?”
“Not bad, milord. The fellow was a stripling.” He gave a feeble chuckle. “I could have beaten him with one hand tied behind my back, but he took me by surprise. Hit me with that glass vase.” He gestured to the flowers lying in a pool of water. “I must have closed my eyes for a minute, it being so quiet,” he said sheepishly. “Or so I thought.”
“Can you stand? I’ll help you to the kitchen.”
“No need, milord. My feet still work.”
“If you’re sure.”
Redcliffe patted him on the shoulder and straightened. “Miss Jenner, will you tend to Jack’s head wound? I’ll look around outside, see if I can find where the man got in. Must be somewhere on the ground floor.”
He snatched up his pistol, and holding the oil lamp high, went out into the dark, closing the front door behind him.
“That devil won’t want to mess with his lordship if he’s still lurking about,” Jack said in a respectful tone.
“Let me help you to the kitchen, Jack. I’ll see if that gash needs stitching and put a salve on it. There might be glass in the wound. I have feverfew for the pain.”
Jack stood and tested his balance. “A bit of bump on the head won’t bother me much.”
“If you’re woozy, you must lean on me.”
“I’m fine, Miss Jenner.” His gait was a little unsteady as he walked beside her. Keeping her eye on him while resisting taking hold of his arm and wounding his manly pride, they descended the servants’ stairs to the kitchen.
When he sat down at the kitchen table, she went to fetch her box of salves and bandages kept in her office.
With the box in her hands, she hurried back to him. Please God, let nothing happen to Redcliffe.
The robber might have lashed out when cornered, but he was dangerous. That looked like a knife in his hand as he’d advanced silently up the stairs to where she stood. She tamped down a shudder. Did he think she was someone else? And then realizing his mistake meant to silence her? It was when she yelled out for Redcliffe that he’d raced downstairs. What would he have done had he reached her? Sensing evil, she shuddered as if someone had walked over her grave.
Jack slouched in the chair. He wiped blood from his hands with the cloth she gave him. “No need to be frightened, Miss Jenner. The devil won’t come here again. His lordship and I will keep watch.”
Olivia fought not to smile, touched by his concern. “I know you will, Jack.” She carefully parted his hair to view the nasty gash. “I don’t think it needs stitching,” she said with some relief. “There is a small sliver of glass.” When she plucked it out with tweezers, it bled more freely. “Press this clean cloth against it while I cut some tape.”
After Olivia dressed his wound, she stoked the smoldering range and poured boiling water from the kettle into the teapot. She brought out cups and saucers, sugar, and milk from the pantry, and joined him at the kitchen table.
They were drinking their second cup when Redcliffe walked in carrying a bottle of whiskey. He drew out a chair and sat down. “This might help, Jack.”
Jack’s eyes widened at the fine Scotch whisky. “Thank you, my lord.”
She jumped up. “I’ll get a glass.”
He gestured for her to remain seated and poured the whisky into Jack’s teacup.
“Would you care for tea, my lord?”
“First, you might tell me why you were wandering around the house in the middle of the night, Miss Jenner.”
