Lady Theodora leaned her head back against the large pile of pillows before saying, “Every bone in my body aches if you must know.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” he said, smothering another smile. “You took quite a fall last night.” He refrained from saying it served her right for causing so much blasted trouble.
She emitted another long sigh. “I was an idiot. I’ve made a complete mess of things.” She uttered the words so simply and honestly.
Ewan was taken aback by her willingness to be so truthful. “I’m pleased to hear you taking responsibility for your part in this little tragedy. Perhaps you’re notentirelytoo stubborn, my lady,” he said, echoing her sentiment about him being detestable from the night before.
“Oh, I am. Trust me,” she said, lifting a hand and waving it in the air before allowing it to drop atop the blankets again.
He chuckled at that before saying, “I took the liberty of writing to your father and—”
“You what?” She shot upright and her eyes flew open wide.
Ewan stepped back and scratched behind his ear, wincing. He was about to anger her. He could feel it. “I wrote to your father. To let him know you’re here. According to James, my footman who delivered the message, your father is coming here to visit you this morning.”
Lady Theodora pressed both hands to her cheeks. “Why in heaven’s name did you involve my father?”
Ewan cocked his head to the side and regarded her. “Would you rather I tell no one and allow your family to think you’d been abducted or run off?” he asked calmly, rocking back and forth on his heels.
Lady Theodora emitted a disgruntled huffing noise. “I intended to write Maggie a note to let her know I was safe.”
“Maggie?” he asked.
“My maid.”
Ewan cleared his throat. “While that might have made you feel as if you’d done enough, I’m afraid as a gentleman, I could not allow you to stay here without your father knowing the details of what has occurred. You must see the reason in that.”
Lady Theodora wrinkled up her nose as she contemplated his words. The look on her face indicated that she clearly didnotsee the reason in it. She was about to open her mouth to no doubt say something pert when a slight knock on the door interrupted their exchange. Ewan turned to see Humbolt standing there, clearly regretting the fact that he’d had to interrupt him.
“My apologies, my lord, but Lady Theodora’s father is in the drawing room. He’d like to see her.”
“Of course,” Ewan replied, quickly backing out of the room. “I’ll bring him up myself.”
He left the room without a backward glance at Lady Theodora. He would have been beyond embarrassed if her father had known that he’d been in her bedchamber alone with her. Hopefully Lady Theodora wouldn’t reveal that particular bit about her stay to Lord Blackstone.
As Ewan made his way down the corridor to the staircase, he rubbed a hand over his face. He was tired, and now he had the unenviable task of informing the earl that his unmarried daughter would have to stay at a bachelor’s home for the better part of six weeks.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Thea pressed her head back against the pillows on the bed and stared at the frescoed ceiling of the guest chamber for several moments. How in the world had she got herself into this mess? Oh, she knew the answer well enough. Her stubbornness. When she found herself in a mess, the answer was always her stubbornness. Her father had always told her that being stubborn was her most unattractive trait. Even Mama had told her she was too stubborn. It was true, she always had been, even to her detriment. This was certainly one of those times.
Sheshouldhave written Lord Clayton an apology and asked nicely to visit Alabaster. Sheshouldhave never returned after seeing the horse successfully twice. Sheshouldhave never dressed as a lad and sneaked through a window. Sheshouldhave done a half a score of things differently, but that didn’t change the fact that she was lying in the middle of an elegantly appointed bedchamber in Lord Clayton’s house wearing someone else’s nightrail, about to have to explain to her father what exactly she’d done to end up here.
For some inexplicable reason, apparently Lord Clayton actually believed she would stay here while her leg healed. That was out of the question, obviously. Oh, Lord Clayton had done what he thought was right by ensconcing her in a bedroom and informing her father of her location. He’d done the only honorable thing he could, actually, and gone above and beyond to ensure only a few trusted servants were aware of the embarrassing situation, but Lord Clayton couldn’t possibly think she couldactuallyremain here, despite what the doctor said. Doctors weren’t concerned with things like reputations and scandals. But she certainly was. Not even so much for herself, but for Anthony. She refused to drag her innocent brother’s good name through the mud. Why, Anthony would need to court and marry his future countess one day. Having a sister tainted with scandal would greatly affect his prospects.
And if all that wasn’t enough reason she couldn’t possibly stay here, there was the practical aspect to the entire affair. She barely knew the viscount. She’d angered him. He’d angered her. They may have made a tentative peace last night, but that hardly made them friends. It would be beyond embarrassing, not to mention, exceedingly awkward, to have to stay at his home for the next several weeks, an unwanted and uninvited guest based on the fact that she’d sneaked into his stables and had the misfortune—however culpable he may have been in the act—to break her fool leg.
She expelled her breath and pushed herself up against the pillows, clenching her jaw against the pain as her broken leg jostled slightly against the mattress. She needed more laudanum, but she hadn’t dared to ask for it. She needed her wits about her when she spoke to Father. He would agree with her, of course. He had to. He’d come to fetch her. She was certain of it. Why else would he travel all the way here? Father would see the logic in needing to remove her from the house and avert potential gossip and a scandal.
Thea glanced around the elegant bedchamber. If she’d thought Lord Clayton’s stables were magnificent, his home was glorious. Her own bedchamber at home wasn’t this fine. In addition to the large bed that was populated with the finest of linens, the walls were papered in white with tiny blue flowers. Near the fireplace there was a seating area complete with a settee upholstered in what appeared to be light-blue silk. A sideboard near the window had a sterling silver tea set atop it. Fresh daisies rested in a white vase on her bedside table, and elegant embroidered curtains of the same light blue had been pulled back from the floor-to-ceiling windows, letting light stream through.
She eyed the gorgeous chestnut wardrobe that sat against the far wall. Were her breeches inside? She had to smile at the thought. She had little idea what she would wear to make the trip back home. Perhaps she could remain wrapped in a pile of blankets. It didn’t matter. Regardless of her clothing, they’d find a way to discreetly move her to the coach without disturbing her leg and she’d simply keep it propped on pillows all the way home. That was all there was to it.
The distinct clip of two sets of boots coming down the corridor toward her bedchamber, made Thea gulp. Would Father be angry or embarrassed? Probably both. She sucked in her breath and pulled the covers up to tuck them under her armpits as she waited for the door to open.
She didn’t have long to wait. Moments later, Father walked in with a look on his face that told her immediately he was indeed both angry and embarrassed. The door closed behind him and Lord Clayton’s footsteps retreated in the corridor. Thea breathed a sigh of relief. At least Lord Clayton had left them to speak alone. That was decent of him.
She lowered her head, hating herself for behaving like an errant schoolgirl. Her father’s censure always seemed to make her feel this way … as if she was never good enough for him and never would be.
