A triumphant smile spread over Thea’s lips. “Of course not. That would be dangerous and difficult.”
“As if that’s stopped you before,” Maggie replied, crossing her arms over her chest.
Thea pursed her lips and lifted her nose in the air. “Be that as it may, I have an entirely different plan this time.”
Maggie groaned and let her chin drop to her chest. “Do I even want to know what it is?”
“I don’t see why not. It’s perfectly reasonable and level-headed,” Thea declared with a decisive nod.
“Very well,” Maggie said with a sigh, lifting her chin to face Thea again. “What is it?”
Thea folded her hands together primly and set them atop the blankets. “I intend to write to Anthony and ask him to come fetch us.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Ewan spent an inordinate amount of time wondering whether he should ask Lady Theodora if she would like to have dinner with him either in the dining room or in her room. Her presence was a secret from all but a few in the household, of course, so he didn’t see what harm it would cause if they ate dinner alone in her bedchamber. And there would be servants present as chaperones.
He eventually decided that it would be rude to completely ignore her, so he sent a note to her room via James, the footman. Ewan didn’t have long to wait until she replied that she would be delighted to have dinner with him.Delightedseemed a bit of a stretch. Perhaps the laudanum had made her nicer. Or madder?
At exactly eight o’clock that evening, Ewan knocked on Lady Theodora’s bedchamber door. Her maid—Maggie, he believed her name was—answered the door and stepped aside, allowing him entry.
Lady Theodora was sitting atop the bed. She was dressed in a light blue gown, her hair arranged artfully atop her head, and the covers pulled down to her feet. He could imagine she was shoeless, but she had on stockings and her feet were covered by the blankets. A tray sat on her lap and a napkin and utensils rested there. She had a bright smile on her face. “Good evening, my lord,” she said, bowing her head in a greeting.
Ewan couldn’t help but smile in return. “Good evening, my lady.” He bowed at the waist. “I trust you’re comfortable. Or as comfortable as you can be given the circumstances.”
She sighed. “My leg still hurts quite a lot, if I’m being honest, but the occasional bit of laudanum Maggie gives me keeps it from being unbearable.”
Ewan glanced at the maid who barely looked up from her needlework to acknowledge him. “Thank you for coming here, Maggie. And thank you for your assistance in pretending to be employed by me.”
“My pleasure,” Maggie replied, before returning her attention to her needlework.
The footmen had set a small table next to the bed and covered it in linens and all the accoutrements necessarily for a meal. One chair was tucked beneath the table. It might have been the strangest dinner Ewan had ever attended, but everything had been strange since he’d met Lady Theodora Ballard. Why should this be any different?
“May I?” Ewan asked, gesturing toward the chair.
“By all means,” Lady Theodora replied, nodding.
Ewan pulled out the chair and seated himself, while James rushed forward to pour wine into his empty glass. Giles also stepped forward to pour wine into Lady Theodora’s glass.
“I trust you’ve found your accommodations to your liking?” Ewan ventured as he waited for the footmen to finish their task.
“Oh, my room is the loveliest thing I’ve ever seen,” Thea replied, glancing around the large space. “And while we’re on the subject, I must tell you that your stables are the nicest I’ve ever seen.”
“I take that as a great compliment, my lady. Thank you.” The first course of watercress soup was served before Ewan ventured to speak again. “I’ll have to see what I can do about procuring a special chair for you, my lady.”
Lady Theodora glanced up at him and blinked. “A special chair? What do you mean?”
“Dr. Blanchard was telling me that the apothecary has a Bath wheelchair. I intend to purchase it for you.”
Lady Theodora’s eyes widened, and a look of sheer panic spread rapidly across her face. “Oh, no, no, no. Please don’t go to any trouble for me. I’ve already been such a bother.”
Ewan frowned. Had her father told her she was a bother to him? Frankly, Ewan wouldn’t have put it past the man. “No bother at all. It will help you to do more things while you’re here like sit near the window and perhaps even venture out of the room.”
Lady Theodora continued to shake her head. “No, truly. Please don’t go to such an expense on my account.”
“If you’re to stay here for at least a month, my lady, we may as well make the best of it. We have no other choice it seems.”
Lady Theodora ducked her head. “Yes, yes, of course. That sounds lovely.”
