“You shouldn’t worry about his looks. For heaven’s sake, he might die.”
Anger flamed red in Helen’s cheeks. “You don’t have to remind me of that. I’m just saying that his face might be ruined forever.”
“Girls,” Mother said. “Enough. Nothing is certain yet, and nothing has been decided. For now, we must show our support and loyalty to the duke. Helen, you ought to remember we’re talking about one of the most powerful families in the kingdom. The Dowager is a personal friend of the queen. No matter what disfigurement the duke will endure, if any, his position won’t be questioned, and rumours come and go. There’s little we can do about them.”
“You’re right, Mother,” Helen said. “Although I’m afraid he’s going to be shunned by everyone. It won’t matter how close to the queen his family is.”
“You’ll be by his side,” Mother insisted, “as a devout wife would do. No one will take away his power and money.”
Isabella had to trap her bottom lip between her teeth not to speak again. She wasn’t as eager as Helen was to marry a duke, but reducing Anthony only to his money and power was cruel. He was kind and so very lonely she was worried the incident would demoralise him further.
Not to mention the small detail that Anthony didn’t want to marry Helen.
* * *
Anthony hadto force himself not to scratch his face raw.
The constant itching was only a fraction of the general discomfort he’d experienced in the past weeks. The pain came and went in merciless waves with a fever that left him shaking and sweating. When he didn’t feel pain and the fever didn’t plague him, he was confused and nauseous thanks to the laudanum.
His personal journal pages had been empty for weeks on end, so weak he’d been unable to write. He was alive, but he wasn’t sure if that was a blessing or a curse. He’d barely found a moment of joy in his life before it was snatched from him.
Patrick entered the bedroom silently after Helen had left. The beam of light hurt his working eye. Seeing Isabella would have been better, but on second thought, Anthony preferred not to be seen like that by her.
“Lord McFall is here. Do you want to see him?” Patrick asked.
Since after the incident, Patrick insisted on fussing around Anthony.
“Hell, yes. I can’t keep sending him away.” His voice sounded raspy to his own ears.
McFall’s confident stride faltered when he saw Anthony. Not that there was much to see. His face was almost entirely covered by the bandages.
Patrick lowered his gaze when McFall entered.
“Gloucester.” McFall bowed his head. “I came here to apologise.”
He flexed open his fingers not to touch his face. “The incident wasn’t your fault, but I did ask you many times to renounce the duel. I told you a duel was ridiculous.” The words came out slowly, but the physician had told him to speak anyway to keep his facial muscles active. Or what was left of them.
“I haven’t forgiven your brother,” McFall said, “but I’ll make amends to you.”
“Just promise me you won’t hurt Patrick, and we’re even.”
McFall took a long pause. “I promise.”
Anthony stretched out an arm from the armchair to shake the captain’s hand.
“There’s more.” McFall stared at him straight into his eye. “I happen to know about your dispute with an Austrian count, von Gruner. I would like to offer my help.”
“Yes?”
“Von Gruner and I aren’t close friends, but I saved his son’s life years ago, and he’s always told me he’s indebted to me. I took the liberty to enquire with him about Maiden Hill, and under my solicitation, he agreed to start a negotiation with you. He will no longer ignore your letters.”
Anthony would grin if he could. “That means a lot to my family and me.”
McFall bowed his head. “You should receive a letter from von Gruner soon, but I can already tell you von Gruner will invite you to Vienna for a meeting. He won’t travel here due to health problems.”
Well, Anthony had health problems, too.
“Also, if I may,” McFall continued, “his daughter, Sophia, has a great influence on him. She might be a more sympathetic ear to your predicament. I reckon if she agrees to return Maiden Hill to you, her father will follow suit.”
