Amelia immediately liked him. Anyone capable of smiling in Gabriel’s presence possessed unusual courage.
“Likewise, Doctor,” she replied.
“I see you have recovered,” John said, glancing towards Gabriel. “His Grace has been worrying over it.”
Gabriel frowned. “I have not been worrying.”
John ignored him entirely. “It would ease everyone’s minds if I examined you once more.”
Amelia looked from one man to the other.
The realization puzzled her.
Why did the Duke care?
“Of course,” she said.
“Excellent.” John gestured towards the door. “The parlor has better light.”
Amelia followed him from the study. A moment later, she heard footsteps behind her. Turning slightly, she discovered Gabriel was following.
Her confusion deepened. The man questioned her like a criminal yet worried over a minor head injury.
None of it makes sense.
A short while later, Amelia sat in the parlor while John completed his examination. The doctor checked her pupils, asked several questions, and tested her memory. Throughout the entire process, Gabriel remained nearby like a dark and silent statue.
Finally, John stepped back.
“Well?” Gabriel asked.
John smiled. “She appears perfectly fine.”
Relief visibly crossed Gabriel’s face before he could hide it. A quiet sigh escaped him as tension left his shoulders.
Amelia stared. Now she was even more confused than before. The Duke of Anderton clearly did not trust her.
Yet for some reason, he seems genuinely relieved that I was unharmed.
Chapter Six
She is well. Thank God. At least I do not have to worry about scandal in my household with an injured lady,Gabriel told himself.
He stood near the fireplace with his arms folded as John completed his examination of Amelia. He told himself he remained only because he wished to hear the doctor’s conclusions firsthand. That explanation sounded entirely reasonable. It was certainly more reasonable than admitting he had spent the last day wondering whether the woman had suffered some hidden injury.
Gabriel felt tension ease from his shoulders. The relief annoyed him.
Amelia rose gracefully from her chair and smoothed her skirts. “Thank you, Doctor,” she said with a warm smile as she dipped into a curtsey. Then she turned towards Gabriel and offered him a similar curtsey. “Your Grace.”
Gabriel inclined his head. “Miss Shirley.”
Without another word, Amelia left the parlor. The door clicked shut behind her. Silence settled briefly over the room before John slowly turned towards Gabriel. The physician’s expression already carried the look of a man preparing inconvenient questions.
John folded his arms and leaned against the back of a chair. “Have you arranged for the young lady to return to her parents?” he asked, watching Gabriel carefully.
“No,” Gabriel replied as he walked towards the sideboard and poured them both a glass of water. “She will remain at the estate for the next month.”
John nearly choked on the water, the reaction so sudden that he had to steady himself against the edge of the chaise. He stared at Gabriel for a long moment, then stared again as if repetition might produce a more reasonable explanation.
