Page 22 of The Hidden Heart

“There. No doubt now you will have more luck sleeping. I shall bid you good-night, my lady.” He sketched a bow toward Leona, then turned and walked out the door, leaving her standing speechless behind him.

* * *

Jessica and Gabriela spent the next morning doing lessons in the nursery schoolroom, hoping that by the time they finished, the Veseys would already have left the house, bound for London. It was close to noon, and Gabriela was growing very tired of conjugating French verbs, when they were startled by a piercing scream.

Jessica leaped to her feet and ran out of the schoolroom, Gabriela on her heels. As Jessica ran, she heard a man’s voice shout, “Help! Help me here! Leona, my pet, are you all right?”

His only answer was a moan. Jessica glanced at Gabriela, suspicion blossoming in her. The two of them descended the staircase more slowly. When they reached the landing and looked down on the Great Hall below them, they saw Leona Vesey lying at the bottom of the stairs. Her husband knelt beside her, holding her hand in his and patting it.

Two footmen had just arrived at the scene, and as Jessica looked on, the duke strode in, saying, “What the devil is going on? Who screamed?”

The gathering servants all stared in fascination at Leona’s prone form. At that moment she let out a moan and raised her head a little.

“What—what happened?”

“You fell, my dear,” Lord Vesey supplied her with an answer. “We were about to leave, and you were going down the stairs, a trifle too fast perhaps, and your foot slipped and you fell. Thank God, you’re still alive.”

Richard moved forward, frowning, and squatted down beside her. “Can you move, Lady Vesey?”

“I—I think so.” Leona lifted a hand to her head in a gesture worthy of the stage. “Oh, dear, I’m a trifle dizzy. Richard, help me up.”

She reached for him, and when he extended his arm to her, she artfully leaned into him, so that he was half-holding her as she sat up. Rising from his crouch, he pulled her up with him. Once again her hand went to her head, and she slumped against him with a moan.

“Just a moment,” she murmured, and looked up at Richard with wide eyes. “Everything is twirling. I must have hit my head.”

Jessica rolled her eyes in disgust and exchanged another glance with Gabriela, who looked equally suspicious. They continued down the steps until they were almost even with the others.

Leona, eyes closed and face pale, leaned against the duke’s chest. He stood stiffly, looking profoundly uncomfortable. “Are you able to walk, Lady Vesey?” he asked, pulling his arm from her.

“I shall try—if you will help me.” She grabbed his arm with her hand as he pulled away and leaned on it while she took a hobbling step forward. She let out a cry and crumpled, and Cleybourne grabbed her to keep her from falling.

“Oh, no!” she wailed, leaning her head against his broad chest. “I cannot walk! I fear I have broken my ankle.”

Her words brought such a dark scowl to Cleybourne’s face that Jessica had to smother a giggle.

“Oh, no!” Vesey exclaimed. “Oh, dear, we must send for a doctor. My dear Cleybourne…”

“Yes, yes!” Richard snapped, turning to one of his servants. “Blake! Send one of the stable boys for Dr. Houghton.” He turned back with a sigh, still supporting Leona’s clinging form.

“Best go back to bed, my dear,” Lord Vesey announced mournfully. “And to think we were just about to set off on our journey.”

“Yes,” Richard agreed dryly. “An amazing coincidence.”

Vesey gazed back at him blandly. Leona took the opportunity to curl her arm around Cleybourne’s neck.

“Carry me, Richard, please.” Her eyes were huge and pleading, their color brightened by the sparkle of unshed tears. “It hurts too much to walk.”

“No doubt.” Richard glanced again at his servants. “Hobbs, Williams. Here, carry Lady Vesey upstairs to her room.” He handed her off to the two footmen, saying to Leona, “I will send one of the maids up to help you.”

Jessica bit back another giggle at the astounded expression on Lady Vesey’s face as Richard all but shoved her into the hands of the two servants.

“No doubt you’ll want to sit with her until the doctor comes, Vesey,” Richard went on.

“What? Oh. Yes, I suppose so.” Lord Vesey did not look too happy at the idea, but he turned and followed the two footmen up the stairs as they locked hands and carried Lady Vesey away.

Leona’s eyes locked with Jessica’s as the group passed them on the stairs, and her gaze was full of venom. Jessica was not entirely sure whether the spite in her eyes was directed entirely at her or was simply a generalized fury at the brusque way the Duke of Cleybourne had gotten out of carrying her up the stairs. Jessica turned back to the foot of the stairs. Cleybourne looked at her.

“I suspect our guests will be staying with us a trifle longer than expected,” he said with an obvious lack of delight.