“Ah, but you’re not responsible for all those duties right now, are you? I distinctly heard your… superior tell you to look after the pretty boy. That would be me, unless I have competition from one of my bed mates? Tell me, sweet harridan, is there someone here prettier than I?”
That hissing sound came again, part frustration, part exasperation. This female was like an angry cat when you provoked her. And for some strange reason Brandth enjoyed hearing that sound.
“I shall take your silence on the subject as a no. Now… do you have a name, or shall I just call you nurse harridan?”
“That would be healer harridan to you.”
“Oh, forgive me, healer, but would you honour this poor humble soul by imparting your name?”
The scoffing sound that followed was all exasperation without an iota of amusement. “Perri. My name is Perri.”
“Perri? Lovely. Now let’s start with you fluffing my pillows. Then perhaps a cup of tea would be in order to wash away the lingering taste of that most foul medicine. Then I’d-”
“Lord De’Luca-”
“I insist you call me Brandth. After all, you and I it appears will be spending a lot of quality time together.”
“Brandth.” Once more Perri’s tone couldn’t have been drier. “Your pillows are fine. And we are short on staff currently, what with the wedding. I have other patients to attend. I’ll bring you some tea shortly, after I have seen to their needs.”
Brandth heard the rustle of material as she stood up. He didn’t want Perri to leave his side just yet, enjoying sparring with her too much. Her voice was admittedly lovely, a joy to listen to in fact. But for some reason he found himself craving hearing those waspish terse prim tones of hers just as much.
Surprised as a gentle hand came down to rest on his shoulder for a brief second, giving him a reassuring pat. “I won’t be far away. Just call out if you require anything.”
The hollow feeling in his gut as she departed surprised Brandth. He felt strangely… abandoned, even though he had merely been teasing and idly passing the time with her.
With nothing to do but lie still and listen, he felt marginally better as Perri’s lyrical tones drifted over to him as she saw to the comfort of other patients. No exasperation or frustration tinging her tone. No dry as a desert put downs. No hissing sighs. Only sweetness and light.
Interesting, it appeared only he brought out the healer harridan side of her nature with his mere existence. And for some bizarre reason that pleased Brandth, the hollow feeling in his gut dissipating.
* * *
Perri was procrastinating. Elixirs were mixed. Temperatures taken and recorded. The bandages folded away neatly. And the swept floor so clean Master Healer Mary could have performed surgery on it. Yet still Perri found herself reluctant to return to Lord De’Luca’s… Brandth’s bedside.
Though that hadn’t stopped her gaze from incessantly drifting in that direction. Just to check on him. Not because he was so pretty. Which he was. With his straight nose, full lips, strong jaw and that waterfall of wheat gold hair falling messily down to his shoulders. His chest broad, but not too broad. He was tall, but not worryingly so. His limbs muscular and toned.
With a droll sense of humour and an infectious smile, it was clear he made friends easily. But that smile of his, it only roused Perri’s anger. Pretty men, in Perri’s experience, were the least trustworthy of the entire gender.
Spoilt from the cradle by doting mothers and nursemaids, they seemed to think their looks somehow entitled them to all the bounties life had to offer. They saw no wrong in misdirection, outright lying or placing the blame on innocents’ shoulders to get their way.
Perri, once upon a time, had been no better than everyone else, naively believing that a man’s looks reflected his true heart and nature. Even now she winced at how appallingly stupid and childish she had been. Though she’d paid for her foolishness ten times over and a thousand times every day since.
A man could share a joke with you, flatter, and quote poetry; words of love and adoration spilling from his beautiful lips like a golden waterfall of cascading honey. But words were useless if they had no substance. If they were nothing but a web of lies.
Actions. Deeds. They were what mattered. Never again would Perri be blinded by mere beauty. She had sworn an oath to herself ten years ago, encasing her heart in flash fired iron. Never again would she be idiotic enough to gift it to a pretty man.
Though perhaps it was unfair to taint Brandth with the same brush as… him. Admittedly Perri had been a little brusque in her treatment of her newest charge. Bordering on the terse. So unlike her. It seems Lord De’Luca brought out the worst in her.
She would try to do better from now on. Treat him like she did every other patient that came through those arched doors in pain and discomfort. She would be serene and she would be even-tempered, just like she normally acted.
With that in mind Perri fetched tea, serving several of the more mobile patients first before returning to Brandth’s bed located at the far end of the chamber.
“Tea, at last. I’m beyond parched and can still, unfortunately, taste that vile medicine.”
The man had canny senses, he’d been listening for her footsteps she surmised. Sitting in the chair beside his bed Perri contemplated the logistics. “Perhaps if I were to bring a few more pillows you could sit up slightly and serve yourself.”
“I fear my head aches too much, and my limbs feel as weak as those of a newborn kitten. May I suggest instead you sit here beside me.” Brandth patted the bed. “And I shall lean against your pillowy soft bosom whilst you hold the cup and I sip from it?”
“I would be undeserving of such an honour.” Perri fought hard for serenity, for calm. Lord Brandth De’Luca thought he was so charming and funny. “We have an orderly, Jerimiah, stout lad, heart of gold, brave in the face of danger. He would be much more worthy of your esteemed offer. Shall I call him over?”
