Chapter Twenty-Seven
The next day,Noah and Isabelle had given in to Geneva’s demands of leaving her bed, but the sitting room was as far as they allowed her to venture, and she was mightily sick of it, though her confinement had consisted of all of one day. She sat in a comfortable chair that afforded her a nice view out the window. A fat lot of good that did, however, as the clouds were darkening again. One might believe one was under the coal-smoked skies of London. There was one advantage, and that was the freshness of the country. So it didn’t smell as putrid.
Docia sat in the other comfortable chair angled toward the cozying fire, studying her perfectly shaped nails. Her eyes flicked to Geneva then dropped again. “What makes you believe Julius is truly your brother?” While her tone was depleted of its biting edge, it sounded almost… accusatory.
“You sound… curious.” Concerned, Geneva studied her… rival? Nemesis? Whatever her feelings regarding Docia, they feltcomplicated. The words also sent her hackles rising. She tamped back the defensive urge, inhaling deeply instead. “Did you know that Lord Pender—thelateLord Pender—paid my school fees to Miss Greensley’s?”
Docia raised her head, meeting Geneva’s eyes. “Why would he do that?”
“Quite the conundrum, isn’t it?”
Her eyes fell once more. “Still, it’s a stretch to believe that Julius is your half-brother. You are nothing alike.”
“I disagree.” The biting edge Docia had abandoned, Geneva took up proudly.
“As do I,” Julius said from the door. He strolled over to Geneva and kissed her cheek. “How are you feeling? You appear much better.”
She’d slept the previous day away, only waking for bouts of willow bark, peppermint, and ginger tea doused with honey and lemon, along with broth poured down her by Pasha. However vile the concoctions she’d been forced to consume, they’d worked wonders on the throat irritation. Full recovery was within her grasp. “What of you? Your arm?”
He glanced at the door then slipped his arm from the sling and slowly straightened it. “It distresses Isabelle when I move my arm,” he said, grinning. “I say, the stitches itch horribly.”
“How does that work, exactly? Do they come out on their own? Will they bleed?”
Docia stood abruptly. “I retract my doubts, Geneva. The two of you are identical peas in a pod,” she said with a show of her previous winning personality of disgust. “If you’ll excuse me.”
Geneva bit her lip to keep from laughing outright until the outer door shut a little harder than necessary. She met the gleam in Julius’s eyes, sending the two of them into gales of laughter and the ache in her head back to the far reaches.
He dropped into Docia’s abandoned chair.
“Noah said you don’t recall the events leading up to your fall.”
And just like that, the sharp pain pierced her head. She pressed her fingertips against her temples, black waves swallowing her.
“Geneva! What did you do to her, Jules?”
*
Fear cascaded throughNoah as he charged through the room. He tossed the letters he held on the low table and knelt beside her, prepared to lift her up. “Water. Quickly. I’ll get her to her bed,” he barked to his brother. “What did you say to her?”
Julius didn’t answer and Noah glanced over his shoulder. His brother’s face was stark white. “I-I…”
Geneva’s eyes fluttered open amid a groan. “Quit coddling me.” She struggled out of his hold. “Stop. Just stop.” Her breaths were too rapid. They matched pace with the fluttering pulse in her neck and the furious pounding of his heart. “I’m not a child. I don’t understand what’s happening, but a bed will not fix it.”
“Perhaps that is exactly the remedy,” he said, low enough for her ears only.
Her widened gaze shot to his.
“That’s right,” he whispered. “I wish to take you to bed and drive all your fears away.”
“Water?”
“Right here,” Julius said. The hard edge in his tone was not encouraging.
Noah glanced over his shoulder and up at his younger brother. And winced.
Julius held out the glass with a steady hand. “If I ever hear you speak again to my sister in such a way, I’ll run you through.”
Geneva snatched the glass from his hand and gulped down the contents. “That is quite enough from the both of you.” She lifted the glass and teetered it side to side for Julius. But he was too busy glaring at Noah to notice. “Take this,” she snapped.
