The last couple of hours had passed by fast. When Dorothy had caught him, stopping him from falling face first on the ground, she’d shouted for help. Mere seconds later, Lord Webster and the others had come, gathering the horses and helping Stephen back to the house.
The last view he remembered of Dorothy was her panic-stricken face in the hallway as he had been helped up the stairs. He resented Lord Chilmond’s help, but he was thankful to Mr. Becker, who had thrown Stephen’s arm over his shoulder and insisted a physician was called.
The physician had checked him over and deciding that Stephen was simply bruised and had hit his temple on a rock beneath the water, had left relatively quickly. Now, Stephen was suffering from a little dizziness and was sitting quite alone in his room, with a bowl of medicinal herbs beside him, ground into a paste that he was supposed to be applying to his temple.
He sat with his shirt loose about him and his waistcoat slung over his shoulders, having no desire to find a tailcoat and leave his room. His only company was the two candles on the table beside him, which was why the knock at the door was so unwelcome.
“Who is it?” he called.
The person didn’t answer, but they knocked again.
Stephen frowned, rubbing the soreness in his temple. “Unless that’s you, John,” he said, addressing his valet, “anyone else can depart. I am in no mood for company.”
The door opened suddenly. Stephen shifted around in his armchair by the fire fast and regretted the movement, once more grimacing and holding his head in his hands.
“Dorothy!” he yelped in surprise as she strode into the room.
“Shh.” She waved a hand at him and closed the door. “Do you want everyone in this house to hear? I do not imagine you would appreciate that.”
“This is scandalous,” he warned and then pointed a finger at the door. “Go. Now.”
“You don’t give orders, eh?” Dorothy said, though there was no trace of mischief as she walked toward him.
“I will not jest with you now. Go!” Stephen pointed a finger at the door again, but she quite ignored him.
She dragged a footstool nearer to him by the fire and sat down upon it, so close that he stiffened. His head was already aching, and with this dizzy feeling, he wasn’t sure what was real. He half wondered if this was a dream.
It could be a rather pleasant dream, to have Dorothy in his chamber.
What is wrong with me?
He tried to look away from her but couldn’t. Her hair had almost completely fallen out of its updo now. Apparently, she had been pulling at the tendrils again. She fidgeted, unable to sit still as her eyes roamed over him. Her bottom lip was red and raw as if she had been chewing on it.
“What is it?” Stephen asked, his voice low and deep.
“You are not applying this.” Dorothy looked at the medicine bowl and reached for the cloth beside it. “Stephen, you have to do as the physician says. It will help the cut heal. He said so.”
“You are listening at my door now, too?”
“No.” She dipped the cloth in the bowl. “I may have come across your physician before he left.”
Stephen raised a single eyebrow, showing his doubt.
“Very well, I cornered him before he could leave. He told me you were well, thank God, but were dizzy from the bump to your head, and the cut needed attending to. Why haven’t you put this on?”
“It hurts enough as it is.” Stephen winced and tried to sit back in his chair, softening his posture. “Please, Dorothy, just go. If anyone saw you coming here—”
“No one did. I was very careful.”
“Your rebellious nature, it knows no bounds.”
“Well, you know I have never been one for the rules. Now, come here.” She leaned toward him. He skulked back in the chair once more. “Afraid of a little pain, Stephen?” she whispered, the smallest of smiles on her lips.
Stephen frowned, then adjusted, allowing her to reach for the cut on his temple.
“How is it you make me do what you want?” he asked tiredly as he grimaced. The cloth was cold against his head, the herbs smelled foul, and the cooling effect they had was just more painful than before.
“I challenge you. Let’s face it, you’d hate it if I mollycoddled you, wouldn’t you?”
