He breathed in deeply against her hair. “I do, but I’m so grateful you’re here. Has everyone been treating you well?”
She nodded against his chest. “Except when Ash threatened to carry me out of here if I didn’t go to bed.”
His body moved with a quiet laugh. “I’m glad to hear it.”
She looked up at him. “Glad to hear he was going to carry me away from you?”
“If that’s what it took.”
She laid her head back on his chest. “I was worried about you.”
“I know, but this is the safest place I could have been.”
“How do you know Ash? When I asked him if he’s your friend, he didn’t give a straightforward answer.”
“It’s complicated. I actually have a few connections to him, strangely. The biggest one is my sister. She’s in his care.”
“Your sister is here?” She stood so she could see his face. “Why didn’t she come to visit you?”
“She doesn’t know I’m here. And it needs to stay that way. She’s healing from some really hard things right now, and worrying about me would only set her back.”
That was why they didn’t want gossip spreading. “What are the other connections?”
“I hope he’ll allow me to come and work for him, once we’re finally able to track down the bloody vicar. He’s the only thing keeping me at the Intelligence Services now.”
Before she could ask what kind of work he’d be doing here, the door opened, and Ash stepped into the room. She squeezed Simon’s hand more tightly, shaking her head. She wouldn’t leave him.
“Don’t worry,” Ash said. “I haven’t come to send you away. How’s our patient?”
She smiled at Simon, so grateful that he was awake and talking.
“Much better,” he said, but his voice was still strained.
“Good. If you’re up to it, we need to move you tonight.”
“I can go now if you want.”
Ash shook his head. “After the club opens. The ladies are up and about right now. You can’t keep my valet, but I’ll send him with you to make sure you’re safe and settled. And I know you’ll be in good hands when he leaves.” He gave Madelene a warm smile.
She nodded. “I won’t leave his side.”
Chapter
Thirteen
That night, as Simon climbed the stairs to his bedroom, Fogg’s hand rested against his back to make sure he was steady. He didn’t want his help. Didn’t want to need his help.
Madelene hurried ahead to light some lamps and turned back the blankets. Fogg walked to the wardrobe and pulled out some clean pajamas. “I’ll help you get changed.”
“I can help him,” Madelene said.
Fogg raised a brow, his eyes moving between the two of them.
“I don’t need help,” Simon said, tugging the pajamas out of Fogg’s hands. “I’m just fine. Practically back to my normal self.”
Fogg turned to Madelene, then. “Would you mind giving us a few minutes? We need to talk about some things.”
Simon closed his eyes. He didn’t want to talk. He just wanted to be alone, to prove to himself and to everyone else that he was perfectly capable. But none of that was true. He was not perfectly capable right now. And he also didn’t want to be alone. He wanted to hold Madelene’s soft body in his arms while she slept.
