walking and talking might awake you,” Debbi said, handing Aleece her robe.
She had barely gotten an arm in the sleeve when Mrs. Linna entered, a silver tray with a bowl, white towels, and a jar of one of the housekeepers many salves on it.
“Ah, not so fast, my dear. First I want to look at your injuries,” she announced, setting the tray down on the bed.
“Injuries?” She looked to Debbi for an answer, but when she saw none were coming, she turned her eyes to Mrs. Linna.
Then, she remembered the fire at the Smyth’s farm yesterday. Riding back to the estate and taking a long hot soak scented with her favorite rose bathing oil. Those were the last clear things she was able to summon up.
“Yes, m’ lady. Seems you fell asleep at the dinner table and we put you to bed. Her Grace said she’d stay with you through the night, but I was able to convince her that wasn’t necessary. That myself and Debbi would watch over you.”
Aleece could feel her face and neck warm at the thought of being cared for like a little girl in braids again.
“You should have reason to flush, m’ lady.” She glanced back at the housekeeper in shock. Her raised brow questioned the statement. “Seems you had a rather interesting dream. But, that can wait. Let’s have a look at the burns while Debbi runs to get your breakfast.”
Aleece returned her maid’s curtsey with a slight nod and watched as she slipped from the room before turning back to Mrs. Linna. Under the stern watchful eye of the woman’s gaze, she removed her arm from the robe’s sleeve. With help from the housekeeper, she slipped her night-rail down to expose the injuries.
A noncommittal cluck from the other woman caused Aleece to try to look at her shoulder, only to be stopped with a pat on her backside.
“You maybe the duke and duchess’s daughter, but with me you’ll behave or I might let slip about the gentleman you were talking about last night,” Mrs. Linna softly reprimanded.
Suddenly, what the housekeeper said brought overly pleasant thoughts into her head as she remembered what she was talking about. “Oh, that.”
She relaxed her shoulders as her mind drifted back to late yesterday afternoon and the man who’d helped her onto her horse. The same person who’d invaded her sleep…
As the Smyth’s had packed their few remaining possessions onto the dray, she, with Debbi, had kept the smaller children entertained. Once the wagon was on its way the realities of what she’d done started creeping into her mind. That was when she realized she had several small but uncomfortable burns on her shoulder, from where her cape had slipped off.
Never one to accept assistance readily, Aleece attempted to climb up onto her saddle. She’d had a special strap made for her right foot, which she used when no mounting block was available. This time, though, the pain was such she didn’t have the strength until a man appeared, like a vision at her side.
With his face, except for his mouth and chin, hidden by a large brimmed hat, try as she might, Aleece couldn’t recognize him. She knew he had to have been assisting in quenching the fire as his shirt carried the same acrid smell of smoke as her habit did. He laced his fingers together, bent over to offer his service to help boost her up. Unsure but wanting to get home she accepted his offer of service.
Once settled on the saddle, with her right leg around the pommel and left in the stirrup, Aleece adjusted her riding habit skirt when she witnessed her savior walk off. She started to call her thanks out when she noticed he walked with a limp. She thought, at first, it might be from an injury he received while fighting the fire. When her eyes noticed not only his broad shoulders and back tapering to a trim waist but the length and hue of the man’s hair Aleece was almost positive the man was her Thomas.
From his last dispatch she knew he had planned to arrive in the district on or about this date. If it was
She had barely gotten an arm in the sleeve when Mrs. Linna entered, a silver tray with a bowl, white towels, and a jar of one of the housekeepers many salves on it.
“Ah, not so fast, my dear. First I want to look at your injuries,” she announced, setting the tray down on the bed.
“Injuries?” She looked to Debbi for an answer, but when she saw none were coming, she turned her eyes to Mrs. Linna.
Then, she remembered the fire at the Smyth’s farm yesterday. Riding back to the estate and taking a long hot soak scented with her favorite rose bathing oil. Those were the last clear things she was able to summon up.
“Yes, m’ lady. Seems you fell asleep at the dinner table and we put you to bed. Her Grace said she’d stay with you through the night, but I was able to convince her that wasn’t necessary. That myself and Debbi would watch over you.”
Aleece could feel her face and neck warm at the thought of being cared for like a little girl in braids again.
“You should have reason to flush, m’ lady.” She glanced back at the housekeeper in shock. Her raised brow questioned the statement. “Seems you had a rather interesting dream. But, that can wait. Let’s have a look at the burns while Debbi runs to get your breakfast.”
Aleece returned her maid’s curtsey with a slight nod and watched as she slipped from the room before turning back to Mrs. Linna. Under the stern watchful eye of the woman’s gaze, she removed her arm from the robe’s sleeve. With help from the housekeeper, she slipped her night-rail down to expose the injuries.
A noncommittal cluck from the other woman caused Aleece to try to look at her shoulder, only to be stopped with a pat on her backside.
“You maybe the duke and duchess’s daughter, but with me you’ll behave or I might let slip about the gentleman you were talking about last night,” Mrs. Linna softly reprimanded.
Suddenly, what the housekeeper said brought overly pleasant thoughts into her head as she remembered what she was talking about. “Oh, that.”
She relaxed her shoulders as her mind drifted back to late yesterday afternoon and the man who’d helped her onto her horse. The same person who’d invaded her sleep…
As the Smyth’s had packed their few remaining possessions onto the dray, she, with Debbi, had kept the smaller children entertained. Once the wagon was on its way the realities of what she’d done started creeping into her mind. That was when she realized she had several small but uncomfortable burns on her shoulder, from where her cape had slipped off.
Never one to accept assistance readily, Aleece attempted to climb up onto her saddle. She’d had a special strap made for her right foot, which she used when no mounting block was available. This time, though, the pain was such she didn’t have the strength until a man appeared, like a vision at her side.
With his face, except for his mouth and chin, hidden by a large brimmed hat, try as she might, Aleece couldn’t recognize him. She knew he had to have been assisting in quenching the fire as his shirt carried the same acrid smell of smoke as her habit did. He laced his fingers together, bent over to offer his service to help boost her up. Unsure but wanting to get home she accepted his offer of service.
Once settled on the saddle, with her right leg around the pommel and left in the stirrup, Aleece adjusted her riding habit skirt when she witnessed her savior walk off. She started to call her thanks out when she noticed he walked with a limp. She thought, at first, it might be from an injury he received while fighting the fire. When her eyes noticed not only his broad shoulders and back tapering to a trim waist but the length and hue of the man’s hair Aleece was almost positive the man was her Thomas.
From his last dispatch she knew he had planned to arrive in the district on or about this date. If it was
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