One would think it was a rare gem," said Millicent.
The earl ignored her. He placed a hand on Edward’s shoulder and pointed up. Edward jumped up and down, trying to see. Royce laughed. "Here, none of that, or we’ll have an accident yet. Let me put you on my shoulders." He turned around and squatted down. Eagerly Edward put his legs over Royce’s shoulders and grabbed him about the neck. When the earl rose again Edward squealed with delight.
"I see it! I see it!"
Millicent rose from the bench, angry at the attention given the children. She brushed past Sir Helmsdon, jostling him. He missed catching his cork and it fell to the stone floor, rolling away.
Millicent sidled up to Lord Royce, sliding one arm through his while waving her fan before her with the other. "Oh, my lord, I feel faint," she moaned artfully, leaning heavily against him.
"Mrs. Hedgeworth, please!" snapped the earl, stepping backwards to steady his balance. His heel caught the cork. It rolled under his foot throwing him backward. With Millicent’s weight at his side he could not catch his balance. Suddenly he was falling and Edward, riding on his shoulders, was heading straight for a stone bench!
"Royce!" shouted Sir Helmsdon.
Jane screamed, spilling wine down the front of her gown.
Straining and bunching his muscles, the earl twisted, throwing himself sideways. He came down on his left side, landing on his leg. His face twisted in agony as pain shot up his leg. Edward fell forward from the force of the earl’s movement to save him, his little body sprawling across Millicent as she landed on Royce’s chest. The earl’s breath went out in a whoosh, leaving him stunned and gasping.
Millicent screamed hysterically and batted at Edward, pushing at him. "Get off, you little monster! Oh, you’ve smashed my bonnet! It’s all your fault, you miserable brat!" she sobbed, clasping the earl’s broad chest. The earl winced and gulped air, his head shaking negatively, though no words would come.
Edward scrambled off her. "I didn’t do anything!" he cried. His lower lip trembled.
"Of course you didn’t," Jane snapped, her face white, her eyes glittering angrily. She grabbed Millicent by the arm and yanked her off the earl.
"Wha—Oh, my arm! Stop that, you’re hurting me!" Millicent wailed.
Jane ignored her, finally letting go of her arm when she was clear of the earl. Millicent landed smartly on her posterior and let out another screech. Jane gathered her skirts and hunkered down next to Royce.
"My lord, don’t move," she said earnestly. "Are you hurt?" She quickly scanned his body.
He nodded. "My ankle. Sprain, I think," he rasped out.
"Let me see," said Lady Elsbeth, coming up behind Jane. "Jane, we need to get him to lie back. Put his head on your lap and support his shoulders." She knelt down next to him and began to gently prod his legs. With the marquis’s assistance, she carefully lifted one leg off the other, then straightened the left leg, which had taken the brunt of the fall. The earl stiffened, his face white. Jane bit her lower lip as she watched him stoically accept Lady Elsbeth’s ministrations.
"We’d best cut that boot off," Lady Elsbeth said, raising her head to call out to Jeremy to fetch a knife.
"No!" protested Royce. "Pull it off."
"But my lord, your leg is already beginning to swell."
"Don’t cut the boot, damn it! Pull it off! I’ll not die, woman."
Lady Elsbeth raised an eyebrow at his rough manner, then pursed her lips. "Very well. Bertram, Edward, fetch cloths from the picnic hampers then run down and dip them in the lake. We’ll need the cold water to relieve some of the swelling. Millicent, have Jeremy bring the barouche down here. Sir Helmsdon, please help Jane hold Lord Royce down while John and I pull the boot off."
Jane’s eyes flickered upward at the use of Lord Conisbrough’s Christian name, but she made no comment. She felt Lord Royce’s muscles bunch as he prepared himself for the agony of having his boot removed.
Millicent opened her mouth to protest, then thought better of it. She flounced out of the Folly, meeting Jeremy halfway as he came to ascertain if there was anything he could do. Rudely she ordered him to bring the carriage about, then flung herself at her mother, sobbing of her aches and pains.
Serena requested Burry to bring her daughter a glass of wine to settle her poor nerves. "A fine mess you’ve made of this," she hissed, perfunctorily patting Millicent’s shoulder.
"But Mama—"