small bedroom in order to see for themselves that he was not seriously hurt and that Lady Elsbeth could be trusted to bandage his ankle. While their questions ruffled Lady Elsbeth, they served to amuse the earl. Soon he was laughing and exchanging quips with the marquis and promising Sir Helmsdon he’d serve him a like turn.
Lady Serena came up beside her younger sister, her back pointedly to the earl. "Elsbeth, a word, please." she said, sotto voce.
"Not now." Elsbeth turned toward Jane, who stood at the side of the bed cutting linen bandages. "Hand me that piece of cloth, would you please? I want to put it over the bedclothes before I put the salve on. This mixture stains dreadfully."
"Elsbeth! This is important!"
"Then talk to me while I rub salve over Lord Royce’s ankle," Lady Elsbeth returned, her attention on her work.
Lady Serena looked at her, disgusted. "I don’t think the earl should be in this isolated wing with you and Jane. It’s unseemly! He should be moved upstairs with the rest of the guests. Frankly, I can’t see why you stay down in this drafty old set of rooms. There are plenty of rooms upstairs."
"Why do you want the earl upstairs?" Jane asked softly, not caring if her aunt knew she eavesdropped. She made a mental note to chastise herself later for succumbing to Jeremy’s failing. "Would it be so Millicent can conveniently walk in her sleep again?"
Lady Serena glanced disdainfully at Jane, as if she were unworthy of notice. Lady Elsbeth looked at her sister, and then at Jane. "Mr. Hedgeworth?" she asked, amused. She suddenly understood how Millicent had captured her husband.
Her sister’s nostrils flared and her jaw grew rigid. "Don’t be ridiculous!" she snapped. She spun away and stood stiffly by Mr. Burry.
With mock gruffness, Lady Elsbeth shooed everyone toward the door so that she could bandage the earl’s ankle.
Ignoring her sister, Lady Serena folded her hands in front of her and sighed theatrically for the benefit of the others. "Two invalids from an outdoor entertainment. I warned you how it would be, Elsbeth." She was outwardly calm, but anger colored her words.
"Two?" Elsbeth repeated, puzzled.
"My poor dear Millicent is right now upstairs, alone, prostrate from the heat."
Jane glanced up, astonished. She exchanged smiles of surprised amusement with the earl.
Lady Serena saw Jane’s astonishment turning to laughter. "Millicent is a delicate, refined creature," she said archly, implying that Jane was not. "She is devastated by the accident her fainting spell caused. Though I understand, after listening to the boys' ceaseless chatter, that the actual fault must lie with you, Sir Helmsdon. It was your toy that Lord Royce so unfortunately slipped on. Ah, well," she continued quickly, refusing to allow Sir Helmsdon an answer, "there is no coin in consideration of what might have been. Now my poor Millicent bears two burdens: her ill health and her guilt. Not to mention the dreadful bruises I fear will show by morning. Poor child. Elsbeth, do you have some medicine that might also relieve my daughter’s suffering?"
Lady Elsbeth nodded. "When I’ve finished here," she said shortly, not trusting herself to say more.
Lady Serena smiled. "Of course. Now, everyone out so my sister may tend to Lord Royce and afterward, dear Millicent." She held the door open and looked pointedly at the others. All but Jane and Lord Conisbrough moved to obey. She pursed her lips and raised an eyebrow. "Do you think it wise, Elsbeth, for Jane to stay in a man’s room?" she said for all to hear.
"I have need of Jane’s assistance. The only problems I could foresee would be those created by malicious, unwarranted gossip. Be that as it may, Serena, what is it you expect the earl to do in his present state?"
Lady Serena spasmodically opened and closed her mouth like a landed fish. Then color rose up her neck and her eyebrows pulled together. "There is no need to be crude, Elsbeth," she said austerely, tossing her head in the air and leaving the room. The door closed smartly behind her.
Those left in the room were silent a moment, then burst into laughter.
"We should not laugh," Lady Elsbeth said, taking a strip of cloth from Jane and winding it around the earl’s ankle. "Millicent may indeed be ill."
"Elsbeth, I can assure you the only illnesses Millicent is suffering from are jealousy and embarrassment. "
"You should be flattered, Miss Grantley," said the earl, toasting her silently with his port glass.
Jane flushed. "Oh, not