Page 24 (1/2)

"She looks like a woman who’s never been properly loved," Villiers said "You wouldn’t know this, but she’s actually married to a fellow I used to know"

Elijah cast hi at the board

"We’re no longer friends," he said,an unprompted drink of water

"Perhaps the fellow loves her," Elijah said

"Oh no," Villiers said "She toldunder the circumstances, but apparently he told her so hiround his teeth Of course, he had said such a bloody foolish thing but it was years ago Could it be that Jemma remembered? One had to suppose…

"I should like to bequite chatty now that his voice wasn’t so hoarse He had allass of water, so Elijah poured lass

"Would you?" His own voice sounded like two pieces of iron rubbing together

"She knows her way around a bed," Villiers said "Did you really ’s Seven? That was remarkably foolish" He promptly took the piece "She knows her way around a bed, and yet she’s reent I would bed her, but I’m afraid I would lose her Stupid, isn’t it?"

"No, why?" Elijah er and he could do nothing Even in a fit of fever and nize who he was, he had spun a web of black pawns around hi

"I want her, but I want her friendship ame What did you say your name was? The doctor, aren’t you? I do feel better" He picked up Elijah’s queen and lay back against his pillows His eyes drooped closed but he said so over

"Lord, what fools thesefrom Shakespeare in the midst of a fever? Elijah ventured to put the back of his hand against his forehead and he seeh It was Elijah who felt as if he had a fever A fever of rage

Villiers opened his eyes again "Just be sure to take Betsy out before you leave, would you?" he said

"Betsy? Betsy?"

"My dog," Villiers said "She’ll need to go out She’s been keeping ed "She was o!"

For a moment Villiers’s eyes opened all the way and he looked at hi surprised "Is that Beau and the woman as well? Are you married to the barmaid now? Lucky sod"

"No, I’m not," Elijah said "Drink so in his voice that seemed to snap into Villiers’s consciousness because he frowned But he drank the entire glass Elijah handed hilass back, then picked up his greatcoat

"If you have Betsy," came the voice from behind hi, don’t you?"

It was not the first time in Elijah’s life that he realized how uni" can feel

Finchley was outside the door "He drank five glasses of water," Elijah said "I expect he needs to piss I’m not prepared to hand him a chamber pot; I’ll leave that up to you"

"Your Grace," Finchley said, and there were tears in his eyes "Will you cohtened his lips "If you need me, I’ll come," he said "Send me word in s?"