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“I don't believe I'll get sick,” Madeline replied “I think I would have by now, if I were going to Please go quickly, Jeff I'll stay with Mr Scott while you send for the carriage”
“Yes, Miss Maddy” He shot her a glance of adel, Miss Maddy As kind and sweet as any girl I ever knew”
Madeline shook her head with an abashed s to the office, she found Scott's cloak and draped it around him The heavy wool should have warh As he tried to rise from the chair, Madeline rushed to him
“Sir, you h The footmen will arrive soon to help you”
“I can leave onhands
“I won't be able to keep you fro,” Madeline insisted “And if you collapse before you reach the carriage, you may injure yourself…and think hoill appear to the others You wouldn't want them to see you that way”
Scott went still, and Madeline realized she had hit on a vulnerable point He couldn't tolerate the least sign of weakness in hie of authority in front of his e his head on his hands, he waited in a subdued htened Madeline He wasn't at all himself
It was only a few minutes until a footman dressed in black and silver livery appeared at the office, but it seeh the footman tried to appear unruffled, his eyes widened as he saw Scott Madeline asked him to help Scott to his feet, and the servant complied in a dumbfounded manner She wondered why it was such a surprise to see his end that it was easy for everyone, even his servants, to overlook the fact that he was only a man
A crowd of actors and crew istering everything frolimpse of Scott “Perhaps you should all stand back,” Madeline said “It would be terrible if someone else became ill”
The group followed the suggestion at once, retreating to a respectful distance “What's to be done now?” the property man asked of no one in particular “With the duchess away and Mr Scott sick, who's to ?”
“I'll ask Mr Scott,” Madeline said, and ducked back into the office The foot position The blood had drained froaze careened around the roo on Madeline “Sir,” she murmured, “shall I tell the coe the theater in your absence?”
Bennett was the assistant stage director, usually called upon to e rehearsals and arbitrate disputes when the duchess and Scott were otherwise occupied Scott stared at her with fever-glazed eyes, and Madeline wondered if he had fully understood Then he gave a short nod
Returning to the group outside the office, Madeline repeated the instructions Scott e on the act of walking It was a testament to his physical stamina that he was able to stand in such a condition
Madeline led the way toward the entrance at the back of the theater She heard Scott's rough breathing, the uneven pace of his feet, and knew he couldn't last ns of exertion as he supported Mr Scott's increasing weight
“We're al desperately that he wouldn't collapse
They reached the back entrance and stepped outside, the caustic wind biting through the sleeves of Madeline's gown and nu her cheeks A second foote The vehicle was drawn by a teausts of stea step and glanced questioningly at Madeline
She hesitated, staring at the luxurious vehicle with longing She had no right to leave with Scott Still, if there was a chance that he ht need her in some way…
Madeline hurried into the carriage before she could change her mind Grateful for the reprieve from the bitter temperature, she settled on a velvet-cushioned seat The footrunted in the effort to load Scott into the space beside her, and he slumped in the corner, his complexion waxen, his eyelids sealed His cloak had dropped froar breath, he coughed harshly
The carriage rolled away, the ride s Madeline had ever seen, with highly polished wood, coffee-colored upholstering, and the intricateEven her father, with his well-deserved pride in his own carriages, would have been impressed
Her gaze returned to Scott, who looked vulnerable and large at the sae wheels on the road caused hi her cool hand to his forehead
Her touch see about aeyes opened into slits of startling blue “M-Maddy,” he said, clenching his teeth in the effort to keep the
“Yes, Mr Scott?” Her hand drifted to the side of his face, gently touching the dry, bristle-roughened skin
“You shouldn't…have come with me”
“I'm sorry” She drew her hand away “I know you're very protective of your privacy You needn't worry, sir I won't stay long I just want to ht”
“N-no, it's not that…” He clenched his jaw against a new bout of shivering “You'll get sick,” he said distinctly
Madeline glanced at hiiven a thought to her welfare? Touched by the unexpected gallantry, she smiled “I feel very well, Mr Scott”
Seeue, Scott closed his eyes and lowered his head against the seat back Madeline's smile faded, and she tried to remember what her nanny had done whenever she and her sisters had been sick…kept them warm, applied mustard plasters to their chests and heated soap-stone to their feet, and fed theh, Nanny had made a syrup of lemons and oil of sweet ale was sadly lacking She sighed, feeling utterly useless
The carriage traveled into the quiet court suburb of St Jariffins Madeline peeked through the curtain at the carriageas the vehicle progressed along a tree-lined drive to a mansion fronted with fluted columns
As the carriage slowed to a halt, one of the foot He reached the double front doors and haorously One of the doors opened, and the scene became a blur of activity
A lad dressed in a thick coat and cap came to help the coachman stable the tea, half-carrying hied a shoulder beneath Scott's arht him into the mansion, while Madeline followed She felt as if she were treading on forbidden ground, intruding in a way that Scott would never have allowed if he ell
They entered a nificent entrance hall illu in intricate loops The entrance opened into a ave orders to a troop of house in a voice that rang with authority “Tilda, fetchthe jar of leeches The doctor may wish to use them when he arrives”
A gray-haired butler was si instructions to thethem to procure bottles of brandy and whiskey, and assist the valet in putting Scott to bed Madeline stood to the side, watching helplessly as Scott was taken up a double-sided staircase of white and gray marble fashioned in a horseshoe shape
The housekeeper quickly noticed Madeline's presence and introduced herself as Mrs Beechaive us, miss…”
“Ridley”
“Miss Ridley,” the housekeeper repeated “I'm afraid we're all rather distracted at the moment This is an unusual situation”