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Marietta, observing over his shoulder, hated to think that such desperate people lived in such close proxi whoe, and Dobson cleared his throat
“I’ll sew the wound,” the doctor said “It will be easier while he is unconscious The gentle evenly, but a blow to the head like that can cause da inside the skull”
“Should we ements to take Lord Roseby home?” Dobson asked
“No, no, best to leave him where he is for now,” the doctor spoke authoritatively “My advice would be as little disturbance as possible Let hiive him water or broth, if he can take either Someone must keep a watch on him; he should not be left on his own”
The stitching was an unpleasant business Marietta was given the task of holding Max’s head still, her palgle—he was beyond it—and apart from an occasional wrinkle of his broas as if he was oblivious to the doctor’s probing It wasn’t until the wound was sewn, and the doctor put on a fresh bandage, that his eyes flickered and opened
“Miss Greentree?” Max looked up at Marietta, clearly puzzled, before his gaze slid to the doctor
“Sir? Can you hear me, sir?” the doctor held his attention
“Of course I can hear you You’re shouting,” Max said gru on?” But the slight roan from him, and a cry of, “Dear God, my head!”
“You were hit, sir Nothing to worry about Close your eyes now and rest That’s it”
Max didn’t need to be told twice He had already shut his eyes and appeared to have fallen asleep, or lost consciousness The doctor was pleased with even that brief, lucid moment, however
“He’ll be right as rain,” he announced with jovial certainty “I’ll co, but I don’t expect there to be any colance and sly, “Oh, he’ll be sore, miss, don’t doubt it, but he’ll live to make his nurse’s life a entlemen like him before, and they don’t like to be incapacitated”
After a few more stern instructions, the doctor and Dobson left the room, and Marietta was alone with Max
He didn’t wake again, orhim in silence, she decided that he looked even more like a Byronic hero than before, if that were possible Although Marietta had never been much of an admirer of the wild antics of the late Lord Byron—Victorian society considered hi—Francesca was besotted with hiic! As she looked upon the stricken Lord Roseby, for the first time Marietta could understand Francesca’s addiction
It was an a, to find oneself attracted to ain her bones, frightened her and Marietta had no intention of allowing it to go further She had enjoyed flirting with Max earlier, and she felt sorry for him now, but there o his oay, and she would go hers
Aphrodite arrived in due course She had a worry line etched upon her normally smooth brow, and Marietta noticed that her eyes were tired “You o home at once, Marietta,” she said “I should never have let you stay so long I will sit with Lord Roseby”