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Marietta allowed him to steer her into the entrance hall, where Mrs Po staircase, twisting her hands in her apron And no wonder The sounds co from upstairs were loud and ominous Just then Max’s voice rose in a shout, followed by a terrible, heart-rending groan
“Oh dear,” Marietta said, her eyes wide “His head hurts hireat deal”
“Poor young sir!” the old woman cried “I should not have let Daniel take him up to his room, but Pomeroy went off for the doctor and…” Her eyes filled with tears “The truth is, I can’t ive out on me”
“Oh dear,” Marietta said again “What a mess you are all in Perhaps you would allow ”
Mrs Poed with relief “Oh, please do, htest star in the sky, if you get ”
“If you’re sure you wouldn’t eestured for her to lead the way
The staircase was grand and beautiful—Marietta could iowns But Max wouldn’t have a duchess; if he did ht she would need to be a very patient and forbearing woman
The noises were coed to the master of the house They were decorated in a heavy, dark style she found rather oppressive, and the furniture looked as if it had done service in Henry Tudor’s day The bed in particular And that here she found Max
He had been deposited on the enormous four-poster bed, with its lush canopy and intricately turned posts, and he wasn’t happy A white-faced, sta hi had caused his headache to suddenly worsen Max’s face was the color of old parch with tears of pain and understandable self-pity, and there was a fresh patch of blood staining the bandage around his forehead
“Dothe state he was in “Carefully, further onto the bed! That’s it Best to wait for the doctor before we undress him No, Daniel, leave his boots And his trousers! Oh, leave him, do…”
“You can go now Daniel,” Harold said sternly
The well-ht Daniel luers gentle, and he shivered as if he were cold “You poor thing,” she whispered
“Hurts,” he ritted teeth
“I know, I know it does The doctor will be here in a ive you laudanum, Max, then you can sleep I can’t understand why you weren’t given any before you set out”
Max groaned