A Terrible Beauty by Stephanie Patterson

Author:Stephanie Patterson
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Stephanie Patterson
Published: 2016-03-03T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

What a quandary. Michael continued wrestling with his thoughts as he had done since speaking with Jules and Damaris a week ago. He could understand Damaris wanting some retribution of her own, but Belle Winslow, as he’d come to think of her now, was a female working in his household and as such, under his protection. He would not allow anyone to abuse her, no matter how justified they believed themselves to be. He left his own apartments and headed towards Drew’s rooms still pondering how to best handle a volatile situation. The Wentworths were his best friends as well as his neighbors and he knew from personal experience Damaris Wentworth was nothing, if not stubborn. He had no doubt she would strike Belle, given the opportunity. For the past three days Michael had feared she’d show up on his doorstep before he’d had a chance to decide on the best course of action.

Also, the fact remained Belle could personally answer questions about medical care for the soldiers during the Crimean campaign, as well as the current care available to the general public. Both Michael and Jules agreed that her knowledge still held value for them. As he neared Drew’s door, he passed the little tweenie he’d assigned for Belle’s use. She was running down the hall as if the devil himself was on her skirts. He heard shouting coming from Drew’s room and quickened his pace. As he reached Drew’s door he heard the sound of china shattering and Belle’s voice raised in anger.

“You miserable, wretched, little weasel!”

“Get out of here and leave me alone. Haven’t you done enough? Why did you come here, anyway? You just want to mock me, to make me suffer, don’t you? Don’t you,Arabella? Scutari wasn’t enough for you, was it? I’m in this bed because of you and we both know it! You won’t be satisfied until I’m in my grave. Well, at least I’d be away from you!” His statement was punctuated by the sound of more china breaking. He heard Belle utter an oath he never imagined to hear from a woman outside of Seven Dials. Michael opened the door in time to see his brother’s nurse pour a bowl of porridge over her patient’s head.

“Stop your whining this instant,” she snapped at Drew. “If you think you’re suffering now, you haven’t seen suffering.” Drew flung the porridge out of his face, landing some of it on Belle. She took no notice and just stood next to his bed, glaring at him with her hands on her hips. The giant Irishman, Paddy, had retreated to a corner out of harms way.

Michael rushed forward. “What the hell is going on here?” He rounded on Belle. “What do you mean by this? Out...get out!” he shouted. She stood her ground and Michael grabbed her arm to pull her from the room.

“I’ll deal with you later,” she said to Drew as Michael hauled her away. “Paddy, clean him up.”

Michael slammed the door once they were in the hall.

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