Ask Me No Questions by Patricia Veryan

Author:Patricia Veryan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Georgian Romance
ISBN: 0-449-22280-2
Published: 1991-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

"You should be laid down, Mr. Chandler." Ruth had washed the blood from his face, but she leaned nearer to the chair so as to dab gently at a crimson trickle that seeped from under the bandage about his dark head. "That is a very nasty gash, and I know you must be feeling dreadful."

He did feel dreadful. His head pounded so brutally that even his eyelashes hurt, and by the feel of his side a rib had been cracked at the very least. "If I lie down," he whispered, "I'll sleep."

"As you should. Oh, I wish you had told Grace to send word to the Watch, instead of insisting she say nothing to anyone save Dutch Coachman. What if she cannot find him?"

He'd insisted upon Dutch because that old friend was big enough to carry him if his legs gave out, and could be counted on not to throw the household into a panic. "Then you'll have to put up with me until she does find him. First, I must have some answers. Most—most importantly, where is my hound?"

She was won to a shaken chuckle and marvelled at the faint answering quirk to his pale lips. "We shut him upstairs for fear he would jump up on you when we brought you back."

"The boy?"

Ruth hesitated. Surely, now that he might have some small cause to be grateful to them, this would be the perfect moment to tell the truth about the twins? She gathered her courage and began nervously, "There is something… I er, must—"

Fighting against betraying the effect of a sharp wave of pain, Chandler made a heavy-handed attempt at humour and gasped out, "Speak up, ma'am. You've no cause for apprehension unless… unless, of course, there are more of your relatives lurking about the estate. That, I'll own, would be going… beyond the line of what my father would tolerate. Is Jacob your nephew?"

It was not, Ruth realized, the time for more confessions. "He is," she said. That was truth, at least. "Some friends brought him down to visit me. I was hoping you might let him stay for just a little while."

His eyes, which had closed, now opened and he peered at her frowningly. "When did you first hear that whistling maniac?"

"Maniac? Is that what you believe? But surely, a madman would not bring three other rogues with him. And if they were thieves or poachers, I cannot think it likely they would risk the death penalty by daring to attack a member of the Quality. If they knew who you were, of course."

"They knew. The leader howled I was… was not to be killed."

"Then, if they knew you, why ever—" She checked with a shocked gasp. "Oh! My heavens! You think they may have some connection with your brother!"

In point of fact, Chandler was finding it difficult to think at all. But there were matters he must clarify before he faced a minion of the law. And quite apart from the possible involvement of

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