The Honorable Heir by Laurie Alice Eakes

Author:Laurie Alice Eakes
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2014-09-21T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 8

The well-bred maid instinctively makes little of a guest’s accident, and is as considerate as the hostess herself. Employees instinctively adopt the attitude of their employer.

Emily Price Post

Though the sky was clear, the stars weren’t bright enough for Catherine to distinguish the identity of the fallen man. Whether village worker, park resident or someone’s servant, he needed help and quickly. When she reached him, she stooped to check his pulse. Finding one, she pulled off her coat and tossed it over him, then she raced for the house as quickly as six inches of snow allowed.

Every room was dark save for the library and her own chamber. She didn’t feel comfortable going into the servants’ quarters, but Sapphire would be in Catherine’s chamber waiting to help her undress. She headed there, taking the steps two at a time, and flung open the door.

“Sapphire, we need two footmen and perhaps the housekeeper. Hot water. Perhaps bandages.”

“Indeed, m’lady?” Sapphire set aside her knitting and rose from her seat by the fire. “Who is injured?”

“I don’t know. I found him in the snow just now.”

“The snow, m’lady?” Sapphire arched her finely plucked brows. “We will need a room made up for him, then. Servants’ quarters or guest room?”

Catherine pressed a hand to her racing heart. “I won’t know until we get him into the light.”

“Then we had best do so quickly. Who knows how long he’s been in the cold.” With an easy stride that seemed slow but covered a great deal of ground with each step, Sapphire headed for the back steps.

Catherine grabbed a cashmere shawl from a drawer and raced back into the snow. The man still lay there in a heap like a discarded rag doll. His pulse beat in his neck, but it was slow and his skin felt barely warmer than the snow around him. With no idea what to do until the footmen arrived, she rubbed his cheeks with the fur muff warmed from her hands. Once, she heard him groan. But mostly she heard her own ragged breathing sending white puffs of steam into the air. She sent a prayer heavenward for his well-being, whoever he was.

She didn’t realize how loudly she prayed until Sapphire arrived without Catherine hearing her, and rested a hand on her shoulder. “We’re here, m’lady. Let us take him in through the library so we can assess his condition and station.”

“No, he needs to get warm swiftly. Take him straight to a guest room.”

The footman looked at her askance, but Sapphire merely nodded, and when they reached the house, she led the way up to the second floor, where a maid was building a fire on the hearth.

“Sapphire,” Catherine said, “do you think of everything?”

“It’s my duty, m’lady. I guessed you would want the man here regardless of his station. I have also sent for Dr. Rushmore.”

“Of course you did.” Catherine stepped out of the doorway so the footmen could lay their burden on the bed.

Light from a bedside lamp fell on the injured man’s face.

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