Page 12 of A Wish Upon an Earl
She looked at her brother, lips parted in surprise, but she didn’t have an opportunity to answer as another knock sounded at the door.
Was it Jack?Had he come back?Did she wish for him to?
Ash rose and answered, opening the door wide as the doctor entered.
A long breath left her lungs.Was she disappointed or relieved?And what of Ash’s words?Had she given up too much when she’d thrown off all fancy for practicality?
“Hello, young lady,” Dr.Mason smiled down at her.“I hear you took a tumble this evening?”
The doctor set to work examining the foot, grimacing as he worked until he finally looked up at her.“I see you’ve got quite the event going on downstairs.”
She gave a stiff nod.
He looked back down at her ankle.“I don’t think it’s broken, but I do think you likely bruised the bone.It’s my recommendation that you stay off the foot for several days.”
“Days?”she yelped.
Dr.Mason gave a quick nod of affirmation.“I’m afraid so.I’ll give you some laudanum tonight to help you sleep, but you’ll make the injury worse if you try to get up on that foot for two or three days at least.”
He stood and reached into his bag, giving Ash several instructions along with a few vials of medicine.
But Sarah didn’t pay attention.She was too busy trying to tamp down her irritation.Whatever interest she’d had in Jack, she had to push aside.Because now Jack had not only hurt her, he was hurting Ash too.
And that she could not tolerate.
* * *
Silence.
Jack grimaced at the duke who stared down at his suit of armor, now scattered about the stones of the terrace.
The other man had not spoken a word since they’d left Sarah’s room.
The absence of conversation was making Jack even more tense.The entire night had gone completely wrong.
He didn’t want to be down here with a surly duke.He’d intended to be with Sarah, at the very least having made his apology.
“It looks old,” the man grumbled as he stared down at the pile of metal.He’d finally spoken, and that was what he’d come up with?
“Family heirloom,” Jack answered.
“I can tell.Your family crest is on nearly every piece.”Then Amesbury reached down and picked up the breastplate.“Weighs a ton.”
“I noticed,” he mumbled, grabbing the helmet.“Ridiculously hard to move in.”
“Why wear it?”
He picked up several more pieces.“Once upon a time, Sarah…” He stopped.Had he started like he was telling one of her stories?“Sarah always liked knights, and I thought that she’d enjoy the costume.”
“Oh.So you dressed for her?Did you plan to match costumes?”
“I liked you better when you didn’t talk,” he grumbled as he picked up one of the gauntlets.Of course, she hadn’t intentionally coordinated with him.She barely spoke to him.
Drew made a sound like a snort.“Most people would say the same.”
That made Jack stop, and he looked over at the man.He hadn’t expected such a humble retort.“I didn’t mean that.I’ve a knack this evening for saying and doing the wrong thing.”
Drew shrugged.“Courting will do that to a man.”
