Page 54 of Loving an Earl
“Edmund?” she said with worry. “You look like you are seeing a ghost.”
He shook his head to clear his mind. When he dared to look at Lilly again, his body relaxed as her face stared at him. “Lilly, what are you doing here?”
“I went for a walk and got lost,” Lilly replied, now in her own voice.
He held out his hand. “Let me take you home.”
“Langford, are you feeling ill?”
Hearing Lilly’s voice—her true voice—tumbled him out of his remembrance of his dream.
“I feel fine.” He needed to change the subject. “Now, please tell me more about you, Emmeline, and the Ladies’ Society of Mayfair.”
She blanched. Clearly, this was something she didn’t want to speak about, but he was determined. He owed her his life, but he didn’t want to ever have to repay the favor in kind. He needed to try to persuade her from traveling into the rookeries of London again. The danger was everywhere, and he shuddered to consider could happen if two well-bred young ladies were kidnapped. They could be sold to a bawdy house and never be seen again, most likely dying at the hands of a customer or from disease. The image his mind conjured up rocked him to his core.
“Are you positive you feel fine? Your complexion is pale and your body is trembling,” Lilly asked, her brows furrowed with worry.
“Yes. I’m fine. I was thinking about what could happen to you and Emmeline if you fell into the hands of the wrong person while in St. Giles. Please promise me you will not go there or any unsavory place again.”
She closed her eyes and took several breaths before her eyelids fluttered open. “I can’t promise you we will never travel into the rookeries. But I promise you we will be careful and never take unnecessary risks. I can tell the duchess that we can no longer travel at night.” She looked him right in the eye and batted her lashes. “Will that do?”
Truly? Did she think he would be appeased with that answer or be swayed by the fluttering of her long, thick lashes? She didn’t know him well if she thought that was all it would take for him to leave the matter alone. Perhaps for something trivial, but not when her safety was at stake.
“Langford,” she said. “These people rely on us. Perhaps you can accompany us and protect us when you recover.”
“Capital idea.” He huffed. “Except it will be some time before I’m ready for that duty.”
“Mayhap you could ask Blackstone or Caldwell to escort us. We don’t normally go but once a fortnight.”
“I will inquire as to whether they would be willing to escort you both.”
“Blackstone is taking Emmeline to the theater tonight.”
“Yes. He told me. It’s about bloody time, if you’ll pardon me for saying so.”
She laughed and it was the most beautiful sound. “You have it correct.”
“Is Redford accompanying you to the theater as well?” He refused to acknowledge the pit in his stomach as he awaited her answer. After all, this courtship with Redford was partly his idea. He’d rejected her after he’d found those papers and had felt betrayed. Though nearly dying had him thinking more clearly about their situation. He’d been an arse and needed to remedy it. When he made a full recovery things would change.
“No. He has traveled to his country estate.”
“I see.”
“Besides, you need me.”
His cock stirred for the first time since his injury. “That brings to mind who was looking after me while I was unconscious, fighting infection and fever. From what I understand, it was several long days.” He could not imagine the dowager baroness letting Lilly care for him in his state of undress, never mind when his body had to perform certain functions... Christ, he couldn’t even let his mind ponder it. It was too mortifying. But he knew the answer to his unspoken question by the look on her face and the blush reddening her cheeks.
“Aunt Vivian, Mrs. Lewis, Mullens, and I took turns.” She looked down at her hands on her lap, twisting her fingers together. “Don’t worry, we took good care of you. And if your bedding needed changing, Mullens and several footmen took care of it.”
He groaned. “If I get sick again, I don’t want you anywhere near my bedside.”
She looked at him with hurt in her eyes. He didn’t mean it the way it sounded. But the thought of her witnessing his body’s weaknesses, unable to do anything for himself any more than a newborn baby could, shamed him.
Before he could apologize, she hurried from the room, leaving him with his guilt for snapping at her.
*
Lilly didn’t knowwhat to think of Langford’s hurtful words. Perhaps she’d overreacted by leaving so abruptly. After all, he wasn’t feeling well, and she knew people were peevish when not at their best. Still, he could have been grateful for her help. She knocked on Aunt Vivian’s door and when she heard her voice say, “Enter,” she opened the door and stepped inside. “I’m sorry to bother you, but Langford seems annoyed that I was part of overseeing his care when he was fevered. Do you mind checking on him today with Mullens and Mrs. Lewis?”
