Page 10 of Not Quite a Lady
‘Miss France, you really must go back inside.’ He reached the step beside her as shouts and Hibernian oaths behind him signalled that a fight had broken out amongst the chairmen.
‘I cannot leave my staff.’She has guts, he thought, seeing the way she moved protectively closer to her elderly butler.
‘I will stand here with them. Have you sent for the constables?’
‘Yes, some time ago. Mr Lovell, I know I should not presume upon you, but I would be so grateful for your help.’ She winced as the ripe oaths and threats grew louder.
‘Inside, now.’ He half-turned, shielding her body with his own as he reached for the door handle. He wanted to pick her up, bundle her inside, protect her.
She was going, almost, but she lingered, one hand on his sleeve. ‘I am so sorry about this.’
‘It is hardly your–’
The cobblestone came out of nowhere. He knew what it was as it struck his temple, then the world went black, the sounds ebbing into a sort of rushing as he went down. The last sensation he was aware of was the feel of fine cloth under his clutching fingers.
Lily knelt beside the sofa and tried to support Jack Lovell’s lolling head while she organised her panicking household.
‘Fakenham, send to the kitchen for warm water and bandages. Bring the other footmen in, close the front door and have them stand by in the hall in case anyone tries to break in – except Percy, send him for the physician.’
‘Ma’am, shall I fetch your maid to you? And, er…’ He gestured at the bosom of her gown.
Lily spared it a glance. Jack Lovell had caught at it as he went down, exposing her shift, the edge of her corset and the generous curve of the top of her right breast.
It hardly seemed of importance now, with his face a mask of blood and the wound seemingly unquenchable.
Lily dragged the torn fabric up and tucked it into the edge of her stays.
‘Yes, find Janet. Tell her I need salves and bandages and some pillows. And a blanket,’ she called after the butler’s retreating back.
She managed to wedge Mr Lovell back against the sofa cushions, heedless of the effect on the fine striped satin. Head wounds bled a lot, she knew that, but knowing something in theory was a far cry from facing the gory reality.
Lily dragged her handkerchief out of her reticule and pressed it to the wound. Where had that girl got to?
‘At last,’ she snapped as the door banged open. ‘Bring the bandages here, quickly.’
‘Lily, what the devil do you think you are doing?’ It was nother maid, it was Adrian.
‘What does it look like? Give me your handkerchief, this scrap of lace is no use.’
‘I will do no such thing.’
He stalked over to peer at the man on the sofa, then stepped back with a grimace of disgust. ‘Lily, you are covered in blood. Stop that at once.’
‘And let him bleed to death?’ she demanded.
Oh, he was slumped so awkwardly now she could hardly get any pressure on the wound. She tugged at the broad shoulders, but he was too big for her to move. ‘Jack! Jack, can you hear me?’
He groaned and shifted slightly, letting his head fall on to her breast as she struggled to keep the handkerchief in place.
The door opened. ‘Janet,finally. Make me a pad with those bandages. Good, now stop cringing and help me.’
‘Get out.’
She was so taken aback by Adrian’s curt command that for a moment Lily could only gape at him from her crouched position by the sofa.
Janet gave a little squeak of alarm and scuttled out before she could call her back.
‘How dare you! What right have you to order my maid–’
