Page 29 of When the Marquess Was Mine
“The Arabian Nights.” She cleared her throat. “Would you like to hear it, my dear?”
I like to hear your voice.He’d realized that as Mother Winston and Geneva talked. “Of course,” he said.
“All right.” She sounded a trifle surprised. “I’ll fetch the book. I’ll have to bring a lamp, too...”
He settled the poultice securely atop his eyes. “I am on guard against the light.”
He listened to her leave, then lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “Miss Winston, tell me truly: How dreadful do I look?”
“Dreadful! Why, who said—oh,” she said, understanding dawning. “You don’t look terribly dreadful, sir, only bruised. Not nearly as bad as when you arrived.”
“Yes, I gather it was quite a shock to everyone,” he murmured. He would almost have preferred to hear that he looked horrible, to explain the anxiety in Georgiana’s face every time she looked at him.
Geneva Winston was prattling on. “Oh, an incredible shock! Georgiana told us all about you, of course, but she’d only had the one letter—I shouldn’t say so but my mother did wonder what had happened, because Georgiana wroteyoua letter every week. But then you turned up—to surprise her! How romantic and delightful!—only so badly beaten we all thought you would surely die. Dr. Elton told Cook he’d never seen anyone lose that much blood and not be left an invalid at the very least. But I’m sure you’re doing ever so much better than that,” she added hastily, “and Georgiana seems determined to make you well just by her own force of will! She’s so daring, you know, with such a strong spirit. I do admire her desperately, not just for that but she is so fashionable as well, of course—” She broke off laughing. “Of course you know that! I forget you haven’t just met her, like I did. When she first arrived I thought she would be proud and elegant, because she’s been in London for three years, but she’s so lovely and charming—which of course you also know! My mother took to her immediately, and of course Kitty’s been her friend since they were girls.” Her voice turned a little envious. “I wish I had been sent to a school like Mrs. Upton’s. I would have missed my family but when they talk of those days, it does sound so lovely, and itisvery quiet here in Derbyshire. Nothing exciting ever happens here—until Georgiana came, that is, and then you showed up, which wassoextraordinary—”
“Geneva,” scolded Georgiana. “Are you gossiping? His Lordship needs rest and quiet.”
Geneva gave a startled squeak. “I’m sorry!”
Rob raised one hand. “No, no harm in it. I believe it must be a good thing to hear someone else’s voice, even as I lie here muffled like a mummy.”
“It might be even better to hear uplifting and thoughtful things instead of gossip.” Under the compress Rob grinned, picturing the stern look she must be giving Geneva.
“I’m sorry,” said Geneva again, sounding cowed. “I’ll be quiet now.”
“If you want to hear the story, you’ll have to be.” Rob felt her hands adjusting the compress over his face, and her knuckles brushed his cheek. It was probably accidental, but he hoped not.
“We left off with the voyages of Sinbad the Sailor,” said Georgiana. “Do you know the story, sir?” Without waiting for him to reply, she explained, “Sinbad sets off in search of adventure and riches as a young man, and faces the most incredible ordeals—shipwreck, buried alive, set upon by monsters—”
“Almost eaten by giant snakes!” put in Geneva eagerly. “But he comes away with pockets full of diamonds!”
“Precisely,” said Georgiana with a laugh. “He seems to cheat death at every turn and come away with pockets full of diamonds or splendid gifts from some king or other.”
“Well,” said Rob, “if the giant snakes got him, it would be a rather disappointing tale.”
Geneva giggled. “Not for the snakes,” said Georgiana.
“No,” he agreed in amusement, and she began to read. Rob settled back and listened, falling under the spell she wove.
Georgiana didn’t just read; her voice rose and fell as the tenor of the story dictated. She spoke differently for each character: the caliph who sent Sinbad to a distant kingdom, the king who welcomed him there, the merchant who bought him as a slave after his ship was seized by corsairs. When she reached the part where Sinbad was set upon by a herd of vengeful elephants and feared imminent death, Geneva gave a little shriek. Even though he’d not been read to since he was a lad, Rob found himself enjoying it immensely.
When she reached the end of the tale, where the Princess Scheherezade began yet another story, Georgiana stopped. “That’s all for now.”
Geneva gave a sigh, half delight, half sadness. “Will you read more later?”
“Yes,” she replied in amusement, “but not tonight.”
With another gusty sigh, the girl got up and left. “It was lovely chatting to you, Lord Sterling!” she said on her way out.
“Is it evening already?” Rob asked in surprise when the door had closed behind her.
“Nearly dinnertime. Are you hungry?”
“A little. Will you dine with me?”
“I’ve taken almost every meal at this table since you arrived,” said Georgiana with a laugh. “I’m not sure I know where the dining room is any longer.”
Elation shot through him. She’d written to him every week and not left his side since his injury; that argued for devotion and affection, even though he’d been cold and thoughtless, and written her only a single letter. Geneva’s report had been a blow to his conscience. There seemed no question that he was terribly at fault, and must be the one to make amends.
