Page 17 of The Captain’s Valentine (The “Other” Trents #3)
Dr. Sinclair had arrived at Bow Street as Harrison and Benedick Valentine were set to leave, but they decided to remain in hopes that the good doctor could learn more information from the woman who had attacked Perdita, and perhaps offer a diagnosis, or even a reason for her actions.
It had been to no avail. She kept spouting the same nonsense, even after Dr. Sinclair asked her to explain why the second twin was evil and what might happen if they continued to live.
Either she would not tell him her reasons or it was something she herself had decided, not that it mattered because such was nonsense. He had twin brothers, older than he was and as a boy he may have considered them both evil for all their teasing, but neither Maxwell, nor Gideon, the second born, was evil or bad. They were simply irritating on occasion, as all siblings were.
It was odd that he hadn’t thought of his own siblings until they were leaving Bow Street.
“Perhaps I should write to Arabella and warn her,”
he mused aloud even though it truly was not funny after what happened. Perhaps he was simply exhausted, and he was worried about Perdita.
“Who is Arabella?”
Benedick asked.
“She is married to the youngest of my twin brothers.”
“Twins. Truly?”
Dr. Sinclair asked.
Why did he suddenly feel under attack? “I would not lie about my family.”
“No, of course not,”
Sinclair quickly offered. “It is just that twins being born to a family is rare, and I have learned of three instances in one day.”
Benedick hailed a hackney and soon they were all settled inside after giving directions to Felding’s home.
“Bow Street has agreed to keep the woman and not send her to Newgate or Bedlam until I have had a chance to speak with her more,”
Sinclair announced.
“Why?”
“Either place might send her deeper into her delusion, but maybe by being in a safer place, though a jail cell is not comforting, she might become more inclined to explain further.”
“Do you truly think it is possible?”
Benedick asked.
“Possible, yes. As for probable, I am not certain. But with the other options, it would be impossible to learn more.”
Harrison didn’t really care where the woman was kept so long as she was locked away where she could not hurt Perdita again.
Once they arrived at Felding’s home, it was all he could do not to rush in and demand to see Perdita. As theirs was not a courtship, merely a friendship as their family knew, he did not feel that he had the right. However, once he confessed his love to her, she would be his, and he would be the one to protect her.
“She is resting, likely asleep by now,”
Dr. Valentine answered when Benedick asked after his sister. “I have prescribed laudanum, which if given as I instructed, will help her sleep through the night.”
“Is she in so much pain?”
Harrison asked.
“Pain and it was a frightful experience. The medication will also help calm her as she recovers.”
She would likely suffer nightmares. “I hope someone is sitting with her.”
The last thing Perdita needed was to wake in a dark room all alone.
Dr. Valentine arched a brow as if censuring the demand from Harrison. “A maid is with her.”
That is all he needed to know.
“I just received word that Perdita was attacked,”
Demetrius Valentine, the oldest of the siblings, announced as he strode into the parlor. “Explain!”
Felding offered him a glass of brandy and he stood by as Benedick explained for those who did not already know, and what that woman kept saying about an evil twin that should have died.
“I assume one of us will remain with Perdita at all times,”
Demetrius demanded of his two brothers.
They were in Felding’s house so it truly wasn’t necessary, other than perhaps they were suddenly going to be overprotective.
“I will also go with Sinclair each time he visits the woman,”
Benedick promised.
“That is not necessary,”
Sinclair insisted. “I will report what I learn directly to the family.”
“I do not intend to wait but will hear it for myself.”
The two stared at the other, hardness in their eyes and Harrison wondered which one would blink first.
“I may not succeed in her speaking openly to me if another is in the room.”
Benedick continued to stare, then slowly, his shoulders relaxed. “I will remain out of sight, but I will be there.”
As the tension finally began to ease from the room, Harrison sipped his brandy and studied each of the occupants. Everyone was behaving as one would expect, except the three brothers. It wasn’t what was spoken, but looks of concern, unvoiced questions were in their eyes.
It was a ridiculous thought. If they knew the reason, they would say so. It is likely because it was their sister who was recovering above stairs and no other reason.
Perdita refused any more laudanum after taking an afternoon meal the day after the attack. She had been grateful in that it helped her sleep through the night, even though she had suffered from some nightmares from her attack. She barely recalled them now and had easily gotten back to sleep after they had awakened her. And, though her arm pained her, it was not nearly as bad as after Orlando had treated her and thus, she needed nothing to help with discomfort.
But the main reason she refused any more laudanum was because she did not like suffering with foggy thoughts. As one came to her, it would disappear as if swallowed by a mist, then the same for another. She could not even read a book because her memory was fleeting, even the words on the page.
This would not do, which she told Orlando when he came to check on her that afternoon.
“If you are certain?”
he asked as he unwrapped the bandage to check her arm.
“I am very certain!”
He turned her arm one way and then the next, studying the stitches then touched the skin directly around the wound before he finally nodded. “It does not seem to have developed an infection.”
The possibility had not even occurred to her, but if it had, that would be very bad, from what she understood.
Maybe it would have been better if she had not asked Isabella for the details of the wounds Orlando had treated during the war, or what some of those treatments were. Bad infections sometimes required the loss of a limb.
“Am I now free to dress and return downstairs?”
she asked as he wrapped a new bandage around her arm.
“So long as you have someone by your side on the stairs.”
“It was my arm, not my legs,”
she reminded him.
“Dizziness may still remain from the laudanum and I would not have you falling, which could see you further injured.”
She supposed he was correct. When she had risen from bed earlier because she needed to relieve herself, she had been unsteady and much to her mortification had needed the assistance of a maid. “I promise to keep a maid by my side when on the stairs,”
she promised.
After he had left her alone, Perdita finally rose from her bed, and with the assistance of a maid, dressed for the afternoon. However, when she sat at her dressing table with every intention of brushing the tangles from her hair, found it impossible to do because of the injury to her arm. She had to relinquish the brush to the maid as she sat and let another do what she had always done for herself.
Not having been raised as a pampered miss, it was very difficult for Perdita to accept help with anything but she had to acknowledge that for at least the next few days someone would need to help her dress, brush her hair, slip on her shoes, and whatever other tasks that she had managed to do previously without difficulty.
Had she used her less dominate hand to stop the blade, maybe she would be getting on better, but she had not and now life was difficult. However, she was still alive, which was something she needed to remind herself of. These minor inconveniences were nothing compared to being laid to rest in a cemetery.
By the time she was ready to leave her room, all Perdita wanted was to find a comfortable seat in the parlor, sip tea and enjoy the calm quiet. Unfortunately, when she gained the room of her destination, there was tea, but also her sister Rosalind, Lord Felding, Lady Sinclair, and Orlando. And, though she truly liked seeing everyone, it was not to be the peaceful afternoon she had anticipated.
She also wished Harrison was there so that she could properly thank him for rescuing her, but no doubt he was preparing his ship to sail.
At the very thought of his leaving, her heart ached.
Except, it was only for five months or so, not so very long and it could be worse. Had he been sent to India, she’d not see him for a year.
As she crossed the threshold, everyone moved to make room for her to be settled in a chair. Then Rosalind offered a cushion on which to rest her injured arm while Lady Sinclair poured her a cup of tea. Felding watched with concern as Orlando studied her with contemplation.
This really was too much. It was her arm and she was not going to die.
“Captain Harrison Trent has come to call on Miss Perdita. Is she at home?”
the butler asked.
“Yes!”
she proclaimed before anyone else could answer. “Please, send him in.”
When she realized that everyone was staring at her with interest, Perdita quickly explained that she would like to thank him for rescuing her. She didn’t dare tell them that she was eager to see him.
When he stepped into the parlor, he took in the room until he saw her. His green eyes warmed and his shoulders dropped ever so slightly as if he were afraid that she might not be here.
Oh, she wished he would take her in his arms and hold her close. But he would not do so with her family looking on.
Instead, he approached. “How are you?”
“As well as can be expected, but not nearly as distraught as I was yesterday.”
“Is there anything that I can do for you?”
The sincerity in his green eyes went a long way in calming her further.
“Nothing. I am just glad that you are here.”
“Is that not what friends do?”
he asked with a half-smile.
“Thank you and thank you for coming to my rescue yesterday.”
“As if I could ever let anything happen to you.”
Her face heated at his words and she truly hoped that Rosalind did not begin playing matchmaker again. The two of them had reached an agreement and they needed no good-intentioned interference, though she would not mind being alone with him in the garden again.