She just stared up at him with those clear blue eyes of hers. “I think I’d like to be debauched.”
He looked stunned, then forced a light smile. “What, no duel for me today? No knife in my black heart?”
She just shook her head at him and drank some more water.
“Call me Jason. I like to hear you say my name.”
Instead she choked on the water. He thwacked her back, then sat down on the bed beside her and pulled her against him to gently rub his palm over her back. She’d stopped choking long before he stopped rubbing.
“Jason,” she said against his shoulder. “Is Lady Alicia your only sister?”
He didn’t let her go, just began to rock her slowly back and forth. “Yes, and fortunately for us, she is pregnant and thus unlikely to venture this time of year into London. Now, as much as I would like to hold you until you’ll undoubtedly want Millie again, let me order your breakfast and finish this letter. Pottson must leave shortly to deliver it.”
“Have I really flirted outrageously with my host?”
“You’ve been fair to tripping on your tongue you want him so much.”
“That sounds quite odd to me. What about the host? You think he’s equally interested?”
“It’s certainly possible, given that he’s washed you and fed you and already kissed you, but not enough to ease him.”
She liked the sound of that as well. “Is there nothing you’ve forgotten?”
“There’s a lot I don’t want myself to think about right now,” he said, rising. “Yes, I’m thinking venal thoughts of you, Hetty, very vivid debauched thoughts, but let me answer you as a gentleman and your doctor. I hope I haven’t forgotten anything. I’ve also just finished writing my daily note to the earl of March on Lord Harry’s progress. He, I assume, will keep his brother-in-law informed.”
Hetty lay back quietly and thoughtfully chewed on her lower lip. “When is Henrietta Rolland going home?”
“In about three days, I expect. Lady Alicia has begged your father, very prettily, I might add, to allow you to extend your visit to a full week. Even then, Hetty, you’ll be damnably weak and there’ll still be pain.”
“I don’t like it at all.”
“I don’t blame you. Now you asked me about Miss Henrietta Rolland. Which one? The one I wanted to kiss and tease all night at the Ranleaghs’ ball or the one at my aunt Melberry’s soiree who called me a spanking fine fellow and was so vulgar I wanted to smack her?”
She laughed, regretted it, and settled for a smile. “I fooled you, I surely did, but not at first. You’re very perceptive and I knew I had to stop taunting you.”
“Yes, you were wise to stop it. Perhaps I would have recognized you eventually. But not immediately. There were so many of your parts strewn around London. You’re an arrogant woman, Henrietta, do you know that?”
“Yes, but Lord Harry gave it to me. He couldn’t afford not to swagger and boast and be ruthless. He taught me a lot. So did Miss Caroline Langley. She’s infatuated with you. I had to listen to her chatter on and on about how wonderful you are. I had to bite my tongue since I was firmly convinced that you were a villain.”
He could only shake his head at her as he moved quickly at the knock on the door. He took the breakfast tray from the servant and quickly closed the door again. “I know the servants are mad to know what this is all about. Pottson tells me that they hound him and Millie both, but they’ve kept mum. Now, porridge for you and some toast with lots of butter and Cook’s special honey.”
She ate a goodly amount. It settled well on her stomach, which relieved both of them. She said, “Do you believe that Sir William Filey could have had the influence to have Damien sent out of the country?”
“I’ve wondered about that. I wouldn’t have thought so, but then again, I don’t know all the influence he wields with the war ministry. We still have a mystery on our hands. Does Lord Harry feel he still has more work to do?”