The Heiress Bride - Catherine Coulter [21]
He said tentatively, frowning, “Joan?”
“Yes, love, I’m here. What’s wrong?” She sat beside him and laid her palm on his forehead. He was hot to the touch.
“I can’t be your love,” he said. “It’s much too soon. Damnation, I’m tired or something, and weak as a day-old pup. Why are you pretending to be a boy? It’s silly. You have a woman’s hips and long legs that aren’t at all remotely like a boy’s.”
It was an interesting avenue of conversation, but Sinjun was too scared to be sidetracked. “You have a fever. Have you been vomiting?”
He shook his head, then closed his eyes. “Have you no damned sensibilities?”
“Your head hurts?”
“Yes.”
“How long have you felt bad?”
“Two days now. I don’t feel bad, I’m just tired.”
“Why didn’t you send for a doctor? For me?”
“I don’t need anyone. It’s just a passing fever, nothing more. I was out in the rain, at a boxing match on Tyburn Hill. I’m just tired.”
“We’ll see,” she said. Men, she thought, as she leaned down and pressed her cheek to his. They couldn’t bring themselves to admit to any weakness. She drew back. The heat was incredible. His eyes flew open, but she said as she gently laid her fingertip on his lips, “No, don’t move. I will see to everything now. When did you last eat?”
He looked as irritated as his voice sounded. “I don’t remember. It isn’t important. I’m not hungry. Just go away, Joan. It’s vastly improper for you to be here.”
“Would you leave me if you found me sick and alone?”
“It’s altogether different, and you know it. For God’s sake, I’m bare-assed.”
“Bare-assed,” she repeated, smiling at him. “My brothers have never said that before. No, no, don’t frown at me or curse at me anymore. Just lie down and I will see to things.”
“No, dammit, just go away!”
“I will, and I will soon be back with help. Lie down and keep warm, Colin. Now, would you like some water?”
His eyes lit up and he nodded.
Once he’d drunk his fill, she said matter-of-factly, “Do you need to relieve yourself?”
He looked ready to spit. “Go away.”
“All right.” She leaned down and kissed his mouth and was gone in the next moment.
Colin pulled the covers to his nose. His thoughts were vague. The room blurred. When he opened his eyes again, he was alone. Had she really been here? He wasn’t so thirsty anymore, so someone must have come in. Lord, he was cold and he couldn’t seem to stop shivering. His head pounded and his thoughts grew vaguer. He was ill, more wretched than he’d been when he’d cracked two ribs in a satisfying fight just two months before his brother had gotten himself killed and Colin had inherited a title he’d wanted only because he hated the destruction of his home.
He closed his eyes and saw Joan dressed like a boy and she was smiling down at him. Unaccountable girl. She would be back, of that he had no doubts—that is, if she’d ever been here in the first place.
An hour later he received a shock when not only Joan returned, but her brother Douglas with her. He saw that she was still wearing boys’ clothes. Didn’t her brother discipline her? Wasn’t she given any guidance on how a young lady of quality was to behave?
Colin stared at the earl, who was staring back at him. He was unable to find a single word to say.
Douglas said calmly, “You’re coming back to Sherbrooke House. You’re ill, I can see that, and my sister doesn’t want to marry a man who’s nearly dead.”
“So you were really here,” he said to Sinjun.
“Yes, and now all will be well. I’ll take excellent care of you.”
“Dammit, I’m only tired, not ill. You’re making too much of this, and I just want to be left alone and—”
“Do be quiet,” Douglas said.
And Colin, because he felt worse than a half-starved mongrel, shut his mouth.
And that, he thought, too ill to care, was that.
“Sinjun, get out of here. The man’s naked and you aren’t to stay about and embarrass him. Send in Henry and Boggs to help me get him into clothing.