door. But I didn’t.”
Chapter Three
As soon as they entered Nanny Mallow’s spare room, it became obvious who was in charge of this expedition. Philip himself was ordered out almost at once as Nanny Mallow prepared herself to permit Mr. Perriflyn to make a preliminary examination. Miss Twainsbury stayed within for “I’m not so vain as to think m’beauty’s going to overwhelm you, Mr. Perriflyn, but people do gossip so.”
When Perriflyn came out, they could hear Nanny Mallow giving Miss Twainsbury orders. Perriflyn laughed a little, hoarsely. “I don’t think she’s broken anything. Merely a bad sprain of the knee, very painful, however. Elderly women don’t fall well; she’s fortunate not to have broken something. She is also slightly dehydrated and more than a little hungry, but some decent meals will soon set her up again.”
“I feel some guilt knowing she lay there for two days before anyone found her.”
“These things happen,” Mr. Perriflyn said with a sigh and a shake of his head. “Even in large cities where every neighbor lives cheek by jowl, let alone in small hamlets like Bishop’s Halt.”
“Can she be moved? I’d like to take her back to the Manor.”
“Absolutely. I should recommend it even if she had done less of an injury than she has.”
“Very well. Will you tell Merridew we’ll be leaving in a few minutes? “
Philip went into the bedroom. Miss Twainsbury scurried around in her too-large boots, collecting various items to fold hastily and place into a valise under Nanny Mallow’s instructions. For a moment, Philip took an overwhelming interest in the ceiling rather than observe the mysterious underpinnings of Nanny’s attire that Miss Twainsbury flourished. Once Nanny gave orders to move on to the outer clothing, Philip went to kneel beside her.
“For someone who has been lying on the floor for two days, you look remarkably healthy,” he said. He absently fondled Rex’s bent-tip ears.
“That’s not saying much,” Nanny replied tartly. “But I feel better now that all of you are here. It was being on my own, with never a soul come by me, that made me feel so low.”
“You can hardly complain of neglect now,” he said. “We’ll have you out of here and in a comfortable bed. Before you know it, all this will seem like a bad dream, popped like a soap bubble upon waking.”
“Oh, what about Rex?” Nanny asked.
“He is more than welcome to come to the Manor,” Philip said, “providing he stays out of my sister-in-law’s apartments. Lady LaCorte is still unwell.”
“She should bestir herself and take exercise daily,” the older woman said tartly. “I’ve never believed in wrapping women up in cotton wool. Our strengths aren’t like a man’s, thank mercy; but we’ve our own power, and letting it waste away doesn’t do anyone a particle of good. Never mind the stays, dear. I don’t think I’ll have much use for them.”
At last the packing was done. Merridew gladly seized the valise and stomped out. “Poor man,” Nanny said. “Some there are who can’t stand the sight of pain in others.”
“I’m one of them,” Philip said with a smile, coming over to kneel beside her. “I do hope I won’t hurt you too much,”
‘You’re not the kind to walk away,” she said somberly. “If you hurt me too bad, I’ll not be shy about telling you so.”
“I know Mr. Perriflyn brought laudanum,” Miss Twainsbury said “Perhaps a composer to make you feel more the thing?”
“Now that’s something I don’t hold with,” Nanny countered. “Not when my head’s not clear.”
“That’s what Sir Philip said when I suggested it,” Mr. Perriflyn said glumly.
“I have some experience with injured persons,” Philip added, hoping neither woman would think him utterly incompetent.
“Hmph. If it’s all the same to you, Mr. Perriflyn, I’d just as soon have the doctor cast his eyes over me. Not that I don’t trust you; it’s only
Chapter Three
As soon as they entered Nanny Mallow’s spare room, it became obvious who was in charge of this expedition. Philip himself was ordered out almost at once as Nanny Mallow prepared herself to permit Mr. Perriflyn to make a preliminary examination. Miss Twainsbury stayed within for “I’m not so vain as to think m’beauty’s going to overwhelm you, Mr. Perriflyn, but people do gossip so.”
When Perriflyn came out, they could hear Nanny Mallow giving Miss Twainsbury orders. Perriflyn laughed a little, hoarsely. “I don’t think she’s broken anything. Merely a bad sprain of the knee, very painful, however. Elderly women don’t fall well; she’s fortunate not to have broken something. She is also slightly dehydrated and more than a little hungry, but some decent meals will soon set her up again.”
“I feel some guilt knowing she lay there for two days before anyone found her.”
“These things happen,” Mr. Perriflyn said with a sigh and a shake of his head. “Even in large cities where every neighbor lives cheek by jowl, let alone in small hamlets like Bishop’s Halt.”
“Can she be moved? I’d like to take her back to the Manor.”
“Absolutely. I should recommend it even if she had done less of an injury than she has.”
“Very well. Will you tell Merridew we’ll be leaving in a few minutes? “
Philip went into the bedroom. Miss Twainsbury scurried around in her too-large boots, collecting various items to fold hastily and place into a valise under Nanny Mallow’s instructions. For a moment, Philip took an overwhelming interest in the ceiling rather than observe the mysterious underpinnings of Nanny’s attire that Miss Twainsbury flourished. Once Nanny gave orders to move on to the outer clothing, Philip went to kneel beside her.
“For someone who has been lying on the floor for two days, you look remarkably healthy,” he said. He absently fondled Rex’s bent-tip ears.
“That’s not saying much,” Nanny replied tartly. “But I feel better now that all of you are here. It was being on my own, with never a soul come by me, that made me feel so low.”
“You can hardly complain of neglect now,” he said. “We’ll have you out of here and in a comfortable bed. Before you know it, all this will seem like a bad dream, popped like a soap bubble upon waking.”
“Oh, what about Rex?” Nanny asked.
“He is more than welcome to come to the Manor,” Philip said, “providing he stays out of my sister-in-law’s apartments. Lady LaCorte is still unwell.”
“She should bestir herself and take exercise daily,” the older woman said tartly. “I’ve never believed in wrapping women up in cotton wool. Our strengths aren’t like a man’s, thank mercy; but we’ve our own power, and letting it waste away doesn’t do anyone a particle of good. Never mind the stays, dear. I don’t think I’ll have much use for them.”
At last the packing was done. Merridew gladly seized the valise and stomped out. “Poor man,” Nanny said. “Some there are who can’t stand the sight of pain in others.”
“I’m one of them,” Philip said with a smile, coming over to kneel beside her. “I do hope I won’t hurt you too much,”
‘You’re not the kind to walk away,” she said somberly. “If you hurt me too bad, I’ll not be shy about telling you so.”
“I know Mr. Perriflyn brought laudanum,” Miss Twainsbury said “Perhaps a composer to make you feel more the thing?”
“Now that’s something I don’t hold with,” Nanny countered. “Not when my head’s not clear.”
“That’s what Sir Philip said when I suggested it,” Mr. Perriflyn said glumly.
“I have some experience with injured persons,” Philip added, hoping neither woman would think him utterly incompetent.
“Hmph. If it’s all the same to you, Mr. Perriflyn, I’d just as soon have the doctor cast his eyes over me. Not that I don’t trust you; it’s only
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