was haughty, more the great lady than a governess. ‘After the doctor has been we shall want food—perhaps some good chicken broth and fresh bread.’
He inclined his head, but made no other answer. Leaving the room, he paused to look back as Roxanne bent over the bed.
‘Mr Clarendon,’ she said, placing a hand to Luke’s forehead. He was feeling warm and a little damp. She thought perhaps he had started a fever. ‘Do not worry. I am here. I shall not leave you.’
The sound of the door shutting soundly made Roxanne look round. The landlord had gone and when she turned back, her patient’s eyelids fluttered and then opened.
‘Has he gone?’ he muttered. ‘The place looks decent enough, but that fellow is a rascal. I don’t trust him. You won’t leave me, Roxanne?’
‘Miss Peters. I am your employee, remember?’
A wry laugh was wrung from his lips. ‘You will make a damned fine actress, Roxanne. You reminded me of a strict governess I once had—she frightened the life out of us all, except the earl.’
‘The earl? Who is he?’
‘Oh, just someone we lived with when I was young. He isn’t important.’ Luke moaned and beads of sweat appeared on his brow. ‘I am sorry to make so much fuss. I wouldn’t have thought a broken bone could be so painful. I do not recall it hurting this much when I broke my arm as a youngster.’
‘You had to ride here and be manhandled up the stairs. I have not been trained to set broken bones and the bandage I applied may have made the pain worse. When the doctor comes he will rebind it and give you something to help you sleep.’
‘Will you sit with me while I sleep? Or perhaps you should keep the money with you? I do not trust him.’
‘Nor I,’ she admitted. ‘Do you trust me with your gold?’
‘What choice have I?’ Luke reached out to touch her hand as she frowned. ‘No, that was badly put. Yes, I trust you, Roxanne. It is odd, but I feel I have known you for ever. I know you will not desert me, for you have given your word.’
‘Then I shall put the money somewhere safe.’
‘It is in my coat pocket, in a leather purse. I do not know exactly what is there but it should be enough to see us safely back to London.’
Roxanne examined his coat and found the purse. She opened the strings and counted the gold, holding it out on her hand so that he could see.
‘You have ten gold sovereigns, sir. I think it should be adequate for the journey, don’t you?’
‘You did not need to show me. I told you, I trust you. Now put them somewhere safe.’
‘Yes, I shall.’
Roxanne turned her back on him. Lifting her skirts, she located the secret pocket sewn into her petticoats and added the gold to her secret treasure. It felt heavy, making her very conscious of its presence, but she would become accustomed to the extra weight.
She turned back and saw Luke staring at her.
‘It is the safest place I know. My bundles could be searched or snatched.’
Luke nodded, his eyes narrowed and thoughtful. ‘You are a resourceful woman, Roxanne. I wonder what your secret is—what you are not telling me?’
‘Why should you think I have a secret?’
How could he know? No, he could not. He was just testing her.
‘I shall not pry,’ Luke said and yawned, closing his eyes. ‘You keep your secrets, Roxanne—and I shall keep mine.’
Roxanne turned her head. How had he sensed that she was hiding her secret? She had not told him about the day Sofia found her wandering, all memory of her previous life gone. Nor had she told him about the jewel she carried in her secret pocket. Sofia had told her she had been clutching it tightly in her right hand when she was found and refused to let go for days. She also carried a lace kerchief with the initials R. P. embroidered into the corner in red. Sofia had said the name Roxanne suited her. They had never bothered with a second name and she had used Peters when the innkeeper asked, because it was the first to come to her mind. She had once done some sewing for a Lady Peters and been given a gold sovereign for her trouble.
Sofia had hidden the ruby safely and Roxanne had forgotten its existence until her friend reminded her as she lay dying. Sofia had said she should sell the jewel, but Roxanne was not certain she had the right to do so, for she did not know whether it belonged to her or someone else. Had she stolen the jewel and run away from her home—or her employer?
Why had she refused to let it go for days?
She hesitated, considering whether she ought to tell Luke Clarendon the rest of her story, but the moment had passed; she heard the sound of voices outside the door and then it opened and a man entered. He was dressed in a shabby black coat and knee breeches, the battered hat he deposited on the chest having seen better days. However, his linen looked clean and he nodded his head respectfully as he approached the bed.
‘The gentleman took a fall from his horse, you say?’
‘Yes,’ Roxanne replied. ‘He has been in considerable pain since.’
‘I shall examine him,’ the doctor said and bent over Luke, pulling back the covers. He unwound the stock Roxanne had used and ran his fingers over the swollen ankle, frowning and nodding to himself. ‘I think this may be a case of dislocation rather than a break. Your employer has been lucky, miss.’ Hearing a moan from the patient, the physician turned his gaze on him. ‘This may hurt a bit, sir. I am going to…’ He pulled Luke’s leg out straight, making him yell out with pain as something clicked. ‘Yes, I thought so. It will be painful for a while, but I shall put a tight bandage on and visit again tomorrow. You will need to rest for a time, but in a few days it should start to mend. You had dislocated the bones just above your ankle and the ligaments will be inflamed, but I am sure the bones themselves are not broken.’
‘I pray you are right,’ Luke muttered between gritted teeth. ‘It hurts like hell now.’
‘Yes, I dare say it may.’ The doctor dipped into his bag, brought out linen bandages and rebound Luke’s ankle and above to his calf. ‘That should help the damage to settle and it will heal naturally. I’ll give you something for the pain.’ He delved into his bag again and took out a small brown bottle. ‘This will help you sleep, but it is dangerous if you take too many doses. You will have to measure it—just four drops into a cup of water every six hours. Miss Peters, is it?’
‘Yes, that is my name,’ Roxanne lied and took the bottle. ‘Is this laudanum?’
‘Yes—have you used it before?’
‘A friend of mine used it sometimes. I know that it must be handled carefully, sir.’
‘Then I can trust you to look after our patient.’ He glanced down at Luke. ‘You will sleep soon, Mr Clarendon—and there should not be a fever, but if it happens you may send for me again.’
The physician took his leave. Roxanne carefully measured the drops into a glass of water. She helped Luke to sit up
