Scandalous Read Free Page B

off her and back onto the blanket. Priscilla sat up for a moment, recapturing her breath and letting the flush in her cheeks subside.
    â€œAre you sure you’re all right?” Miss Pennybaker queried anxiously, gripping her gown with nervous fingers.
    â€œYes. I’m fine.” Priscilla brushed back a strand of hair and picked up the roll of bandages Miss Pennybaker had brought in earlier. “Just hold his head and let me wrap this bandage around it.”
    A little tentatively, Miss Pennybaker did as she said, and Priscilla wrapped the narrow strip of cloth around his head a few times and tied it, pleased to see that her hands were steady. She went on to wash his wrists and his ankles, steadfastly ignoring the rest of his naked body, and covered them with tincture-soaked bandages. This time he flinched but did not open his eyes when she laid the potent mixture upon his wounds.
    â€œThere, now.” She stood up and shook out her skirts, looking down on her charge. “I’ve done everything I can think of. He’ll need another blanket, of course, to cover him.”
    She picked up the bowl of water, now stained pink from his blood, and went into the kitchen, Miss Pennybaker trailing along behind her.
    â€œI think we need to keep watch over him to see how his fever is progressing,” Priscilla told the other woman.
    â€œYes, and to make sure he doesn’t come to and decideto murder us all in our beds,” Miss Pennybaker added dramatically.
    Priscilla smiled. “I think we could lock our doors and prevent that. However, he may need medical care. I think I will sit up with him.”
    â€œNot by yourself!” Miss Pennybaker gasped. “Think of what could happen! What he might do! Remember what he just did.”
    â€œWell, he didn’t attack me. In fact, it was we who threatened him, as I remember.”
    â€œHe grabbed your arm.”
    â€œI was hurting him. I should think it would be only natural to try to stop the pain. He was not in a clear state of mind.”
    â€œNo. You must not. It’s too dangerous.” Miss Pennybaker squared her shoulders. “I will stay with you.”
    â€œDon’t be silly. I shall keep a weapon handy—a rolling pin, say, so that I can knock him over the head if he comes to and tries to strangle me.”
    â€œPriscilla, this is no time for joking!”
    â€œI’m not. I promise, I will keep a rolling pin at hand. Better, I think, than a knife, because, you know, I have a fairly good swing, but I haven’t any experience with stabbing anyone.”
    â€œPriscilla…” Miss Pennybaker wrung her hands, her face twisted with worry. “At least let me stand guard with you.”
    â€œBut you can’t. You must get some sleep so that you can watch over him during the day tomorrow.”
    â€œPriscilla!” The older woman’s hand flew to her throat.
    â€œDon’t worry. If he hasn’t tried to attack me in the night, I think it unlikely that he would try it in the lightof day. Besides, Mrs. Smithson will be here tomorrow, and Papa will be around, as well.”
    â€œThen your father can stay with him tomorrow, and I will remain with you tonight.”
    Priscilla rolled her eyes. “Papa would be useless in a sickroom. Why, within five minutes, he’d be thinking about some experiment or theorem or something, and the poor man could expire without him even noticing.”
    Miss Pennybaker, having been acquainted with Florian Hamilton for so many years, was forced to see the wisdom of that argument. Still, she protested futilely for several minutes more before she finally gave in to Priscilla’s arguments and left for bed. Priscilla, casting a glance at their patient, who was sound asleep on the floor, walked with Miss Pennybaker upstairs to take two more blankets from the chest in the hall. As she was closing the lid, there was a knock on the front door.
    She whirled and