“She’s out cold,” Robert told him.
“What did you do?” demanded Harry.
“I didn’t do anything.”
“It wasn’t him. I saw it happen,” Lilly spoke up on the other side of the settee. “She fainted when she saw how much blood there was.” She nodded to Alyssum’s hand.
Harry looked at Alyssum’s hand then blanched. “Violet, call the doctor.”
Violet nodded and ran from the room.
Harry turned back to Alyssum. His gaze lowered to the seeping, red handkerchief around her finger. He took a step back and swallowed visibly.
“No,” Robert breathed as he saw Harry going pale. “You’ve dealt with blood before.”
“In fights,” Harry replied. “I’m the one who hits them so I don’t care if they bleed.”
“Are you all right, Harry?” Lilly asked gently and placed a hand on his arm. “Maybe you should wait for the doctor outside?”
Harry nodded, seeming grateful for the escape. He turned and left the room quickly.
“Strange bunch,” Robert said before looking back down to Alyssum. She lay pale as death. And the white settee wasn’t helping her look any healthier.
“You don’t get it do you?”
“What?” Robert looked to Lilly.
“Their father,” she said and realization hit Robert in the chest like a sledge hammer.
The former Earl of Leighton had died in a riding accident. Tenants had found him and brought his body back to the house. He had been broken and bloody. It had been Caroline and Harry who had cleaned his body of the blood, but not before Violet, Alyssum and Jasmine had seen the tenants bringing their dead father up to the house, covered in dirt and blood.
“I didn’t even think about that.”
“Well, they do,” Lilly said quietly.
Robert looked down to Alyssum. He still remembered how he had been the one to find her hiding in the woods after her father’s funeral. He had held her while she cried over his shirt. He had never wanted to see her in such pain again.
Robert cleared his throat loudly. “I’ll go check on Harry. You stay with her.”
“I think that would be proper.” Her lips twitched as though she was remembering the position she had found Alyssum and Robert in out in the garden.
Robert saw her meaning in her smiling eyes. “Not a word,” he whispered and pointed a warning finger at her.
She slashed a cross over her heart, swearing she wouldn’t say anything. Robert then turned and left the parlor.
Alyssum slowly opened her eyes. She looked around in confusion. Where was she?
“Rise and shine, sleepy head.” Lilly’s face appeared above her.
She pulled herself up then held the seat beneath her for balance. “Why am I in the parlor?”
“Because you fainted. Viscount Lambert carried you in.”
Alyssum hid her blush as she looked down at her injured hand. “Urgh.” She looked away from the blood.
“Here.” Lilly stepped around the settee and sat down beside her. She pulled out her own white square handkerchief from the reticule wrapped around her wrist and replaced the bloody one with it. Lilly stood and threw the soiled linen in the fireplace. “Is that a little better?”
Alyssum’s lips pinched as she watched the new handkerchief turn red.
“Don’t let her look at it.”
Lilly and Alyssum turned their gazes to Robert standing in the doorway.
Seeing Alyssum’s pale face, Robert moved forward and came to sit on the other side of Alyssum. She followed his gaze when he looked down at her hand.
“No.” Robert captured her chin in his hand and made her look up at him. “Don’t look down,” he told her. He lowered his gaze while his grip remained on her chin. “Lilly, can you get a maid to get us some bandages and warm water?”
“Of course. I’ll be back soon.” She waggled her fingers and left. As she exited the room, she pulled the door almost closed. Alyssum was thankful Robert kept his back to the door and didn’t see Lilly’s improper behavior.
“How long will the doctor be?” she asked quietly. Her chin tilted as she tried to look down but Robert tightened his grip, keeping her chin up.
His laughing eyes met hers. “I said don’t look down.”
“It’s my hand,” she snapped. “If I want to look at it I will.”
Robert laughed and Alyssum felt her stomach summersault as his thumb brushed over her jaw.
“Just keep your eyes on me,” he instructed. “Most women don’t have a problem with that.” His grin turned into a smile when she rolled her eyes.
Robert turned his head around as he heard footsteps outside the door. He reluctantly let his hand fall from her chin.
Alyssum felt like she could breathe again as his fingers left her skin.
“Alyssum?” They heard Violet’s voice.
“Yes?” she called out.
Violet sighed at Alyssum’s voice. “Are you well?” she asked, still outside the door.
“You can come in.”
“Oh, that’s all right.” Violet waved the invitation away. “Lilly can keep you company while I wait for the doctor.”
Robert turned his gaze back to Alyssum and arched a brow at being called Lilly.
“Oh,” Violet said surprised.
The door then opened and revealed Lilly. She walked in with a maid behind her carrying the bandages and a bowl of warm water. Violet stood just outside the door. Her eyes widened slightly as she saw Robert sitting beside Alyssum quite closely on the settee.
Lilly took her former seat beside Alyssum while the maid placed the bandages and water on the table before them.
“Thank you, that will be all.” Robert nodded to the maid.
She curtsied and left.
“What are you going to do?” Alyssum stared at the water suspiciously.
“The doctor’s taking too long and we have to clean the wound.”
“It is clean.”
Robert smiled and took her injured hand. She snatched it back.
“Alyssum.” He held his hand out, waiting for her to place her fingers in his.
“I think he knows what he’s doing,” Lilly whispered in her ear from behind.
“I do,” he assured them.
Alyssum sighed deeply then gave him her hand. He peeled away the blood-sodden handkerchief. He looked up quickly as she hissed in pain. When she nodded she was fine, he returned to her hand. Placing the linen on the table he picked up the bowl of warm water and sat it on his lap.
Alyssum looked up towards the doorway and found Violet gone. She returned her gaze to her hand and felt herself grow queasy as she saw fresh blood.
“I don’t feel good,” she whispered.
“Lilly, distract her,” Robert muttered while he washed her finger in the warm water. The water turned red.
“How?”
“Talk to her.” He pulled her finger from the water and inspected her wound, making sure no dirt was in the cut.
“Remember Lady Brook’s masquerade,” Lilly said suddenly. Both Robert and Alyssum turned their gazes to her. Robert’s was one of curiosity while Alyssum’s was wide with alarm.
“Remember the dancing?” Lilly asked with a nod.
“You danced?” Robert asked Alyssum. “I thought you didn’t stay long.”
“She stayed for dance or two, especially with all her admirers.” Lilly smiled and Alyssum felt the room spinning around her. She felt herself growing queasier. What was Lilly doing? She wanted to silence her quickly but Robert’s hand held her captive. She couldn’t move while he was touching her gently. She winced and gasped as she felt a pinch of pain on her finger. Turning her gaze downward, she watched Robert wind a strip of cloth around her finger firmly. Through the swirling haze of her dizziness, she heard Lilly still talking.
“Her beautiful blue gown… They flew to her like bees to a honey pot.”
“Really?” Robert drawled.
“Robert,”
Alyssum breathed as she swayed on the settee.
She saw Robert’s shocked gaze jump to hers a moment before everything went black.
While Alyssum lay unconscious in his arms for the second time this morning, Robert tied the bandage around her finger.
“Go get Harry. He can take her to her room,” he told her and set the bowl of water on the table.
Lilly nodded and jumped to her feet. Robert watched her leave. Now alone, he turned his gaze down to Alyssum. She had said his name. It had been like a whisper, a caress over his skin. His whole body had reacted to her voice. He missed hearing his name on her lips. He missed her. Raising a hand, he smoothed the back of his fingers down her cheek. “Alyssum,” he said quietly.
He removed his hand as he heard heavy footsteps coming this way. With a sigh, he lifted Alyssum in his arms and rose from the settee. Harry would have punched him if he walked in and had seen Alyssum lying over his lap.
“Is she okay?” Harry asked in a rush as he entered the room.
“She’s fine. She just fainted again.”
Harry nodded then took Alyssum into his arms. He held her high up against his chest.
“I’ll help you take her to her room,” Lilly said.
“Thank you.” He turned and walked from the room with Lilly walking behind him.
Robert remained standing in the parlor. He shook his head, clearing it. “Too much is happening,” he muttered under his breath. First meeting Scarlet, now Alyssum calling him Robert. He looked out the window to check the sky wasn’t falling.
When Alyssum woke it was to find an old man leaning over her. She screamed and sat bolt straight.
“Easy.” He put his hands up, stepped back and chuckled.
“Alyssum, he’s the doctor,” Lilly spoke.
Alyssum turned her gaze towards her window and found Lilly sitting on her window seat.
She sighed. “Apologies,” she told the doctor.
“No problem. Now that was quiet a slice on your finger. You keep it clean and I’ve left ointment for you. I want you to apply it to the cut every night.”
Alyssum nodded and looked down to her bandaged finger.
“All right, you take care next time with those scissors.”
“I will.” She raised her gaze away from her bandaged finger.
The doctor left, taking with him his black case. Lilly stood from her seat on the window and came over to sit on the bed beside Alyssum.
“It has been an eventful morning.”
Alyssum blew out her breath and nodded. She looked down and found herself only garbed in her white shift.
“Do you remember everything?” Lilly tilted her head to the side.
Alyssum nodded.
“Do you remember saying Robert’s name before you fainted for the second time?”
Alyssum gasped. “I didn’t,” she breathed.
“Oh, yes, you did.” Lilly laughed. “You look more shocked than he did.”
“He heard?”
“He heard, and I think he liked it as well.” Lilly waggled her brows.
“Stop it.” Alyssum smacked Lilly’s shoulder and Lilly laughed.
“What I want to know is how you cut your finger?”
“I told you how, with the scissors.”
“But you’re always so careful.”
Alyssum sighed then told her, “He made me mad.”
Lilly chuckled.
“What did he say?” Lilly asked intrigued and leant forward.
“He said he’s only looking for Scarlet because he’s curious, just like the rest of society.”
“What twaddle. He’s looking for the woman who set his heart aflame,” Lilly said passionately. “Who sparked his desires to a burning pitch!” She placed her fist over her heart and looked into the distance. “The one woman who has truly given him pleasure.”
Alyssum chuckled lightly.
“I’m serious.”
“The only woman who’s given him pleasure?” Alyssum arched a brow, doubtful.
“Okay, so men these days aren’t monks, but that doesn’t mean you didn’t give him something no woman ever has.”
“And what would that be?”
“Love.” Lilly smiled.
Alyssum stared at her for a moment before chuckling again.
“Hey,” Lilly gasped.
“That’s absolute twaddle.”
“It is not. Where’s your garter hmm?”
Alyssum stopped laughing.
“Why would he take it?”
Alyssum shrugged her shoulder, not knowing.
“My advice, tell him before he finds out himself.”
Alyssum shook her head quickly.
“Yes. I saw you two in the garden,” she said firmly, stopping Alyssum’s head shaking. “If I hadn’t interrupted he would have kissed you.”
“No, he wouldn’t have. He wants Scarlet.”
“You are Scarlet,” Lilly exclaimed.
“I was.” Alyssum sighed. “Now I’m just Alyssum.”
“So put that dress back on and be Scarlet.”
Alyssum chewed her bottom lip.
“Where’s the dress?” Lilly asked.
Alyssum’s gaze moved to her wardrobe across the room in front of her. Lilly turned around and looked at the wardrobe then jumped from the bed and went over to begin searching.
Alyssum stepped from the bed. Her head no longer swayed with dizziness.
“It’s at the back in a white box,” she told Lilly and fidgeted on her bare feet.
“Ah-ha.” Lilly dragged the white box out. She brought it over to the bed and placed it on the mattress. She pulled the lid off and they both looked into the box. Alyssum’s heart fluttered while Lilly stared in awe.
Alyssum reached into the box and pulled out the scarlet dress.
“It’s beautiful,” Lilly whispered. She then turned her gaze back to the box and pulled out a black glove.
“You have to. How could you not?”
“Have to what?”
“Be Scarlet again.”
Alyssum chewed her lips again. “I don’t want to risk it. What if he pulls my mask off?”
“Then kiss him to distraction.” Lilly laughed. “He’ll love it, like he loves you.”
“He loves Scarlet,” Alyssum muttered.
Lilly placed the glove back in the box, walked around Alyssum, grabbed her shoulders and turned her towards the long mirror. Alyssum stared back at her reflection as she held the scarlet gown in her hands.
“Alyssum, I’m only going to tell you once,” Lilly said sternly.
Alyssum looked up and caught gazes with Lilly.
“You are Scarlet,” she told her firmly, leaving no room for argument.
“Not anymore.” Alyssum shook her head and turned away from Lilly and the mirror.
She packed the dress away and tucked the box back into her wardrobe. Lilly stared at the closed wardrobe for a moment then looked to Alyssum.
“You should begin to get ready.”
“Pardon?” Alyssum asked, confused.
“Remember we’re going to the theatre tonight?”
Alyssum sighed and nodded.
“I’ll see you tonight.” Lilly waved before leaving.
Alyssum stood quietly in her room, her gaze on the wardrobe. She remembered how it felt to wear the dress, to feel Robert’s kiss on her lips.
She turned with a huff, marched over to the bell pull and called her maid.
“I’m not Scarlet,” she whispered to herself.
Chapter Eight
As Alyssum and her family were filing into their box at the theatre, her mother whispered at her ear, “Why didn’t you wear the lavender gown?”
“It was wrinkled,” she answered.
Caroline nodded with a smile and patted her arm.
“Are you feeling well?” Harry asked gently.
“I’m fine,” she told him. They had been asking her all afternoon. She wore a pair of long white gloves, hiding the bandag
e around her finger.
“Well, this should be a wonderful evening,” her mother announced.
“It should be.”
Alyssum paused at the sound of Robert’s voice behind her.
“I thought I would say hello before the play began,” he said.
She turned to see him speaking to Caroline.
“That was sweet of you.” Her mother smiled brightly up at him. As always, he placed a gallant kiss on her hand then Violet’s. He looked over and their eyes met. She smiled hesitantly.
“Are you well?” he asked.
“She’s fine,” Harry, Violet and Caroline answered in unison.
“I see I’m not the only one who is concerned.”
Concerned? Hoping her face wasn’t blushing, she replied, “There’s no need for concern. I’m fine and will continue to be so.”
“Good.” He smiled and her breath caught. “I’ll see you all at intermission.” He bowed and left the box.
She was finally able to breathe when the red curtain fell behind him as he left.
As the curtain lifted on the stage and the play began, Alyssum kept her eyes trained on the stage and tried not to think of Robert and the scarlet gown in her wardrobe, but she couldn’t help it. She missed his kiss.
A quarter way through the play a surge of excitement and gasps ran through the theatre. Alyssum turned her gaze from the stage, trying to find out what had caused the stir. She felt her heart stop. She gasped. Scarlet.
Not realizing what she was doing, Alyssum stood from her seat and stepped toward the edge of the box. Down in the pit was a woman in a scarlet gown. She wore a black domino and black gloves. Alyssum shook her head, not believing her eyes. That was her dress.
“Oh my,” her mother breathed behind her as she looked at the new Scarlet.
She felt Violet stand beside her. “But…” She also shook her head, not understanding.
“Who is that?” Violet demanded.
“Scarlet,” Harry muttered the word everyone was whispering.
Robert was running. He dodged past couples and ran down the hall.
He knew Tucker and Jackson were helping. They had left the box as well to find her.
She was here. Scarlet. He had hardly believed it was her when he’d looked down and saw her, but there she was, scarlet gown, black gloves, black mask, long black hair. What made his heart pause was the fact that even though he was standing and ready to chase Scarlet his gaze had moved to the Rosewood box. His gaze had caught on Alyssum. She had been staring down at Scarlet with shock written all over her face.
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