Claire closed her eyes and nodded.

"It won't be easy for you," Ellie conceded, "but coming here and apologizing to me wasn't easy, either. You're a strong girl, Claire. Stronger than you think."

For the first time that evening, Claire actually smiled, and Ellie knew that everything was going to be all right.

Charles cleared his throat and said, "I think Ellie has had enough excitement for one day, Claire."

Ellie shook her head and crooked her finger toward Claire. "Come here a moment," she said. When Claire reached her bedside, Ellie whispered in her ear, "And do you know what else I think?"

Claire shook her head.

"I think that someday you will be very glad that Charles wasn't able to wait for you."

Claire turned to Ellie with questioning eyes.

"Love will find you when you least expect it," Ellie said softly. Then she added, "And when you're old enough."

Claire giggled, prompting Charles to grumble, "What the devil are you two whispering about?"

"Nothing," Ellie replied. "Now then, let Claire run along. She has quite a bit of work to do."

Charles stepped aside to allow Claire to dash from the room. Once the door had shut behind her, he turned to Ellie and said, "You were too lenient with her."

"It was my decision, not yours," Ellie said, her voice suddenly weary. It had taken a great deal of her already sapped energy to deal with a furious husband and sobbing cousin.

His eyes narrowed. "Are you in pain?"

She nodded. "Could I have that second dose of laudanum now?"

Charles moved quickly to her side and held the glass to her lips, smoothing her hair while she gulped the contents down. Ellie yawned and settled back down against her pillows, resting her bandaged hands carefully atop the bedcovers. "I know you believe I wasn't stern enough with Claire," she said, "but I think she's learned her lesson."

"I shall have to take your word for that, won't I, since you refuse to tell me what she said in her defense?"

"She didn't try to defend herself at all. She knows what she did was wrong."

Charles stretched his legs out on the bed and leaned back against the headboard. "You're a remarkable woman, Eleanor Wycombe."

She gave him a sleepy yawn. "I certainly don't mind hearing you say it."

"Most people would not have been as forgiving."

"Don't let that fool you. I can be quite vindictive when it's called for."

"Is that so?" he asked, amusement lacing his voice.

Ellie yawned again and settled against him. "Will you stay here tonight? At least until I fall asleep?"

He nodded and kissed her temple.

"Good. It's warmer with you here."

Charles blew out the candle and laid back down on top of the covers. Then, once he was sure she was asleep, he touched his heart and whispered, "It's warmer in here, too."

Chapter 17

Ellie spent the next morning recuperating in bed. Charles rarely left her side, and when he did, he was immediately replaced by a member of the Pallister family—most often Helen or Judith, since Claire was busy cleaning up the mess she'd made in the orangery.

By early afternoon, however, she was beginning to lose her patience with Charles and his everpresent bottle of laudanum.

"It is very sweet of you to be so concerned about my burns," Ellie said, trying to placate him, "but truly the pain is not as dreadful as yesterday, and beside that, I can't seem to last through a conversation without falling asleep."

"No one minds," he assured her.

"I mind."

"I've already allowed you to reduce your dose by half."

"And it still leaves me half out of my mind. I can bear a little pain, Charles. I'm no weakling."

"Ellie, you don't have to be a martyr."

"I don't want to be a martyr. I just want to be myself."

He looked doubtful, but he put the bottle back on the bedside table. "If your hands start to hurt..."

"I know, I know. I—" Ellie breathed a sigh of relief as someone knocked at the door, effectively ending the conversation. Charles still looked as if he might change his mind and pour the laudanum down her throat at the slightest provocation. "Come in!" she called out.

Judith bounded in, her dark blond hair pulled away from her face. "Good day, Ellie," she chirped.

"Good day, Judith. It's fine to see you."

The young girl nodded regally and climbed up on the bed.

"Don't I rate a greeting?" Charles asked.

"Yes, yes, of course," Judith replied. "Good day to you, Charles, but you will have to leave."

Ellie choked down a laugh.

"And why is that?" he demanded.

"I have extremely important matters to discuss with Ellie. Private matters."

"Is that so?"

Judith raised her brows in a supercilious expression that somehow fit her little six-year-old face perfectly. "Indeed. Although I suppose you may remain while I give Ellie her present."

"How very generous of you," Charles said.

"A present! How thoughtful!" Ellie said at the exact same time.

"I painted you a picture." Judith held up a small watercolor.

"It's beautiful, Judith," Ellie exclaimed, regarding the blue, green, and red slashes. "It's lovely. It's... it's..."

"It's the meadow." Judith said.

Ellie breathed a huge sigh of relief that she didn't have to hazard a guess.

"See?" the little girl continued. "This is the grass, and this is the sky. And these are the apples on the apple tree."