It’s even worse than the little Italian man with the throwing knives and the lemon.”
I sat back on my heels. Clearly, the ball had done some injury to his brain. “We really must get you to a surgeon.”
“And how would you explain our being alone together?”
“I don’t care about that. Not if your injury is serious—”
He waved a hand dismissively. “As long as my skull is in one piece, it’s just a scratch. And you should care about it. What about your reputation? For that matter, it isn’t safe out here for you. Whoever shot me might have another go. You’d better get back inside.”
I couldn’t tell whether he was still stunned by the ball or he simply possessed more sang-froid than any other man I’d ever met. If I’d been in his shoes, I would have been dashing about the garden in hysterics, shrieking, I’ve been shot , I’ve been shot! Instead he was worrying about me.
But I had the odd feeling I was in no danger. Perhaps it was only a sense that anyone craven enough to shoot an unarmed man from a place of hiding wouldn’t risk a second shot for fear of giving away his location. I suspected the sniper had taken to his heels as soon as he’d seen Ben fall. Or perhaps I wasn’t frightened thanks to a second, less rational feeling, an intuition that whoever had shot Ben had meant to hurt him and no one else.
“And leave you out here alone?” I said. “What kind of coward do you think I am?”
“I didn’t call you a coward, I simply wouldn’t want—”
“And why would anyone shoot you, anyway? Who even knew you were here?” A horrible thought struck me. “You didn’t go boasting that you had an assignation with me, did you?”
He threw an angry glance at me from under his handkerchief. “Of course not. I told you, I’m not a scoundrel.” After a moment the anger softened to a look of uncertainty. “Then again, I might have mentioned to Teddy that I was coming here.”
“You told Cliburne...” So much for my reputation, at least in the eyes of my future brother-in-law. Oddly, I didn’t feel nearly as dismayed as I should have. Perhaps Cliburne’s opinion of me mattered less than I’d thought.
“I didn’t tell him we had an assignation,” Ben put in hastily. “I simply told him I was on my way to Leonard House. Besides, Teddy wouldn’t hurt a fly. I can’t see what he has to do with my having had my hair parted with a lead ball.”
“Was anyone else within earshot when you told him you were coming here? Did anyone follow you?”
He shook his head. “No, no one.” He squinted in concentration. “Except...except I was talking to John when I received your note. He might have stolen a look at it.”
John Mainsforth again. Strange how his name kept coming up. “Do you think you can stand?”
“Of course I can stand,” Ben said irritably. “I told you, it’s only a scratch.”
“Ah, yes. How fortunate the ball hit your head instead of some part of your body you actually use.”
He flushed. “I wish you’d stop going on about that stupid episode in the cupboard.”
“I wasn’t talking about what happened in the cupboard.” I gaped at him. “Good Lord, is that all you ever think about? I was only being flippant, implying you have a reckless streak.” Unfortunately, now that he’d mentioned the cupboard incident again, some shameless impulse made my eyes drop to the front of his breeches.
“What are you looking at?”
“Nothing!” My cheeks flaming, I took him by the elbow. “Here, let me help you up.”
He jerked his arm away. “I can stand up on my own, thank you. I’m not some sickly little old lady.”
I rose with him. “You’re as cranky as one.”
“Well, pardon me for being concerned about the damage I might do to your reputation when instead I could be wasting time on empty pleasantries.” He looked at the garden fence. It had gone quiet on the other side. With Manton’s shooting gallery so near, gunshots weren’t entirely
I sat back on my heels. Clearly, the ball had done some injury to his brain. “We really must get you to a surgeon.”
“And how would you explain our being alone together?”
“I don’t care about that. Not if your injury is serious—”
He waved a hand dismissively. “As long as my skull is in one piece, it’s just a scratch. And you should care about it. What about your reputation? For that matter, it isn’t safe out here for you. Whoever shot me might have another go. You’d better get back inside.”
I couldn’t tell whether he was still stunned by the ball or he simply possessed more sang-froid than any other man I’d ever met. If I’d been in his shoes, I would have been dashing about the garden in hysterics, shrieking, I’ve been shot , I’ve been shot! Instead he was worrying about me.
But I had the odd feeling I was in no danger. Perhaps it was only a sense that anyone craven enough to shoot an unarmed man from a place of hiding wouldn’t risk a second shot for fear of giving away his location. I suspected the sniper had taken to his heels as soon as he’d seen Ben fall. Or perhaps I wasn’t frightened thanks to a second, less rational feeling, an intuition that whoever had shot Ben had meant to hurt him and no one else.
“And leave you out here alone?” I said. “What kind of coward do you think I am?”
“I didn’t call you a coward, I simply wouldn’t want—”
“And why would anyone shoot you, anyway? Who even knew you were here?” A horrible thought struck me. “You didn’t go boasting that you had an assignation with me, did you?”
He threw an angry glance at me from under his handkerchief. “Of course not. I told you, I’m not a scoundrel.” After a moment the anger softened to a look of uncertainty. “Then again, I might have mentioned to Teddy that I was coming here.”
“You told Cliburne...” So much for my reputation, at least in the eyes of my future brother-in-law. Oddly, I didn’t feel nearly as dismayed as I should have. Perhaps Cliburne’s opinion of me mattered less than I’d thought.
“I didn’t tell him we had an assignation,” Ben put in hastily. “I simply told him I was on my way to Leonard House. Besides, Teddy wouldn’t hurt a fly. I can’t see what he has to do with my having had my hair parted with a lead ball.”
“Was anyone else within earshot when you told him you were coming here? Did anyone follow you?”
He shook his head. “No, no one.” He squinted in concentration. “Except...except I was talking to John when I received your note. He might have stolen a look at it.”
John Mainsforth again. Strange how his name kept coming up. “Do you think you can stand?”
“Of course I can stand,” Ben said irritably. “I told you, it’s only a scratch.”
“Ah, yes. How fortunate the ball hit your head instead of some part of your body you actually use.”
He flushed. “I wish you’d stop going on about that stupid episode in the cupboard.”
“I wasn’t talking about what happened in the cupboard.” I gaped at him. “Good Lord, is that all you ever think about? I was only being flippant, implying you have a reckless streak.” Unfortunately, now that he’d mentioned the cupboard incident again, some shameless impulse made my eyes drop to the front of his breeches.
“What are you looking at?”
“Nothing!” My cheeks flaming, I took him by the elbow. “Here, let me help you up.”
He jerked his arm away. “I can stand up on my own, thank you. I’m not some sickly little old lady.”
I rose with him. “You’re as cranky as one.”
“Well, pardon me for being concerned about the damage I might do to your reputation when instead I could be wasting time on empty pleasantries.” He looked at the garden fence. It had gone quiet on the other side. With Manton’s shooting gallery so near, gunshots weren’t entirely
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