17. Foolish Little Things
"You wanna tell me why you haven't answered my letter yet? It's been three days." "I'm sorry; I've been busy." "Writing letters to your friends shouldn't keep you THAT busy. You can't spare five minutes to reply to your fiancé?" "I haven't just been posting to my friends. And why are you writing to me about promenading with Lady Danbury again anyway? It's not like you're going to come with us. Heh, we can't compete with the smoking parlour and its allures," I teased. The duke rolled his eyes unimpressed. "That's none of your business. The next time I write you a letter, I expect a timely response. Got that? It's bad manners to leave your intended waiting," he clasped his hands behind his back. I blinked at him perplexed. "I didn't know you were waiting. I was going to write back to Lady Danbury herself. Wait, did you want me to write back to you?" "Don't be so full of yourself! Of course I didn't. I only wanted to know what her ladyship's schedule is like so I might amend mine accordingly. Lady Danbury's been taking her meals in her room of late." "That so?" Maybe's she's busy thinking about something… I wonder if the queen's said anything to her; they are friends I take it.
Lord Hastings rubbed the back of his neck, tossing his head up. "Anyway, she told me about the invitation to dine with the queen. How'd you manage to pull that off?" "What do you mean? Her majesty invited us; I didn't ask for a private dinner or anything." "The queen doesn't just "invite" anyone to dine at the palace, and your family and I have been requested to come too. Did she say anything to you?" The duke asked as I handed him down a book from the stepladder. "No, not exactly…." My eyes wandered out into space momentarily.
We were at the court's official library where I had come to write Jane a letter. But secretly I wanted to do some research on Prussia and the Hanover royal family while I was there too. The letter to Jane was just a cover story, and everyone bought it. My plan was perfect, or it would have been if Benedict didn't open his big mouth and tell his lordship where I was today. Man! Anthony wouldn't have said anything. How's a lady supposed to get any covert research done around here?
The duke sighed again, making me roll my eyes. He can be so dramatic sometimes. "Well, at least we know it'll be good food." "Look, I know you're not crazy about us dining together, but please be patient and do this one thing for me. Come to the queen's dinner and I'll never ask you to do another thing for me." "I highly doubt that, but don't worry; I'm coming. Lady Danbury would never let me forget it if I didn't," he let out a second sigh and I grinned. Ok, good; he's onboard. Now all I need is his verbal consent to me marrying the prince and we'll both be out of this arrangement.
Lord Hastings rubbed the back of his neck impatiently. "How many more books do you need? You said you were only doing a little reading." "Hold on, just a few more. Can you hold the ladder for me? I need to reach the top shelf." "Jesus; you're gonna fall and hurt yourself. Here, let me do." "Thanks, but I can manage," I stretched my hand up. It was a rather tall shelf. He rolled his eyes. "I wasn't asking. Come down here." "I don't need your help. Just let me do this," I countered, still trying to grab the book. It didn't help that it was particularly tall too. "Would you stop it? Why are you being so stubborn? I'm your fiancé. You're supposed to obey me; it'll be in our wedding vows, remember?" "I've almost got it! Just hold the ladder," my voice was louder this time.
The duke audibly huffed and soon I felt a presence up alongside me on the ladder. A bigger hand than mine stretched all the way up to grab the book with ease. My head turned to see Lord Hastings frowning at me; he waggled the book in the air beside his head for emphasis. "See how easy that was? Maybe you'll listen to me next time." "Thanks, but I could have got it myself. I won't always have you around to get the book on the highest shelf for me." "Some thanks. Here, give me your hand. You step down first." "No, give me the book. Then I'll go down." "Would you…?!" His lordship was about to yell at me before the inevitable happened.
This rather tall narrow stepladder wasn't built to hold two adults at once. I fell, followed by the duke. His hand instinctively flung out to grab onto the bookshelf, but that only caused a sea of books to land on us on the floor. I groaned and rubbed my head while Lord Hastings shot me a monstrous glare. "Now see what you've done?! All of this could have been avoided, Miss Bridgerton." "You're right; it could have if you trusted me to get the book myself," I retorted angrily. "You weren't tall enough. Some truths you just have to face, I'm sorry to say."
It was then that was both noticed his lordship's right hand. He brought it up and I winced. "You're bleeding!" "It's merely a paper cut. Nothing to fret over," he waved off my concern. Yeah, a really deep, long paper cut. He must have sliced his hand when he tried to grab onto the shelf. The duke watched as I shuffled across the floor over to him, pushing the books between us out of the way with my knees. "What are you…?"
Before he could finish his question, I already lifted up the hem of my dress. "Miss Bridgerton!" He gasped as I pressed my skirt against the wound, soaking up the blood. My spine suddenly flinched, and I looked up at him startled. "Does it hurt?" "N-No….." His lips stammered. Wiping up the blood, I next removed one of my gloves- the right one, to be exact- and used it as a makeshift bandage to dress his injury. Lord Hastings didn't utter a word the whole time; just sat back sort of in awe and let me help him. Once the wound was completely covered, I flashed him a brilliant smile. "There! That should protect it until it can be wrapped properly." He inspected his hand intently. Then his eyes gradually moved back onto mine. His expression was softer now.
"What's your father going to say when you come home like that?" "I'll tell him the truth," I shrugged. "We could have used my jacket," the duke countered, though not sourly. More so matter-of-factly….. "That's true, but I wasn't really thinking about that. My body just acted on its own," my shoulders shrugged nonchalantly again. Lord Hastings gazed back to his bandaged hand and gave a single chuckle, letting his natural grin return. "Just acted on its own accord, huh? You got some weird instincts there, my lady." "Perhaps, but they've served me well so far." "Yeah. You mean like back with Miss Cowper?" He chuckled and I laughed. "Exactly." Then I got up and he quickly followed. I sighed, glancing around us at all the books scattered on the floor. My hand rubbed the back of my neck. "I guess I'll clean these up." "Why? It's not a lady's job to clean up after herself." "But it's our fault these books fell down." "Our fault? Don't you mean "your" fault?" Lord Hastings smirked. I grinned playful back at him, giving his arm a light shove. "Next time trust me to reach it myself." "No, next time I'll pluck you off the ladder before I climb and get it for you myself," he rebuffed with an even cheekier smirk. My grin also widened as I bent over starting to collect books in my arms. "We'll just wait and see about that, my lord." "Yes, we will. Now give me your book pile. I'll carry it over to the desk you were at." "You don't have to do that. Go have a nurse look at your hand." He huffed, shaking his head.
"What did I say about being too stubborn? At least be a little manageable, Miss Bridgerton." "Haha, you? Manage me? I think you propose the impossible, your grace. Though you might find it easier if you didn't hate me so," I laughed again, still cleaning up the books. His eyes lowered and his left hand stretched down to pick up the books I'd been gathering. I looked at him and he straightened his back, books in hand. He grinned down at me. "But you make it harder to despise you, my lady." "Oh?" My eyebrow raised. His eyes shimmered a little- just a little. "Against my will, I'm already growing accustomed to your face.
And there are so many foolish little things that remind me of you."