Jeremy ran out. Chase returned to the divan. He raked his memories for images of men hurt this way in battle. What had the surgeons done? “Help me to raise her head a bit, Beth. Then draw the drapes. We will wait for the doctors before moving her to her chamber, lest it not be advised.”

Together they made Minerva as comfortable as possible. She opened her eyes a slit while Beth added pillows under her head and shoulders. She looked down her body, then at Beth. “My dress is ruined,” she murmured.

Beth almost wept. “That is of no account.”

“How did it happen?” She grimaced and pressed her fingers on her forehead. “I have a headache.”

Chase knelt beside the divan and looked in her eyes.

“You were hurt, Minerva. Do you remember?”

She shook her head.

“Then don’t try to. Not now. Close your eyes and rest.”

Beth made up the compress and laid it on her head. Minerva sighed as if that felt good. Her hand went out, blindly. “Will you stay here a little while, Chase? It hurts badly, but if you are here I can be brave.”

He folded her hand between his. “I will stay, and you do not have to be brave. Not for me, darling. Not for Beth.”

Tears leaked out from under her lids. “Dear Beth. Poor Beth. Such a trial I am for her. She should have gone.”

Beth stiffened. Her face went slack. “Like my daughter you are. No one else will tend you if I have a say.”

Chase held up his hand, asking for Beth’s silence. “She wants to take care of you.”

Minerva vaguely nodded. “Not fair to her. To Jeremy. To live under the roof of such a man so as to take care of me.”

She was not talking about now, and this hurt. “You got them away from that. What you feel now was done by another man,” Chase said.

Minerva frowned. She opened her eyes a little, and looked at him. Her dazed mind seemed to be trying to sort it out.

“Rest now. Sleep if you can.” He stood, leaned over, and kissed her.

She seemed to doze then. Beth went to work on the compress once more. “She’ll come through fine,” she said belligerently. “Been through worse, hasn’t she? She’ll be right soon, you’ll see. Not some fool delicate woman.”

“Do you have any soup made, Beth? There should be something for her if she will eat.”

Beth set her hands on her knees. “I had only started cooking. I could make soup, though. Only I’m needed here.”

“I think she will sleep for a while. I’ll sit with her. I promise to call you if you are needed.”