Robert glanced down at the spot, and then to her and quickly covered the spot with one hand. “No. I must have got some sap on me or something when I climbed up here.”

Lisa frowned, not sure she believed him, but wanting to. She really didn’t handle blood well. “You shouldn’t be climbing about in trees, my lord. You’ll reopen your wound.”

“I’m fine,” he assured her, moving toward the door. “I’ll just go change my shirt.” He removed the chair and then glared at her. “Do not replace the chair. I will just climb through your window again if you do.”

Lisa grimaced, but gave a short, sharp nod of assent.

Letting his breath out on a sigh, he nodded and turned to the door, but then paused and asked, “Where is Bet?”

“Downstairs, why?”

“I have some mending I am hoping she will help me with,” he muttered and slid out of the room.

Lisa stared at the closed door for a moment and then hurried to open it and rush out into the hall . . . and nearly ran over Robert, who had stopped to undo his shirt and pull the bandaging away to examine his wound.

Probably checking to see just how much damage he’d done, she thought and immediately averted her eyes. “Go to your room. I’ll send Bet to sew you back up.”

“No, that’s all right. I didn’t burst my stitches. I just pulled one a bit. I’m going to clean it up and rebandage it,” he said, releasing the bandage. “Don’t bother Bet.”

“You can’t rebandage yourself, Robert. Let me—”

“I’m fine,” he interrupted, and turned to head into his room.

Lisa instinctively started to follow, but paused when she saw Bet appear at the top of the stairs. Concerned by her alarmed expression, Lisa moved to meet her. “Is something wrong?”

“Aye,” Bet murmured. “I thought I’d best warn ye. I heard Handers mention to Cook that he saw Lord Langley go outside and I thought it odd since he’s so determined to watch out for ye. But then it occurred to me he might try climbing the tree to come in yer window.”

Lisa nodded wryly. “Yes, you were right. He did, and now he’s pulled his stitches. Can you fetch some salve and . . .” she let the last of the request die away. Bet had already turned with a nod and hurried back up the hall to go after what she needed.

With nothing else to do, Lisa moved to the door of Robert’s room and peered cautiously inside. She spotted him at once. He was seated on the opposite side of the bed with his back to her. He’d already removed the old bandage and was now mopping at his chest with a bunched up bit of the used cloth.

“Robert, wait for Bet, she—”