Robert straightened from laying Lisa in bed. He pulled the covers over her and peered down at her silently. Even sick she was still lovely. The bruising around her eyes and the pallor of her skin didn’t detract much from it. And while she was wearing a loose white sleeping gown that looked ages old and comfortable rather than actually attractive, it didn’t hide the curves he’d seen so clearly when she’d been wearing that see-through creation Mrs. Morgan had put her in.

“Has her stomach finally settled?”

Robert glanced around at that whisper to find Bet crossing the room to his side to examine her mistress. He nodded in answer, and whispered back, “Hopefully it’s done and won’t start up again.”

“Aye,” Bet agreed on a sigh. “She’s been miserable with it for hours. Started almost as soon as she got up here to the room.”

“Right after the men left,” Robert murmured.

“Yes, thank goodness,” Bet whispered. “She would have been doubly upset if it had started while they were here.”

“Hmm,” Robert murmured and turned to head for the door. “I will be in Richard’s office. Call me if she starts up again or anything else happens.”

“Aye, my lord,” Bet responded quietly, settling in the chair beside the bed to watch over her mistress.

Robert left the door open so he would hear if Bet called. He started downstairs as he’d intended, but then changed his mind and moved to his room instead. He had planned to go downstairs and read to pass the time, but he’d been reading before bed last night and the book was on his bedside table. Once in the room, he decided it would be better if he read there and left his door open as well. He would be closer and could better hear if he was needed.

Lisa stirred sleepily and turned on her back, her head rolling to the side and her gaze falling on the person slumped and asleep in a chair beside the bed. Bet. While there were no lit candles or oil lamps in the bedroom, the door was wide open and enough light was splashing in from the hall that she could see well enough to make out the woman’s identity. A small smile curved Lisa’s lips at the sight. Bet was the best maid a girl could ask for. Honestly. They had pretty much grown up together and were friends as much as anything else.

A scratching sort of sound drew her attention toward the window, and Lisa peered sleepily that way to see a branch brushing against the pane. She started to glance away then, but the movement of the branch caught her attention. It was bobbing up and down against the window . . . which just seemed odd. It took her a moment to realize why. Surely a breeze would be moving it from side to side, not up and down?