The Earl's Honorable Intentions by Deborah Hale Page A

Somehow the sluggish minutes passed more swiftly when he was diverted in this manner. He asked himself why and decided perhaps it was the nearest thing to combat he could experience while confined to his sickbed.
    Yes, of course, that must be the reason.
    “What changed my mind?” He readied his next salvo. “Why, experience, of course. You tried to warn me that a hearty breakfast might not be the best idea, but I thought otherwise and learned a hard lesson.”
    Miss Fletcher blinked rapidly and took a step closer to him. “You did?”
    A faint glow of satisfaction provided some relief for Gavin’s chagrin. He never liked admitting he’d been wrong. But it might be worth the minor humiliation to keep his adversary off balance.
    He nodded. “Hard but valuable—as most worthwhile lessons are. I realized that any attempt to hurry the natural rate of my recovery would only delay it. Therefore, the quickest way to get on my feet again would be to remain on my back for as long as I must.”
    Miss Fletcher seemed to sense something amiss. “Then why did you argue with the doctor if you already knew what he was trying to tell you?”
    “I was not entirely prepared to admit defeat. I would rather fight a division of the French Imperial Guard than spend a fortnight doing absolutely nothing.”
    “I can understand that,” Miss Fletcher replied in a tone of sincere sympathy.
    “You can?” Who had been caught off balance this time?
    Miss Fletcher gave a rueful nod. “I might not prefer to face down the Imperial Guard, but I do like to keep busy and feel useful. The prospect of a fortnight with nothing to do would hold no appeal for me.”
    Who would have thought they might have something in common? Certainly not Gavin. “Then you can see why I would not want to agree to it except as a last resort.”
    “But you did agree for the sake of the children.” She sounded as surprised as he felt. “That was well done.”
    Would wonders never cease? There was something about him of which Miss Fletcher approved. “May I assume you would not object to helping make my ordeal more bearable?”
    She went for the bait without a moment’s hesitation. “I should be happy to assist you in any way I can, sir. Pray, what can I do?”
    “You can keep company with me.” The instant he spoke, Gavin realized he had phrased his request quite the wrong way. A man and woman were said to keep company when they were courting. “I mean...you can keep me company. Help me pass the time so I do not go mad from boredom.”
    He prepared for her to argue and make excuses, but he would counter them all until he won his way at last, as she had won hers to keep him bedridden. If he must suffer such imprisonment, so must she. That was only fair, surely.
    The last thing he expected was for Miss Fletcher to reply, “Very well, sir. If that is what you wish, I shall be happy to oblige you.”
    Gavin’s well-honed military instincts warned him that he had just blundered into an ambush.

Chapter Four
    W hy had the earl asked her to keep him company while he recuperated? Hannah pondered that question from the moment he ordered her away to get a decent night’s sleep until the morning when he summoned her back to attend him.
    It was not because he enjoyed her company. She had no illusions about that.
    Perhaps Lord Hawkehurst considered it some sort of punishment she deserved because he held her responsible for the dreary confinement he faced. Could he not understand that was his fault? If he had not tried to rush his recovery, he might only have had to endure one week or less.
    Whatever his reasons, Hannah was not altogether displeased with the result. True, it might be rather disagreeable to spend so much time in the company of a man who seemed to go out of his way to antagonize her—a man she found it difficult to forgive for making his late wife so unhappy. It would also keep her busier than ever trying to accommodate the children’s needs and his