Chapter 6: Down the Stairs

At sunrise the gate guard opened the gate, because Bett told him the Duchess had said so.

By the time Rosalind reached the great hall, Corbin was standing in the middle of it with his gloves in one hand.

Behind him stood the stout physician in his black coat.

Beside him were the family priest with his prayer book and four hired men with sacks.

The household servants had crept in along the walls to watch.

There were forty of them, and half wore Corbin's grey ribbon on their sleeves.

"Cousin Rosalind," said Corbin, with his gentle smile. "Forgive the hour. I've a writ."

He held up a folded paper with a red seal.

"The Duke is gravely ill, and the family priest has ordered a bleeding for the good of his soul."

"It is the old custom of this house. Stand aside, please."

"No," said Rosalind.

The priest cleared his throat.

He was a very old man with a shaky voice.

He looked as if he had been woken in the dark and marched down a road.

"My lady, the writ is lawful. A physician may bleed a dying man on the church's word."

"He is not dying."

"My lady, with respect..."

"He ate breakfast," said Rosalind.

"He slept sitting upright. His ankles are down by two fingers."

"I have counted his pulse every hour since Tuesday, and it has fallen every day. A dying man doesn't do that."

The physician made a noise.

"The Duchess is a girl of twenty-four," he said. "She has no training. She has bribed the household with kindness."

"I have nursed more sick people than you have ever met," said Rosalind.

There was a murmur along the wall.

Bett, at the end of the line of servants, had her chin lifted so high it quivered.

"Stand aside," said Corbin, and for the first time the smile slipped. "Men, take her arms."

The four hired men stepped forward.

"Touch her," said a voice from above, "and I will have you flogged."

Every head turned.

At the top of the great staircase stood the Duke of Ardmoor in a dark dressing gown.

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