They were greeted by Brabinger when they arrived at the manor "Welcome home Sir"
"Thank you Brabinger its good to be home" Richard said as he walked into the manor.
Mrs Poo put her arm around Richard's moving him towards the staircase "Now Bedrich you're to go straight up to bed."
Richard stopped "oh mother I don't need to be in bed, tell her Audrey"
"Well the doctor did say you needed to rest darling"
"But I don't need to be in bed, please darling let me stay down here" he pleaded with her. Audrey chuckled at the way he sounded like a little boy.
"I think it will be alright Mrs Poo, we'll just have to make sure he doesn't over do it"
Mrs Poo sighed "If you say so my dear" moving to stand in front off Richard she waved her finger at him "Now Bedrich you be a good boy and rest or you'll have me to deal with."
"Yes mother" he said rolling his eyes at her.
Audrey settled Richard into the corner of the settee in the drawing room making sure he had everything he needed and was comfortable.
Brabinger entered the room "I'm sorry to interrupt Madam but the cook would like to go over this weeks menus with you when you have a moment"
"Thank you Brabinger I'll go and see her shortly"
Mrs Poo suddenly had an idea for something she wanted the cook to make for Richard, "I will come with you Audrey, I want to discuss an idea i have had."
"Right well we'll go and see her now. Will you be alright darling?" Audrey asked Richard
He smiled "I'll be fine Audrey"
Brabinger decided to alleviate madams fears "Don't worry madam I will stay with Mr DeVere"
Richard sighed "I'm not a child you know I can be left alone."
Sitting down next to him, Audrey reached out and stroked his cheek "I know that darling but please just let me fuss for a little while" she then leaned in and kissed him.
"Alright" he sighed. Grinning at him she rose from the settee and took Mrs Poo by the arm to go find cook.
Once they were alone Brabinger decided now would be a good time to speak to Richard, "Mr DeVere may I have a word with you sir"
"Of course Brabinger, is anything the matter?"
"I feel I owe you an apology sir, for not being here when you needed me"
Richard was puzzled for a moment surely he wasn't talking about him being attacked "Brabinger you don't mean the attack do you"
At Brabinger's nod Richard sighed "My good man there is nothing you could have done"
"Be that as it may sir I should have been there" Brabinger took a breath. "You see sir for many years I have looked after madam, her previous husband did not behave well and treated her very poorly. I have always felt very protective of madam because of him especially after her father passed, I took on the roll of her protector. Now she has you Sir and you treat her as she should be treated but I still feel protective of her as I do you to sir."
Branbinger paused "What I'm trying to say sir is that I hope you realise that you are greatly admired here at Grantleigh and not just because you are madams husband."
Richard was dumbfounded he knew how Brabinger felt about Audrey but to know the old butler felt not only protective of him to but admired him as a person had him at a loss for words.
Finally finding his voice Richard stood from the settee and moved to stand in front of Brabinger "My dear chap I...I don't really remember my father I had to be the man of the house long before I should have and since then I've never run away from a fight you see and when I saw those fellows instinct took over. But it won't happen again Brabinger I swear I will always put Audrey first and knowing that you are there looking after us both is a great comfort" he then reached out and patted Brabinger's shoulder.
"You never speak of your father Sir"
Richard looked down "No...no I don't, at first I didn't want to upset mother but now I don't really know if the things I do remember about him were real or if I just imagined them. I always hoped he'd have been proud of me..."
"I'm sure he would have been very proud of you sir"
Richard swallowed past the lump in his throat "Thank You Brabinger that...that means a lot". The dull ache in Richard's head had now become a shooting pain, bringing his hand up to rub his forehead he took a deep breath.
Brabinger was concerned by what he saw "Are you alright sir?"
"Actually Brabinger I have a devil of a headache I think I'll go and lay down for a while" But as Richard started to walk towards the door he felt dizzy and he reached for the mantle to steady himself.
Brabinger was by his side in an instant "Put your arm around me Sir we don't want to incur madams displeasure by having you fall do we".
Richard smiled at him and then placed his arm across Brabinger's shoulder leaning on the older man for support.
"No we don't, Thank you Brabinger"
Audrey bumped into Brabinger on her way upstairs "Brabinger where is Mr DeVere?"
"He's just gone up to take a nap madam"
Entering their bedroom Audrey found Richard trying to get comfortable walking to his side she touched his shoulder "Darling I think we should change your dressings before you have a nap"
"If you say so darling" he agreed
Laying on their bed with his shirt open ready to have his dressing changed Richard wondered if he could persuade Audrey to lay down with him or maybe do something more. The doctor had said it would be fine when he had discreetly asked him before they left the hospital yesterday.
To his surprise Audrey had insisted the doctor show her how to change his dressings instead of having Dr Horton or a nurse come in and do it. When he had asked her why she had replied "because darling I want to look after you."
Watching her work was an experience he would not forget. The determination on her face to get it right and the way her tongue poked out from her lips in concentration when she came to clean his wound was really quite a turn on.
Sitting on the side of the bed Audrey finished cleaning his wound and placed a clean dressing to his stomach leaning back she admired her handiwork "There that looks fine"
Looking down at his stomach Richard was impressed "you've done a wonderful job darling, better than Dr Horton himself"
"Thank you darling but I don't think I'll take up nursing as a career" she chuckled
Seeing the tiredness in her eyes Richard decided he was going to make sure she rested, he held his arm out "Audrey come and lay down with me for a while I need a nap and you know I can't sleep without you darling."
Audrey smiled, when he looked at her like that with those chocolate brown eyes she would do anything he wanted.
She sighed "Alright but just for a few minutes" kicking of her shoes she climbed onto the bed and snuggled up to his side as Richard wrapped his arm around her.
A few minutes later they were both asleep.