Theo swiveled his head towards Balfour with a hint of surprise at his sudden change of attitude. "You sure you can handle this?"
Balfour strode over to the bed, where Baber lay. "Why not?" He said this as he glanced at Baber. “The kid is our responsibility as the Howard family. You’ve just been caught in the crossfire.”
Theo squinted as a hint of confusion appeared in his eyes.
Up till now, Balfour had been pushing Theo to spend more time with Patricia. What's up with the sudden switch?
Patricia frowned at Balfour’s suggestion. "Balfour, what brings you upstairs? Don't you need to go down and knock back a couple of drinks with Bartlett and the others?"
Balfour shot Patricia a quick look. "Let Theo go down and join them. He's the man of the hour."
Patricia blinked, clearly understanding what Balfour meant by ‘man of the hour.’
Her face fell, but she wasn't about to back down. She didn't want Theo getting cozy with that nasty Ellinor.
"Balfour, Baber needs Theo." She continued. "He's just starting to cool down a bit. If Theo leaves, I'm afraid he might get worked up and his fever will spike again."
Balfour didn't respond to Patricia but turned his attention to the sick child instead. "Baber, can I stay here with you?" He asked gently.
Baber, who hadn't fallen asleep, blinked in discomfort. "Balfour..."
Balfour leaned in a little closer to the child. "Yes, it's me. I'll stay with you."
Baber nodded obediently. "Stay with Balfour..."
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