was as fine a figure of a man as any woman could imagine.
It was absurd, of course, but she could not deny that the flutter in her stomach when she thought of him was more than mere nerves. What was it about the man that could set her pulses racing even now? No other man had ever had such an effect upon her. It was most alarming. Why should he have this power over her? It was not his looks, though he was exceptionally handsome. But so was Lord Maples, who could raise no higher emotion in her breast than mild irritation. In any case, there could never be anything between herself and the merchant now ... could there?
* * * *
The evening passed slowly. Dorinda joined them for supper with no good news to convey. Selina still had a touch of fever, and her anxious mama must return to the sickroom. Elizabeth, however, convinced her to rest awhile, and offered to take her place at the little girl’s bedside. Since Dorinda was quite fatigued from nursing her daughter, she agreed reluctantly for her sister to sit with Selina for an hour or two.
Elizabeth excused herself as soon as possible after their meal. She felt rather guilty that her niece’s illness should prove so useful for escaping Oswald’s attentions.
Selina was pale and weak, her golden hair - so like Elizabeth’s own - clinging in limp tendrils around her shadowed face. She managed a wispy smile for her aunt, and listened while Elizabeth told her a story and sang softly to her. Finally, the child fell into an uneasy slumber, squirming about beneath the covers and giving small whimpering sounds as if her fevered dreams were far from pleasant.
Later she awakened again, complaining that she was thirsty. She swallowed a little lemonade and, after Elizabeth had adjusted her blanket and pillows, was soon fast asleep once more. Not long after, Dorinda returned to continue the vigil, greatly refreshed by her own much-needed rest.
It was almost midnight, so Elizabeth went immediately to her own bed. The next morning she slept late. Coming down to breakfast, she learned from Dorinda that Selina’s fever had broken just before dawn.
‘She is still very weak, poor darling,’ the exhausted mother said, ‘and it may be some time before she can leave her room. But I am confident that she will be much more the thing now.’
Elizabeth pressed her sister’s hand. ‘I am so thankful. It is very hard to watch a child suffer. And with Alastair away—’
‘ I am thankful that you were here with me.’ Dorinda returned Elizabeth’s clasp. ‘It was good of you to stay with her last night.’
‘Nonsense,’ Elizabeth disclaimed, shaking her head. ‘I only did what any sister - or indeed, any mother - would have done. You need not paint my gesture in quite such heroic colours.’
‘Nevertheless, it was much appreciated. Though I am not certain that Lord Maples saw it in such a favourable light.’
Elizabeth raised her brows. ‘Oh? Was Oswald displeased by my desertion?’ she queried, all innocence. ‘How unfortunate.’
‘Heartless wretch!’ Dorinda said, laughing. ‘He was woefully downcast at the loss of your company. I have never seen a man more smitten than he.’
‘Sapskull,’ her sister commented even more heartlessly. Then, realizing something, she continued, ‘By the by, where is the man?’
‘I persuaded him to take a stroll in the garden, pending your arrival. He will be here soon, no doubt.’
‘No doubt. Indeed, the gentleman sticks closer than a mustard plaster - and is just about as agreeable. Now is the summer of our content made dreary winter by this blight of Wiltshire.’
‘You are impossible, Lizzy.’
‘It is too bad,’ Elizabeth murmured, ignoring Dorinda’s last remark, ‘that I am no longer required to nurse Selina. But spending time with Nicky should serve as well to keep the viscount at bay. Oswald has not much use for my son, I fear.’
Dorinda looked quite shocked. ‘I’m sure you are mistaken. Why, Lord Maples seemed
It was absurd, of course, but she could not deny that the flutter in her stomach when she thought of him was more than mere nerves. What was it about the man that could set her pulses racing even now? No other man had ever had such an effect upon her. It was most alarming. Why should he have this power over her? It was not his looks, though he was exceptionally handsome. But so was Lord Maples, who could raise no higher emotion in her breast than mild irritation. In any case, there could never be anything between herself and the merchant now ... could there?
* * * *
The evening passed slowly. Dorinda joined them for supper with no good news to convey. Selina still had a touch of fever, and her anxious mama must return to the sickroom. Elizabeth, however, convinced her to rest awhile, and offered to take her place at the little girl’s bedside. Since Dorinda was quite fatigued from nursing her daughter, she agreed reluctantly for her sister to sit with Selina for an hour or two.
Elizabeth excused herself as soon as possible after their meal. She felt rather guilty that her niece’s illness should prove so useful for escaping Oswald’s attentions.
Selina was pale and weak, her golden hair - so like Elizabeth’s own - clinging in limp tendrils around her shadowed face. She managed a wispy smile for her aunt, and listened while Elizabeth told her a story and sang softly to her. Finally, the child fell into an uneasy slumber, squirming about beneath the covers and giving small whimpering sounds as if her fevered dreams were far from pleasant.
Later she awakened again, complaining that she was thirsty. She swallowed a little lemonade and, after Elizabeth had adjusted her blanket and pillows, was soon fast asleep once more. Not long after, Dorinda returned to continue the vigil, greatly refreshed by her own much-needed rest.
It was almost midnight, so Elizabeth went immediately to her own bed. The next morning she slept late. Coming down to breakfast, she learned from Dorinda that Selina’s fever had broken just before dawn.
‘She is still very weak, poor darling,’ the exhausted mother said, ‘and it may be some time before she can leave her room. But I am confident that she will be much more the thing now.’
Elizabeth pressed her sister’s hand. ‘I am so thankful. It is very hard to watch a child suffer. And with Alastair away—’
‘ I am thankful that you were here with me.’ Dorinda returned Elizabeth’s clasp. ‘It was good of you to stay with her last night.’
‘Nonsense,’ Elizabeth disclaimed, shaking her head. ‘I only did what any sister - or indeed, any mother - would have done. You need not paint my gesture in quite such heroic colours.’
‘Nevertheless, it was much appreciated. Though I am not certain that Lord Maples saw it in such a favourable light.’
Elizabeth raised her brows. ‘Oh? Was Oswald displeased by my desertion?’ she queried, all innocence. ‘How unfortunate.’
‘Heartless wretch!’ Dorinda said, laughing. ‘He was woefully downcast at the loss of your company. I have never seen a man more smitten than he.’
‘Sapskull,’ her sister commented even more heartlessly. Then, realizing something, she continued, ‘By the by, where is the man?’
‘I persuaded him to take a stroll in the garden, pending your arrival. He will be here soon, no doubt.’
‘No doubt. Indeed, the gentleman sticks closer than a mustard plaster - and is just about as agreeable. Now is the summer of our content made dreary winter by this blight of Wiltshire.’
‘You are impossible, Lizzy.’
‘It is too bad,’ Elizabeth murmured, ignoring Dorinda’s last remark, ‘that I am no longer required to nurse Selina. But spending time with Nicky should serve as well to keep the viscount at bay. Oswald has not much use for my son, I fear.’
Dorinda looked quite shocked. ‘I’m sure you are mistaken. Why, Lord Maples seemed
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