Do not fear what seems undefeatable, but patiently wait and work at a solution.
Those words were a phantom whisper, and unaccountably, he understood it had been a lesson from his father. Daniel closed his eyes, holding his wife close to his side, and allowed himself to drift into a deep slumber.
…
A couple of days later, Daniel lowered the brush he was using to paint the side of the manor, working at the pain in the back of his neck. His wife had summoned Dr. Albert, who had reassured them that the head pains were normal for an amnesiac, and the reason for the malady and side effects were not known. Though the doctor had ordered more bedrest, and Georgianna had also implored him to rest, each day Daniel laboriously worked at fixing issues around the manor, yet the work seemed never ending. His wife appeared appreciative of his effort; however, Daniel was not satisfied with their lack of resources. Something bloody well needed to be done, and a hiss of frustration slipped from him, for the solution was not coming his way.
Only yesterday, his wife had spent the day at some local landowner, cooking for their garden party for the miserly sum of fifty pounds. He stiffened on the heel of that thought. What kind of life had he experienced to presume such a sum to be negligible? Daniel scrubbed a hand over his face.Bloody hell. He only knew he loathed the exhaustion that had lined his wife’s body as she trudged home. Anger had surged inside that the Fords had not the courtesy to send her home in a carriage, but after her back-breaking work, she’d had to walk miles through the wood.
Georgianna had been exhausted, but he had watched her at the kitchen table, making her notes in her ledger, practicing careful economy on how the money would be spent to improve their family’s circumstances. It had not even occurred to her to purchase new boots to replace the scuffed ones on her feet. A smile touched his mouth upon recalling her falling asleep at the table, and he’d taken the privilege of lifting her in his arms and taking her up to her chamber.
“Are you going to ravish me?” she’d asked sleepily, snuggling into his body and filling his chest with perplexing tenderness.
“You are too exhausted for that,” he had gently replied.
And no answer had come from her, because his wife had been deeply asleep before he reached the landing. The provision for his family could not rest on his wife’s shoulders. It was his duty to care for them in all ways and to ease her care and worries.
But how do I do that?
Footsteps rushed over to him, and he turned to see Anna and Sarah. They beamed up at him, tripping over each other in their excitement to speak at the same time.
“Ladies,” he said, “one after the other. Who will speak first?”
“I will,” Anna cried, twirling about. “Will you come with us to pick wildflowers? Lizzie and Georgie said we are never to wander so far into the woodlands alone.”
“Why are we picking wildflowers?”
“It is for Georgie. Today is her birthday.”
He stilled. “It is?”
“Yes, Lizzie says she will be four and twenty today, and Georgie loves flowers.”
He had not known it was his wife’s birthday. Daniel raked his fingers through his hair. “What else does she love?”
Sarah’s brows puckered. “Food.”
Ah…that much he knew. He glanced behind him toward the kitchen, noting no smoke billowing from the chimney.
“She is still sleeping,” Anna chirped. “Lizzie always tells us to allow Georgie to sleep on her birthday, but she will soon awaken to cook us something special.”
He arched a brow. “She will cook something special for everyone else…on her birth celebration?”
The girls nodded with great anticipation.
“Why does Lizzie not cook for her?”
Anna’s eyes rounded comically, and Sarah made choking sounds.
“I gather Lizzie cannot cook,” he said drily.
“She is terrible,” Sarah said, making a face.
“What does Georgie get to do for fun on her birthday?”
The girls thought about this and said in union, “Cook!”
Daniel bit back his frustration. She should not be in the kitchen. His wife should be pampered. Bathed in rose water. Massaged with lavender oil, presented with the most scrumptious golden dress, silver dancing slippers, her hair brushed until it gleamed, and then he would take her to a duchess’s ball and dance the night away with her.
