Thomas leaned forward, waiting for his grandmother to list the symptoms. He was not overly concerned; after all, his memory of his father’s condition was nothing like anything he had experienced. But surely it could not hurt to be sure.
“Well, the symptoms began for both of them when they were about three-and-thirty.” She opened her mouth to speak, but Thomas interjected.
“That cannot be right. Father was five-and-thirty when he died. That would mean he had only two years from when the symptoms began. But grandfather was near two score when he passed.” Thomas frowned.
What did that mean?
His grandmother seemed unbothered by this fact. “You know that I hate interruptions, Thomas. If you are going to make me relive those ghastly years, you would do well to listen.”
“My apologies, Grandmama, I was just… I was surprised that it seemed to have been so much quicker for Father.”
If it is a curse, then does that mean it gets stronger with each generation?He took a deep breath, forcing himself to smile.
He gestured for his grandmother to continue, ignoring the hardening knot of unease forming in his stomach.
His grandmother ticked off the symptoms on her fingers. “Your grandfather complained of headaches first, and then stomach pains. Tremors in their hands. They both suffered fits of palsy, horrendous cramps, vomiting, and periods of delirium. At one point, your father was convinced he could fly. That was a difficult night for all of us.”
Thomas felt relief sweep over him.Nothing like my sickness.Besides, he was too young for the curse. Not that he believed in it.
“And of course, there was the fever. That came and went and disappeared altogether at the end. The cough and general congestion. Your grandfather often complained of a tightness across his chest and a racing heart.” His grandmother made a dismissive gesture, continuing to list the symptoms, but Thomas did not hear her.
Thomas’s stomach dropped, and he clutched the bottom of the sofa tightly. The room appeared to sway around him.
It could mean nothing. I have no other symptoms.Or did he? After all, his hands had shaken earlier in the day.
“They both kept extensive diaries. Your father was obsessed with finding a cure; he tried every tonic under the sun. He took laudanum, drank mercury, and tried anything he could, but nothing worked. At one point, he even summoned a priest to conduct an exorcism.” His grandmother let out a small, sad laugh and shook her head. “By the end, he was convinced that the only way to end the curse would be to find the witch who placed it on the family in the first place, or rather her descendants.”
“Did he manage to find them? To discover the reason we were cursed in the first place.” Thomas seized on the idea.
His grandmother placed a hand on her chest, eyes widening. “I have no idea.”
I have to be sure. I cannot ask her until I know for certain.He swallowed. His father’s diaries would be in his study, and if they were not in the study here, they would be at the London house.
One way or another, Thomas was going to get an answer.I cannot offer her insecurity. I will not do that to her.
He clenched and unclenched his fingers. He would not do what his father had done to his mother. He would look into the curse, just to be sure. Then he could re-evaluate his plans. It was the most sensible thing to do.
Chapter Seventeen
“Istill cannot believe that the papers are full of stories about your illness just because you had a cold.” Vivian let out a disgusted noise and threw the scandal sheet onto the table. “You would think they had better things to report.”
She was sitting at the dining table at Elington Manor. Thomas sat across from her, a furrow in his brow as he picked up the paper. They had been in London for several days, and Vivian had been surprised to find herself quite busy.
She watched as his eyes skimmed across the paper, his mouth tightening until it was little more than a thin line. Yet there was something else there that she could not quite place.
“It is the usual rubbish about you being cursed.” Vivian rolled her eyes. “I do not even know how they found out about your illness.”
Thomas took a large bite of toast, his eyes fixed on the paper. “I suspect someone has let something slip. Perhaps a servant or family member.”
“I shall speak to Mrs. Bird. If it was anyone in our household, I will make sure it never happens again. I have no wish to have thetonknow every detail of our lives.” Vivian frowned at the paper.
She did not like the thought that someone in her employ had shared private details with the press. It was doubly infuriating given how much work they had put into squashing the silly rumors.
“I doubt it was one of our staff. They have all been chosen for their discretion.” Thomas took a swig of his coffee and shrugged. “It is more likely that someone with a penchant for gossip read a message. Given you did not leave my side the entire time, I assume you wrote to Grandmama asking for the tonic?”
Vivian clapped a hand over her mouth. “I did not even think of that. Oh, Thomas! I am so sorry!”
“You have nothing to apologize for—well, except perhaps for making me drink the damned stuff.” He grinned at her and winced.
