He left, closing the door behind him. She sighed. Maybe he was just being nice and thoughtful because he wanted her help.
She finished her bath, even managed to wash her hair since the servants had left her two extra buckets of water, though she couldn’t be sure that she’d gotten all the soap out.
With hisDo hurrystill in mind, she quickly dried her hair by tossing it about to simulate a breeze, but she almost laughed when she realized she didn’t have a hairbrush. Alfreda had been so busy worrying about tiny boats and Brooke’s falling asleep on horses and falling off them that the maid had forgotten to pack a brush. Brooke was definitely going shopping sometime today for some amenities, and thankfully she wouldn’t have to ask Dominic for money. She had only brought a quarter of her funds with her, leaving the rest with Alfreda, but she had kept the money in her pocket rather than her valise, where the highwaymen might have found it.
With her hair tied back so it wasn’t so obvious it hadn’t been brushed, and wearing a pale apricot-colored day dress, she stepped into the corridor and didn’t even need to ask directions to Lady Anna’s room. It was the only room upstairs with the door open.
She approached the bed where Dominic was standing, holding his mother’s hand even though she appeared to be sleeping again. A single glance told Brooke the woman might be dying. She didn’t need to see Dominic’s expression to know that. Anna Wolfe looked so haggard it was hard to tell what she might look like when she wasn’t sick. The black hair under her nightcap was matted, she was as pale as white parchment, and even the skin of her lips was cracking. She didn’t even have the strength left to open her eyes fully. And it sounded as if she was having trouble breathing.
Brooke immediately filled the glass on the table next to the bed with water and told Dominic to rouse his mother and make her drink it. He tenderly helped his mother to sit up, but she did no more than take a few sips, barely opening her eyes, before she had to lie down again.
Dominic pulled Brooke out into the corridor. “Her doctor just left,” he whispered. “Pneumonia, he said. It’s usually fatal. And my mother is upset with me for bringing you here. Our talk has debilitated her even more.”
“So you explained?”
“She already knew. I sent her a missive from Rothdale right after the Regent’s emissary left. Her doctor congratulated her earlier in the week on our forthcoming marriage.”
Brooke winced. “So it’s become common knowledge?”
“It’s definitely making the rounds if even her doctor heard about it. Prinny apparently didn’t consider it a secret, but mother is now worried that it will become more than curious gossip and speculation. We don’t want anyone to know about Ella.”
“No, of course not.”
“Can—can you fix her as you did me?”
Brooke had a feeling this was the only reason he’d insisted she come with him to London, especially since she could have arrived before Sunday by coach. A high fever was all he’d said about Anna’s illness before they left Rothdale, so Alfreda had given Brooke herbs to treat a normal cold. But pneumonia was a serious illness.
Brow furrowed, Brooke told him, “Alfreda gave me two herbs that might help your mother, but I’m going to need a lot more of both of them, so I need to visit an apothecary today. I also need to talk with your cook to see if your kitchen has the ingredients I need for a broth your mother should drink once a day.”
“I have a hack waiting.” He took her hand to lead her downstairs and outside.
He’d tried to second-guess her? Or just cover all contingencies? She was impressed.
She was able to find exactly what she needed for the teas, pleurisy root and fenugreek seeds. She would have stopped at another shop to buy a brush, too, if Dominic weren’t in such a hurry.
She mentioned it though when they got back to his house before she headed to the kitchen. So she hoped a brush would be waiting in her room before the end of the day—if he was going to maintain this new considerate attitude. She supposed he might just be making amends for their harrowing trip. Or bribing her with kindness to help his mother. She hadn’t exactly seen this side of him before their adventure at the highwaymen’s camp to know if he was usually like this when he wasn’t fighting against a marriage he didn’t want. But time would tell....
Chapter Thirty-Nine
“WHAT THE DEUCE DIDyou put in my water?”
Brooke flinched at Anna Wolfe’s tone. Dominic came forward in concern to take the glass from his mother’s hand, giving Brooke a questioning look. Had she really thought this would be a simple matter? Obviously the mother was going to be a complaining patient just like her son.
With a sigh Brooke said, “A little cayenne and lemon. It’s going to help you breathe easier—if you drink it. And the tea I just poured for you will start clearing your lungs of congestion, and, well, frankly, it’s going to make you sweat.”
“I don’t sweat” came the reply ladies tended to make.
“Today you will want to, so be glad when you do. Sweating is a faster means of removing harmful things from your body, which will help you to feel better sooner.” Since Dominic hadn’t bothered to introduce Brooke, and Anna had already been told she was there to help, she said, “I’m Brooke, in case you were wondering.”
“I know exactly who you are,” Anna said disparagingly. “Hissister.”
Brooke stiffened and glanced at Dominic. He pulled her aside for a moment. “She’s known about what your brother did and what it caused Ella to do for as long as I have. That was something I couldn’t keep from her. I apologize in advance. Treating her may not be pleasant.”
May not be? Brooke felt a hysterical laugh coming on. Did he think she would refuse to help if she knew his mother despised her as much as he...? But he didn’t despise her any longer. He couldn’t, not when he trusted her to help his mother.
She nodded and moved back to the bed. Like mother, like son. They even glared the same way! With a sigh she told Anna, “I’m sorry about my brother, but I’m nothing like him.”
“You still aren’t welcome in my house.”
