He wasn’t sure how long he’d slept, but it could have been hours. He rushed upstairs once again to check on Natalie.
Mrs. Hampden had sent for a young maid from the villageto look after Natalie while she dealt with other household duties. Sitting beside Natalie’s bed now, the girl looked to be perhaps sixteen, dressed in an apron and mop cap. Garrett dismissed her, and she curtsied and hurried away. After entering the darkened room, he closed the door behind him. A small fire burned in the grate, casting the room in shadows. The drapes were pulled closed. The doctor had suggested that harsh lights might cause Natalie undue pain.
Shock swept through Garrett. Listless and pale, Natalie’s delicate face lacked her normal rosy hue. He set a hand upon her forehead. She was cool to touch. His heart nearly breaking, he smoothed a few tendrils of hair away from her face. Her eyelashes fluttered before opening slowly.
“Ah,” he said softly, “you are returned from dreamland.”
“Where am I? I thought you were leaving,” she said in a hoarse voice.
Garrett spotted a glass of water sitting on the bureau and brought it to her. “We are at Maple Hall—the dower house, that is.” And then, propping her up, he put the glass to her lips. “Drink slowly,” he cautioned. “Tell me if you feel ill again. That’s a good girl.” She lay back against the pillow while he returned the glass to the table.
She closed her eyes and didn’t speak for a moment. Was she sleeping again?
“Maple Hall?” She absorbed the information. “But why?”
Garrett put one foot on the bed frame and leaned over to peer down at her. “I hoped you could tell me.”
She opened her eyes again and attempted to look about as though the answer were somewhere in the room. But that was too much for her. She flinched and let her head fall back into the pillow, closing her eyes yet again.
“You took a violent blow to the head, love. The doctor said we could give you somelaudanum for the pain, but you’ve been unconscious since we found you. Are you in pain now?”
“My brain feels scrambled,” she said. “It hurts when I think. Good gracious, now I’ll be the perfect English maiden.”
Garrett laughed despite himself. What a relief to see a spark of her spirit break through. He bent forward and placed his lips on her forehead.
“You’ve been perfect since the day I first laid eyes upon you.” The words were meant to be lighthearted, but there was truth in them. In all his dealings with her, she’d proven to be his ideal. He only wished he could be the same for her.
She gasped suddenly and covered her mouth. “Garrett,” she whispered, looking very distraught.
“What is it?” Had she remembered something? Was she in pain? He should get the laudanum.
“Did I…” She cringed. “Did I vomit when you were here earlier?”
He grinned down at her. “Well, a gentleman perhaps ought not to remember such a thing.”
“Oh, I did, didn’t I? And now I must look a fright. And how the devil did I get here?” Her brows furrowed as she again seemed to be searching her memory.
She was still muddled.
“You did, but you look beautiful, and we do not know what happened but can sort that all out when you are feeling better.” He brought her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss there. “But for now, you will rest.” If she could not sleep again, he would have the medication brought up.
She seemed to relax but clutched his hand still. “You would tell me if something terrible had happened, wouldn’t you? You aren’t keeping anything from me?” Her lips were pinched. Shewasin pain.
“I would tell you.” Would he? “Lie still. You don’t want to be ill again. Your head is giving you all kinds of fits, isn’t it?” At her slight nod, he retrieved the wet cloth he’d used earlier and placed it upon her forehead. He felt helpless to see her inpain. Unable to bear it, he patted her and left to locate the medicine.
“DoMama and Papa know I am here?” Natalie whispered. She’d been tempted to feign sleep when she realized who sat beside her bed, but Darly was not going to go away. Surely he would lecture her. She’d almost rather have woken to found her father beside her bed.
At her question, her brother glanced away from the window he’d been staring out and pinned her with his stare. He leaned forward quietly. He didn’t say a word, but his expression spoke volumes.
Natalie wished she could sit up. Speaking with Darlington intimidated her under the very best of circumstances. Doing so from a supine position promised to be unbearable.
And then to add to her disadvantage, he rose and stood to his full height. “Do you think I would keep something like this from them?”
“Oh, Darly!” She knew what was coming. This situation could very well turn up worse than her broken engagement.
“Mrs. Tinsdale worried when you failed to return to your chamber. I’ve never seen our mother so distraught.” He went on to explain how they’d searched the large house from the attics to the cellars. Experiencing no luck there, they’d then turned apart the stable block and every vehicle on the estate. Adding to her guilt, he then told her that the woods had been walked numerous times. House party guests and villagers had desperately scoured the property after hearing of her disappearance. Natalie wished she could duck her head beneath the covers and never come out again. How utterly mortifying! In her entire life, she would never live this down.
“We were on the verge of dragging the canals. Mother was beside herself.”
