“I know it. But our marriage is already fragile enough. She has to live, or everything will end.” Amelia swallowed hard, trying to gather up her courage. “I might remain married to David, but he’ll reside on one of the other estates. He’ll avoid me, and I can’t live like that.”
“Then don’t,” Juliette said. “Paul will do everything possible for Christine. We won’t leave until she’s well again. And perhaps you should come to Edinburgh with us for a visit.”
“But what good would that do?”
“It may bring the earl to his senses, so that he’ll see what’s before him.”
Amelia understood what Juliette was saying, but she didn’t want to go. Not now, when her household was in disarray and her stepdaughter was fighting for her life. “I can’t leave him, Juliette. He may not realize he needs me, but he does.”
Her sister squeezed her hand. “Then I’ll be here foryou, when you need me.”
“What have you learned?” David asked the doctor.
Dr. Fraser sat beside Christine, who was sleeping lightly. “It’s no’ a common disease,” he began, keeping his voice low. “I’ve read of only a few accounts. One from Germany, and another from France.” The physician handed him a few letters that had beentucked into a medical book. “Due to the war, it’s been hard for any correspondence to reach us.”
It wasn’t encouraging, for David suspected the doctor didn’t have a diagnosis yet. “What do you think it is?”
“She had a cough and a sore throat before this, aye?”
David nodded. “But she improved. That was weeks ago.”
“Some of the physicians think it’s a form of Boulogne sore throat.” His eyes met David’s, and the graveness of the man’s expression spoke the worst.
He’d heard of that illness, and many children had died from it. Still, he didn’t want to alarm Christine. “Isthat what it is?”
“I’m no’ certain. She doesna have the swelling or the fever I’d expect to see.” He began listing the symptoms he’d noted, the paralysis being the worst of them. David listened to the physician, but he felt a cold fear take command of his courage.
Christine’s going to die, his mind insisted.Everyone you love dies.
The thought was a jagged blade into his heart. He couldn’t bring himself to think of losing her, though he knew it was likely going to happen. “What can we do?”
“We have to stop the paralysis from spreading to her lungs.” Again, the doctor sent him a hard look, making it clear that Christine would suffocate if it got that far.
“And you have medicine that can do this?”
The doctor paused. “Some say strychnine is a common treatment. But I say ’twould more likely poison her than be of help. I think we should keep exercising her arms and legs tae keep the blood flowing. There was one account I read where the condition reversed itself after a week. We’ll pray for that.”
In other words, this was an ailment with no cure. David lowered his head, holding back the frustration building inside. Hisdaughter was fighting for her life, and there was nothing he could do to help.
Amelia came inside the room, and an invisible tension caught him in the shoulders. Never before had he lost control in front of a woman, and it bothered him that she’d seen him resort to violence, when he’d destroyed the cottage.
She took a seat on the opposite side of the bed while Dr. Fraser repeated his suggestions for treatment.
“It sounds reasonable,” Amelia pronounced, and then asked, “Has she eaten anything for supper yet?”
The doctor shook his head. “When she awakens, she can have some broth. I’m certain Mrs. Larson has prepared a feast to help her.”
“I thought she had already returned to Ballaloch,” David said, meeting Amelia’s gaze.
His wife ventured a slight smile. “No one could stop her from remaining here while her ‘wee lamb’ is ill. It would be like trying to stop a thunderstorm.”
“And what of Mrs. Menford? Have you dismissed her?”
“No. Mrs. Larson is helping her get accustomed to my methods, and I have every faith that she’ll come around.” Amelia softened a moment. “She even made a pot of chocolate for Christine when I asked her to.”
It sounded as if the housekeeper was starting to accept Amelia, but David hardly cared what happened with the staff anymore. His mind was entirely focused upon his daughter, praying she could survive this illness.
When she opened her eyes, Christine seemed relieved to find both of them at her bedside. “Papa, can you help me to sit up?”
