Chapter Seven
Rose heard her name. It was a man’s voice. It seemed to be coming from a long way away. She didn’t want to open her eyes. There was something terribly wrong. Something disturbing that she knew she didn’t want to face, though she couldn’t remember what it was. She had a feeling if she raised her lids, she would either see or remember an awful occurrence.
“Rose.” This time the gentle voice of her mother was accompanied by a slight tap on her cheek. Then a moment later, the acrid smell of ammonia assaulted her nostrils. She coughed and slowly opened her eyes, as Riley removed the vial of smelling salts.
All around her, Rose saw women, her mother on her left, Elise on her right, and next to them, Sophie and Charlotte respectively. Right beside her, though, was Dr. Riley Dalcourt, looking concerned.
“Here she comes,” he said.
“How are you feeling?” her mother asked, running a hand over her youngest daughter’s forehead.
“Too much excitement, do you think?” asked Sophie.
“It wasn’t too much to drink,” Elise said. “She was sipping her first glass of champagne.”
Rose let her eyelids drift closed again. What had happened? What was wrong? She had an inkling she absolutely should remember something but dreaded thinking of it at the same time.
“Rose.” It was Charlotte this time. “Come back to us, sweetheart.”
Rose opened her eyes again.
“What happened?” she asked to no one in particular.
None of them answered her directly. Instead, Riley said, “Let’s sit her up slowly. She’ll feel better.”
Rose felt them raise her up and prop pillows behind her.
“Breathe deeply,” Sophie said, and Rose opened her mouth, sucking in a few deep breaths. The buzzing in her ears that she hadn’t noticed until it began to subside ceased all together.
“What happened?” she repeated.
“You fainted,” Elise said. “Dropped to the floor like a rock into the harbor.”
The harbor. Then it came back with the speed of a summer storm — Finn.Finn!
Rose groaned.
“Darling, what is it?” her mother asked. “Do you hurt?”
Did she hurt? Yes, her heart felt as heavy as lead, and her stomach started to churn again. Was she possibly going mad?
“Would you all take a step back and let her breathe,” Riley said firmly. He bent low and murmured in her ear. “You seem to have had a shock. Do you remember what it was?”
She could not tell him. She simply shook her head.
“Are you in any pain?”
She shook her head again. Then she asked, “Where is William?”
“He’s downstairs,” Charlotte answered. “They let us bring you up here to a vacant room.”
“We’re still at the Tremont?” Finally, she looked around at the unfamiliar wallpaper. “Is it the same night?”
She saw Sophie and Elise exchange a glance.
“Yes,” said Elise. “William carried you up here, just a few minutes ago.”
How strange. She felt as though she’d been sleeping for ages. “I’ll be ready to go back downstairs in a minute,” she assured them.
