“Good. Now, draw me a bath and find me something decent to wear. Then, I’ll need you to pin my hair up, so I look presentable. We don’t have much time, and I’ll need to be ready within the hour. I want to get to London while it’s still light.”
Lena nodded.
“One more thing. I’ll need money—enough for train and cab fare at least. I’ve lost all my belongings.”
“I have a small bit saved, but it’s all I have in the world.” The maid frowned.
“I promise you’ll get it back. Every penny. And I’ll tell Mrs. Bastin how you helped me to try and free Lord Hudsyn. She’ll be eternally grateful. I promise.”
Lena nodded and smiled through her tears. “I’d like to make Mrs. Bastin happy. She’s been ever so kind to me.”
“You will make her happy if you help me, Lena. But you must make haste.”
The maid nodded and scurried out of the room.
Annabel closed her eyes and breathed deeply to calm herself. But an image of Henry at the gallows plagued her mind and continued to haunt her as she bathed and began to get ready.
A knock came at the door; Lena was back to help her get dressed. “Come in,” she called, getting out of bed.
Lena entered, followed by the doctor. He immediately began to issue orders.
“Now, Mrs. Crawford, when I arrived to check on you, Lena told me you were awake and are a bit agitated. I can see she is right, so I’ve brought you a little something to help calm you down.”
“I don’t want laudanum,” Annabel said. “I must get to London.”
The doctor squared his shoulders. “Now, now. There’s no reason to refuse. Lena told me you didn’t eat very much, and your body has been through a great struggle. I insist that you take in a full bowl of broth before you venture out of bed. If you ever want to make it to London, you must keep your strength up.”
“I had some broth an hour ago.”
“To be fair, Mrs. Crawford, you only took a few mouthfuls,” Lena said.
Annabel threw her as scathing a look as she could manage; it occurred to her it was one learned from her stepmother, and she wasn’t surprised to see the maid shrink away. “Very well, Lena. Fetch me another bowl, and I will drink it all.”
The doctor nodded at Lena, and she left the room to fetch the broth. Then he put down his bag and retrieved his stethoscope. “May I?” he asked.
She nodded and he came forward to listen to her lungs, making sounds of encouragement as if she were a child. Annabel frowned at him.
But then Lena returned.
“Help our patient into a comfortable position for eating first,” the doctor said, taking the cup of broth from the maid.
Lena helped Annabel back into the bed and fluffed her pillows.
Then she fetched the cup of broth from the doctor and handed it to Annabel with an apologetic smile. “We’ve all been so worried about you these past few days. We just want to make sure you’re all right.”
“Thank you, Lena.” She accepted the broth and drank it down under the doctor’s watchful eye. She’d do anything to get him out of her room so she could dress and leave for London. If Lena tried to stop her from leaving after that, she’d have to think of a way to outwit her. She’d outwitted others to gain her freedom before, and she could do it again.
She had to. Henry’s death was as imminent as she’d been afraid her own had been.
“Wonderful,” the doctor said when Lena took the empty bowl from Annabel. “You’ll feel much better now, I expect.”
Annabel rubbed her eyes. The doctor’s face seemed to be fading. She blinked. No! She’d been drugged!
“What did you put in that broth?” She turned to Lena who now appeared to have three heads.
“Just a little something to help you rest.” The doctor’s voice sounded distorted, and Annabel’s head grew heavy.
I must get to London. I must save Henry. Dear God, let it not be too late.
