The door slammed shut and Camilla jumped. Forcing a smile, she lifted a hand to her chest to calm herself. “Oh, Kat, I came as soon as I heard you were here.”
Kat scooted on the bed, pulled her legs up, and rested her chin on her knees. “Thank you for coming. I didn’t think Lord Hardy would allow you to leave.”
Camilla stepped into the room, closer to the bed. “Kat, Fredrick died a month before you married Mr. Worthington. Do you not remember?”
Kat’s forehead creased as she stared at a spot on the bed. “Oh, yes. I remember now.”
“Kat, what has happened to you?”
She tilted her head, and her gaze touched the wall behind Camilla as if she struggled to see. “I could not take any more torment, so I left.”
“Torment? From whom?”
“From my cursed husband.” She clenched both fists as if ready to strike something.
Camilla lowered the lantern to the floor and rushed to the bed, clasping her sister’s hands. “Please tell me what he did to you.”
Kat finally turned her stare onto Camilla. “All he wanted from me was a woman to do his bidding. He only wanted a mother to care for his children—not a wife to love and cherish. He treated me like a mere servant.” A tear rolled down her cheek. “Camilla, he beat me when I didn’t instantly do his bidding. He mocked me in front of his friends.” More tears joined the others streaming down her face. “He didn’t care if his children disobeyed me. I couldn’t control them. He made them hate me.”
Camilla’s heart twisted and her mind scrambled for something encouraging to say. She realized she should have come straight home after her husband died instead of visitinghis family in Scotland. If Camilla had returned home, perhaps she could have stopped her sister from marrying such an ungodly man.
Gently, she squeezed Kat’s frail fingers. “Kat? Why did you come here to Preston? Why didn’t you stay in Dorchester?”
Kat’s lips curled up into a smile. “A minister who was on his way home to Preston helped me. He took pity on my plight and let me ride with him.”
“Why did you come to this kind of institution instead of to my home?”
“The minister insisted this would be the safest place, Milla.”
“But Kat, why would a minister leave you in such a godforsaken place?”
“He says I have melancholy. Dr. Smythe agrees.”
Tears filled Camilla’s eyes, but she forced herself to take control of her emotions. Her sister didn’t belong here, and Camilla would not allow her to stay. She straightened her shoulders. “What do you want me to do? How can I get you out?”
Kat shook her head until her chin limply fell on her chest. She rested her forehead back on her knees. “They will not let me out until I’m well.”
“I shall help you any way I can.” Camilla lifted her sister’s chin and looked into her dazed eyes. “I want you well and away from this horrid place.”
“I cannot leave. If I do, I will have to go back to Malcolm.” Kat twisted a lock of matted hair around a finger. “Please, Milla, don’t make me go back to him. If he discovers I have given him more bills to pay because of my illness, my torture will only worsen.” She whined in a childish tone, “I would rather die here than endure the constant pain of being married to that monster.”
Camilla touched her sister’s hand, stopping her from knotting her hair any further. “I shall get you out of this place.Staying in this hellhole would cause any sane person to be melancholy. And I shall hire the best physician in Preston to care for you.”
“Physicians cost money. I should know. The cost of staying here has depleted the small sum I pilfered from Malcolm.” Kat’s tone was bitter.
Camilla scrambled to think of a solution. She couldn’t leave her sister, and yet she couldn’t pay for her to stay. “I have a portion saved from when my husband died. I will give that to Dr. Smythe so he doesn’t charge your husband.”
Her sister pulled away. “Milla, it’s not possible. I’m certain you barely have enough to live. I recall Lord Hardy gambled a lot of his money before he died.”
Camilla nodded. “That he did, but he made money just as quickly.”
“Being an agent for the Crown made him money?”
“Yes. Every time he turned in a spy, the Crown rewarded him greatly.”
“So, will you have enough to pay for a good physician?”
“Just barely, but I’ll do all I can to get you well. If I don’t have enough, I shall obtain more.” She lifted her voice in anger. “In fact, I will write your husband and ask—”
