Page 51 of The Best-Kept Secrets
They couldn’t afford to pay for the doctor’s services or the medicines Nia needed, let alone pay for a drawn-out stay at an inn. Eve would have to find an answer to that difficulty should Nia not be recovered enough to return home. And since the doctor didn’t believe Nia would be truly well before returning to Ireland, there would be continued expense after they were at Tulleyloch.
How were they ever to manage it?
“How likely do you think it is that Nia will be ill for years upon years?” Eve asked the doctor.
“I think it more likely that she’ll recover in a few weeks and emerge quite healthy and not terribly worse for the experience.” A bit of warning entered his expression. “I, of course, cannot guarantee that.”
Eve nodded. “I understand.”
She wished Duke were here. He’d not merely told her that she could talk with him about her worries and uncertainties, but he’d also shown himself to be a wonderfully kind and considerate listener. He was reassuring and comforting. Just being with him helped her feel better no matter what was weighing on her.
Doing her utmost to wipe the worry from her expression, she returned to where Nia sat on the sofa. “If that doctor hadn’t said you were to join in a bit of the revelry to come, I think I would have demanded a different man of medicine be summoned.”
Nia’s smile helped ease some of Eve’s worry. It wasn’t as broad or easy as it usually was, but neither was it weak nor forced. “I don’t know how much ‘revelry’ I will manage, but I would be cruelly disappointed not to at least be permitted to watch.”
“Shall we demand that Charlie undertake some very diverting mimicry for your entertainment?” Eve suggested. Charlie had a shocking knack for portraying in mannerisms and voice a great many people with incredible accuracy.
“We should demand thateveryonedo all I ask for my entertainment.”
“Excellent plan. I shall implement it immediately.”
They laughed, Nia lightly, Eve with an eye on her sister. A moment’s silence descended on them.
“Do you think Dr. Wilstead was making light of the situation?” Nia asked after a moment. “I have never felt this ill before. Not like this. I’m—I’m a little worried.”
Eve took her hand. “I think he was being entirely forthright. There is a chance that you’ll grow more ill or have a prolonged recovery, but he doesn’t seem convinced that either is inevitable.”
Nia pulled her shawl a bit more tightly around her shoulders. “But Dr. Wilstead is staying here at Fairfield for several days. I don’t think he would take such precautions if he was confident in my recovery.”
It was a very logical evaluation, yet Eve didn’t think Dr. Wilstead had been dishonest. “The fact that he hasn’t said he will remain forweekstells me he knows you will feel quite unwell for a few days but expects you to greatly improve after that.”
Nia leaned a little against her. “I don’t want to be excluded from the party.”
“It would hardly be a party without you.”
Artemis Jonquil had ever been one to make a dramatic entrance. That she glided into the room just as Eve made that declaration further proved the fact. “Nia most certainlywillbe part of this house party, even if we have to hold the entirety of it at the foot of her bed.”
“That’d be terrible crowded, that would.” Nia’s bit of humor did much to reassure Eve. Somehow, they would weather this unexpected storm.
Charlie poked his head into the room. “A carriage is coming, Artie.”
“It must be Lisette.” Artemis turned bright, hopeful eyes on them. “Are you equal to rushing with us to the windows in the entryway to peek out like vagabonds?”
“I am always eager for vagabondish peeking,” Nia said.
They walked sedately, on account of Nia’s aching body, from the drawing room to the entryway. All the other Huntresses, aside from the one they were anticipating, and the entirety of the Pack were gathered at the two tall windows, looking out. Even Duke, who did not always participate in their ridiculousness, was doing so now.
Colm fetched a chair and set it at one window, motioning for Nia to sit there. Eve silently chastised herself for not having thought of that. Thank the heavens Nia had so many people here who cared about her.
Into the absurdly immature tableau, Mr. and Mrs. Greenberry arrived.
“I would be shocked,” Mr. Greenberry said, “but this is precisely the sort of thing our friends would have done at your ages.”
“We believe the final Huntress has arrived,” Artemis said. “A carriage has stopped in front of the house.”
“I hate to disappoint you,” Mrs. Greenberry said, “but I know whose carriage that is, and ’tisn’t who you think.”
As one, the group turned and looked at her, but she offered no further explanation. The Greenberrys stepped through the door as a footman opened it, and walked out to meet this mysterious new arrival. No longer satisfied with justwatchingthe goings-on, Eve, as she suspected the rest of the group was doing, strained her ears to hear what was said as well.
