Page 48 of Good Duke Gone Hard

“Let me go!” She screamed. Her hair was wildly flying about her face, and soon it was melded to her face, secured by the tears.

Then her body plunged forward one more time to reach for Jonathan, but the arms holding her back were too strong. She crumpled to the ground. Another body dropped beside her, “Hush dear. It’s ok. He’ll be alright.”

The words held the weight of air. Air that wisped past her face offering no relief, only taunting her in its mysterious trail.

Margaret awoke later, her eyes heavy and puffy. She could hardly lift her eyelids to slits to see where she was. She patted beside her and glanced around realizing she was back in her bedchambers. Instantly recalling the scene in the hallway, her throat closed and she fought back a sob.

She heard footsteps and her mother was at her side. “Drink this dear.” She held a glass of water to her mouth, and Margaret quickly discovered how parched she was.

“Where’s Jonathan?” Her mother tried to hide something, but Margaret caught the flicker in her eyes. “Tell me, mother. I need to know.”

“My dear, you must rest. He’s,” she hesitated every so slightly before the word, “Fine.”

“Please mother.”

“Dr. Walker has been in to see him a few times. He’s observing him. It appears as though… he’s had a shock.”

“Wha–”

“That’s all we know right now. There’s nothing more to tell. I’ve probably said too much. Please, my dear, rest.” Knowing Margaret wouldn’t dare close her eyes, her mother offered the following promise, “I’ll wake you as soon as I hear anything.”

To assuage her mother’s concern, Margaret closed her eyes. Her feigned sleep turned real, and soon she was in a deep slumber.

The sleep was not restful. The dreams haunted her. She could see Jonathan’s silhouette, just a shadow of a man, slowly coming into view and then gone. Each time she reached for him, he drifted further away. When she called to him, it had no effect, as if her voice carried no sound. And then in the instance that Jonathan turned to her, she pushed his hand away forgetting she had intended to grab it. She reached and reached, but it was no longer there. She was calling out, but there was no answer.

‘It’s alright dear. There is no need for apologies. All is forgiven,” she could hear her mother’s soothing voice trying to reassure her, but she couldn’t wake up. She couldn’t move her limbs, and her tongue was incapable of speech.

Finally, in her dream, she grasped Jonathan’s hand, and then–

Splash!

Margaret sat upright, spluttering. She wiped the dripping water from her eyes and flung her eyelids open.

“What, pray tell, was that for?”

The unequivocal look of relief in her mother’s eyes shook Margaret to her core. “Oh my dear, you were ranting and moaning. You seemed to be in such pain. I just wanted you to wake up.”

Leaving the dream completely behind her, Margaret acknowledged the stress prevailing upon her mother, “I’m awake.”

She studied her mother.Was there something more? Jonathan?

“He’s fine, dear.”

She must have spoken the name aloud. “Please, do not spare my feelings. I must know if something has happened.”

“Dr. Walker just came in a few minutes ago to give a brief update. He said that Jonathan must stay in bed for a couple of days with no visitors. He’s not to be disturbed. At all.”

“No visitors?”

“None.”

“At all?”

“At all.”

“What is he going to do for two days by himself?”

“I’m sure Dr. Walker will provide him some company. Now, you get your rest. Remember that tomorrow we still have guests to host for a little while longer.”

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