Page 23 of Lady for a Season
He looked startled at the sight of her on her knees by the fireplace.
“What are you doing?”
“The fire needed lighting.”
He put the tray down. On it were two glasses of water and two bowls of steaming porridge. “Cook sent us this, she’ll send up more when His – when he awakens. I’ve taken most of my meals up here when I’m attending him.”
“You have been attending him?”
“Briefly. Within two days it was clear we’d have to fetch you, or he’d not settle down.” He rubbed his face. “I’ve not had much sleep, this past week.”
“Is Doctor Morrison here?”
He shook his head, seemed for a moment as though he were about to explain further, but closed his mouth.
Maggie made short work of her glass of water, passed Joseph one of the bowls of porridge and took the other for herself. It was thick, hot and well-made and she ate it gratefully. If Edward should awake, she must be ready to care for him.
Edward woke, but kept his eyes shut. Perhaps if he kept his eyes closed long enough, when he opened them, he would be back in Ivy Cottage, but he already knew he was not, knew by the too-small bed that would not fit his long frame, by the fact that he was still in his clothes. His stomach clenched in cold fear at the thought of another day here, another day of being cajoled or coerced, threatened with the imminent arrival of Doctor Morrison when all he wanted was to see Maggie’s face again, her wide eyes, her ready smile, to feel her comforting presence nearby, a friendly face to help him through what he must endure. He had begged for her to be sent for, but who knew whether she would come or whether she would be too scared to do so, whether Doctor Morrison might withhold her? The morning sunshine made the light seem blood-red through his eyelids. He could hear the crackle of the fire and could smell porridge.
“Do you not have clean linen for him?”
Edward’s eyes flew open. Maggie. Sitting by his bed, turned away, towards Joseph, who at once saw that he was awake. The expression on Joseph’s face alerted Maggie, who turned to him.
“Edward!”
Happiness rushed through him. She was here. He was safe. No matter what else happened, she had come, she had come to him.
“Maggie,” he croaked, his voice hoarse from the past few days.
“Edward! Are you well? What happened? Why were you brought here? What is this place?” All her questions came tumbling out in a rush.
Relief washed over him at her concern. He had been right tobeg for her, she was the only person he could trust to care for him in this awful new situation. Pulling himself upright in the bed, he pushed back his unkempt hair. “I am well enough; I am glad to see you.”
She returned his smile, then frowned. “But where are we? What are we doing here?”
Joseph cleared his throat. “You must come downstairs with me.”
“Why?”
“I was told to take you there at once, I only brought you here so you could see one another and eat. She’ll be waiting.”
Maggie turned, frowning, to Edward, but he waved one hand at her, his face weary.
“Go.”
Maggie stood to follow Joseph.
“Wait.” Edward gazed at her, miserable. “Promise me you will come back?”
“Of course I will come back,” she protested. “I have not come all this way to run away the moment I leave your side.”
“You have not yet heard what she has to say,” he said.
“Who?”
“My mother.”
Maggie followed Joseph down the first staircase and then another. He showed her into a vast room, lavishly decorated in primrose yellow with ornate furniture, gilded looking glasses and large vases of flowers. Sitting by a fire burning below an elaborate stone mantelpiece, in an imposing velvet armchair, was an older woman. She was dressed in black from head to toe, although even Maggie, ignorant of current fashions, could tell that the dress was silk and expensively made. The woman had Edward’s face, the same vividly blue eyes, the same high cheekbones, but her pale skin was lined, and Maggie wasreminded of Edward after Doctor Morrison’s treatments, the same exhaustion showing on an otherwise beautiful face.
