Page 71 of The Quiet Wife
Frances bowed her head, attempting to find some words, and finding none.
“I also need to tell you that although my son knows how to treat a lady, he is no angel.”
Frances blinked. “I never imagined he was.”
Anna lifted an eyebrow as if to reinforce her words. Frances had no idea how to respond.
“I… I’d best go and check on Elinor.”
CHAPTER 22
Speke Hall – Liverpool
Unlike Fannie and Florence, Elinor was not feeling better when Frances returned to the girls’ room. She was curled up beside Florence, face flushed and eyes glassy, while Nanny fussed over them.
“I’m hot again, mama,” she moaned as soon as Frances entered the room.
“Oh, my!” Frances hurried over. “What a to do.”
Elinor looked up with dark, beseeching eyes. “Fannie and Florence feel much better. Why don’t I?”
“Perhaps it’s just taking you a little longer to recover, my love. Just be patient.” She smoothed Elinor’s hair, careful not to irritate the rash on her forehead which still looked sore.
“It’s because I’m younger, isn’t it? It’s because I’m little.”
Frances tried valiantly not to allow her own thoughts to head in that direction. Her baby was going to be fine. Absolutely fine.
“Not at all, my love. Here, let me make you comfortable.”
Florence moved from the bed, and Frances shook out the pillows, straightened the sheets, alarmed at how warm Elinor’s whole body was. When she settled back down, she sent Nanny for Anna and asked her to bring some of the Gibson’s calamine lotion,some cool cloths, and the tincture the doctor left during his most recent call.
She busied herself with the other girls who were tired and unwell, but without the fiery temperature that Elinor still had. She tucked them all into bed, and by the time Anna arrived, Elinor was groaning feverishly.
“What is it, my love?” Anna smoothed a hand over Elinor’s hair.
“My eyes are burning.” She broke out into a hacking cough and then wailed that her throat and chest hurt.
Frances swallowed, fear seizingg an icy grip on her heart.
Lizzie arrived, and between them they administered the tincture, bathed her hot body, applied the lotion, yet nothing was working to bring the fever down.
Elinor lay limp in the bed, her eyes closed, her chest wheezing as she struggled to draw breath.
Lizzie held Elinor’s hand. “What’s happening?” she whispered.
“Just having a minor setback,” Frances said. “Nothing to fear.”
“Mama,” Fannie said in a small voice. “Is Elinor going to be all right?”
“Of course. She’s just going to need a little more nursing than you girls did. Try not to worry.”
As the day wore on, Elinor deteriorated. Frances was beside herself with worry. A hurried conversation in the corridor had them agreeing that Fannie and Florence should move to different rooms. Elinor didn’t awaken as they moved everything swiftly and quietly. The two older girls held onto each other, murmuring prayers for their little sister.
Jemie and Anna were ever present, and Lizzie and Nanny Jenks made sure that everyone ate to keep their strength up.
Frances sat by her daughter’s bed, holding her hand, stroking her hair, and singing softly to her because Elinor had opened her eyes and said that she liked it.
The fever was worse than ever.
