Page 6 of Foolish Bride
Get out of the house unseen
Transportation
What to say to Michael
Would he require care when she saw him?
Find the address of the best surgeon in London
What if he refused to see her?
The last item sat her back in her chair.Then what?Tears filled her eyes. Elinor wiped them away, but more came.
All her shock at the news she wouldn’t be married to Michael overwhelmed her. Gasping for breath and shaking uncontrollably, she tried to move herself to the bed. She had to write a letter to Michael. She had to know if he had truly thrown her over. It was obvious that she wouldn’t be able to go to him, at least not immediately. It would take time to plan a clandestine visit to a man’s townhouse.
Once the tears began, she couldn’t stop them. Writing was difficult with the flood coming down her cheeks and blurring her vision. After several failed attempts, she gave up and put her head on the desk. Racking sobs shook her body.
There was a scratch at the door, but Elinor did not answer.
* * * *
She woke to a dim room hours later without the slightest recollection of being undressed or put into her night clothes. The fire was warm and kept the room from complete darkness.
Had the entire evening been a horrible nightmare?The dread in her chest spread down her arms. It had all happened. If her father had his way, she would never be Mrs. Michael Rollins. Fresh tears filled her eyes.
At her washstand, Elinor splashed her face with cool water, wiped it dry, and went to the small desk strewn with a dozen crumpled and torn pages. She opened one of the tear-splattered attempts at writing from the night before.
Michael, why have you deserted me?
Even to her grief-stricken mind, the note was pathetic and selfish. He was injured, and she was only thinking about herself. Had she even asked Mother about the seriousness of her fiancé’s injuries? She couldn’t remember.
She began a new letter. It took her the rest of the night to compose the correspondence, but once done, she was satisfied. Once he responded, she would know how to proceed.
What if he were too ill to respond?
Taking another sheet, she wrote a second letter addressed to his mother. This was even more difficult than the first. The sun peeked through the heavy drapes by the time she’d completed her writing.
She rang for her maid.
Josephine popped her head in a moment later. “Miss, have you been up all night?” Her tone was near scolding.
“Josephine, can you take these two letters and see that they are delivered without my parents’ knowledge?” Elinor’s voice was higher than normal even with the scratch of a sleepless night.
Josephine took the letters and stared at them. She scrunched up her nose and frowned.
Elinor was grateful Josephine couldn’t read.
“If you will promise to take yourself to bed immediately, I will see them delivered. I’ll not have you becoming ill.”
Elinor grabbed her in a quick hug. “I will sleep for a while. Just see that those are delivered, Josephine. It is very important.”
“Yes, Miss.” She tucked the notes in her apron and bundled her mistress into bed.
* * * *
Knowing that Rolf Burkenstock waited below stairs, Michael fought the pain shooting down his legs and up his back until he was somewhat upright.
His mother, Tabitha, tucked several pillows behind his back. “Are you sure you are up to this, Michael? I can send his lordship away. I’ll tell him to come back in a week. It’s impertinent, his coming at this point in your recovery.”
