Page 25 of Secrets of the Marriage Bed
Chapter Five
Julia closed her eyes and lay back against thechaisein the sitting room adjoining her bedroom. Surely she should feel better by now. If only Robins would stop bustling about in the other room, she might actually be able to rest.
There was something about the way she felt that reminded her of being ill as a child.
If her courses had started, she might have ascribed her general weakness to that occurrence. They were always frightfully painful and terribly irregular. And they were due in a week or so, though they were often late. A sign, the doctors had said, of an inability to have children. But these sensations were quite different. The nausea. The dizziness.
Could she have contracted some sort of illness? Should she ask for a doctor?
A door opened and the rattle of cups alerted her to the arrival of the tea tray.
‘Is that the girl with the tea, Your Grace?’ Robins called from the other room. ‘Shall I pour?’
Julia forced her eyes open as Robins scurried in from the bedroom. The woman stopped short, her mouth agape.
‘I will pour for Her Grace.’
Alistair?
Julia went to swing her legs down and sit up.
‘Stay where you are, madam,’ he said. He glowered at Robins. ‘Have you finished unpacking?’
‘No, Your Grace.’
‘Come back later.’
With a gasp, the woman curtsied and disappeared from whence she came, no doubt leaving by way of the dressing room off Julia’s bedchamber.
Alistair frowned. ‘Did she sniff at me?’
Julia couldn’t help chuckling even if it did sound a little weak. ‘I think she may have. Do not feel special, she sniffs at me, too.’
‘Good Lord. How very odd. Perhaps you should get someone new.’
And hurt Mr Lewis’s feelings? ‘She hasn’t done anything that requires such drastic measures. And she is really very kind though her manner can be a little presumptuous.’
‘You are braver than I. The woman leaves me quaking in my boots.’ He brought the small table holding the tea tray and set it beside her. He pulled up a chair. ‘I had them make peppermint tea. I hope that is all right? It seemed to help yesterday.’
‘It did. Thank you.’ How kind. And after such a horrid display of illness yesterday. Tears welled. She blinked them back, shocked by the sudden surge of emotion. This was not like her at all. Perhaps her courses really would be early for a change.
In truth, only the last part of the journey had been awful. The earlier part had been nice, even if she had fallen asleep. She recalled his promise to never cause her harm with a feeling of tenderness. The man had a kind streak. Of course, she had already known that or he would not have offered marriage. But his coming to see how she was faring was an unexpected thoughtfulness.
Perhaps he was missing his mistress. She ignored the pang in her chest. If he was, perhaps she could find a way to replace her in his affections. A trickle of heat ran through her veins at the naughty thought. Heaven help her, she really was becoming wanton. If so, it was all his fault, him and his fallen angel looks and the heat flaring in his eyes. She lowered her gaze in case he saw the direction of her thoughts. The man saw too much.
Alistair handed her a cup and saucer and she took a sip. He watched her intently. Oh, dear, did he think she was going to be ill again and was preparing to leap clear? Or worse yet, make a dash to fetch the chamber pot?
‘I am feeling a good deal better, today,’ she said as much for herself as for him. ‘It is strange how I am ill one moment and then an hour later I feel fine.’ She hesitated. ‘I felt a great deal worse yesterday than the day before.’
He straightened. ‘Worse?’ His frown deepened.
Oh, she had not meant to cause him further worry. ‘Perhaps. I am not sure.’
‘You have been refusing your food, madam. It is no wonder you are weak. Once you have drunk your tea you are going to eat something.’
‘I am not sure I could.’ Or that she should.
‘I insist. The kitchen is bringing up broth for you and sandwiches for me, and we will see how you do.’ His expression became grim. ‘If you are not better by morning, I am sending for the doctor.’
