Page 16 of To Win a Viscount's Heart
No longer the plain, tiny little bird he’d briefly encountered six years ago the night of the Adams’ ball, Selena had grown into a stunningly beautiful woman. Long silky dark hair framed a lovely face with alabaster skin, a lush full mouth, and those eyes… Those incredible translucent blue eyes.
And when she woke up that morning, she was full of questions. It was all he could do to form coherent sentences as she’d peppered him with questions about what had brought her to his home. He’d wanted to tell her about their betrothal but had held back. He’d already told her a lot and it had been most distressing for her. He didn’t want to add to her distress.
Yes, that was the excuse he’d given himself.
But deep down, he just couldn’t bring himself to reveal everything.
Not yet.
Because if he told her they were betrothed, he would have to tell her the truth…
Uh, yes, well, our first meeting was quite memorable. You and your parents and my parents had just discovered me in a sordid kiss with Lady Adams in her gazebo, the night of theball she’d hosted with her much older husband, Lord Adams. You see that unseemly kiss was just part of a bet, between my idiot best friends and myself. Oh, and by the by, I won the bet.
Of course, my father figuratively tore a strip off my back the next morning and basically banished me to Bellwood as my punishment, while he apologized to your parents and attempted to salvage our betrothal. He succeeded in that, but with the stipulation that we were not to marry until after you came of age and came into an inheritance from your maternal grandmother. Your parents wanted you to be independent should things go awry again. And here I am still at Bellwood, six years later, a little wiser, hopefully. The rest as they say, is history…
Had he admitted the truth to her, she would have no doubt been shocked. Hell, she might have broken the betrothal that his father had worked so hard to save.
Wasn’t that what he’d wanted though? A broken betrothal?
But everything is different now.
Isn’t it?
A quick knock sounded on the door to the chamber, before it opened, admitting Anna. “My lord, is anything amiss?” Her face reflected concern. Understandable since it wasn’t even dawn yet.
“Miss Bowles has developed a high fever. Please inform Mrs. Evans and send for the doctor as soon as possible.”
“Right away, my lord,” Anna said, with a quick nod before rushing out of the room.
Gerald was dipping the cloth in the water again when Selena made another sound of discomfort.
“Alone…Not safe…”
“Youaresafe,” Gerald whispered. “And you are not alone. I promise.” Gently he wiped her fevered brow, his worry escalating with each passing minute.
He couldn’t understand it. Where had this fever come from? She’d been alert last evening, her cheeks had been tinted with a pinkish hue. He’d assumed it had been because she was on the mend. Little did he know that the color infusing her cheeks may have been the beginning of her fever.
Doctor Baker had given Gerald a positive prognosis after examining Selena yesterday morning.
“Miss Bowles is a strong, young woman,” Baker had said. “I am hopeful she will make a full recovery.”
Gerald had been relieved. He’d ventured back into Selena’s room, with Doctor Baker’s advice to share as much as he could with Selena about her life and answer any questions she might have. The one topic he avoided was their betrothal. He had too much guilt twisting through him at how he’d treated her and their betrothal.
“It will help in her recovery,” Doctor Baker had encouraged before he’d left.
Indeed. He and Selena had stayed up late last evening, talking. She’d asked Gerald dozens of questions and he’d found himself sharing details about his life that he hadn’t shared with anyone, outside of his own family.
It was a strange situation, yet he’d felt at ease with her. Talking with her and telling her about his family and his life at Bellwood had been truly enjoyable.
Selena was an intelligent and engaging young woman with a clever sense of humor.
He’d told her about his own life and revealed the little he knew about hers—much to his disgrace, for not knowing more. His father and hers had been friends since boyhood. He recalledhis shame when he realized she was much more curious about him and his family.
Gerald had told her as much as he dared.
The evening had been pleasant and had gone by so fast, that he didn’t recall when he’d nodded off in the chair.
And now, she’s burning with fever and trapped in a nightmare.And God knows if she’ll survive.
