Page 59 of The Burning Passion of a Fiery Lady
He took a deep breath. He could see nothing. He could feel nothing. But she was entreating him to come to her. And to do that, he had to leave the boat. To do that, he had to hurl himself into that void and swim hard.
Could he do it? Did he have the courage?
He took another deep breath. And without another thought, he plunged into the void.
***
His eyelids fluttered open. A face was leaning over him, staring at him, with wide, frantic eyes.
“Jasper!” she cried. “You are awake!”
He gazed at her. The same voice. The same voice that had been talking to him in the void. The same voice that had entreated him to come to her.
“Susannah?”
His voice sounded strange to his own ears as if it had not been used in a long time. As if it were somehow rusty.
He gazed into her beloved face. ItwasSusannah. Her red hair fell in shining waves around her face, and her large grey eyes were swimming with tears, making them look almost opalescent, flecked with green and blue.
“Where am I?” he asked, unable to take his eyes off her.
She took a deep breath, gripping his hand tightly. “You are in a room at The Willows. You have been in here for two days now.” She took a deep breath. “You had an accident, Jasper. We found you out in the fields, with a deep gash to your head. Do you remember?”
He frowned slightly. “An accident? Did I fall?”
She looked dismayed. “We do not know what happened to you. We were hoping that you might remember, once you woke up, and tell us what had occurred …”
His frown deepened. It was all hazy. All he could see was that endless blackness. He had been on a boat, sailing through it …
“It does not matter at the moment,” she said quickly, gripping his hand fervently. “We will not speak of it now. All that matters is that you are awake, and you can speak! That you have come back to me!”
He nodded. His head was hurting, a throbbing pain, right in the centre. He tried to ignore it, concentrating instead on her face again.
“You are so beautiful,” he said slowly, in wonder. “I heard your voice, calling to me, across the void …”
Her face crumpled with emotion. “Oh, my love! I am so happy that you are finally awake! I was so very scared that I was going to lose you …”
He frowned slightly. He must have hurt himself very badly. He could see the concern in her face, and hear it in her voice.
He strained his mind, trying to remember what had happened, but nothing came up. All that he could see was that endless blackness. The pain intensified for a moment, and he flinched.
“Are you alright?” she gasped, her brow knitting in concern.
“I hardly know,” he said, in a low voice. “I have pain in my head …”
He could feel himself slipping away again. He had to close his eyes, just for a moment. Maybe then the pain would blessedly go away.
***
Susannah stood at the side of the bed, staring down as the doctor examined Jasper. He had woken up again when the doctor had roused him, but she could see by the furrow in between his eyes that he was still in pain.
“What am I holding up?” asked the doctor, staring at him intently.
Susannah stared at the thimble that the doctor was holding. She held her breath as she waited for Jasper’s response.
He was frowning. “It is small,” he said, in a low voice. “I know that it has something to do with sewing …” He closed his eyes for a moment. “A thimble?”
The doctor smiled. “Yes, that is exactly what it is! Well done!”
