Page 37 of A Governess' Unbridled Passion
What she really wanted was to get home to Lady Beatrice.
The skies were so dark it almost seemed like nightfall, or maybe it was. Alice had no idea how long she’d been lying on the ground.
The storm was merciless and unrelenting as it raged on around her. She could hear the huge trees creaking as they were battered by the winds. At least the thunder seemed to have moved on a little, as the rumbling seemed more distant. But then she jumped as the sky lit up with lightning, brightening everything.
Alice didn’t feel fear from the storm, but she was beginning to realise that she couldn’t continue limping all the way home. She wasn’t even sure where she was, feeling completely disoriented. With little choice, faced with such a journey, she was ready to give up. Perhaps if she found some low-lying bushes to shelter under, someone might find her once the storm had passed.
Glancing up along the muddy track ahead, she had one last hope of seeing Princess returning. She was not to be disappointed, when, to her surprise, she spotted a moving figure. Rubbing the rain from her eyes to better see, she was sure she hadn’t imagined it. Sure enough, it was a horse and a rider. Someone was out in the storm, but would she be seen from so far away?
Staggering, she attempted to move towards the silhouette. For a moment, it seemed to disappear, and she feared that it was, after all, her imagination. It wasn’t until she heard the thudding of hooves that she knew it to be real.
“Please!” she called out, trying to wave with a stiff arm.
It seemed that every bone in her body was stiff. She was sure she didn’t have any bad injuries, but out in this storm, she was vulnerable to the elements. Alice managed to lift her other arm and now used both arms to attract the rider’s attention.
Oh, please, please see me,she begged, feeling that she might fall any moment, so tired was she.
As the horse neared her, it became clearer through the lashings of rain. To her joy, the rider had spotted her too, and now she could see who it was. The duke was heading her way at speed, and she worried that his horse might suffer the same fate as Princess.
“He has come to my rescue,” she said, half laughing, like a mad person.I am saved by my lover. Thank you, God,she sent out a prayer.
“Alice! Alice!” his familiar voice boomed out, echoing in her ears. “I have searched all over for you,” he said, jumping down from his horse.
She wasn’t sure if the water trickling down her cheeks was tears of happiness or the rain, but she was relieved to have been found.
The duke grabbed her arms, looking her up and down. “Are you hurt, my love? I passed your horse not so far back. Please tell me that you are not hurt.”
She shook her head. “No, I am sure I am uninjured. I escaped with a few bumps and bruises. but still, I am finding it hard to walk. I feel so very, very tired,” she answered, allowing her body to rest in his arms.
She felt herself starting to slip away, so she grasped his strong arms even tighter. “Can you help me to stay up on my feet?” she begged.
“Lord! I was so worried for you,” the duke said. “Thank heaven that I have managed to find you.”
“Thank you, Lord Phillip,” Alice said as she rested her head on his broad chest. “I do not believe I could have taken myself much further.”
“Come, let me help you onto my horse,” he said as he lifted her with his solid, muscled arms.
With his help, she managed to sit astride the horse, leaning over to hold onto its mane. Her saviour climbed up to sit behind her. She felt him take the reins, and simultaneously, he held her between his arms so that she wouldn’t fall off the tall horse. If anything, she leaned back into his body, feeling his warmth as her own body shivered with the icy chill.
“Oh, my love, I feared I would never find you,” he said in her ear, and the warmth of his breath felt comforting on her skin.
“Did the physician arrive, do you know?” she asked, though her voice was more of a whisper, but as he leaned over her, she was sure he could hear her question.
“Yes, Mr Lewis arrived at Haroth Hall at the same time that I did,” he said softly back to her. “When I heard you were out in the storm and alone, I had to come for you, my love.”
“Have you seen Lady Beatrice then?” she questioned, thankful for the warmth of his coat as he’d wrapped the sides of it around her.
“No, but I presumed it must be bad for you to ride out for the physician yourself,” he answered, guiding his horse through the slick mud. “Now, Shhh … and rest awhile, Alice. We will be home soon, and then we will both know more.”
He was right, rest sounded like such a good idea, and she allowed her body to relax into his, so secure she felt in his arms.
Her mind became hazy, and the next thing she felt was being lifted from a horse. Someone carried her inside, and the warmth of entering the house hit her senses. Again, she allowed her body to lean into whoever held her.
In the back of her mind, she knew it was Phillip’s familiar musky aroma, and she trusted him. She drifted in and out of consciousness, and when she next opened her eyes, she was lying on her bed. Clara was with her, peeling off her wet clothing.
“Come now, Miss Alice, we need to get you under those blankets as quickly as possible,” Clara said softly. “What was you thinking, going out there alone like that?”
“Clara, h … how is Lady B—”
