Page 73 of The Spinster's Stolen Hear
“I… How long was I asleep?” she stammered.
Bridget pulled back, wiping away a tear from the corner of her eye.
“Two days,” she whispered. “Stay here, I must let the others know. Your cousins are all staying here, and the physician visits three times a day.”
Before Pippa could say a thing, her mother had bounded across the room, hauling on the bell pull.
“Two days?” she quavered.
“Yes, my darling girl. You hit your head rather badly. It… It was my fault.”
Pippa glanced away. Her memory was intact, it seemed. She recalled the argument with her mother, the fight over the violin, the push, the fall.
“It was an accident,” she murmured. “You didn’t mean to push me down the stairs.”
Breathing in deeply, Bridget perched on the edge of the bed. It took Pippa a moment to interpret the expression on her mother’s face.
Guilt. It was guilt. She… she’s ashamed.
“I told Katherine everything,” she said, her voice quiet. “Including… including you and Lord Whitmore on the balcony. Katherine was shocked and furious. Furious at me. She told me I had been a terrible mother, and frankly, she is right. I’ve been blinded by my own ambition. I forgot my promise to your father and I forgot what I oweyou, as my daughter. I’ve had several days, sitting here by your bedside, to think about my behaviour. Katherine’s scolding helped. I saw myself through her eyes for once, and I did not like what I saw. Can you ever forgive me, Pippa?”
Pippa was silent for a moment, with Bridget waiting anxiously for her reply.
“Water,” Pippa managed at last, her throat dry and her voice hoarse. Bridget scrambled to pour her a glass, and Pippa sipped, grateful.
“Of course I forgive you, Mama,” she whispered, once her mouth felt less numb. “But truly, I can’t marry Lord Barwick. I am sorry.”
Bridget swallowed, looking away. “William did some investigating. It seems that Lord Barwick has a great many debts, and not much money to offset them. He… He was hoping to get a settlement from William and assumed that a large dowry would be settled upon you. When William told him that under no circumstances would such a thing happen, then Lord Barwick quite promptly withdrew his interest.”
There was a little silence.
“I see,” Pippa said flatly. “I am glad that I did not like the man, then.”
Bridget closed her eyes. “I cannot believe how blind I was, howfoolish. Oh, Pippa, can you forgive me? I cannot undo what I’ve done, and I can only be glad that you were so determined not to give in. If you were engaged to the man by now, heaven only knows how we would extricate you from such a predicament.”
Pippa smoothed the blankets beneath her palms.
“Well, I amnot betrothedto him, so let’s be grateful for that. Has… has Lord Whitmore come to visit me? He was meant to call on me the morning of my accident.”
“Ah, yes, I do recall some guest arriving when the physician came. He was sent away, of course. We were all in an uproar.”
Pippa swallowed. “And… and was he told the reason?”
Bridget frowned. “I’m afraid I don’t know. Why?”
Why? Because Nathan might think I cancelled our meeting, that I have no desire to court him after all.
“Did he come back to see how I was?” she managed, her throat drying up again. She wanted more water, but her stomach felt hollow and empty. Already, she could feel the water she’d drunk sloshing around in there, and was a little afraid she might vomit. She was already as weak as a kitten, and vomiting wouldnothelp.
“I’m afraid I don’t know that either, darling. I have been up here with you all this time. Why, should he have come to see you?”
Pippa bit her lip, looking away. Of course, she was being silly. A man like Nathan probably had a horde of eligible ladies after him. Perhaps his attention had already been distracted.
Well, if he can forget me so easily, then he was never meant for me in the first place. That’s that.
Then why does it hurt so much?
“It’s all right, Mama,” Pippa said aloud. “I imagine I’ll miss quite a bit of the Season while I recover.”
