Page 90 of Leap of Faith
Faith shook her head. “The wound was bleeding a little and we are waiting on the doctor now. I hope he will let her wake up. Did you come alone?” she asked, taking stock of her surroundings.
“No, Lord Rotham escorted me in his curricle. It is no farther than Richmond and it is an open vehicle, with his tiger behind. Lady Westwood did not want everyone to come at once for fear it would be too much for you and Joy.”
Faith nodded. She would be lying to say she was not relieved. Lord Westwood was doing his best, and had been unbelievably kind, but she could not lean on him for support as she could her sisters. She had not the right to do so.
“I will take you to see her. Mr. Cunningham is with her now.”
“I will bring Dr. Harvey up as soon as he arrives,” Westwood said.
As they climbed the stairs to where the bedchambers were, Faith prayed Hope could keep her countenance.
“Remember to stay calm and quiet in there. The doctor says we must not upset her.”
“Do you think she can hear us?” Hope questioned.
“I do not know, but it is best to be on the safe side, just in case.”
When they entered the room, Mr. Cunningham was standing by the bed, stroking the kitten with one hand and holding Joy’s hand with the other. Her head was thrashing back and forth.
“Thank goodness,” he declared fervently. “She started to wake up a few moments ago. I have just rung the bell to alert you.” Mr. Cunningham stepped aside and took the kitten.
Both Faith and Hope went to Joy’s side and took her hands.
Faith began to whisper reassuring words to Joy, and she stilled her thrashing.
“Faith?” she whispered.
“Yes, and Hope is here, too. Try to stay calm.”
Faith was so relieved that Joy recognized her, but she wondered if she should be sedated again. If only the doctor would arrive!
“I did not mean to do it,” Joy said tearfully.
“Hush, I know.”
“Do not distress yourself,” Hope told her. “We are not angry with you.”
“Thirsty,” Joy croaked.
Quickly, Faith reached for the barley water on the table next to the bed and spooned some into Joy’s mouth.
“More,” she begged and finished an entire glass before closing her eyes again. “My head…hurts…so badly,” she whispered, then drifted off.
Once they were assured she was asleep, they sat next to each other on the chairs beside the bed. Faith did not want to give Joy the sedative again.
“That is the first time she has fully awakened. I cannot tell you my relief. I did not know if she would be herself again.”
“I remember the same thing happened to a neighbour’s groom and he was never the same afterwards,” Hope recalled unhelpfully.
It was another hour before Dr. Harvey arrived, and Lord Westwood escorted him upstairs. He looked inside the room and on seeing him, Faith rose and went to the door.
The doctor made her a bow.
“Mr. Cunningham said Miss Joy wakened?” he asked.
“Indeed, she did, sir, if but briefly. I hope we did no wrong by allowing her to, but I stepped out to take some air and failed to give Mr. Cunningham instructions.”
“I understand. How did she seem?”
