Page 53 of A Lady's Heart Deceived
Piers took a step forward and loomed over the shorter man. Doctor Hewson winced at this less-than-subtle attempt at intimidation. “Perhaps it can wait until morning,” said the doctor.
“I appreciate that your time is precious. And thank you for coming out at this ungodly hour, but we shouldn’t keep you from your bed a minute longer. My family and I will check on the condition of the young lady at regular intervals over the rest of the night. Then, in the morning we can decide what, if any, further medical intervention is required,” replied Piers.
Jonathan showed the doctor out before returning to where Piers and a subdued Elizabeth waited.
“Now, tell me what happened, and why you didn’t wake me?” demanded Piers.
“I found Maggie outside in the garden, dressed in nothing more than her nightgown. She was pacing back and forth, barefoot, and muttering under her breath. I thought she might have gone mad. I’m sorry, Piers. I panicked and sent for the doctor. I realize now we should have woken you,” Jonathan said.
Piers sighed. “Maggie has been suffering from panic attacks. She had them quite severely two years ago when she first found out about Robert Taylor being dead. When we were leaving from Kenilworth Castle, she began to have difficulty breathing and her heart was racing. She told me she hasn’t been sleeping. I’m sorry if I was curt with you just now. This is your home, so it was an oversight on my part not to have privately mentioned Maggie’s health to the both of you as soon as we returned here this afternoon.”
Elizabeth dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief. “I take it you don’t agree with Doctor Hewson’s plans to treat Maggie, but we can’t just leave her to suffer.”
No, they couldn’t. But he would be damned if they were going to keep her heavily sedated, or worse—send her somewhere.
“She was in a terrible state, and it took quite some time for us to finally convince her to come inside,” Jonathan added.
Piers’s mind was made up. Elizabeth was right; he didn’t hold with the doctor’s plans, but neither did he think it fair to impose an emotionally distressed young woman on his brother and sister-in-law. They had their own family to consider.
He had intended to stay in Coventry for a few more days and show Maggie the local sights, but tonight’s developments had scuttled those plans. When Maggie woke, he would talk to her. Seek her opinion on a way forward.
“I’m sorry to have brought this trouble to your door. We will leave Coventry as soon as we can in the morning,” said Piers.
“Will you head back to London? Maggie might feel better once she is at home with her own family,” said Jonathan.
“I will talk to Maggie when she is fully awake.” It was late and Piers wasn’t in the mood to start an argument. He would go and sit with Maggie and wait for the laudanum to wear off.
His offer for them to travel onto Denford Park still stood. But Maggie’s health was of paramount importance.
Where they went was her decision. As long as they were together, Piers didn’t care. If she wished to be with her family, they would leave for London at first light. If she wanted to be with him, he would find a way to make it work.
I just want her to be somewhere she feels safe.
Chapter Thirty-Three
The drugs had knocked Maggie out cold. It was mid-morning before she’d finally cracked open her eyes. The first thing she’d seen was Piers seated in a nearby chair, his chin pressed to his chest. He’d been snoring softly, only stirring when she shifted in the bed and sat up.
“How are you feeling this morning?” he asked.
She pulled the bedclothes up around her. It wasn’t socially acceptable for a man to be in the bedroom of an unmarried woman while she was awake, let alone while she was asleep.
Vague memories of the night prior crept into her mind. She had broken recollections of a stranger peering down at her, then being forced to drink something bitter. Then nothing. “I am feeling lethargic and quite drained. What happened?”
He bit on his bottom lip as she waited for his answer. “You had a bit of a turn. They found you barefoot and wandering about the garden. Do you remember anything that happened after you went to bed?”
Maggie’s mouth dropped open.Oh, sweet lord, no. I didn’t sleepwalk, did I?
“No. I retired just after supper. I was tired after the trip to Kenilworth, even with sleeping on the way home.”
Sometime during the night, she must have stirred in her sleep and gone downstairs, the lure of the garden capturing her unconscious mind.
Maggie covered her face with her hands. How was she ever going to face Elizabeth and Jonathan again?
“They called for a doctor. When he came, he prescribed you a dose of laudanum.”
They? Where was Piers?
He rose from the chair and began to pace slowly up and down. His shirt was creased, and his cravat and waistcoat were both missing.
