Page 32 of Her Duke’s Second Chance (Regency Second Chances #1)

CHAPTER 32

“ W here is she?” he panted.

Robert slammed open the door, not bothering to remove his coat as he ran up the stairs past three footmen and a maid carrying a tray.

He skidded to a halt in front of Georgiana’s door, grabbed the handle and pulled it open.

A small hand landed on his arm. Robert looked down at it and then up at Daisy’s solemn face.

“Is she…?” he could not even say the word, his heartbeat accelerating erratically.

He prayed that he was wrong about the curse he believed hung over his head and killed any female who came close to him.

“She is not dead, but she has been injured,” Daisy said in a quiet, reassuring tone.

Robert wanted to believe her, but he could not until he laid eyes on Georgiana himself. “I need to see her.”

“The doctor is bleeding her.”

“I do not care.” He took a step forward towards the bed. The doctor had drawn the curtains around the bed for privacy.

Daisy gasped as he drew back the curtain. There was a deep gash on Georgiana’s temple, and she looked pale and ill. Her eyes were closed.

“Dear God,” Robert exclaimed as his heart sunk in his chest.

The physician looked up. “Never fear, I have treated most of her injuries. I am confident that she will make a full recovery.”

“What happened?” Robert asked.

The physician pointed at Daisy. “She can tell you better than I.”

Robert immediately turned to Daisy. “Tell me,” he said urgently.

Daisy nodded. There was a sheen of sweat across her forehead and she looked terribly anxious. “I was not with her, but the coachman told me what happened.”

Robert nodded. “Well then, tell me.”

Georgiana stepped into the carriage after giving Selina one last hug. It had been too long since they had enjoyed one of their tete-a-tetes. It was a different kind of satisfaction to have these frank talks with Selina.

“Let us not leave it so long until our next meeting,” she had said after giving Selina a kiss.

Selina smiled. “Yes. It was lovely to see you and hear how well you are doing.”

Georgiana could not stop smiling as the carriage rocked its way home. Although the streets were not as crowded as they could be, they were still treacherous for a coach and four such as theirs. If they were not dodging little boys darting suddenly across the road, the coachman had to skirt precariously around potholes made deep by the recent heavy rains.

They were traveling along a reasonably stable portion of road when a dog darted into the street and startled the horses. They reared back, causing the carriage to sway and overturn.

It happened so quickly. One minute she was sitting with her head against the window, looking out and daydreaming about what she and Robert might get up to in the evening, and in the next she was being buffeted violently from side to side and slammed from one end of the carriage to the other. Then everything went black, and she knew no more.

“The coachman brought her back here and explained everything to me,” Daisy said. “I sent a message to you and the physician right away.”

“You did well, Daisy. Thank you,” Robert said quietly.

Daisy nodded, blushing slightly. “I am glad I was here to help.”

The physician straightened up. “Well, I have done all I can. All we can do now is wait.”

“Thank you, good sir. We appreciate your help.” Robert extended his hand, and the physician shook it while also bowing.

“You are most welcome, Your Grace. I shall be back to check on the patient tomorrow.”

“Is there anything we should give her in the meantime?”

“When she awakens she will require some willow bark tea. You should also rub aloe cream on her bruises every eight hours.”

“We will do so.”

Robert went to sit by Georgiana’s side, taking her hand in his as the butler saw the physician out. He stared at her pale face and his heart hurt to see her that way, so small and helpless in the large bed. He clung to the physician’s words that she would be all right.

But something dark in the back of his mind whispered relentlessly in his ear that every woman who had ever cared for him had died. He bent his head over her hand and shook it slowly. “Please, you must become well again,” he begged.

Deep in his subconscious, he heard someone laugh. It seemed to him to be the voice of Fate, laughing at his foolish hope that she would truly be all right.

He looked at her ashen face and wondered if he could survive her death.

Please God, no more. He begged silently as he gripped her hand fiercely. She did not so much as flinch.

“Are you there?” he asked, staring intently at her for any sign that she had heard him.

“Georgiana, can you hear me?”

She lay perfectly still, not reacting in any way. Robert shook his head in denial. The physician had said he had done all he could, and now all that was left to do was wait. He gently touched the bump on her forehead, wondering if she would feel it…but she did not react.

He felt his chest tighten and his throat constrict and realized he could no longer breathe. Blackness was closing in around him and he knew he was about to lose consciousness. He let go of Georgiana’s hand and got to his feet, striding to the window and taking big gulps of air as he moved about the room, grateful that he was alone.

The blackness on the edge of his vision slowly faded and his hectic breathing lessened. He sighed with relief, resting his head against the cold glass of the window and closing his eyes.

“Robert?”

He turned to see that Daisy had returned. She was hovering on the other side of Georgiana’s bed, wringing her hands. He tried to summon a smile for her.

“Are you worried?” she asked anxiously.

He dropped his head, not knowing how to answer.

“Robert?” Her voice was shaking.

He looked up and put on a strained smile. “Do not worry. Your sister will be fine.”

“You do not look as though you believe that.”

Robert huffed, shaking his head, “Let us just say that I was thinking of something else that brought me great sorrow. It is nothing to worry about.”

“Oh.” Daisy sighed with relief at Robert’s reassurance.

Robert turned away, wishing that he could convince himself of the same. Daisy walked over to the bed and sat down. She took Georgiana’s hand in both of hers and began to hum a tune.

Robert took a seat by the window, listening to her as he stared out of the window. The sound was comforting for a while until it started to sound like a funeral dirge. He began to pace by the window, not wanting to leave the room or snap at Daisy, but he was quite sure that if she did not stop humming, he might snap her neck.

“Is that a favorite song of hers?” he asked finally.

She—thankfully—stopped humming.

“No. it is just something my mother would sing while she did some gardening.” Daisy smiled whimsically. “My mother fancies herself some sort of gardener but she really does not do much more than dig holes in the mud and stuff plants into it. Georgiana used to come along later and redo it.” She huffed in amusement. “The difference would have been stark after she left, but we finally had the money to retain a gardener.”

Robert nodded, pursing his lips. “I see. She seems to have run around cleaning up after all of you.”

Daisy gave him a sharp look and Robert lifted his hand. “I apologize, I did not mean…”

“No, you are right. She did. We took her for granted a lot of the time.”

Robert frowned. “Do not speak of her in that way. As if she is no longer here.”

Daisy blanched. “I am sorry. I did not mean to imply…”

“No, I know. I am sorry for being sharp. I suppose I am more anxious than I wish to admit.”

Her face softened. “Of course, Your Grace.”

“Please,” he shook his head, “this is not the time for formality. Call me Robert, or Emberford if that is too informal.”

She beamed, straightening up. “I should like to call you Robert.”

He smiled and nodded. “Good.”

“You may call me Daisy.”

He bowed. “Thank you.”

“I have never really felt like a lady anyway. We did not attend any comportment classes or learn to play a musical instrument like most ladies of the ton.”

“And despite that, you are quite well-comported.”

She smiled, looking down at her sister. “Yes well…again, Georgiana made sure I knew how to behave in polite company.”

“And from whom did she learn?”

“From my mother’s lady’s maid. Even at our poorest, mother always made sure she had one.”

“That is…interesting.”

Daisy pursed her lips. “I always knew my family was a bit…eccentric, but I did not care. I did not have much to do with society before this year, so I was unaware of how much it mattered. Or how other people lived. I thought our family was normal.”

“I suppose we all think that until we come across other people. Who is to say what ‘normal’ is?”

Daisy nodded. “Indeed.”

From the bed, Georgiana emitted a painful groaning sound. They both paused, not talking, not even breathing, just watching her, but she continued to sleep. Daisy exhaled first. “We must be patient,” she said in a muted voice.

Robert nodded, turning his head away so she could not see his despair. It was one thing to say Georgiana would be fine, that she would wake up soon, that she was not severely injured, but the truth was, they just did not know.

How long can one go without food before they die?

When Georgiana had not awakened by the next morning, Robert summoned Mrs. Green. “Is there any way we can get some broth down her throat? A way we can feed her?”

The housekeeper frowned. “I am not entirely sure, Your Grace. We can first try with a bit of water and see if she will swallow it. If we are successful, I can make some bone broth for her to sip.”

“Yes, please do. Let us start with water.”

Mrs. Green carefully poured water into Georgiana’s mouth, massaging her throat to help her swallow, while Robert held her upright so she would not choke. He watched Georgiana keenly for any sign of awareness, but she was completely slack in his arms.

They were successful in getting the water down her throat, so tiny spoonful by tiny spoonful, Mrs. Green fed her some broth.

“Will it be enough to sustain her?” Robert asked, his face creased with worry.

Mrs. Green just let out a long sigh, shaking her head, “I do not know, Your Grace.”

He gently eased her back into a supine position, and for the first time in a long time, he considered praying.

What good would that do? No one is listening.

Mrs. Green picked up the bowl and left. Robert had sent Daisy away, just in case the process of feeding Georgiana became too messy. He knew she had not liked it, but he was sure that was what Georgiana would have wanted.

He and his sister-in-law had shared quite a few conversations while sitting over Georgiana’s motionless frame. He felt that he was getting to know both her and Georgiana so much better. But all it did was give him a deeper understanding of what he was about to lose.

There was a knock on the door, and he turned, wondering who was about to disturb them.

“Yes?” he said impatiently.

Daisy opened the door and stuck her head in. “The physician is here.”

Robert nodded with relief. “Send him in.”

Dr. Pritchard was extremely tall and thin. With his black suit and walking cane, he was an exact likeness of the Grim Reaper.

It did nothing to soothe his frazzled nerves.

Dr. Pritchard bent over and examined Georgiana thoroughly.

“We tried to feed her some broth this afternoon. She was able to swallow a lot of it. What happens if she does not wake up soon?”

Dr. Pritchard straightened up, adjusted his pince-nez, and turned his gray rheumy gaze on Robert. “Let us not borrow trouble. You did well to spoon-feed her. We would not want her to starve. It is the new thinking that a little water mixed with sugar or honey is also beneficial, as well as being easier to ingest than broth.”

Robert nodded. “Thank you.”

The physician’s gaze turned piercing. “I know it is a difficult and worrisome time, Your Grace, but I have seen no evidence that would lead me to think your wife will not awaken soon. Sometimes, after a tremendous shock such as has been experienced by Her Grace, the body needs to shut itself down and heal.”

Robert nodded along, not really understanding what the physician was saying or believing it. “But is it not simply a matter of bruises? Could she be undergoing untold suffering while we assume she is sleeping?”

“There is nothing to indicate she is in pain. There is the obvious pallor of her skin, along with a slight clamminess, but no discernible swelling aside from the bump on her forehead and the laceration at her temple, which are all healing as expected.”

Robert pursed his lips and nodded. “Thank you. I appreciate your candor.”

He bowed his head. “It is my pleasure, Your Grace. I shall leave some stinging nettle which you can steep together with the willow bark tea and feed to her. It will help with the swelling.”

Robert nodded his agreement to follow Dr. Pritchard’s orders.

Dr. Pritchard bowed his head one more time before taking his leave. Robert was left in the room with Daisy.

“You are really worried, are you not?” she asked.

His mouth turned down. “I think we are all quite worried.”

“I suppose we are,” she said pensively as she settled into her usual chair by Georgiana’s bed.

Robert sat on the window bench, and they both watched her sleep.

Robert looked at Daisy. “You know you need not stand vigil like this. You can go about your day.”

Daisy narrowed her eyes at him. “She is my sister,” she said chidingly. “You also do not need to stand vigil. Cecile could do it in your stead. So why are you here?”

He smiled wryly. “Fair point.”

He leaned against the window with a sigh and stared at the passing carriages and the people simply going about their lives, all blissfully unaware that his hung in the balance.

“It is strange…” he murmured softly, “How out there, life just goes on while here…”

“Here…we do not know whether it will end,” Daisy finished.

They stared at each other with perfect understanding.