Chapter 24 #2
Garrett spotted a glass of water sitting on the bureau and brought it to her.
“We are at Maple Hall—the dower house, that is.” And then, propping her up, he put the glass to her lips.
“Drink slowly,” he cautioned. “Tell me if you feel ill again. That’s a good girl.
” She lay back against the pillow while he returned the glass to the table.
She closed her eyes and didn’t speak for a moment. Was she sleeping again?
“Maple Hall?” She absorbed the information. “But why?”
Garrett put one foot on the bed frame and leaned over to peer down at her. “I hoped you could tell me.”
She opened her eyes again and attempted to look about as though the answer were somewhere in the room. But that was too much for her. She flinched and let her head fall back into the pillow, closing her eyes yet again.
“You took a violent blow to the head, love. The doctor said we could give you some laudanum for the pain, but you’ve been unconscious since we found you. Are you in pain now?”
“My brain feels scrambled,” she said. “It hurts when I think. Good gracious, now I’ll be the perfect English maiden.”
Garrett laughed despite himself. What a relief to see a spark of her spirit break through. He bent forward and placed his lips on her forehead.
“You’ve been perfect since the day I first laid eyes upon you.” The words were meant to be lighthearted, but there was truth in them. In all his dealings with her, she’d proven to be his ideal. He only wished he could be the same for her.
She gasped suddenly and covered her mouth. “Garrett,” she whispered, looking very distraught.
“What is it?” Had she remembered something? Was she in pain? He should get the laudanum.
“Did I…” She cringed. “Did I vomit when you were here earlier?”
He grinned down at her. “Well, a gentleman perhaps ought not to remember such a thing.”
“Oh, I did, didn’t I? And now I must look a fright. And how the devil did I get here?” Her brows furrowed as she again seemed to be searching her memory.
She was still muddled.
“You did, but you look beautiful, and we do not know what happened but can sort that all out when you are feeling better.” He brought her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss there. “But for now, you will rest.” If she could not sleep again, he would have the medication brought up.
She seemed to relax but clutched his hand still. “You would tell me if something terrible had happened, wouldn’t you? You aren’t keeping anything from me?” Her lips were pinched. She was in pain.
“I would tell you.” Would he? “Lie still. You don’t want to be ill again.
Your head is giving you all kinds of fits, isn’t it?
” At her slight nod, he retrieved the wet cloth he’d used earlier and placed it upon her forehead.
He felt helpless to see her in pain. Unable to bear it, he patted her and left to locate the medicine.
“Do Mama and Papa know I am here?” Natalie whispered. She’d been tempted to feign sleep when she realized who sat beside her bed, but Darly was not going to go away. Surely he would lecture her. She’d almost rather have woken to found her father beside her bed.
At her question, her brother glanced away from the window he’d been staring out and pinned her with his stare. He leaned forward quietly. He didn’t say a word, but his expression spoke volumes.
Natalie wished she could sit up. Speaking with Darlington intimidated her under the very best of circumstances. Doing so from a supine position promised to be unbearable.
And then to add to her disadvantage, he rose and stood to his full height. “Do you think I would keep something like this from them?”
“Oh, Darly!” She knew what was coming. This situation could very well turn up worse than her broken engagement.
“Mrs. Tinsdale worried when you failed to return to your chamber. I’ve never seen our mother so distraught.
” He went on to explain how they’d searched the large house from the attics to the cellars.
Experiencing no luck there, they’d then turned apart the stable block and every vehicle on the estate.
Adding to her guilt, he then told her that the woods had been walked numerous times.
House party guests and villagers had desperately scoured the property after hearing of her disappearance.
Natalie wished she could duck her head beneath the covers and never come out again.
How utterly mortifying! In her entire life, she would never live this down.
“We were on the verge of dragging the canals. Mother was beside herself.”
As Darlington continued speaking, Natalie’s eyes filled with tears. Oh, what a bother she was! She’d caused her mother such grief! And her father, well, he would banish her to Scotland for certain this time!
“They have been informed of your safety—and your injuries,” Darlington went on.
And then he began pacing. “How on earth did you come to be in that trunk? And in your nightclothes? Were you attacked? Was it Farley? Or Trident? Don’t you remember anything?
Or did you think such a wicked prank might be entertaining? ”
But she did not know. She did not!
Seeing that he’d made her cry, he frowned. “I cannot fathom what you might have been doing out of doors in your night clothes. Have you nothing to say for yourself? Nothing at all?”
She would not have put herself inside of the trunk! Of course, she would not! And yet…
Darlington’s words teased her memory. She’d left her chamber to find something urgent…
to look at something…And the trunk. In her mind’s eye, she could picture herself climbing into it, looking for something.
But what? Why? “I was not attacked, Darly. I’m almost certain of it.
I believe I chose to go outside on my own.
” As she spoke, a fog seemed to settle on her.
She attempted to see through it in order to discover the answers he wanted but…
words stopped making sense as she listened to her own voice.
There were little dark-haired boys running about…
her dream. What had she dreamt and what was real?
But Darlington wanted answers. He did not wish to hear about her dreams. “I’m sorry!
I don’t know, Darly. I can’t think.” She cried out in frustration and then lifted her hand to her head when pain stabbed behind her eyes.
“I feel as though I remember…and then…” More tears escaped. Nobody liked disappointing Darlington.
Her most reticent brother, then, looking uncomfortable, reached out and soothed her head.
Although his hand felt cool on her skin, it did not impart the same comfort as Garrett’s had.
Had she followed Garrett in some lame attempt to win his love?
That would be mortifying! She would not have!
Of course, she wouldn’t have done something so foolish… so needy!
She admitted to herself that she loved Garrett, and he was drawn to her, but he’d been crystal clear in the meadow.
Under no circumstances did he wish to marry her.
He’d left her no room for doubt. Was it just yesterday he’d offered her that dreadful proposal?
Oh, yes, and the petite mort. Natalie pushed her brother’s hand away when the latter thought came into her mind.
Darlington shoved his hands into his pockets, obviously still unhappy with her answers. “Best not tire yourself, Nat. The doctor said it is important you are not fatigued.” He spoke grudgingly.
“I’m not.” Natalie licked her lips. “I’m thirsty.”
Her brother took this as an excuse to leave. “I’ll send for the maid.” He patted her hand once and then strode out the door. Natalie knew the maid would be here within moments. Few people failed to jump into action when Darlington issued orders.
Glancing around the room, she was reminded that she lay in Garrett’s bed. She, Lady Natalie Spencer, daughter of the Earl of Ravensdale, lay in Garrett Castleton’s bedchamber in the Dower House at Maple Hall. Garrett’s bedchamber! Oh, lord!
Again, confusion clouded her thoughts. The furnishings were shabby, but the chamber otherwise appeared neat and tidy.
Embers in the hearth provided the only light within the room as the curtains were drawn.
She tried to sit up, but doing so caused a new wave of nausea to sweep through her.
Best to stay lying down. How could she feel so ghastly and yet so agitated at the same time?
There is something...She would not have gone outside alone in her night clothes if it hadn’t been important.
For heaven’s sake, she’d even donned one of her day dresses when she’d taken Baby Bear outside in the middle of the night to do his business. What had been so very urgent?
As she suspected, the maid rushed into the room breathlessly. “His Lordship said you needed assistance, my lady.” She looked harried and sleep-tousled. Good lord, leave it to Darlington to awaken the poor girl to fetch her a sip of water!
“My mouth feels like it’s full of sand.” Natalie attempted to make her need sound more urgent than it really was.
She didn’t want the maid to feel as though she’d been awoken for no reason.
“And perhaps some willow bark?” All she’d managed to do by worrying was provoke her headache.
But something else bothered her dreadfully.
She touched her hair self-consciously before asking, “Tomorrow, do you think you could do something about this mess?”