A Marriage Made In Heaven by Barbara Cartland

Author:Barbara Cartland
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781782132394
Publisher: Barbara Cartland EBooks ltd
Published: 2013-03-06T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 5

The Duke came back to consciousness through a long dark tunnel.

His brain would not function and he could not think where he was or what was happening. He knew only that everything was dark.

Then, as he tried to move, there was a sharp, agonising pain in his chest and the darkness covered him again.

*

It may have been a century or an hour later when the Duke became aware of himself and that something had happened, although he could not think what it was.

He stirred, and instantly somebody was beside him and he felt a cool hand on his forehead and thought it was comforting.

“I – am – thirsty – ”

He was not certain if he said the words or thought them, but there was a movement beside him, an arm was slipped behind his head and there was a glass at his lips.

He drank, realising that his mouth was very dry and what he was drinking was cool, soothing and sweet.

He felt it slip down his throat. Then a low voice said softly,

“Go to sleep. Everything is all right. You will feel better in the morning.”

He wanted to ask what had happened, but he was too tired. Again he felt the cool hand on his forehead, stroking it mesmerisingly, until, as if hypnotised by the movement, he fell asleep.

*

The Duke awoke to find, as he opened his eyes, that the sun was too bright and almost as if he had said so, somebody in the room lowered the blind.

Then he was aware that there was a man standing beside him and as he reached forward to take hold of his wrist, the Duke realised that he must be a doctor.

“What – has – happened?” he asked, and thought to himself that his voice sounded weak and raw.

“You’ve had an accident, Your Grace,” the doctor replied, “but there’s nothing seriously wrong with you, except concussion and a very bad bruise where your horse kicked you.”

As he spoke, the Duke remembered what had happened and how Wild Rufus had reared up.

“I hit – my – head,” he said almost as if he spoke to himself.

“You not only hit it, you also fell on it,” the doctor said, “and, as the horse kicked you, your chest will be painful. But I know Your Grace will be glad to know that there are no bones broken and all you have to do is to rest until you’re better.”

The Duke wanted to argue that the last thing he wanted to do was to stay in bed, but it was too much effort.

He closed his eyes and was aware that the doctor was giving instructions, but he did not listen to what was being said.

*

Much later the Duke awoke and there was only one candle burning by the bedside and he thought that he was alone until he saw that there was somebody asleep in the corner of the room on a sofa that matched the hangings on the bed.

For a moment he thought he must be imagining things, for it was so improbable that anybody would be sleeping in his bedroom.

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