Courtesan's Kiss by Mary Blayney

Author:Mary Blayney [Blayney, Mary]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, pdf
Tags: Romance
ISBN: 9780553593136
Publisher: Bantam
Published: 2009-12-31T13:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nineteen

MIA HEARD SOMEONE open the door. It was the most wonderful sound in the world. The blessed click of the door handle was, for her, a celebration of life. For the first time in an eternity of hours she was aware of something outside of herself.

Mr. Novins came into the room. With Lord David behind him. The surgeon came over to the side of the bed nearest the window.

Neither spoke at first. Lord David walked over to the mantel and wound her clock, and then came to stand on the other side of the bed.

“You do not have smallpox,” Lord David announced.

“You are not God.” She was too weak to say anything else. With all the strength she had, she turned her head away from him and looked at Mr. Novins.

“Yes, I do realize that despite being able to command most of this small world at Sandleton, I cannot decide what illness you have.”

She wondered why he was humoring her unless she was about to die. “Where have you been?”

“Here, at least five times. The question is, where have you been?”

She shook her head. Talking took too much energy.

“Yes, you are better, but exhaustion can still take a toll.”

Mr. Novins looked at Lord David, who gave a curt nod. What secret did they have?

“Mia,” David began, “Mr. Novins has a posset that he and the apothecary devised for Miss Horner’s mother.”

Mr. Novins picked up the story. “She grows so weak sometimes that Mary is afraid she will slip away.”

Mia drew a breath. She could understand that. Even breathing seemed like work.

“The posset will help you regain strength, but it may well dredge up unpleasant memories. It’s as if the body is trying to dispel anything that weakens it. Would you try it and see if it will help you?”

They both waited, as though afraid of her answer. Well, she was not a fool. Of course she wanted to be better as soon as possible. She could withstand a few more bad dreams. She gave Mr. Novins the slightest nod and closed her eyes.

“Stay awake a moment more, Mia.” She felt David sit on the edge of the bed and gather her close. “Open your mouth and let Novins dose you.”

She did as he wished and felt the cold tasteless syrup slide down her throat. Mia felt it trickle all the way down to her stomach and thread its way to her extremities in a most peculiar way.

“Don’t leave me,” she whispered, forcing her eyes open to look at Lord David, unable to see his expression through her watering eyes.

Mr. Novins cleared his throat. She had already forgotten he was there. “Miss Castellano, I will explain what happened when you are feeling better.”

Mia felt Lord David nod to the surgeon and heard the door click shut.

“Tell me what I can do to make you more comfortable.”

“Just hold me.”

He could have argued. He could have refused. He could have patted her hand and assumed she was delirious. Instead David Pennistan let

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