Desire by Design by Heather Boyd

Author:Heather Boyd [Boyd, Heather]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-925239-75-1
Publisher: www.Heather-Boyd.com

Sylvia wiped her brow with the back of her hand, weary to the bone. She’d never been more tired or afraid for another person in her life. She turned and set her back against the bedchamber wall and tried to hold back her tears. Lady Wharton’s surgery—more like butchery—had been performed three days ago, and the lady was showing no sign of improvement. Quite the opposite, in fact.

The physicians, now only a pair, consulted with each other in whispered tones and made sounds that were not reassuring. Sylvia was terrified the marchioness might never recover.

She eyed the door, considering if it was time to break her promise and inform the marquess.

She swore to never again make rash promises when someone was putting their life in danger. Even if there had been a glimmer of hope the first day.

Given how often the remaining physicians wore constant frowns now, and frequently checked Lady Wharton’s wrist and brow every hour to see if her fever was abating and pulse improved, it probably hadn’t.

Lady Wharton lay pale and largely unresponsive, save for her breathing, which at times seemed very loud or almost undetectable.

She was going to die.

Sylvia clenched her teeth together as her eyes prickled with tears yet again. She should have told Lord Wharton what his mother had intended before the surgery had even begun.

She angrily swiped away the tear that slipped down her cheek and went to rinse out the warm cloth she’d been clinging to. She dipped it in cool water, wrung out a little and refolded it loosely, ready to begin again. Keeping vigil over a dying woman was the only thing she could do now to ease her conscience, and that didn’t feel even close to enough.

She crossed the room back to the bed. The physicians had shuffled out into the hall and watched on with sad expressions. Lady Wharton’s eyes fluttered as the cloth was placed on her brow, and then she became still. So horribly still.

After her earlier tortured screams, the silence was unnerving.

No matter what Sylvia said or did, the woman did not respond to her questions.

After the operation, after the horrible ordeal that Lady Wharton had screamed through, she’d barely made a sound. The strongest memory Sylvia had of the operation was when the physician had paused, nearly deciding to stop altogether before they had removed the growth. The marchioness’ eyes had flashed open, and she’d ordered them to finish what they’d started.

Lady Wharton was the strongest woman she’d ever known or ever would. Sylvia couldn’t bear the thought that her pain might be for nothing. She leaned down to whisper in her ear, “Lizzy, please don’t go away. I’ll never forgive myself if you don’t get better.”

She pressed a kiss to the back of the lady’s clammy hand and eased down in a chair set close beside the bed. Sylvia hadn’t slept in days, and she wouldn’t until this ended, one way or the other.

She pulled a blanket up to her chest, not for warmth but for comfort, not that it helped very much.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.