Forbidden Lady by Anne Herries

Author:Anne Herries [Anne Herries]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781408916292
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Rob became aware of the stinging pain in his cheek as he returned to consciousness. It hurt like hell and yet the agony he had been enduring for some days had gone. He put a tentative hand to his cheek, discovering that it had a pad of linen fastened to it with bands of more linen, and it seemed to be less swollen than it had been that night…what night?

He struggled to remember, and then it came back to him. He had forced Melissa to marry him and discovered her weeping in her chamber. A smothered oath left his lips. He must have been out of his mind to force her to wed him, but the infection had been troubling him for a while before that and perhaps that was why he had done it. At least, he could think of no other reason for it was certain that she did not wish to be his wife. He moaned and opened his eyes to find her bending over him, a cooling cloth in her hand as she bathed his brow.

‘What are you doing here?’ he asked harshly.

‘Where else should I be?’ she asked, and smiled at him. ‘You have been ill for nearly a week, Rob, and we have all taken a turn in caring for you—though you owe your recovery to Master Hale, for it was he who lanced the wound and applied the iron. It has almost healed and it looks so much better. Indeed, in a few months I daresay it will be almost gone.’

‘Indeed?’ he said, and frowned at her. ‘Then I suppose I must be grateful for I believe it was badly infected.’

‘Your cheek had swollen terribly and it was oozing pus. I tried wiping it away, but Hale told me that it would only become worse and that it must be lanced and cauterised. I feared that it would hurt you badly, but he said that you did not fear pain.’

‘Of that sort, no,’ Rob said, his eyes narrowed and suspicious. ‘But why are you here? You did not need to tend me. There are plenty of servants to do that surely.’

‘Yes, but I wished to help,’ Melissa said. ‘I was anxious for your recovery.’

‘Had I died you would have been a widow and free to please yourself.’

‘You think I would rejoice in your death? You wrong me,’ Melissa said. ‘But if it does not please you to have me here, I shall go.’

‘Go then,’ he said. ‘I shall not detain you further—though I thank you for whatever you have done while I lay here.’

Melissa gave him a speaking look but said nothing. She had wept over him and sat by his side all through the fever, but it seemed that nothing she could do would please him. He could not forgive her.

Rob lay back against the pillows. He felt weak and ill, and his sickness was compounded by the knowledge that he had hurt her again. He had hurt her so many times, and it was not what he wanted.

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