My Daddy The Duke by Judy Christenberry

Author:Judy Christenberry
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2011-06-08T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

“Pen, what’s wrong?” Robert sat on the side of the bed.

“Sweetie, are you sick?” Sydney knelt down next to him.

Penelope slowly opened her eyes. “My tummy hurts, Daddy.”

He stroked Penelope’s forehead to determine whether the child was running a fever. Turning to Sydney, he shook his head. “Is it a sharp pain or a dull ache?” he asked.

“I don’t know. It hurts!” Penelope cried.

“Do you know of a hospital around here?” Robert asked, his face reflecting his panic.

“In a moment. Penny, will you let me listen to your tummy?”

“Why? Is it going to talk to you?” The child appeared momentarily distracted by Sydney’s question.

“Not exactly, but sometimes when you’ve eaten something that upsets your tummy, it growls.” With a smile, Sydney lifted Penny’s pajama top and placed her ear against the warm skin.

When she lifted her head, frowning, she discovered Robert and Penelope staring at her, waiting for a pronouncement.

With a shrug of her shoulders, she said, “I can’t hear anything. When did it start to hurt?”

“It hurt this afternoon, but I didn’t say anything because Dad said not to bother you.”

“Oh, Pen.” Robert cuddled his daughter against him. “I didn’t mean if you were sick. I had no idea—” He broke off, anguish on his face.

“Of course, you didn’t,” Sydney reassured him. Robert was a sexy man, she thought, but he was at his most attractive when he cared for his child.

“What do we do now?” Robert asked.

“Go ask Mrs. Wright if she has a hot water bottle. Sometimes heat will make a tummy feel better.”

An hour later, after numerous consultations among the three adults, Robert decided they should take Penelope to the emergency room at the local hospital.

“I still think you should give her my medicine,” Mrs. Wright offered again. She’d been trying to convince Robert to give the child some over-the-counter indigestion cures.

“Thank you, Mrs. Wright,” Sydney said, “but I don’t think Penny’s stomachache is caused by something she ate.”

Sydney didn’t want to tell Robert what she thought the problem was. She’d had a similar stomachache when she was nine and driving with her dad. It had turned out to be appendicitis.

“I think we’ll see a doctor just to be on the safe side, Mrs. Wright. But we appreciate your assistance,” Robert said smoothly. “Where is the nearest hospital?”

While Mrs. Wright gave him directions, Sydney gathered up some clothes and slipped across the hall to change.

When she came out, Robert had wrapped Penelope in a lightweight blanket.

“Oh, there you are,” Robert exclaimed, as if he’d lost her. “Are you ready?”

“Yes. How are you doing, Penny?”

“It hurts,” the child moaned, clinging to her father.

“We’ll have you to the hospital in no time.” She looked at Robert. “You have the directions?”

“Yes.”

They reached the hospital only a few minutes later, Robert carrying Penelope in his arms. They were told by a busy nurse to sit and wait. For the first time, Sydney saw Robert pull rank when he realized his daughter would not be seen immediately.

“I’m the Duke of Hereford.

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