Promised (Proper Romance) by Leah Garriott

Author:Leah Garriott [Garriott, Leah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Published: 2020-02-17T18:30:00+00:00

After my father’s trunk had been packed, I stole into Alice’s room. Mary slept slumped in a chair near the fire. Alice also seemed to be asleep, but she moaned a little and fidgeted. I slipped onto her bed and placed a gentle hand on her head. She was burning.

“Alice, sit up. Take a drink.” I helped her up and held the glass of water from the bedside table to her mouth.

She took a few sips. I set the glass back and tried to help her lay down, but she shook her head. Her voice was barely perceptible as she said, “It hurts.”

“All right.” I carefully shifted on the bed to lean her against me, pulling the blanket tight and stroking her hair. She coughed, a cough that hurt my throat and chest listening to it. Eventually, though, her breathing evened out. Kissing the top of her head, I whispered, “I’m sorry.”

I held her until Mary woke with a start. She left the room with a promise to return quickly.

The door opened a few minutes later, revealing my mother. “Margaret, there you are. You are to go with your father.”

I frowned. “Go with him?”

“Yes. To Lord Williams’s. He will need someone to look after him.”

She could not send me away. Especially not there. “But I can’t leave. You will need me to help with Alice.”

“Mary and I will manage. You’d best get dressed.”

I couldn’t go. I was just getting rid of him. And Alice—

I wanted to be here for her.

Alice stirred with another cough. I gave her more water, helped her lay down, and tucked the bed cover around her. Then I followed my mother into the hall.

Did she not understand that, aside from the embarrassment of calling off the engagement, I was beginning to have feelings for Lord Williams? Going with him, spending more time with him—these were exactly the things I needed to avoid. “Mother, it is awkward enough for Father to go. But for me to force myself into his home—please do not ask this of me.”

She acted as though I hadn’t spoken. “Mary is packing your trunk. You had best attend to it.”

I studied her. “Are you very angry with me?”

She paused, then sighed. “No. I wish it were different, that you had behaved differently, but I understand. Your father may become ill even with our precautions. You must be there to look after him if such a thing occurs.”

I would not be free from Lord Williams.

I would have to do what I’d promised him I would do in the first place: steel myself against him.

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