The Makeshift Marriage by Sandra Heath

Author:Sandra Heath [Heath, Sandra]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Regency Romance
Publisher: Belgrave House
Published: 1983-08-29T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 22

Laura anxiously paced back and forth across the library floor, her hands clasped nervously in front of her and her eyes lowered to the richly patterned carpet. The smell of books was all around, and through the slightly opened windows she could hear the hounds whining and yelping in their kennels. Glancing out she saw the fresh wheel marks in the newly raked gravel. It was over an hour now since Augustine and her mother had departed for Taunton, and yet Henderson had still not come.

She turned to Daniel, who stood by the fireplace. “Something has gone wrong. I know that it has!”

“Give him time. The pursuit of the fair sex is not something to be accomplished in seconds!” He smiled a little as she resumed her restless pacing.

There was a quiet tapping at the door and the valet’s face peered around it. Seeing they were alone, he came in. “My lady.” He bowed.

“You have seen the maid?”

“I have, Lady Grenville. She took some persuading, I can tell you, for she’s mortal afraid of Miss Townsend, who’s no easy mistress, but in the end she agreed to meet me. She’ll be well away from Miss Townsend’s room at three o’clock.”

She glanced at the clock on the mantelpiece. One hour from now….

Daniel nodded. “Thank you, Henderson.”

The valet hesitated, glancing from one to the other. Should he mention the rumours about them, which were rife belowstairs? After a moment’s hesitation, he thought better of it, for if the rumors were true, then he would be making a sorry mistake with his revelations. With a slight bow, he retired from the room, but outside he paused again. He could not believe that Laura would so easily turn from Nicholas to Daniel Tregarron. In Venice it had been so very obvious that she loved Nicholas with all her heart. Even so, the valet walked on, unable to bring himself to tell her what was being said of her and the doctor.

* * *

As the hour of three approached, Laura and Daniel strolled along the passage, to all intents and purposes engaged in admiring the various paintings on the paneled walls. Their route took them past Nicholas’s room—for Augustine’s rooms lay beyond it—and at the closed door, Laura halted.

“May I see him?”

“He is sleeping, and it is best that he does so while he may, for soon the pain will prevent any such rest.”

“He will survive the operation, won’t he?” she asked suddenly, putting her hand on Daniel’s arm.

“I will do all in my power to see that he does, Laura, but no doctor can state categorically that his patient will endure through such an operation. It is my honestly held opinion that the judicious use of sweet vitriol will ensure his safety throughout, but much as I would dearly like to, I cannot promise you anything.”

Her eyes were filled with doubt and fear and Daniel put his hand to her cheek, making her look at him again. “It must be done, Laura,” he said softly.

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