The Mystery of Brackenwell Hall: A Gothic Paranormal Romance (Read by Candlelight Book 2) by Gillian St. Kevern

Author:Gillian St. Kevern [St. Kevern, Gillian]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Gillian St. Kevern
Published: 2019-04-05T16:00:00+00:00

16

Stephen would have counted the minutes until Dr Mereweather’s departure—if the dulling influence of the laudanum hadn’t made that impossible. His father’s visit passed in a lingering daze. He surrendered to old habits of helplessness with an immediacy that appalled him. Every day, he sank deeper and deeper into helplessness, dozing away the hours.

His father’s appearance one afternoon, dressed for travelling, jarred Stephen out of the mist. “You’re not going?”

“Needs must, my boy.” Dr Mereweather patted him on the shoulder. “I spoke to Goodfellow yesterday while you were having your afternoon nap.”

“Goodfellow visited? You should have woke me.”

“The last thing you needed! No, we had a good discussion, and I have put him right concerning your treatment. You’ll be fine, I assure you. Write to me, won’t you? Splendid.” Mereweather patted him on the head. “I’ll see you soon.”

Once the door closed behind his father, Stephen laboriously swung himself out of bed. He staggered over to the armchair and climbed into it. He was still there when Harris brought him a dinner tray.

“I’m feeling much better,” Stephen protested. In actuality, his head throbbed. After so long sitting upright, he felt exhausted. “And I have not seen Grandfather in days.”

Harris eyed him critically. “Your grandfather will not be pleased to see you looking so pale. He is apt to worry. Wait until you can show him a more cheerful countenance.”

Anger warred with astonishment. Stephen swallowed down his immediate approach. “Do I look so bad?”

“Shall I bring you a mirror?”

“No need. I joked.” Stephen hung his head. “I trust your judgement. Tell Lord Hyland I look forward to dining with him tomorrow night.”

He lacked an appetite, but, impatient to be doing things again, forced himself to swallow every mouthful of the broth Mrs Croft had prepared. The effort tired him completely. He was asleep before Harris returned to take away the dishes.

He never slept well when coming off laudanum. All the aches and pains the drug masked seemed only to have been biding their time. His head throbbed persistently, long shadows and fragments of memory dominating his dreams.

He woke to complete darkness. Was he awake or did he sleep still? Reason caught up to him suddenly. Charlie!

He fumbled for his candle. Dr Mereweather had removed it from his bedside so that Stephen would not be tempted to read until the early hours of the morning. Stephen rummaged through the cupboard beside his bed. At last, his hand closed around the candlestick and accompanying matchbook. As he drew it out of the cupboard, a glass bottle fell.

Fortunate Dr Mereweather was not there to be woken by the noise! Stephen lit the candle and discovered he’d knocked over the bottle of his father’s tincture. As he set it back in its place, he noticed it was oddly light. Empty? He was nowhere near finishing it. A spill? But the rest of the cupboard was clean and dry.

Imagination then. Stephen pulled on his robe. He must not keep Charlie any longer. He hurried down the long corridor, his candle the only source of light.

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.