The Baron's Malady_A Smithfield Market Regency Romance by Rose Pearson

Author:Rose Pearson [Pearson, Rose]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Regency Romance
Publisher: Landon Hill Media
Published: 2018-09-29T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

“How does he fare?”

Josephine looked up to see Francine walk into the bedchamber, her eyes wide with concern.

“I’m afraid he has the fever,” Josephine replied, gently. “But we have begun to treat him almost immediately, which I am sure is going to help.” She swallowed her own fear, suddenly terrified that she would lose Lord Dunstable to the fever, just as she had lost her own mother and father. Everyone who mattered to her had already been taken, and now, just as she and Lord Dunstable had been on the verge of something inexplicably wonderful, he had been struck down by the fever. Turning back to Lord Dunstable, she saw him toss his head from one side to the other, clearly struggling with the fever already.

“Here,” she said to Gillian, handing her the cool cloth so that she could dab at Lord Dunstable’s forehead whilst she herself continued to mix up a fresh batch of vinegar and feverfew. Rising to her feet, she took Francine’s hands in her own and tried to put as much certainty into her expression as she could.

“Your brother is strong,” she said, in a calm, firm voice. “He will battle through this, I am quite sure of it. It may take some days but I will do all I can for him. I swear to you I will not leave his side.”

Francine nodded tightly, her expression growing troubled. “And what if he does not recover?” she whispered, her fingers tightening on Josephine’s. “What do we do then? The title will go to –”

“You need not think in such a way,” Josephine interrupted, firmly. “Do not let fear take hold of your heart and mind, Francine. Trust that your brother will have the strength to pull through this terrible sickness. You and your mother have the same spirit and you have both recovered.” She managed a small smile, seeing Francine’s eyes fill with tears. “You must rest also. Your strength is not what it once was as yet.”

Francine nodded. “I will help you whenever I can,” she said, hoarsely. “I suppose I must write to Georgina. Last Dunstable said, she was still in London.”

Josephine frowned, unsure as to who Francine was referring to. “Georgina?” she aside, letting go of Francine’s hands in order to make up her mixture of feverfew and vinegar.

Francine nodded, moving to her brother’s side and taking his hand. “Miss Georgina Wells, my brother’s betrothed.”

Josephine’s hands stilled, her heart suddenly beating violently in her chest. Lord Dunstable was engaged?

“She was here for a very short time,” Francine continued, clearly unaware of the devastation her words were causing to Josephine. “But the moment she knew the servants were unwell, she left this place and returned to London in order to return with her father to his country seat. From what Dunstable said, Georgina’s father, Viscount Armitage, had already begun his journey back to the country and had not yet sent his carriage for her.” She shook her head, shooting a glance towards Josephine who felt as though she were frozen in place, confusion and upset mounting with every moment.

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.