Diana’s expression hardened as she concentrated. After a moment or two, she began to tremble. She shook her head. “I…I’m not sure. I know I had biscuits and apple butter for breakfast.” She squeezed Madeline’s hand tighter. “I can’t remember anything after that.” Her face contorted with a sob. “Madeline, what’s happening to me? I can’t remember! I can’t remember!”
Chapter Eighteen
Dr. Hudry sedated Diana and relieved her pain with an anodyne draft, after which she closed her eyes and quietly drifted into sleep. Madeline sank back in her chair, still feeling as if the world, just like the hay barn, had collapsed upon her shoulders.
“I don’t understand. Why can’t she remember anything beyond breakfast? The barn roof collapsing—I can conceive of forgetting that, but the whole day?”
Dr. Hudry packed his instruments into his bag. “It’s not uncommon with a head injury to lose some short-term memory. I’ve seen it before.”
“Will she ever regain it?”
“Difficult to say. She might remember later today, when she wakes up. Or she might never remember.” The doctor closed his bag. “You should count yourselves lucky that’s it’s only one day she forgets. I’ve heard of patients being completely unable to remember anything. Not even their names or where they live. What’s one day, after all?”
It was a very important day,Madeline thought anxiously.
The doctor moved toward the door. “The thing you must concentrate upon is helping Lady Thurston walk again. Try and be positive about things. She will be in pain for a time, but if she has loved ones here to support her and encourage her to get out of bed, she’ll heal much faster. Give her something to occupy her mind, something to look forward to. Plan her wedding to Mr. Coates, for instance.”
Madeline had to work hard to acknowledge the suggestion with a smile.
The doctor opened the bedchamber door and stopped to speak to Adam, who was pacing back and forth in the hall. “I gave Lady Thurston something to ease her pain. She should sleep for a while. I’ll return this evening to check on her again.”
“Thank you, Dr. Hudry. I appreciate your coming.”
The doctor descended the stairs, and Madeline met Adam’s gaze. He slowly entered the room.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
She nodded. “As well as can be expected under the circumstances. But we must talk, Adam. Alone.”
He gestured toward the reading corner in the hall, where they had spoken the night before. They both sat down in the same chairs.
Madeline perched on the edge of her seat, not quite sure how to tell Adam about Diana’s memory loss, or what they should do about it once she did tell him. She cleared her throat and decided to blurt it out quickly and go straight to the heart of the matter.
“I’m afraid Diana’s head injury was rather serious. She cannot remember anything about what happened yesterday. She doesn’t remember why she went riding alone, or anything about your conversation with her. The only thing she remembers is what she had for breakfast.”
Adam took in this news. It was difficult to imagine not being able to remember something that happened only yesterday, not to mention something as important as an engagement being broken. It took him a moment or two to comprehend it.
“Will there be any long term effects on the health of her mind?” he asked.
Madeline answered him with a clear voice. “The doctor assured me that a memory loss like this is common, and that we shouldn’t concern ourselves with it, as it’s only one day. As long as she remembers everything else, the important thing is to help her walk again.”
Adam pinched the bridge of his nose. “She thinks we are still engaged.”
Madeline nodded. “That seems to be the state of things at the moment.”
Adam stood up to pace the hall in front of the reading corner. “Good God, I can’t break with heragain.At least not now.”
Madeline sat quietly for a moment. “I’m relieved to hear you say that. What you decide to do in the long run is your decision, of course, but I must ask that you not tell her the truth right away. Please wait until she is feeling better. The doctor even suggested that we keep Diana occupied and lift her spirits by planning your wedding.”
“Our wedding! That will be taking things a little far, don’t you think?”
Thank God, Madeline was reasonable about it, and nodded. “Yes, I think it would be a mistake to mislead her in that way, unless you think you might change your mind.”
He gazed at her in the dim morning light shining in through the window. If only she knew how ridiculous such a notion was. Did she still not believe he truly loved her? If she thought he could forget about what he had said to her the night before, pretend it never happened and marry another, she underestimated his feelings, to be sure.
“Do you think I should?” he asked, testing her, for he had not been able to give up hope that she would one day accept his love.
On the other hand, if she pushed him to marry her sister, he would know for certain that Madeline was firmly resolved never to accept it. Ever. “Do you think I owe it to Diana?”
