“Much better, thank you. You are very kind to ask. My headaches have all but disappeared, and my leg—as long as I don’t move it too much—is almost free of pain.”
“Well, that is indeed good news. Do you think you would like to come downstairs tomorrow? Jacob and I could help you. It might do you good to sit in the parlor and—”
“Heavens, no. I’m not ready for that. My condition is still much too delicate.”
He paused, feeling the effects of his hopes being cropped. “Well, I suppose that is to be expected. It’s only been a week. But look how far you’ve come. This time next week, I’m sure you’ll be ready to try and take a few steps.”
“A few steps? Adam, you are much too confident. I can’t imagine getting out of this bed for weeks yet! If I ever manage it at all! Quite frankly, I am afraid of it. I don’t want you to see me fall or limp.” She gazed morosely at the window. “What will become of me, Adam? I am no longer the beauty I once was.”
They sat in uncomfortable silence for a few minutes. Adam wished Hilary would return with the tea.
“How areyou,Adam?” she asked.
He knew with regret that she had expected him to hold her just then, or reassure her, tell her she was still as beautiful as ever. But he had not. He wondered what she was making of that.
“How is your work coming on the marshlands?” It was the first time she had ever asked him anything about “work.” He was surprised she even managed to let the word pass her lips.
Thankful for a safe topic, Adam began to describe the situation. He explained the breaks in the dykes, the repairs necessary, and how it would be a few years before the land would be productive again.
“A few years? But that’s your livelihood.”
“Yes, it is, I’m afraid, but all is not lost. The uplands were untouched, and we will have more than enough food to see us through the winter. We’ll simply have to forgo spending anything on luxuries.”
He remembered telling Madeline the same thing that afternoon. Her reply had been a sigh of relief. She had said, “Thank goodness.”
Diana was staring at him now, a look of bewilderment on her face. “You’ll have no spending money at all? Nothing?”
“Nothing,” he answered flatly.
She shifted uneasily on the bed again. “Well…I suppose there is my inheritance. That could tide us over, provide a cushion to meet our needs.”
“We’ll be able to meet our needs. As I said, the crops are quite substantial and—”
“People have other needs besides a full belly, Adam.” Her tone was condescending. “We must be able to entertain, or to purchase the occasional trinket.”
He cleared his throat. “Lavish entertaining is not exactly a common pastime here in Cumberland, Diana. The people here are farmers. This is not high society. Perhaps Viscount Blackthorne’s visit gave you the wrong impression of how we live.”
She laughed. “Oh, Adam, I don’t expect to live like a queen. Besides, I’m sure the viscount will return. He seemed to enjoy himself very much.”
Hilary entered with the tea.
“Will you read to me, Adam?” Diana asked, wincing with pain as she sat up to receive the tea Hilary was pouring. “I do so love the cadence of your deep voice. Perhaps it will help me relax, and I can get a good night’s sleep. I’ve had such trouble sleeping the past few days.”
“Certainly.” He rose to retrieve the book, and realized with some discomfort that he could no more break her heart now than he could push her out of bed while she slept. It was that damned, irritating compassion again.
Yet tomorrow, he knew that Diana would again be treating Madeline like dirt under her fingernails. For a moment, he considered telling Diana the truth—the cold, hard truth, with nothing to spare—then he forced himself to just read.
Chapter Twenty
After nine sleepless nights and ten days full of abuse and unappreciated drudgery, Madeline’s patience was reaching the end of its tether, and her compassion was almost completely dried up.
She stood over Diana’s bed now—having just been called a lazy frump because she had insisted the wash water wasnotas cold as ice—all the while fighting hard against the urge to pour the whole bloody wash basin over her sister’s infuriatingly pretty head!
“Diana, I have a dozen things to do before dinner, and I don’t have time to boil another pot of water for you now. Perhaps Hilary could do it.”
“Hilary is reading to me,” Diana replied haughtily.
“Perhaps Hilary could set the book aside for a few minutes.”And perhaps I should ship you off to a hospital somewhere and let a bunch of cranky nurses take care of you!
