Page 106 of Miss Wylde and the Wynd

“You were too long in the sun.”

She glanced at the line that he had traced. The exposed skin was a delicate pink, but she was not concerned. A sunburn was just reddening of the skin, and certainly not something about which she should be concerned.

Content in ways that she hadn’t been in a very long time, Georgie’s body grew heavy, along with her eyelids.

A small rest, that was all she needed, then maybe Damian would want to teach her something new.

Georgie woke slowly and likely from the pounding in her head, but she was nauseated as well.

Damian was asleep beside her and when he turned, he brushed her arm. She sucked in a breath, surprised at the tenderness. Only then did she look at her arm to note that it was much redder than it had been when she had fallen asleep.

How could her sunburn get worse when she was not in the sun?

Carefully she pressed a finger to her arm. The pain was more of a sting, and her skin was hot. When she removed her finger, where she had touched, it was temporarily white before it was red again.

Was this how her face and chest looked?

Georgie took one of the blankets, wrapped it around herself then carefully walked to the mirror anchored on the wall and nearly groaned to note that her face was indeed red, as was her chest, with a very clear and curved line of where the bodice of her dress had ended. Hopefully the burn wasn’t so bad that she blistered. She’d seen that happen to a friend when she’d spent too much time at the beach without a parasol or bonnet.

“I shall never go outside without a bonnet again.”

“Is something the matter?”

Georgie winced and slowly turned to face Damian. “I am not feeling well.”

He was by her side in a blink before she was swept up in his arms and he took her back to the bed, where he tucked her in, careful not to touch her red skin.

“I will see if there is a doctor on board and ask if there is anything he can provide for the pain.” He frowned. “It is pain, is it not.”

“My skin is tender and I do have a headache, but I am also nauseated.”

Oh dear, she hoped that she did not toss up her accounts in front of him. That would be not only horrible but embarrassing.

Damian was out of bed in a blink. “I shall fetch tea; some bread and hopefully the doctor has something for your pain.” He then dressed quicker than she thought possible, given the layers men wore. Though he was not totally put to rights, he was covered as he should be and even more so than he had been when they had first met.

As soon as he was gone, Georgie pulled herself from the bed again, but this time she went in search of her nightrail. She could not lie in bed naked. What if the doctor wanted to examine her? She couldn’t let him think…or know what she and Damian might have been doing earlier. It didn’t matter if the man believed them to be married, it was still a private matter.

When she shook out her nightrail, Georgie immediately changed her mind. Even though it was made of a soft material, she could not have the sleeves touching her arms. Besides, she was already hot and she wanted to wear as little clothing as possible, especially if she was going to be in bed.

Instead, she drew out a soft cotton shift with capped sleeves. She had been saving it so that she would have something clean to wear beneath her dresses while they traveled back to Italy as the others were already in need of laundering.

Maybe she would be given the opportunity to wash her clothing before they left for home so that her valise was filled with clean clothing.

Oh, it was a minor concern right now, Georgie decided as the soft cotton caressed her skin and she crawled back into bed. Careful with her tender skin, she found a comfortable position on her back with her arms folded on the blankets, across her middle and not touching anything else. This was exactly how she would remain until the burn faded.

Chapter Forty-Four

Damian found the ship’s surgeon in his quarters near the galley. He calmly explained that this was not the first time that a passenger had suffered from a sunburn while aboard the ship and likely would not be the last. He prescribed tea, bread, and cold compresses for her heated skin. Fresh water, and warned that before the sunburn healed, Georgia would next become chilled, so Damian made certain to procure another blanket. All these things he carried when he returned to the cabin to find her lying in the bed, her back supported by the pillows and arms over the blanket. She had also dressed, and while he preferred her without clothing, lust was not appropriate at this time.

“How do you feel?”

“The same, I suppose.”

“I have brought you bread and tea. The doctor suggested that it may help, and Dover’s Powder. I cannot stand the taste myself, but it will help with the pain in your head.”

She nodded and dutifully drank the glass of water to which he had added the powder, and grimaced when she’d finally drunk it all.

“Now for the bread to help your stomach.”