Page 4 of Evie and Louis: The Story so Far

Louis looked at the plate in her hand and bile rose in his throat. Merde. Oh, no. No, no, no.

“I do beg your pardon, Miss but… but….” He leapt to his feet, moving as far from her as he could get before his stomach rebelled and he was violently sick.

Louis leant against the tree beside him as his head swam. He ached all over and staying on his feet seemed to take considerable effort.

“Merde,” he muttered with feeling.

“Oh, you poor thing, you are unwell. Here, take my hanky.”

Louis groaned as he realised Miss Evie had not done the decent thing and gone away to leave him to his misery in peace.

He took the handkerchief all the same and wiped his mouth.

“Thank you,” he said. “I should consider it a great favour if you’d forget you ever saw this.”

“Don’t be a twit. Everyone gets sick,” she said briskly. “Was it something you ate?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Come along. I’ll take you back to the house and find you somewhere quiet to lay down and a cold cloth for your head.”

“There’s really no—”

A cool hand pressed against his forehead. “Good heavens, you’re burning up. Come along now.”

“No, I do not wish to cause trouble. This has been quite mortifying enough. I shall take my carriage back to the inn.”

Louis turned and straightened as best he could, only to meet the girl’s stern gaze.

“Do you really want to spend ten minutes in a stuffy, jolting carriage?”

Louis swallowed hard. No. No, he really did not.

“No, I didn’t think so. Now, do come along and stop being so silly. I’ll take you in the back way, so no one will see. I know this place like my own home, for we nearly always come for their summer house party.”

In ordinary circumstances he might have bristled at being managed by a chit of a girl of sixteen. As it was, he did not have the strength to argue. Louis nodded and took a step and then stopped, closing his eyes as his head spun in a sickening fashion.

“Here, lean on me.”

Too sick to protest, Louis allowed the girl to drape his arm over her shoulders and took some of his weight.

As good as her word, Evie escorted him into the great house, found a small quiet parlour in the back where he would not be disturbed, closed the curtains, and bade him lie down. Meanwhile she bustled off and came back shortly after with a servant in tow. They brought him a jug of cold water, some willow bark tea, a basin should he have further need of it, and a cold cloth for his head.

“There,” she said, once she had bullied him into drinking every drop of the tea and placed the cloth upon his forehead. She was a remarkably managing female for one so young. “Now you get some rest and don’t worry about a thing. I shall explain everything to Lady St Clair.”

Louis made a sound of distress.

“Do stop fretting. All will be well. Now, is there anything else you need?”

“My ward,” Louis said. “Miss Agatha Smith. She’s here and….”

“Say no more,” Evie said with a smile. “I shall find her and let her know. Don’t worry, I will make sure she is entertained. Do get some rest now. I shall come back later and check on you.”

With that she left, closing the door behind her. With a sigh, Louis closed his eyes and gave in.

Chapter 2

Dare to be Wild