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‘Yes, Miss.’
‘The first item I require is a fresh mattress.’
‘A…mattress, Miss?’
‘Yes.
‘Of course, Miss. Straight away, Miss.’
My heart pounding, I turned and marched out of the room. Only when I was outside, I sank against the wall, trembling.
It had worked! He’d actually let us stay. Through sheer determination and a pinch of Rikkard Ambrose, it had worked! Slowly, a grim smile spread across my face.
I think I’m going to like being powerful.
Then the smile withered as I remembered that all the money or connections in the world would not make a jot of difference to Ella. Yes, I could get her the best doctors, the best care—but ultimately, her life lay in the hands of fate.
Straightening, I made my way back towards Ella’s room. It was time I checked on her. I probably shouldn’t have left her alone in the first place. But I had to have that talk with the manager.
Please don’t let her have passed out again. Please.
I breathed a sigh of relief when I opened the door to Ella’s room and found her lying on the chaise lounge, paler and more exhausted than before, but undeniably conscious. Her eyes met mine.
‘Could I have something to drink?’ she croaked, her eyes flitting to the bathroom door. ‘I feel rather…dried up and empty.’
For some reason, I found it hard to answer. So I just nodded, filled a glass with water and handed it to her with shaking hands.
‘Thank you.’
‘Y-you’re welcome.’
I waited in silence as she drank. She didn’t manage more than a couple of gulps before handing the glass black to me. Our eyes strayed once again towards the privy door.
‘You know what this means?’ I nodded towards the door, unable to say it aloud. ‘The doctor told you?’
Ella glanced away. ‘Yes.’
I stepped forwards to take her in my arms—but quickly, she threw her hands up. ‘No! Don’t touch me! Don’t come any closer! It’s bad enough that you’re in here with me. I won’t allow you to risk any more infection.’
One of my eyebrows rose. ‘Try and stop me. You’re not exactly in prime wrestling condition right now. I’m going to take care of you, whether you like it or not.’
‘You…
you’re impossible! Why do you always have to be so stubborn?’
I grinned at her. ‘It’s one of my most endearing qualities.’
She opened her mouth, probably to tell me how ‘endearing’ she found my endearing qualities, but was cut off by a knock at the door.
‘Hello?’ came an all-too-familiar voice from outside. The little colour that had still been in Ella’s face drained away like juice from a leaky bowl. ‘May I come in?’
I opened my mouth and was about to say ‘Yes, Edmund, go ahead’, when Ella clapped her hand across my mouth.
‘Nng? Whh arr yo toshng mmm?’ I protested.
‘Shut up shut up shut up!’ she hissed.
‘Yo rr tching mmee. Wot abot rsk ff infexnn?’
