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Chapter 30
When a lover coming home late at night kisses his beloved who is asleep on her bed in order to show her his desire, it is called a “kiss that awakens.”
The Kama Sutra of Vatsyayana
“Brandy,” Nick croaked.
“Oh my God.” Alice clutched his hand. “You’re awake. Nick, you’re awake! Send for Dr. Forster,” she shouted at March.
March, who had been hovering by the bedside more often than not during Nick’s illness, immediately bolted for the door.
Nick tried to sit up, but Alice laid a hand on his chest. “Don’t try to move. Lie still.”
“Alice?” His eyes drifted open. “Where am I?”
Dr. Forster had told her that it wasn’t uncommon for the delirium induced by belladonna poisoning to be accompanied by a temporary state of amnesia. He’d said Nick probably wouldn’t remember anything about what had happened.
“I’m so thirsty,” Nick said. “I need brandy.”
Alice laughed, so happy to hear his voice, even if it was a croaking shadow of its former bass rumbling. “I’ll find some brandy but I’m going to weaken it with water.”
“Water my excellent brandy?” he said. “That would be... a crime.”
He was still weak; she could see by the way he struggled to breathe.
She handed him a glass. “Sip this slowly.”
He obeyed her orders, taking small sips. He fell back against the pillow. “Good brandy.”
“Lear brought you another case yesterday.”
“Good man.”
“Nick, you scared me so much.” Alice squeezed his fingers. “Don’t ever do that to me again.”
“What did I do?”
“Do you remember going to the Yellow House?”
“No. I don’t remember... anything. I remembered your name, though, didn’t I? Alice, have I gone mad?”
She threaded her fingers into his fingers. “No, and you never will.”
“You can’t know that for certain.”
“I don’t have to know it. I feel it.” She brought his hand to her heart. “Here.”
“We went to the Yellow House?”
“We did. You were very anxious and I knew I never should have asked you to go. And then Coleman poisoned you with belladonna and you had a violent delirium with paroxysms. You lunged at Coleman and beat him.”
“Excellent,” Nick said with satisfaction. “At least I landed a punch.”
“Coleman’s being held on suspicion of intent to murder. So we won after all. And Mr. Stubbs has his Annie. Lear helped them book passage on a ship bound for America where they will start a new life.”
“I remember one thing.” Nick smiled. “The scent of lavender, seeping through the darkness. You sat with me, didn’t you? All day and all night.”
“I was so frightened. I didn’t know your fear of going mad ran so deep. You should have told me. Why didn’t you tell me?”
