Page 55 of Romancing Daphne

“I will go see if I can talk some sense into my father. Wish me luck.” He released her fingers and moved to the door.

James glanced back once only to find Daphne already engaged in cooling Mother’s forehead. His heart tugged at the sight even as guilt twistedmore painfully inside. She was so willing to give with no idea of how selfishly she was being used by them all.

Chapter Twenty

Lady Techney was sleeping butnot resting. The honey and licorice-root tea Daphne had instructed the cook to prepare had eased the lady’s pain. Her fever, however, continued to rage.

Daphne dipped a cloth in the bowl of water and dabbed at Lady Techney’s forehead and flushed cheeks. The water had warmed, so she’d sent the abigail to get ice from the ice cellar. She alone remained in the room with James’s mother.

A debate raged in her mind. She knew several treatments to break a fever but hesitated to use them. A fever could at times be beneficial. She would feel more confident if she had a physician’s assessment. If James could not convince his father to send for one, she would simply have to do her best.

That had always been the hardest part of being her family’s only medical resource. She’d worried endlessly that she would make a mistake. She had borne that weight as a very young child, too young for such a responsibility, and felt it again in that moment. In the years she’d lived with Adam and Persephone, she had always been able to consult with a physician or surgeon or apothecary.

She gently dabbed Lady Techney’s neck with the damp cloth, hoping to cool her as much as she could. Footsteps sounded from the doorway. Daphne breathed a sigh of relief. That would be the abigail returned with much-needed ice.

But it wasn’t. Mr. Bennett Tilburn stepped inside, mouth pulled in worry.

“James said Mother was ill.”

Daphne nodded.“She is sleeping now though.”

Bennett’s eyes did not leave his mother’s faceas he crossed to her bedside. He didn’t reach out to touch her nor sit on the edge of her bed. Perhaps these were things sons did not do when their mothers were ill. She hardly knew if daughters did such things. Her mother died so long ago. She had no experience with mothers.

Daphne dipped the cloth in the water again and rang it out. How she wished the water were cooler. Where was the abigail?

“James sent me to see if there was anything I might do for you. He has some business with our father and said the matter was taking longer than expected.”

That was not a promising turn of events. Perhaps James had been unable to arrange for the physician they needed.

“Would you take over for me here?” She indicated the cloth she was using to cool Lady Techney’s brow.“I think she would benefit from a fever reducer, but I’ll need to prepare that myself.”

“You’re an apothecary?” His tone was not doubtful, not quite teasing. He did take the cloth and the seat Daphne relinquished to him.

“I am something of an amateur apothecary, yes.” She smiled in anattempt to hide her embarrassment. Few people had ever heard of her passion for herbs and responded with anything but dismissive amusement, asthough she’d declared an undying interest in watching water boil.

Bennett nodded.“That explains James’s lack of panic. He usually looksready to burst with tension when Mother is ill.”

“I hope I can live up to his confidence in me.” A tiny bubble of pride grew inside. James had faith in her.

“Tell me how to do this.” Bennett held the cloth with no degree of expertise.“I’m afraid I am a little useless in the sickroom.”

That struck her as odd.“I thought I understood Lady Techney’s health is often poor.”

Bennett shrugged.“But James always does everything himself.”

It was little wonder she seldom saw him. James’s responsibilities stretched him far too thin.

“If you will dab gently at her forehead and cheeks and neck—anywherethat is flushed—the damp cloth will help cool her off until her fever can bebrought down.”

He nodded his understanding and followed her instructions. He could not have been more obviously unsure of his ministrations. His brow creased with concentration.

Daphne watched him a moment.“When the cloth grows too dry or too warm, dip it in the water again. But be certain to ring out as much moistureas you can so she’s not soaked by it.”

He silently nodded and kept at his efforts.

“Her abigail will return shortly with some ice to cool the water.”

“And I should keep at this until then? After, even?”

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