Page 68 of A Spinster to Reform the Duke
“She has lost her mind.” The words were heard by all, despite the quietness with which they were uttered.
The magistrate beckoned the Countess forward as he walked to Lord Herberton and the others. Rebecca stepped forward too, eager to hear what he had to say.
“Will she be charged, my Lord?” Lord Herberton asked.
“I wish she could, but I fear the court would simply say she is insane.”
“Insane? My daughter is not…” The Countess trailed off as she glanced back at her daughter. “Is madness curable?” she asked with eagerness, turning back to the magistrate.
“I do not know. The only people that could help her now are at Bedlam.”
“Bedlam?” Rebecca repeated. “The hospital?”
“For the insane, yes.” The magistrate nodded.
Rebecca looked to her mother and Eliza. She had heard of such a place. From its reputation, it was not a kind place, but what else was there to do?
“My Lady,” the magistrate turned to address the Countess alone. “If you would accompany me, I’d like to take your daughter to be assessed by the doctors there.”
“Yes, of course.” The Countess nodded, her face wan with the cheeks twitching. She gestured the sisters to their feet and bustled them out of the room as the magistrate went to Lady Esther, taking her arm and pulling her to stand.
“I will be in touch soon, my Lord,” the magistrate said, nodding to Lord Herberton in parting.
“I am…so sorry.” The Countess clearly didn’t know what else to say as she looked between them all, before following the others out of the room.
The silence that followed didn’t last long. Faces turned to Rebecca, asking if she was well. She brushed off their concern, she was hardly injured, was she? She simply moved toward Lord Herberton, feeling her hands were still trembling.
“How is he, my Lord?” she asked, trying to keep her voice level, though from the compassionate expression on his face, she rather thought he could hear the tremble.
“I will ask, Lady Rebecca, but I fear we are too soon for news as of yet.” He walked to the doorway and hurried out, leaving Rebecca reeling and reaching for the hearth over the fireplace. Eliza stepped up behind her, placing a comforting hand to her arm.
“We must pray for him, sister.”
The words made Rebecca clamp her eyes shut, the fear and sadness overwhelming.
“What if praying is not enough?”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Timothy looked up to the physician another time.
“Well?” he asked, feeling solid on his feet as the valet brushed the jacket down on his shoulders.
The physician smiled, with the smile growing so wide, his face struggled to maintain it.
“I see no further symptoms.”
“Thank God for that!” Timothy clapped his hands together. The action was so loud that there was a snort in the corner of the room. He looked round, seeing in the early-morning sun that his uncle awoke suddenly, looking across the space. George had stayed all night with the physician, determined not to leave his nephew’s side.
“He’s up. Timothy, you’re up!” George scrambled to his feet, hurrying across the room and taking Timothy’s arms. “You’re still a little pale, but you’re well.”
“I am tired, that is all,” Timothy said, shaking his head in bemusement. George looked to the physician another time, as if waiting for confirmation too.
“He is fine, Lord Hiddlington,” the physician said warmly. “Tired, of course, and your stomach might suffer a little pain over the next day, but all is well.”
“Ha! Thank God for that.” George embraced Timothy. Timothy held on just as tightly, unable to let go of his uncle just yet. He closed his eyes, remembering what he had seen in his hallucinations. That vision that had been so like his father had not left his side, not until the hallucinations had stopped late into the night before.
“Thank you, Sir,” Timothy said, nodding his head to the physician as George released him.
