Page 66 of Calling on the Matchmaker
He cocked his head as though contemplating the situation.
“Besides, I can wrap up in a blanket so I’m not indecent.”
“You’ll have to promise to stay here in the apartment and not go out.”
“I promise.” She’d promise anything at this point, so long as Bellamy didn’t force her to leave. Not yet. Not until she could see for herself that Riley was better.
Bellamy hesitated. “If you’re sure?”
“I’m sure.”
He bowed his head. Were his lips twitching with a smile? It was hard to tell in the dimness of the hallway.
She stared at him as he strode away, trying to figure him out.
When he reached the door, he paused. “I’ll be back with the doctor in the morning.”
“What time?”
“Early.”
“I’ll be sure to be ready.”
“See that you are.” With that, he closed the door behind him.
For a moment, she stood unmoving, the icy water rolling down her legs into her stockings and shoes so that now she stood in a puddle.
Had she made the right choice in staying with Riley for the night? Even though he was suffering from cholera and nearly unconscious, it was inappropriate for a single woman like her to tend to him. Only nuns or married women assisted men who were sick.
What would her da and mam think if they discovered her indiscretion? Or the Mother Superior?
Finola pressed a hand to her heart to calm the sudden racing. They wouldn’t need to find out, would they? Besides, she wasn’t doing anything wrong. In fact, everyone ought to thank her for saving their hero, Saint Riley of the Kerry Patch.
But she was alone with him....
She took a hesitant step toward the exit. It wasn’t too late to run after Bellamy and tell him to take her home.
But this would be her last night with Riley.
She inhaled to steady her conflicting emotions. He was sick. Nothing would happen. She needed to take the opportunity as the gift it was—the chance to spend a final few hours with him before they went their separate ways forever.
With her mind made up, she began extricating herself from her wet garments. Getting out of the tight gown was more difficult than she’d expected. She wriggled and squirmed until the layers pooled around her feet, soaking in the rest of the water on the hallway floor. Her chemise and underdrawers were wet too, but she didn’t dare take them off.
As she rubbed her hands over her bare arms, her mind traveled back to the day Riley had caught her changing in the livery stable in the same state of undress.
She glanced to the bedroom, half-expecting him to be out of bed, leaning against the doorframe, and watching her with a smolder in his blue eyes.
A delicious tremor shimmered across her skin.
“Finola Shanahan.” She gave herself a mental shake. “You’re done with Riley Rafferty and need to put such thoughts far from your mind.”
With a huff, she gathered up her gown and took it to the room that served as a kitchen. The cast-iron stove was still warm, the coals inside glowing. But it would need to be much hotter if she had any hope of drying the clothing by the time Bellamy returned in the morning with the doctor.
She opened the coal bin beside the stove to find only a shovelful of the black lumps inside. She’d have to make do with what was left for now and search around later for more. After adding the rest of the coals to the stove and draping her gown over one of the chairs close by, she started her search for a blanket.
Now that she was wet and unclothed, she was growing all too aware that the upstairs apartments were drafty and cold, especially because the rooms all relied upon the one stove in the kitchen-like room for heat.
Shivering and rubbing her arms for warmth, she rummaged around Riley’s room for another blanket. But other than a chest of drawers with his work clothing and a wardrobe containing fancier garments, he had very few possessions, and the only blankets were those covering him.
