Page 48 of Trapped with a Wicked Duke
"Doctor?" Thomas croaked; his voice weak.
Dr. Carson looked up and smiled. "Ah, Your Grace, I am glad to see you're awake."
"What happened?" Thomas asked, trying to remember. "Why am I here?"
Dr. Carson leaned forward in his chair. "You were poisoned, Your Grace. Lady Rose was quick to act and was able to prepare an antidote in time. You were brought here to recover."
Thomas's mind was spinning. Poisoned? He couldn't remember anything after his conversation with Poppy in the sitting room. He rubbed his forehead, trying to make sense of everything.
"Poisoned? By whom?"
Mr. James stepped into his line of sight. He cleared his throat. "Miss Jameson, Your Grace. The authorities have been alerted."
Thomas struggled to sit up, but the pain in his head made him wince. "Poppy? Why would she do such a thing?" he asked, disbelief in his voice.
"It seems that she was desperate to secure your hand in marriage," Dr. Carson said. "The antidote was a close call, but Lady Rose acted quickly and saved your life."
Thomas shook his head, still trying to process the information. "I never would have married her. I had no interest in her."
Mr. James nodded. "Indeed, Your Grace. That is why it is important that we find the source of the poison and bring Miss Jameson to justice."
"Lady Rose saved me?" Thomas asked, still in disbelief.
"Indeed, she did," Dr. Carson said. "She is quite the young woman. I must say, I am impressed. She has been wearing a hole in the floor the past hour pacing up and down waiting for you to come to your senes."
Thomas closed his eyes, feeling overwhelmed by a mix of gratitude and confusion. He was grateful to Rose for saving his life, but why had she been there, in London? He had sent her away, let her go wherever she wanted, yet she was still here, still taking care of him. He couldn't make sense of it all.
As he lay there, he realized the weight of what had happened. He had almost died, and he had never told Rose how he truly felt about her. He had always thought there was more time, but now he knew that life was too short to waste. He made a silent vow to himself to tell Rose how he felt, and to never let an opportunity pass him by again.
Even if she decided to leave him forever afterward.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Rose was a bundle of nerves as she paced outside of Thomas's bedchamber. The Dowager Duchess had taken to her bed, unable to handle the stress of the situation. Rose couldn't blame her. The thought of Thomas being poisoned was frightening. She rubbed her hands together, trying to ease the tension that had taken hold of her. All she could do now was wait for Dr. Carson to come out and give her an update on Thomas's condition.
She stopped her pacing and leaned against the wall, closing her eyes. She couldn't believe the events of the past few hours. They had caught Poppy red-handed trying to poison Thomas. Rose had been able to act quickly, using her knowledge of plants to create an antidote. The thought of Thomas not making it through the night still sent shivers down her spine.
Poppy and her father were on the run, but Rose knew they wouldn't get very far. What kind of woman would try to poison someone like that? Rose shook her head in disbelief. She had been so focused on Thomas and his reforms, she neversuspected that Poppy would go to such lengths to get what she wanted. But now, all that mattered was Thomas. He had become so much more to her than just the duke she was trying to help. She loved him, and the thought of him dying before she could tell him was unbearable. She didn't know how he felt about her, but she hoped that he felt the same way.
She opened her eyes and looked down the hallway, willing Dr. Carson to appear. She couldn't shake the feeling that she had failed Thomas. He had sent her away, but she had returned to find him in a dire situation. If only she had come back sooner.
A soft rustling caught her attention, and she looked up to see Dr. Carson emerging from Thomas's bedchamber. "Dr. Carson, how is he?" she asked, hurrying over to him.
The doctor gave her a tired smile. "Lady Rose, His Grace is going to be just fine. The antidote you created worked wonders. He is resting now, and I expect a full recovery."
Rose let out a sigh of relief and her body sagged. She was so grateful for the good news. "Thank you, Dr. Carson."
"I must warn you, he is still quite weak. He will need plenty of rest," Dr. Carson warned before making his way down the hallway.
Rose nodded, grateful for the doctor's help. "Thank you, Dr. Carson. I will make sure His Grace gets plenty of rest."
"Good," Dr. Carson said. "I will be back tomorrow to check on him. In the meantime, if there are any changes or concerns, do not hesitate to send for me."
Rose waited until the doctor was out of sight and no servants lurked in the hallway before she quietly opened Thomas's door and slipped inside. She approached the bed, taking in the sight of Thomas's still form. He looked so peaceful, his chest rising and falling with each slow breath.
She took a seat in the chair by the bed, her hand reaching out to brush a strand of hair from his forehead. The doctor had stitched the small cut on his head. They surmised that his head had struck the edge of the table as he had collapsed to the floor. It would leave a small scar, but that was a small price to pay. She had never felt so grateful to see someone alive. She would stay by his side until he recovered fully.
Suddenly, Thomas's eyes fluttered open, and he looked directly at her. Rose's heart skipped a beat as their eyes met. "Rose," he breathed, his voice weak. "You're here."
