Page 36 of Adoringly, Edward
A sinking pit in her stomach grew increasingly larger at the reminder.
“He doesn’t know.”
She shook her head. “I’m too scared he will abandon us.”
Barnaby patted her hand, offering her solace when the darkness of confusion and heartache swirled around her. “He cannot help you if he doesn’t know. He will not abandon you. I promise you this.”
When she likely didn’t appear convinced, he patted her hand again and gave her fingers a reassuring squeeze. “Iwill help you, Vivienne. That is the first step. And the next will be Edward.”
“Thank you,” she sobbed, her hand flying to her mouth. Suddenly, she didn’t feel quite so alone. Her mother had told her to tell no one, to trust no one. But she felt safe telling Edward’s friend of her situation. He wouldn’t abandon her. And she must believe Edward wouldn’t, either.
“Now…” he said as he handed her a handkerchief from his pocket to dab her eyes. “Here’s what we will do.”
“WAKE UP.”
Edward slowly pulled himself out of the daze of sleep as someone shook his shoulder. His groggy mind tried to make sense of his spinning surroundings and the voice flitting barely out of reach. For the life of him, he couldn’t lift his head from his pillow, and no amount of distraction could erase the aches and pains traveling through every corner of his body.
“It’s time to go,” the person said again, and finally, Edward’s unfocused gaze landed on a familiar head of blond hair, a pair of blue eyes staring down at him.
“Barnaby,” he croaked. “What hour is it?”
“Mid-morning,” he answered before crossing the length of his room and throwing open his clothing chest. One at a time, he pulled articles of clothing from within and tossed them onto the foot of the bed. “You can’t live like this. I don’t care how exhausted you are. You have to get out of bed.”
“I can’t.”
He squeezed his eyes shut to block out the ceiling spinning above him.
But then Barnaby threw a coat over his head.
As much as he wanted to brush it aside, his arms refused to move.
His friend’s head appeared moments later as he pulled the garment down. “You must really be tired.”
All he managed was a long exhale.
Cedric approached the bed, and on the count of three, they hefted Edward into a sitting position, dressed him despite his mumbled protests, and hoisted him to his feet. A sudden agony smashed into his skull and worked its way into his chest. Dying had never felt so awful.
When his voice refused to work, he held out a shaky hand, and Cedric placed an unstopped medicine vial within his fingers. Some of the liquid slopped onto the front of his coat, but he managed to get it mostly down his throat, cringing at the bitter taste.
The medicine helped with the pain while also making him sleepy. He wanted to disappear as far into the recesses of his mind as his body would allow, if only to escape a fraction of the agony.
With a friend on either side of him, they helped him descend the staircase one step at a time, each movement painful and tiring.
And when they entered the foyer of the estate…
Both Clara and Maxwell watched him with pinched expressions, their distress a mirror of the other. And little James… The boy watched him with tear-filled eyes. If only Edward could give him some reassurance that he wasn’t going anywhere.
“He should not be leaving home,” Clara protested. “Look at him! He can hardly stand on his own.”
“Oh, Clara,” Barnaby tsked, and Edward immediately caught onto the layers of charm he smoothed out of his mouth. “You have been doing such a wonderful job looking after him. You need a break. I’ll return him safe and sound after our outing.”
“And where, exactly, are you going?” Maxwell asked, arms crossed over his chest.
“To my home. His friends need to spend at least one last day with him before the snow falls in earnest.”
Still, Maxwell continued to frown, his worried gaze sweeping over him. “Have him back before dusk. Cedric goes with him.”
After agreeing to his uncle’s terms, they helped him outside. A chilly wind rushed over him, far too unpleasant when his throat cried out in protest. But he pushed through the cold and allowed the others to help him into Barnaby’s waiting carriage.
