Page 28 of My Blind Duke
“Lady Prudence? Wake up. Open your eyes now,” he ordered, trying not to panic as he turned to his daughter and asked. “Was she bitten?”
Melanie sniffed and nodded, answering with a sob. “Y-Yes. Please help her papa.”
William immediately began to move, lifting Prudence into his arms properly as he called out, “Robert!”
The steward came running, with the butler not too far behind.
“Send for a physician, immediately,” he instructed Robert, addressing the butler after his steward rushed away. “Guide me to her rooms. Quickly.”
Jefferson nodded and gestured ahead of himself. “Right this way, Your Grace.”
William moved as fast as he could, following the bumbling shape of the butler’s blurry form ahead of him, listening when the man urged him to be aware of stares and turns. Soon they were in her chambers, and the butler pulled back the covers of the duchess’ bed so William could gently place her in it.
Then he turned to his daughter and asked, “Where was she bitten? Can you show me?”
Melanie nodded, taking her father by the hand and guiding him to rest his palm on Prudence’s left leg.
“Here, Papa.”
“And where exactly is the bite mark? Can you see it?”
She took his finger this time and rested it gently over a spot, gasping when Prudence moaned in pain.
“Sorry, I am so sorry! This is all my fault!” Melanie said and began to cry again.
William quickly pulled off his cravat and wrapped it around Prudence’s leg, just below her knee, tying it up tightly.
“Do not worry, Melanie,” he said in what he hoped was a comforting tone. “The physician is on his way. The duchess will be all right.”
Melanie shook her head.
“But we were in the garden because of me! And she got bitten trying to save me! It is all my fault!” she wailed.
William’s heart hurt at the sound of his daughter in so much pain and he reached out to console her, his hand going still in the air as Robert walked into the room with the physician.
“I heard Her Grace was bitten by a snake. I have the antidote. Can you show me where she was bitten?” the physician asked as soon as he was in the room.
“On her left leg,” Melanie and William chorused.
“Right,” the doctor said, raising the hem of Prudence’s dress. “Pardon me, Your Grace. Oh, I noticed someone has already administered some emergency health care.”
“My papa did it,” Melanie announced proudly as she clung to William.
“I see. Thank you, my lady,” the physician nodded, shifting his gaze to the duke. “Well done, Your Grace. You have helped slow the spread of the venom considerably.”
“Will she be all right?” William asked, worry seeping into his voice.
“She will be just fine,” the man said as he rummaged through his bag, pulling out a syringe and a vial.
He quickly drew some of the liquid within the vial into the syringe and injected it into her thigh.
“There. I have administered the antidote. She is going to be all right. All that is left to do is clean the bite gently and wrap it up. Could I get a basin of water and a clean cloth? So, I can do that immediately.”
“Of course,” William said and waved the butler to procure what was needed.
“It is a strange coincidence though,” the physician said lowly, still examining Prudence’s leg.
“What is?” William enquired, confused.
