Page 39 of A Wallflower's Wassail Punch
“Happy Christmas, my lord,” he said.“I was hoping you were Lady Annette.The weather took a sudden turn, and she hasn’t returned.”
“I’m going after her,” he bellowed, going straight to his horse’s stall.“Get my saddle.”
“Yes, sir.”The boy scurried to the tack room.
As he mounted, Joseph called, “Behind the stable, go to the right and follow the fence.Lord Beecham’s instructions anytime we’re caught in foul weather.”
“Tell the earl what’s happened.We need to find her quickly.”Andrew dug his heels into the gelding’s flanks, and they moved forward.The icy snow stung his face as they found the fence line.He could barely see past the horse’s head.Frustrated, he began yelling her name.
Andrew checked his watch.He’d been out only a quarter of an hour.His greatcoat and hair were covered in snow, his cheeks were numb, and his eyelashes were tiny icicles.While saddling the horse, Joseph had told him Nettie had run into the barn like she was being chased by the devil.He’d barely had the bridle on when she’d grabbed a bucket, used it as a stool, and mounted, riding the horse out of the stable.He cursed himself for leaving her alone, thinking he’d right things with the more volatile female first.
What was Nettie thinking?He’d forsake her because his daughter had thrown a tantrum?She’d have to get used to those.The fits weren’t frequent, but they happened.Or did she worry Phoebe would resent her?Nettie might not want to live with another female who showed daily animosity toward her.But that wasn’t the case.He had to make sure Nettie understood.
Ahead, he saw a dark shadow.As the distance closed between them, he saw Domino with Nettie bent low over her neck, trying to maintain some kind of shelter from the blinding snow.
He yelled her name.Finally, she looked up, relief washing over her face.Andrew thought he might cry.He’d been so frightened something had happened to her, or he wouldn’t find her.When he’d been so close to a happiness he hadn’t even realized he needed.As they came face to face, he guided Fortunate, so both horses were side by side.Then he reached over and pulled her onto his saddle.
“I’ve got you,” he said into her ear, barely able to hear his own words over the pounding of his heart.“I was scared to death I’d lost you before we’d had a chance to start.”
“I’m f-fine, just v-very, very c-cold.”Nettie leaned into him, sitting sideways in front of him, and buried her face in his chest.“M-my eye of the s-storm.”
* * *
Annette woke in her bed,night rail on, fire blazing.Her father and Alice sat beside her, Papa quietly snoring, but Alice’s dark eyes were fixed upon her.Beaming, she nudged the earl with her elbow.
“She’s awake, Henry.Praise the heavens, she’s awake.”
Papa woke with a start and a snort, wiggling in his chair.His gaze landed on his daughter, and he leapt from his chair.“’Pon my soul, she is!”He took Annette’s hand and kissed her fingers.“You gave us a scare, Nettie girl.How do you feel?”
Alice laid the back of her hand on Annette’s forehead.“The fever is gone.”She walked around the four-poster bed and sat on the other side.Leaning against the unused pillow, Alice took Annette’s free hand.“You were delirious for a while.”
“I—” Her throat scratched, and she began coughing.Her father held a glass to her lips.She sipped the cool water, then leaned back, drained.“I only remember setting out on Domino.”Her voice sounded like a rusty wheel.
“The physician said there should be no pneumonia if you recovered from the fever within the day, and it’s still Christmas.Henry, would you bring us another wet cloth?”
Papa took the cloth from the bedside table, dipped it in the bowl of water, then leaned over Annette to hand it to Alice.She placed it on Annette’s forehead.
Annette thought it silly, passing it back and forth, when she could have held it to her own head just as well.But it helped the ache in her temples, so she closed her eyes.“Tell me what happened.”
“You tell her, love,” said her father.“I’ll forget some important detail.”
“Of course,” agreed Alice.“Lord Weston said you must have been upset when Miss Weston caught you kissing.He went to calm her down, but when he returned, you had fled.”
“Fled?I went for a ride,” she croaked, her voice coming and going as she spoke.It seemed the more she spoke, the worse the ache.
“In a snowstorm?Really, Nettie.You have more sense than that.”
“Henry, now is not the time to reprimand your daughter.Wait until she’s out of bed!”Alice turned back to Annette.“Weston was terrified for you, of course, and went after you.He sent Joseph to tell us.If the boy were a dog, his tail would have been between his legs, knowing he should have followed you regardless ofyourinstructions.”
“Then there would have been two of us down with a chill.”
“It’s not an excuse.”Alice continued, “The men were saddled and getting ready to join the hunt when Weston returned with you on his saddle and leading Domino.Fortunately, the neighbors’ son, a physician, was visiting for Christmastide and came over.”
“How is Drew, er, Lord Weston?”she rasped.
“No going backward, my dear, only forward.He’s still Drew,” Alice scolded.“The man has been pacing up and down the hall, waiting for you to wake.He’s been frantic.”
Annette turned her head into the pillow, wishing to hide the building tears, but she was surrounded.Her throat swelled with the threat of a good cry.She couldn’t swallow without pain.“Doesn’t matter.His daughter…” She blinked back the tears.
