Page 22 of A Marquess' Season of Secrets
“You’re awake,” Nash said unnecessarily.
“What is this woman doing in our house?” his sister demanded.
“What? No welcome for me? I was gone for nearly two weeks.”
“And brought back a stranger. Who is she?”
Nash explained how he had found the woman on the side of the road and rescued her. By the time he was done, his sister’s face had changed to a mottled red.
“Get her out of this house, Nash! Who knows what disease this commoner is carrying?”
“The physician examined her and declared her well, Ellie. There is nothing to worry about.”
“Have you taken leave of your senses?” the woman screeched. “You have put a commoner into one of our beds, Nash. Not even our parents would have done that.”
“She needed our help, Ellie. I couldn’t leave her on the side of the road like some discarded animal.”
His sister closed her eyes and shook her head. “All this trouble for a commoner.”
“Ellie! Where is your compassion? Is a commoner any less human?”
“Oh, it’s impossible explaining the way of the world to you. Just get her out as soon as she wakes up.”
Ellie left the room muttering under her breath. Nash caught the words “foolish brother” and “dirty commoner” but not much else. Had he been so wrong to help the woman? His heart told him no. He looked once more at the sleeping woman and left the room.
Nash made sure to look in on the woman every hour despite the servants protesting that they would attend to her. They didn’t understand his need to see the woman wake up to assure himself she was well. It was odd because he knew nothing about the woman, but he didn’t want to be away from her for too long.
He entered the room mid-afternoon and relieved Kitty. “You may go back to your duties, Kitty. I’ll sit with her awhile.”
“Thank you, Your Grace.”
Nash took the maid’s seat, crossing his legs and arms as he kept watch. He had other things to do, and it was foolish of him to be here when he had so many servants in his employ, but that didn’t seem to matter. What had gotten into him? What was it about this woman that kept him coming back?
Nash was still deep in his thoughts when his eye caught the woman’s finger twitch. Had he just imagined that? No, because her whole hand was now moving. Pulling his chair closer, he observed her face for any movement. The woman’s eyes fluttered, causing little thrills of excitement within him.
“Miss?” he called. “Can you hear me?”
Nash watched on with bated breath as the woman slowly opened her eyes, revealing the prettiest amber colour he had ever seen. She was awake! The woman frowned at him and then around the room.
“Where am I?” she croaked and coughed.
“In a safe place,” he said, pouring her a glass of water. “May I help you drink it?”
The woman nodded, and Nash helped her lift her head slightly to take a few needed sips. He laid her back down when she turned her face away from the cup.
“Thank you,” she told him, her voice sounding a little clearer.
“No thanks necessary. How do you feel?”
“Terrible. Did something happen to me? My head hurts terribly.”
“Do you not recall anything of what happened to you?”
She shook her head. “No. Do I know you?”
“No, but I found you on the side of the road and rescued you. I brought you to my house— I hope you do not mind?”
“You said that you rescued me,” she said, frowning. “Why would I mind? That would be ungrateful of me.”
