“Of course.” She went away and came back with a cup. She held Rose up with her arm.
Rose drank two gulps and lay back. Her head was spinning and she wondered if the water was about to come back up.
“Are you feeling better?”
“A little.” She tried to stay awake, but already her hold on reality was slipping away.
“Rose?”
She tried to respond, but her mouth wouldn’t obey her. Her heavy eyelids closed and she saw and heard no more.
How much time had passed while she slept? She looked around the room. Frau Geruscha was putting another log on the fire. Rose sighed, feeling a bit less feverish, hoping the worst of her sickness was gone. She studied the sunlight coming through the window. What time of day was it?
“Rose?” Frau Geruscha turned. “You’re awake, child.” She hurried to her with a cup of water. “Drink.”
Rose propped herself up on her elbow and drank the water. She lay back down, feeling exhausted merely from that slight exertion. Again she tried to remember something about how she had gotten back to Frau Geruscha’s chambers. She had a faint memory of being on a horse.
“Rose? How do you feel?” Frau Geruscha laid her hand on her forehead. “Oh, thank God! The Lord of heaven be praised, you feel much cooler.”
“I think I’m better. I feel better.” Rose closed her eyes, wanting to pursue the memory of what had happened to her the first day of her sickness. Slipping back to the darkness and pain of that evening, she smelled a familiar, masculine scent with a hint of leather—Lord Hamlin.
She was on the floor of her father’s old cottage. Lord Hamlin held a cup of water to her lips. She felt his arms around her, lifting her up, holding her against his chest. His velvet doublet was soft against her cheek, and his voice was soothing and low. “I’m here. I’m taking you home.” He held her on his horse all the way here, then carried her in and laid her on the bed.
Her heart began to beat faster, compounding her lightheadedness. Had that truly happened? Or was it a product of her sickness, along with the other hazy, delirious thoughts she’d been having?
“Frau Geruscha, how did I get back here?”
Frau Geruscha simply smiled.
“Did Lord Hamlin bring me back?”
“I told him you were missing. You were gone all day. He went looking for you and brought you home.” Frau Geruscha averted her eyes.
Rose suddenly remembered something that made her cheeks burn. She swallowed. “I didn’t—I mean, did I…say something embarrassing to Lord Hamlin?”
“Embarrassing?”
Rose couldn’t bring herself to repeat the words. “Did I say anything after he brought me in?”
“Oh, well, you may have said something. You were sick, out of your head.” Frau Geruscha smiled and turned away again, as though trying to hide her amusement.
Rose closed her eyes in mortification. What must he think of me?
Frau Geruscha kept her back to Rose, tending the fire.
Even through the horror of her realization, Rose was baffled that Frau Geruscha had smiled. Would she smile about Rose saying she loved Lord Rupert? No, she would scowl and scold. It was probably because Frau Geruscha believed Lord Hamlin incapable of improper behavior toward her. Wouldn’t she be shocked if she had seen the way Lord Hamlin had kissed her hand the night he brought her through the tunnel.
Oh, how could I have said I loved him? I’m forever humiliating myself. She covered her face with her hands.
“Now don’t be upsetting yourself. You need to rest and get well. I’ll be back.” Frau Geruscha took down her cloak from a hook beside the door.
“Where are you going?”
“I want to let Lord Hamlin know you’re better. He was anxious for you.”
A rush of cold air blew in before she closed the door behind her.
He was anxious for her. Exhausted, Rose closed her eyes and tried to steady her breathing. But she couldn’t help wondering what the repercussions would be to her stupidly declaring her love for a betrothed man.
Someone knocked at the door. After two days of improvement, Frau Geruscha had just sent word to Lord Hamlin that he could come and visit. But Rose hadn’t expected him to come so…immediately.
Frau Geruscha hurried to open the door, and Lord Hamlin stepped in.
How could she look him in the eye after what she had said? Rose blushed and glanced down at the blanket covering her.
She couldn’t help but take a peek. He was so handsome, with his unruly black hair curling against his neck and over his forehead. The memory of him holding her in his arms a few days ago had become more vivid as the sickness continued to subside. She could still feel his rock-hard arms, his broad chest, remember him comforting and assuring her that he would take care of her. Her heart skipped around like a scared rabbit.
O God, please let me not act like a lovesick fool.