“How do you know it was that particular herb?”
“The sample that Lady Annette brought on board has been damaged…tampered with. We must believe that it was that particular herb.”
“Will that help find a cure for this sickness?”
“I must assume so. Lady Annette and the Americans are working on it now.”
“The Americans? They are helping her?” The captain sounded surprised.
William narrowed his eyes. “Should they not be? They are not dangerous fellows, are they? They seem harmless to me, though I had suspicions in the beginning.”
“No, my lord.” John shook his head. “I don’t believe they mean any harm to anyone. Except maybe each other.” William gave him a curious look. Captain John shrugged. “They get along like brothers who don’t get along.”
William chuckled, nodding. “Good.” He turned his eyes back to Belle. “I was going to seek you out and give you this information, but I came in to check on the princess first. I must say I never cease to hope that she will shake off the effects of the herbal concoction she was given on her own, without the help of a remedy.”
“I am certain Lady Annette will come up with something.”
“It seems to have taken quite some time to find what was used to begin with.”
Both John and William’s eyes were directed at Belle as they spoke. “I would not worry, Lord William. If I know anything of Lady Burkinshire, I know that she has quite the intelligent mind and a knack for finding out of the ordinary solutions to problems.”
“Yes, she seems to be quite a woman. The Lord Burkinshire is a lucky man.”
“That he is.”
The door opened once more and the very woman they were speaking about looked in. William stood up straight, staring at her. Her face was excited, her eyes wide open. Annette opened the door more. “I think I have found it, Lord William! I believe I know what we can use to revive Belle and Patrick.”
William was by her side almost instantly. “Tell me. What have you found?”
“There is an herb in my stock called astragalus. When it is combined with ginseng, it gives the body needed energy, waking up people who are sleepy.”
“Even to the extent that our patients are suffering?”
Lady Annette shook her head. “I don’t know. However, one of my books does mention it as a remedy for bringing back those who cannot seem to stay awake.”
“No witchcraft involved?” the captain asked. When Lady Annette and William looked at him, he lifted one side of his lips in a half-grin. The two recognized the humor and Lady Annette shook her head.
“Of course not, Captain. I would tell you if so. I personally don’t indulge in the art of witchcraft, I might add.”
“What is your plan to getting a remedy together?” William asked.
Lady Annette held up a small bottle half-filled with liquid. “I already have.”
William’s eyes opened wide. “How did you put it together so quickly?”
She gestured with her head at the men behind her. The Americans were standing there, Philip looking proud and Mark looking sheepish.
“Anything we can do to help, Sir William,” Philip said.
Mark nodded anxiously. “Yes, anything we can do to help.”
William was amused when Philip nudged Mark with his elbow. “I just said that,” he hissed.
“Ow. Cut it out, Philip,” Mark retorted.
William shook his head, smiling. The captain was right. Brothers, but not brothers. “How do we give it to her?”
“We must make some tea. It should not be given directly from the bottle. I fear it will not settle well with her stomach. Valerian is known to cause stomach problems. I don’t want to aggravate that.”
“Yes, I would rather she not wake up in pain.” William nodded. “Bring several more lanterns in here. Mr. Wilder, if you would, please get any lanterns you may have in your cabin and bring one from the room out there. Lady Annette, do you have more than this one?”
She held up the one in her hand. “I left the other one in my cabin.”
“Have you attempted to use the remedy on your husband?”
The Lady shook her head. “This bottle is for the princess. I have another for Patrick.”
“Will you be administering it with tea as well?”
“Yes, that is what I would like to do.”
“Mr. Harrington, if you would go to the galley and get what is needed to make the tea, it would be most appreciated.”
“I’ll do that, Sir William.” Mark disappeared from view.
“We should have as much light in here as we can. Now that the sun has set, lanterns and candles are our only option.”
“I have no candles on board this ship, Sir William.”
William looked at the captain. “None?”
John shook his head. “Not one. Several of my men consider them to be bad luck. I don’t keep them on board for that reason.”
“I understand. But you have lanterns.”
“I have quite a few lanterns, yes.”
“I think five will do, in addition to this one.” William took the lanterns from Philip when he came back into the room a few moments later. “Thank you, Mr. Wilder. Go check with your friend and see how much progress he has made, if you would.”
“Yes, Sir William.” Philip went back out the door, but returned just a moment later. “I see him coming back with a pot of liquid, sir. He’s also carrying a lantern.”
“The more light we have, the better.”
“Lord William, do you want to try the remedy on Lord Burkinshire first? Or Belle? Or perhaps we should administer them at the same time?” the captain inquired with raised eyebrows.
William looked down at Lady Annette. Surely she would not want her husband to be subject to an experiment. “How comfortable are you with the remedy you have created, my lady?”
Lady Annette pressed her lips together. “I feel it would be prudent to give it to Patrick first. I am not sure how conclusive that would be, because he is a man and women may react differently, especially Belle, who is so small and petite. He is a strong man.”
“We will go with you.”
Mark came around the corner of the door. He was holding a pot by the handle. “I have some tea here, Sir William. What do you want me to do with it?”
“We need two cups. Set it down here on this table. John, are there cups nearby?”
“Yes, in the room out there. Philip, why don’t you fetch two of them for us?”
Philip left the room without a word and returned a few moments later, a cup in each hand.
William carefully poured tea from the pot into each cup. “How much should I put in the cup, Lady Annette?”
“Fill them both up almost to the top. Leave enough for this much liquid.” She held up the small bottle.
“Yes, my lady.” He did as she said and took the bottle from her.
“Let’s go to your cabin and see how this works for your husband.”
The group followed William and Lady Annette out the door of Belle’s cabin and into the one shared by the Lord and Lady Burkinshire.
20
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“We should probably not be making such a display in public. I am a princess after all. And you are the Lord of a county in England. I do not wish to tarnish your reputation.”
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CHAPTER TWENTY
WORDS OF LOVE
It was crowded as everyone followed Lady Annette and William into the Burkinshire’s cabin. The lord was lying slightly to the side, his head tilted to the left. His breathing was as steady as Belle’s. William stood back with the others while Lady Annette took the warm tea to her husband. She spoke gently to him, turning him so that he was lying flat on his back. She tilted his head forward and put the cup to his lips.
“Will he drink that when he’s asleep?” Mark whispered, caught in the tension of the moment.
&
nbsp; William looked down at him. “I believe he will. He’s asleep, but his body should react to the familiar movement.”
“Does he need to drink it all, Lady Annette?” the captain asked in a low, tense voice.
“I want him to drink as much as he can.”
“Will it work immediately?” Philip leaned in past Mark to see what she was doing, holding a lantern well above the shorter man’s head.
Lady Annette glanced back at the men, shaking her head. “I’ve never used it before. I do not know whether it will be quick or even if it will work at all.” She looked back down at her husband, tipping the drink to his lips, slowly dribbling the tea into his mouth. Some of it trickled out of the sleeping man’s mouth. Lady Annette lowered his head and picked up a small handkerchief from the table next to the berth. She dabbed at the spilled drink.
William found himself feeling anxious for her to finish. He wanted to give Belle her dose of herbal tea. He wasn’t sure that he would be able to wait for results from Patrick. He wanted her awake as soon as possible. It had been several days since she had been without food. Her small form wouldn’t last much longer without sustenance.
He clenched his jaw and balled up his fists, forcing himself to be patient until she had finished giving him the tea mixture. They all stared at the man, waiting tensely.
Lady Annette took her lantern from where she had set in on the table next to her and held it over his face, lighting it up so the group behind her could see as well. “Patrick,” she murmured. William could hear the longing in her voice. “Come back to me, husband. Wake up.”
Just a few moments later, the man stirred. Lady Annette leaned closer to him. “Patrick? Pat? Are you there, my husband? Are you there? Wake up. Wake up.” She touched his chin and his cheek with her soft fingers. “Husband, wake up. Wake up.”
The moment the man’s eyelids lifted and he focused on his wife, William pushed his way through the Americans, the captain and the ship’s doctor. They knew where he was going and followed him back to Belle’s cabin, where they stood at the door, holding up the lanterns so that he could see.
He picked up the cup from the table by the door as he went into the room and moved directly to Belle’s bed. Using the same method and movements that he’d seen Lady Annette use, he lifted Belle’s head slightly, tilting it forward. He placed the warm cup next to her lips and she instinctively drank from it.
“Wake up, princess,” he whispered. “Please wake up.”
She had been asleep longer than the scientist. Her frame was much smaller and weakened by the day without food. His heart pounded as he gave her the drink, his breath coming and going rapidly. He feared the entire cup would be too much. On the other hand, what if it wasn’t enough? He continued pouring it into her mouth a little at a time.
“Belle.” He leaned close to her face, pulling the cup away from her lips. “Wake up.”
They waited in nervous silence. Every muscle in William’s body was tense as he stared at her face. He closed the gap between them, placing a soft kiss on her cheek. “Belle. Princess. Please. Please wake up.”
It was taking longer than it had with the scientist. He didn’t understand. She was smaller. She was weaker. Surely it would not have an adverse effect on her. His fear heightened. “Belle. Belle.”
“Yes?” With her eyes still closed, the princess answered him.
Chills covered William’s body. His eyes opened wide. He sensed the group behind him surging toward them. He held up one hand so that they would not come too close.
Belle’s eyelids fluttered and finally opened to thin slits. She turned her head toward him. “Lord Montgomery? Are you all right?”
William started to laugh. The men behind him also laughed. Philip grabbed Mark by the head and pulled him into a hug while slapping the captain on the shoulder.
Belle smiled weakly. “Have I said something to amuse you all?” Her eyes opened wider and she took in the group of men in her room. “Why are you all in my room? What has happened?”
“You’ve been asleep, princess,” William answered her, running one hand over her cheek and touching her chin lightly. “You’ve been asleep for some time now.”
“I…I have?”
William wanted to kiss her more than he ever had before, but he feared it would shock her into a heart attack. She was too weak for that. “Yes. You certainly have. I have so much to tell you, Belle. So much.”
“Is that so?” Belle tried to sit up, but found that she was unable. “I am so weak,” she whispered.
“It is to be expected.” William nodded, patting her on the shoulder. “Remain where you are. Your strength will return with time.”
“And with food,” the princess said. “I believe I need to eat something. I have never been so hungry!”
The men couldn’t help laughing again.
“I’ll fetch something from the galley, my lord, if you want me, too.” Mark smiled at William, who returned his smile.
“That is a wonderful idea, thank you, Mr. Harrington.”
“I’ll go with you.” Philip and Mark hurried from the cabin, talking excitedly to each other about their adventurous role in recent events.
William stepped onto the ramp, turning back to offer his hand to the princess. She took it and gingerly followed him onto the wooden platform. “Careful, my princess.”
She smiled up at him. “You have grown quite fond of me in my absence, my lord.”
“Please,” William smiled as he slowly led her down to the dock. “You must call me William or I will simply have a fit.”
Belle laughed. William delighted in the tinkling sound, his heart melting in his chest. Once they were safely on the dock, he put her hand around the crook of his arm and held on to her. He stopped when he saw her looking over her shoulder at the boat, her face sad. He turned his head to see Max and Naomi being led down the ramp, their hands tied in front of them, by four large men dressed in American military uniforms. Naomi was sobbing as if her heart was broken. William frowned. He hoped it wasn’t making Belle feel bad. The woman had tried to kill the princess and deserved no sympathy.
Halfway down the ramp, Max surged into the two men in front of him, trying to pivot himself off the ramp and into the water below. In an amazing show of strength, the two men behind him reached out and grasped him by the back of his shirt and trousers, wrenching him back up onto the ramp and practically throwing him down to the dock platform. They were yelling loudly, their words profane, calling him what William could only assume were American insults. They were not words he had heard before.
He gently tugged on Belle’s arm. “Do not feel sorry for them, princess. They are not worth your pity nor your compassion.”
She nodded, turning away from the scene. “I have spent the last several years with those two, William. I do not understand their behavior. If it had not been for the Americans, I may not have recovered.” She looked up at him. When their eyes connected, he felt his heart do a flip. “And you, my precious Lord William. How would I have survived without you coming to my rescue?”
“It was a group effort, your highness, I promise you.”
“I’m sure it was. Speaking of group, where is everyone else?”
“They have already departed.”
“Does that mean I will not see them again?”
“It means you will see them when we get to the pub up there. See? They are in there waiting for us. We plan to have a nice American meal and something strong to drink.”
“It may have been years since the last time I had anything strong to drink. I would not know what to ask for. Especially not here.”
“You have not been to America before?”
“Not for some time.”
“I plan to show you all I can while you are here. Then I would like you to accompany me to my home in Fairfield, in the county of Fairbanks in England. Will you have time before you go back to your homeland?”
She squeezed his arm and gazed at him affectionat
ely. “I will make the time for you, William.”
Her soft voice penetrated his soul. He stopped and turned to her, grasping both her arms with his large hands. “Belle, I am enthralled with you, did you know that?”
She smiled. “I had a feeling.”
“Will you allow me to kiss you?”
She pressed her lips together, her cheeks flushing a pretty pink color. “I would like that,” she whispered.
He moved slowly, nervously, feeling as though his entire life and future was at stake in that one kiss. When his lips touched hers, he felt heat move through his soul. Her lips were soft and tender. He didn’t want to ever break the kiss.
She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him closer. While she had been sleeping, she’d dreamed of the man now kissing her. When she awoke, she had had the impression she had been with him the entire time. Now, to have him so close to her she could feel his heartbeat against her and hear it when she rested her ear against his chest, it was almost like her dream had come true. She had never felt such an intense love for a man before in her short life. She wanted to stay by his side for the rest of her life.
“William,” she whispered when he finally pulled away. “How is it that I can feel so close to you when we have known each other such a short time?”
“My princess, we are old souls who have known each other for a long time, over many centuries, and have only now found each other once again.”
“How do you know this?”
He shook his head, wrapping his arms around her waist and holding her close to him. “Can there be any other explanation?”
“We should probably not be making such a display in public. I am a princess after all. And you are the Lord of a county in England. I do not wish to tarnish your reputation.”
“Nor I yours, sweet Belle. At this moment in time, however, I am not sure I am willing to let you go. I am filled with regret for what happened to you on the ship.”
“You have nothing to regret!” Belle pulled away from him and gave him a surprised look. “You have done nothing wrong.”
Regency Romance: The Marquess’ Curse (The Fairbanks Series - Love & Hearts) (CLEAN Historical Regency Romance) Page 13
