by S. G. Rogers
With deft precision, Mr. Worth tied off the baby’s umbilical cord, cut it, and handed the towel-wrapped baby to Lara. Miles inhaled sharply. “Mrs. Coogan’s bleeding!”
The surgeon’s expression became sober. “I need your help, lad. If we can’t stop the bleeding, she’ll die.”
Mrs. Coogan had still not regained consciousness, and to Lara’s horror, bright red blood was staining the sheets. Miles and Mr. Worth worked to stanch the flow, but their efforts seemed to be for naught. Helpless to do anything for the woman except pray, Lara backed off into a corner with the infant in her arms. To her relief, his skin color was improving and had more pink to it now. She was amazed at how very small and wrinkled he was, and so terribly vulnerable.
“I’m afraid we’re losing her,” Mr. Worth murmured to Miles. “Press down here as hard as you can.”
A chill ran down Lara’s spine at the surgeon’s words. She moved out into the front room, where the two girls were fast asleep. Mr. Robinson, who was waiting next to the fireplace, looked up as she tiptoed over. A relieved smile crept onto his lips when he saw the bundle in her arms, but Lara gave him a sober look.
“Please fetch Elsie. And ask the staff if they know anyone who has recently given birth. We’re going to need a wet nurse.”
Chapter Five
Cordially Yours
LARA AND MILES TOOK TURNS holding the baby while the other one replenished the oil in the lanterns, cleared away blood-soaked rags from Mrs. Coogan’s bedroom, and brought in fresh ones. After Miles carried the two sleeping girls into the tiny second bedroom, Lara removed their shoes and tucked them into bed. When they were settled, Miles handed the baby off Lara once more so he could assist Mr. Worth.
As the minutes passed, however, it was becoming increasingly more difficult for Lara to soothe the baby. The snow had stopped falling and it was after midnight when the carriage returned. Almost before the horses came to a halt, Elsie burst from the carriage and rushed into the house. Her face was taut with fear. “Is Mama all right?”
“Go see her, Elsie,” Lara said.
A few moments after the young woman disappeared into the bedroom, Lara was surprised to see Mr. Robinson escort Angelica through the front door. As Angelica shrugged off her coat and hat, her unbound hair tumbled over her shoulder. Papa must have woken her to accompany him. Lara brought her sister the fretful baby.
“He’s crying, and I don’t know what to do.”
Angelica took the bundle and cradled him. “Poor little thing is hungry, and he needs a fresh diaper. Is there a place we can be alone so I can feed him?”
Lara gasped. “You’d do that?”
“I’m not heartless, Lara. I feel certain Mrs. Coogan would do the same for me if the situation were reversed.”
Miles appeared. Exhaustion showed in his eyes, and he almost staggered when he moved into the front room. His dress shirt was bloodstained, and red smears were visible on his hands and forearms. He crossed into the kitchen to wash his hands in the basin.
“Is she—?” Lara could not finish her sentence.
“Mr. Worth stopped the bleeding, but Mrs. Coogan’s pulse is very weak.” He dried his hands on a dishrag and leaned against the counter. “I don’t know if she’ll live until morning.”
Lara showed Angelica into the children’s bedroom where she could nurse the baby in private. Miles sank into a straight-backed chair at the table and stared at a knothole in the wood. Mr. Robinson sat across from him, produced a slender metal flask from his inner coat pocket, and slid it in his direction.
“Have some brandy, lad. You look as if you need it.”
With a nod of gratitude, Miles took a long swallow…and then he took a second one. With a shudder, he gritted his teeth as the brandy warmed his stomach and sent burning tendrils through his limbs. “Thanks.” He returned the flask to Mr. Robinson.
Elsie emerged from Mrs. Coogan’s bedroom and crossed into the kitchen.
“Any news?” Miles asked.
“Mum’s awake. She’s asked to see the baby and for something to drink. Mr. Worth says that’s a good sign.” Elsie poured a glass of water from a pitcher. “I understand you delivered the baby, Mr. Greystoke. We’re ever so grateful to you.”
She left with the water, and Miles realized Mr. Robinson was gaping at him.
“Great Scott, man. You delivered the child?”
Miles gave him a crooked smile. “I had little choice.”
Mr. Robinson shoved the flask into his hand. “Have the rest of that brandy. You deserve it.”
The last few sips of brandy went down more smoothly, but Miles began to feel the accumulated effects of the evening. He put his head down on his folded arms to rest his eyes for a little while. The sound of voices woke him from a deep sleep, and Mr. Robinson was patting him on the back. “It’s time to go home, lad.”
He sat up in a panic and wiped the drool from his mouth. “Mrs. Coogan—?”
“She’s doing fine so far, but Mr. Coogan just arrived. He caught a ride from Barnsley with a local farmer. Mr. Worth will stay at Mrs. Coogan’s bedside until morning.”
“And the baby?”
“He’s coming home with us for now.”
Upon waking late Christmas morning, Lara dressed herself and headed into the nursery to make sure the Coogan baby was all right. Angelica was sitting in a rocking chair near the window, nursing the little infant. A sigh of relief escaped Lara’s lips.
“Oh, thank Heaven he’s still alive. Merry Christmas, Angelica.”
“Merry Christmas, Lara.” Angelica glanced at the nearby crib, where Billy was napping. “One never stops worrying about babies. William and I still check Billy’s breathing while he’s asleep.”
Lara sank into a chair.
“Mr. Greystoke was magnificent last night. I wish you could have seen it. Mr. Worth assumed the baby was stillborn at first, but Mr. Greystoke wouldn’t give up trying to get him to breathe. Then he worked with Mr. Worth to save Mrs. Coogan.” She paused. “Is there any word on her condition?”
“Papa left a little while ago to take Jack home. He’ll bring news when he returns.”
“Have you spoken with Mr. Greystoke yet this morning?”
“Miles is still abed, I believe. None of us had the heart to wake him.”
Lara’s gaze shifted to the sunshine streaming through the window. Following the tumultuous crisis the night before, Christmas Day had dawned bright and serene. Deep within her, however, a confusing maelstrom of emotions threatened to pull her into an abyss. Her sigh attracted her sister’s notice.
“I don’t wish to force a confidence, Lara, but I hate to see you unhappy,” Angelica said. “Can you tell me what has you so sad?”
“I’m desperately in love with Mr. Greystoke, but he despises me.”
“Despises you? What on Earth makes you think that?”
“The day after your wedding, I foolishly confessed my feelings for him in a letter. We’d secretly been exchanging messages by leaving them underneath Queen Victoria’s bust on the staircase, you see. Mr. Greystoke was so horrified by my sentiments that he avoided me after that and left without saying good-bye. I blame myself for the whole affair, but I’ve never stopped loving him. After last night, I don’t think I could ever think of another man the same way.”
A tap on the open doorway made Lara jump. Fiona appeared, looking unusually subdued.
“Merry Christmas, Lara. You weren’t in your room, so I hoped I would find you here. Papa has returned from the Coogans’.”
The Robinsons and the Greystokes assembled in the drawing room to hear the news. With his hair slightly tousled and his cravat somewhat askew, Miles looked as if he’d dressed quickly. He exchanged a brief smile with Lara when he entered the room, but then he seemingly turned to granite once more. The easy intimacy they’d established at the Coogans had vanished, and with it Lara’s hope for a new beginning. She swallowed hard and focused her eyes on her father.
“Mrs. Cooga
n has survived,” Mr. Robinson announced. A collective sigh of relief broke the tension in the room. “Mr. Worth believes she’ll live, but it may be weeks before she can leave her bed. Mr. Coogan is sending for his sister, Mrs. Pooler, in Harrogate, whose own child is about Billy’s age. Mrs. Pooler will take care of Nicholas and Mrs. Coogan while Mr. Coogan returns to work.”
“Nicholas?” Lara echoed.
“Mrs. Coogan woke long enough to insist the baby be named Nicholas.”
Lara’s glance slid to Miles. His color had risen, and he wore an embarrassed grin.
“Until Mrs. Pooler arrives, Mrs. Coogan needs peace and quiet,” Mr. Robinson said. “I propose the three children should stay at Blythe Manor along with Nicholas—assuming Mrs. Robinson has no objection?”
Mrs. Robinson’s lips curved into a smile. “What a perfectly delightful idea!”
“I’m so glad I’m leaving soon,” Fiona whispered to Lara. “I can’t bear screaming children.”
“I’ll send word for Elsie to bring the children for Christmas dinner this afternoon.” Mr. Robinson rubbed his hands together. “Now, let’s ring for a late tray so our sleepy hero and heroine can eat breakfast.”
“And I’ll hand out their presents,” Fiona said. “Everyone else has already opened theirs.”
The three-dimensional photograph of a London street scene made Lara gasp. “It’s almost like I could reach out my hand and touch the people!”
She sat next to Fiona on the settee, surrounded by discarded wrapping papers and ribbons. Everyone else except for Miles had disappeared. He was perched in the window seat, glancing through The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne—a gift from his brother.
Fiona pulled the card out of the stereoscope and replaced it with one of a lake. “When I saw this one, I could have sword I saw a fish jump out of the water.”
Miles closed his book and crossed the room carrying Lara’s blue muffler.
“I wanted to thank you for this.” He looped it around his neck in a jaunty fashion. “My classmates will be quite envious. And since I left my other muffler at the Coogans, this will come in very handy.”
“We can walk over tomorrow to retrieve your muffler,” Lara said. “I’m certain Mr. and Mrs. Coogan won’t mind.”
He averted his eyes. “Actually, I’m leaving first thing tomorrow morning. I want to spend some time with my parents before the start of next term.”
Lara’s heart sank, but she forced a smile to her lips. “I see. Yes, of course you should visit your parents. I’m sure they will consider it a blessing.”
Fiona made a sound of disgust as she stood. “I haven’t given either of you my gift yet. Wait here a moment.”
She strode over to the Christmas tree and reached into its branches. Miles exchanged a grimace with Lara. “I’m almost afraid to ask,” he murmured.
“Before I forget, I want to tell you how brilliant you were last night,” Lara said.
“Me? You were the one who was brilliant. If you hadn’t had faith in me, I’m not sure I could have kept on. Truthfully, I nearly lost my nerve.”
“If that’s so, you kept it to yourself admirably.”
Fiona returned with her hands hidden behind her back. “My gift is in two parts, actually. The first part is where I take responsibility for something thoughtless and childish I did four years ago. I hope you can forgive me.”
“What are you talking about?” Lara asked.
“I knew both of you were secretly exchanging letters using the bust of Queen Victoria. I was jealous, so I took Lara’s last letter.”
A rushing sound filled Lara’s ears. “What?”
“And I took Mr. Greystoke’s last letter too. I never read them, I promise, and I didn’t realize until this morning how important they were. So here.”
Fiona held out the two letters, but then crossed her arms as she realized she’d handed them to the wrong recipient. Miles took the one Lara had written to him, and Lara took the one Miles had written to her. Blinking back tears, Fiona edged toward the door.
“I’ll leave you to it. Merry Christmas.”
She fled. As Lara stared down at the slightly yellowed envelope in her hands, she saw her name written in Miles’s handwriting. The wax seal on the back was cracked, but unbroken. Her throat swelled up with emotion, and her hands began to tremble. When she glanced up at Miles, he seemed similarly affected. He thrust her letter toward her. “I won’t read it if you don’t want me to.”
Albeit reluctantly, she offered his back as well. “Neither will I then.”
They exchanged envelopes.
“Of course, I don’t mind if you read mine,” Miles said. “I stand by what I wrote.” He pressed his letter back into her hand and stepped back.
“You can read mine if you promise me one thing,” she said. “No matter what’s in the letters, we will remain friends.”
“Cordial friends.”
“The best of friends who respect one another.”
“Agreed.”
Miles took Lara’s proffered letter and retreated to the far side of the room. With her heart pounding, Lara broke the seal on the envelope and unfolded the letter inside. She was obliged to blink several times before she could read the spidery words Miles had written four years ago. The note was short, and when she finished, tears were streaming from her eyes. Across the room, Miles looked up from his letter and stared at her as if she were the Nuremberg angel come to life. Moments later, she was wrapped in his warm, strong arms.
“Friends,” she whispered.
“Cordial friends.”
“The best of friends.”
“Who love each other.”
“Always.”
“Always and forever.”
They kissed.
The End
About the Author
Originally from Southern California, S.G. Rogers currently resides in beautiful Savannah, Georgia. She writes historical romance, fantasy, and romantic fantasy stories, is owned by two hairless cats, Houdini and Nikita, and lives on an island populated by exotic birds, deer, and the occasional gator. Tab is her beverage of choice, but when she imbibes, a cranberry vodka martini doesn’t go amiss.
To follow author S.G. Rogers, visit her blog at: www.childofyden.wordpress.com
Find her on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/SuzanneGRogers
Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/suzannegrogers
If you enjoyed A Gift for Laura, you might like other historical romance titles by S.G. Rogers:
Jessamine’s Folly
After her estate is entailed away, Jessamine Foster has no choice but to live with relatives who detest her. When her aunt gives her an ultimatum to leave, Jessamine accepts a position as companion to Lord Kirkendale’s sister—even though she’s been warned her predecessors can’t seem to resist the earl’s exceptional good looks. Can Jessamine manage to hold onto her job without losing her heart?
To honor a promise made to his dying father, Lord Kirkendale agrees to an arranged marriage to a woman he cannot love. Although he is resigned to a life without sentiment, the arrival of his sister’s new companion awakens a slumbering passion. Can he find a way to secure his own happiness without sacrificing his family’s honor, or will his broken promise result in the ruination of the person he loves most?
...
Duke of a Gilded Age
When American-born Wesley Parker inherits a dukedom in 1890, he must learn to be an aristocrat. Assigned to the task is his attorney’s daughter, prim Belle Oakhurst. As they travel to England together on a luxurious ocean liner, their tempestuous relationship encounters more than rough seas. Although Wesley is increasingly attracted to Belle, she is already engaged. While Belle begins to regret her hasty promise to marry, she is bound by honor and duty to keep her pledge. Furthermore, a thoughtless fabrication on her part threatens to expose her as a liar. Neither Wesley nor Belle can foresee that their voyage across the Atlantic will be fraught with peril, and will cost mo
re than one man his life.
...
The Ice Captain’s Daughter
The daughter of a wealthy ice merchant, Miss Jillian Roring intends to marry for love. En route to her first Season in London, however, a failed kidnapping sends her into the arms of the most jaded bachelor in England. When Logan and Jillian unwittingly violate the rigid rules of propriety in Victorian-era England, he is obliged to make her an offer of marriage. Because she aspires to be more than an obligation, Jillian refuses the match. Logan follows her to London to woo her properly, but his scheming ex-fiancée has other plans.
Can Logan convince Jillian that his love for her is real or will the cruel gossip and sharp tongues of London society tear their budding relationship apart?
Other fantasy titles by S.G. Rogers:
Minna & the Valentine
Cypher
The Magical Misperception of Meridian
The Druid/The Accidental Immortal (Asgard Adventure series)
Tournament of Chance
Clash of Wills
The Last Great Wizard of Yden (Book One)
Children of Yden (Book Two)
Secrets of Yden (Book Three—Coming 2014)
The Temporary Wizard of Locklynn (An Yden Adventure)
Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright Information
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
About the Author
