How to Heal the Marquess by Sally Forbes

 

Prologue

 

“Easy, Lady Lucy,” Daisy heard her father say behind her. His voice was soft and reassuring but carried a tinge of urgency that she caught onto immediately. “You must not try to sit up.”

Daisy hurried with her tasks of soaking the clothes he had given her in cold water and rushed over to his side. In all her years of serving as her father’s nurse assistant, she had learned to understand what he was trying to communicate to her without him having to say a word.

It was often necessary for him to convey messages to her without saying something that might upset his patients. And, as she looked at Lady Lucy’s waxen, pale face, she knew this was one such instance.

“Here, Father,” she said, gently stepping in front of her father. “I shall put one of these on her forehead and one on her chest.”

The young woman began coughing fiercely as Daisy set about her task, gasping for breath as she tried to speak.

“Doctor Gibson,” she rasped, looking past Daisy at the physician. “Will I be all right?”

Daisy stepped aside to allow her father to approach his patient once more. He gave her a kind smile and stroked her hand gently with his own.

“We will take the best of care of you, Lady Lucy,” he said softly. “Do not fret. You must rest now.”

Daisy wanted to believe in the confidence she knew Lady Lucy heard in her father’s voice. But the look Dr. Gibson and his daughter shared when the young woman closed her eyes was a grim one, and Daisy understood what her father was really saying. There is little more I can do for her, his eyes told her with a heavy sadness. All we can do is wait.

Daisy bit her lip, looking away from her father to glance at the sick woman lying in bed. Sweat glittered on her chin and neck, evidence of the terrible fever that Daisy and her father were attempting to eradicate from her body with the cold compresses. Her cough had subsided for the moment, but there was a horrific rattle in her chest when she breathed.

“Should I send word to the Viscount Marwood?” Daisy asked, keeping her voice low so as not to wake Lady Lucy.

Dr. Gibson looked at the patient, then back at his daughter. Only then did Daisy notice how tired and bloodshot her father’s eyes were. He looked back at Lady Lucy once more, then walked over to his daughter, gently taking her arm and walking her over to the door of Lady Lucy’s sickroom.

“I shall do that presently, dear,” he said, giving his daughter a tired but fond smile. “I would like you to return home now. There is nothing more you can help me with here for Lady Lucy.”

Daisy’s eyes widened. It was grave, indeed, if her father was trying to send her away. In all her years of helping him with patients, he had always tried to ensure she was never present when a patient passed away.

But as she stared at her father, the evidence of his own fatigue and worry was very apparent, and she could not imagine leaving him to tend to the poor young woman alone. At the very least, she could take turns watching over her so that her father could have a nap in a chair.

“No, Father,” Daisy said gently, shaking her head and giving him her best cheery smile. “I cannot leave you now. I am fine. Truly, I am.”

The doctor studied Daisy carefully, as she had been doing him. In truth, she was exhausted, and she felt as though she would fall asleep the moment she put her head on the pillow. But she could see her father was in far worse shape. She could not help wondering when he had last slept.

Despite his exhaustion, he shook his head, stroking her cheek gently.

“Daisy, dear,” he said. “I can see you are tired. Your eyes become almost blue when you are sad or fatigued. You cannot hide it from me, Daughter. Please, go home and get some rest.”

Daisy almost laughed aloud at the irony of her father’s words. He stood looking as though he might collapse at any moment, and yet he was concerned about her. His unwavering devotion to her and her well-being, especially as a widower, was one of many reasons why Daisy loved her father so much. But since her mother was long dead, it was her duty to look after her father, just as he looked after her.

She shook her head, not obtusely, but firmly, lifting her chin with determination. She took the physician’s hand and squeezed it gently.

“Now, Father,” she said, using her best practical voice and words. “You know as well as I do that you cannot perform to your usual standards if you are not well-rested. I am perfectly capable of staying with Lady Lucy overnight to tend to her.” Her father opened his mouth to protest, but Daisy put a gentle finger to his lips. “If she should suddenly worsen beyond what I can handle, I will send word for you at once. Please, trust me to do this so that you can go and get some rest.”

The doctor, bleary-eyed, studied his daughter for a moment longer, clearly wary. But after a moment, he drew in a deep breath and expelled a heavy sigh.

“Very well,” he said reluctantly. “You may stay with her tonight. But I shall be back before first light tomorrow morning.”

Daisy frowned.

“Father, you can trust me with Lady Lucy,” she said.

The doctor’s reddened eyes widened. He took both of his daughter’s hands in his and nodded.

“Of course, I can, dear,” he said. “You are excellent with all my patients. My only concern is Lady Lucy’s health taking the worst possible turn suddenly and you being here all alone until word reaches me.”

Daisy smiled again, pulling her father close and embracing him.

“I appreciate your concern, Father,” she said. “But everything will be fine. I understand what is at stake and what could happen, and I can assure you that I will take the best of care of Lady Lucy so that no such thing will happen.”

Daisy held her breath as her father studied her face with scrutiny. She could see he was debating whether he really should allow her to stay with the young woman by herself. But then, he yawned and reflexively rubbed his eyes. He blushed just a little, embarrassed at having so blatantly displayed his fatigue.

At long last, he nodded.

“Very well, my dear,” he said, glancing back at Lady Lucy. “I shall look her over once more, and then I will go on home.”

Daisy smiled, pleased her father had decided to go and rest. She was also glad he felt he could trust her to watch the young woman overnight, even though he had been so reluctant to agree. She stepped aside, waiting patiently for her father to complete his brief examination. Verbally, he noted her fever had diminished, if only marginally, and that she seemed to be resting comfortably for the moment. When he was satisfied Daisy would handle things overnight, he kissed her on the forehead and bade her farewell.

Once he had gone, Daisy took the liberty of refreshing the water in the bowl sitting beside Lady Lucy on the nightstand. She also fetched some clean clothes in anticipation of changing them several times throughout the night.

Once that was done, she looked at the nearby bookcase. She looked over the titles lining the shelves, chewing her lip thoughtfully. It was very rude to help herself to something to which she had not been invited, especially when in the home of nobility. Rather than take a chance of upsetting the family, she turned to step away from the books.

“You may read any of those you like, Miss Gibson,” Lady Lucy said, her voice hoarse but alert.

Daisy jumped, surprised the woman was awake. She hurried over to her side, noting that her fever had gone down considerably.

“How are you feeling?” Daisy asked.

Lady Lucy began coughing, but the fit did not last long. She looked at Daisy and gave her a weak smile.

“I feel as bad as that sounded, I am afraid,” she said. Then, she glanced back over at the bookcase. “If you wish to read during the night while you sit with me, you are welcome to any of the books over there.”

Daisy smiled, gently squeezing the young woman’s shoulder before dabbing at her face with another damp cloth.

“Thank you, my lady,” she said. “I may do just that. Do you need anything?”

Lady Lucy shook her head slowly, already drifting back to sleep.

“I will just sleep a while longer,” she said, her words trailing off as sleep took her.

Daisy waited until the young woman’s labored breathing became slow and steady, indicating she was sleeping deeply. Then, she went back over to the bookcase she had been admiring moments before and selected a book at random. It was a title and author she did not recognize, but she enjoyed reading, so it did not matter to her. She carried the book back over to Lady Lucy’s bedside, where she settled into the chair for the night.

As she hoped, Lady Lucy slept soundly, waking only twice throughout the night. The first time, her fever had taken a terrible spike, but Daisy was able to bring it down on her own, without calling for help or sending for her father.

The second time was to ask Daisy for a sip of water, which Daisy happily gave her. The rest of the night was quiet and, though Daisy paid little attention to the book in front of her, the parts she did read were interesting, and they helped her pass the time.

The next several nights passed in much the same way. After her first night tending to Lady Lucy, her father decided she was capable of watching over her, and he allowed her to continue to do so. To her father’s delight, the young woman grew stronger and healthier every day. At last, one week after Daisy had first stayed with Lady Lucy, the doctor gave the patient another full examination. Daisy waited outside while he did the exam, but she reentered the room when he was finished, as she wanted to hear what he had to say to Lady Lucy.

“Your ladyship,” he was saying as Daisy entered the room, his voice full of wonder. “I must say that you have made quite the miraculous recovery. You were but steps away from death when we first met. But now, I believe you will gradually recover completely and fully.”

Lady Lucy, who was sitting on the edge of her bed, her cheeks full of the color they had lacked days earlier, smiled brightly.

“I have the two of you to thank for that, Dr. Gibson,” she said, turning to Daisy. “Without your care, I would surely be dead. I am forever in your debt.”

Daisy beamed, approaching the bed and embracing the patient, her pride and relief overwhelming her.

“We were happy to help you, Lady Lucy,” she said. “It is wonderful that know that you will be back to yourself very soon.”

After giving more orders for Lady Lucy to continue resting as much as possible and gradually begin going for walks in the garden for fresh air and exercise, Daisy and her father left. They were thanked profusely and paid handsomely as they departed, as Lady Lucy’s family was emotional and relieved at the miracle of Lady Lucy’s improvement. As Daisy and her father continued to receive praise, Daisy fully understood the true reward for her father’s services. She realized then that she wanted nothing more than to be just like her father and help tend to the sick.