Hope for Tomorrow (29 page)

Thomas was called away a few hours later when his nurse arrived at the door, telling him that he was needed elsewhere. He left but assured Lucien he would be back to check on her later.

Lucien pulled a chair up to her bedside and stayed with her, though there was nothing that he could do. The housekeeper and maids gave her a bed bath and saw to her bodily needs, at which time Lucien dressed then went to see Hope, doing his best to reassure her that Martha was fine but that Hope couldn't see her in case Hope caught her illness too. He also made sure to tuck the girl in each night.

Up until now he had simply enjoyed getting to know Hope but now that Martha was waylaid he felt his responsibilities as a parent for the first time. It was daunting to think that Hope might one day look to him for all her needs and since that would mean losing Martha, he refused to think about it too much.

The maids brought Lucien pots of tea and sandwiches but he wasn't able to eat very much. Gus came back to the room every few hours asking for an update. Lucien knew how much Gus loved Martha and so knowing his story, Lucien guessed that he just could not bear to watch someone else he loved die. Lucien couldn't imagine losing what Gus had and he couldn't find it in his heart to blame him for keeping his distance.

Thomas didn't make it back until that evening, when he told them that there seemed to have been an outbreak locally as he had treated another two confirmed cases of Scarlet Fever and a further two suspected cases today, all of whom had been at the New Year's ball.

Thomas checked her neck again and this time saw the rash that he was looking for earlier. He repeated the other tests that he had done that morning.

“
She is worse but that is to be expected,” he told Lucien and Gus, who had accompanied him into the room. “Her fever is likely to last another three days at least so for the moment, no news is good news. Let her sleep, get her to drink a little broth if you can but no solid foods.”

“
Is there nothing else we can do?” Lucien asked.

“
If her glands become too swollen I can let some blood but it is far too soon for that now. She's strong, Lord Beaumont, give her time to come through this on her own.”

“
Call me Lucien, please,” he said, feeling that a sickroom wasn't the place for titles and formalities.

“
Then call me Thomas. I will be back to check on her tomorrow morning.”

The maids tried to get Lucien to leave overnight but he insisted on staying, sleeping in the chair that he had occupied for most of the day. A maid stayed with him in case Martha needed help during the night.

Martha slept fitfully, as she had for most of the day. Her condition wasn't much changed by the morning, though her rash had spread to her face and chest and looked more livid that the day before. Other than that, the second day passed much like the first.

On the third morning, Martha's fever seemed even higher and she was sweating profusely. She seemed delirious, calling for Lucien and Gus even when they were in the room. Thomas looked concerned on his visits but assured Lucien that this was a good thing, for the sooner the fever broke, the stronger she would be.

Lucien talked to her, reassuring her that he was here but she only seemed to respond to him about half the time.

The fourth day was just as bad but no worse, until the evening when her breathing sounded laboured.

Thomas listened to her chest but assured him the rattle was coming from the throat, not her chest. He stayed that night, sleeping in a spare room in case he was needed.

The following morning he was woken abruptly as Lucien ran into his room.

“
Thomas! Come quickly!”

Chapter Twenty Five

Thomas hadn't undressed so he simply got out of bed and followed Lucien next door. He stopped dead in the doorway as Martha smiled at him. She looked weak and very tired but her fever had clearly broken. He stepped forward, looking relieved.

“
How do you feel?” he asked.

“
As though I swallowed acid,” she croaked.

“
Your throat is blistered, like your skin in places,” he explained, sitting beside her on the bed. “You still need to rest for at least another week.”

“
I'm not going anywhere.” Martha agreed.

That was not the reaction that Lucien expected and he realised that whilst out of danger, she was still far from well. She still looked rather shocking with her vivid rash but at least she was recovering.

“
I want you to drink plenty of fluids, broth but no solid foods until your throat is healed” he said.

“
Can we open a window?” Martha asked. “I'm so hot.”

“
Yes,” Thomas smiled. “The fever has broken but you must take things easy, do you understand?”

She nodded.

“
I will leave you a cream that you can apply to the rash, it should help it clear faster and keep peeling to a minimum.”

“
Rash?” she held her arms out as if only just noticing. The idea of a rash seemed familiar but the last few days were very fuzzy in her mind. She touched her face and felt the raised bumps there.

“
It will fade,” Thomas assured her. “Now you need to rest.”

“
Can I see Hope?”

“
She hasn't had Scarlet Fever,” Thomas reminded her. “You can't see her until the rash is completely gone.”

Martha didn't like that answer but she wasn't about to expose her child to something just because she needed a cuddle.

“
She's been writing you letters and making pictures for you.” Lucien said.

“
Is she all right?”

“
She's fine but she misses you.” Lucien told her.

Martha was already looking tired and so Thomas hurried on.

“
You had a mild case,” he said, “but that doesn't mean it isn't serious. I'll check in regularly for the next few days anyway but if your fever comes back or you begin to feel worse in any way, then send someone to fetch me.”

Lucien and Martha both nodded their understanding and Thomas took his leave.

Lucien sat on the bed beside her and took her hand.

“
You will probably want a wash so I shall fetch Hope's letters for you to read.”

Martha nodded and he leaned forward and kissed her forehead.

“
I must look horrible,” she said.

Lucien actually laughed. “Oh my dear, I began to think that I might lose you but you are alive and that is a sight more beautiful that anything I have seen before.”

Martha smiled.

“
Where's Gus?” she asked. “Is he all right?”

“
It's still early, he is asleep. He's been worried, we all have but I think he has coped well.”

Martha's eyelids were already hooded and he left then so that the maids could help her wash and change.

He had a quick wash and change himself then went to Hope's room. She was still in bed so he gently shook her awake and his heart almost burst as she wiped her eyes with her fists and looked up at him.

“
How's Mar?” she asked.

“
She's getting better,” he said with a smile, taking her into his arms and holding her tight. “She's still ill and you can't see her until she's better, but she is getting better,” he assured Hope.

To his surprise, Hope, who had always been brave until this point, began to cry.

“
What's wrong?” he asked gently.

“
I was so worried,” she said, clinging to him.

“
I'm sorry.” He rubbed her back. “I didn't mean to frighten you.”

Hope clung to him until her tears began to subside, then Lucien wiped her eyes with his handkerchief and smiled at her.

“
Martha's well enough to read your letters today,” he said. “Shall I take them to her?”

Hope nodded and smiled but then it quickly faded.

“
Uncle Lucien?”

“
Yes, darling?”

“
If anything happened to Mar and Gus, could I come and live with you?”

“
You are always welcome in my home.” Lucien kissed her cheek then held her tightly again. “Always.”

Two days later Martha was recovering well, if slowly but not seeing Hope was hard for them both. When Lucien came into her room after lunch, Martha had a proposal for him.

“
I know you said that you wouldn't go home until I was recovered but I have been thinking. Having Hope so close but unable to see her is making me slightly insane so I was wondering if perhaps you would take her back to Marchwood Hall with you until I am recovered.”

Lucien looked shocked so she hurried on.

“
You can take her nanny and governess with you so she wouldn't be any trouble.”

Lucien held his hand up to stop her and smiled.

“
I would love to take her back with me but I'm sure she would rather be close to you.”

“
And if I could properly take care of her, I would agree but I just don't feel that I can leave her with Gus, what with his health being so poor. It would be a weight off my mind to know that she was well cared for.”

“
And what about you?”

“
I have plenty of staff to look after my needs. Besides, I feel guilty keeping you from the estate.”

“
I would happily stay by your side forever but if you would rather I go, I will do so.”

“
And take Hope?”

“
And take Hope,” he agreed. “It will probably be good for her to stay since I hope both of you will live there one day.”

Martha agreed with him and the next morning he, Hope, the governess and nanny all caught the train back to Stockport. This journey would be much easier once the trains came to Marchwood.

He had written to Mrs Lassiter to tell her that he was extending his stay in Penchester but he hadn't had time to inform Mrs Lassiter of their return. As such they had to take a hansom cab back to the estate.

The staff were surprised to see him but the house had run smoothly in his absence. He was pleased to note that his mother had already moved to the Manor House as asked, for he didn't want to think about the nasty things that she might say to Hope.

Although he introduced her to everyone as Hope Aldercott, the likeness to her father was clear to anyone who was of a mind to see it.

Mrs Lassiter showed the governess and nanny to their rooms while Lucien showed Hope around the house. Her home in Penchester was grand but it was nothing in comparison to Marchwood Hall and she was slightly awed. When Lucien led her up to the second floor, he told her that she could have her pick of rooms, expecting her to go room to room until she found one she liked. Instead she asked which one was his and chose the one next to it.

“
Are you sure?” he asked. “It doesn't have anything in it for children.”

Hope just nodded so Lucien surmised that she fell unsure here and wanted to be close to a friendly face. He took her to the nursery where his and his sisters' childhood toys were housed and told her to pick what she wanted to put into her room.

After that they had lunch but then Lucien needed to talk to his estate manager. Hope didn't want to go with her governess but he thought that a little time with someone familiar would help her to settle in, so he promised that if she was a good girl during her afternoon lessons, he would take her for a ride later on.

There were no major problems in his absence, just a few disturbances and complaints about the railway works from farmers close by. Not that Lucien had any power over the railway but he assured the tenants that he would speak to the foreman and see what he could do about keeping disruption to a minimum.

He then went back to the house and looked over the books until Hope came in after her lessons.

“
Can we go riding now?” she asked.

He was happy to put his work down.

Out in the barn he introduced her to all the horses and ponies, taught her how to approach them and explained that many of them were for pulling carts or carriages, not riding. Hope seemed enthralled.

He saddled Midnight up then led her out into the courtyard, swinging himself up and into the saddle. Barry lifted Hope up and she sat sideways at the front of the saddle, between his legs. He just walked Midnight about, not wanting to risk Hope falling since she was in such a precarious position.

Hope didn't seem in the slightest bit frightened though and urged him to go faster. He listened to his better instincts for a change and refused.

When they got off, he let Barry get on and exercise the horse so that he and Hope could watch as the groom put him through his paces.

“
Can I do that?” Hope asked.

Lucien thought for a while.

“
It will take you a long time to learn to be that good but perhaps one day we can buy you your own pony and I can teach you to ride.”

“
When?” she asked.

“
I don't know, but maybe one day.” As much as he loved the girl, he didn't see the point in buying her a pony if she wasn't here to ride it.

Still, he looked forward to the day when she and Martha did come here to live since he would likely get as much pleasure from teaching her to ride as she would.

That evening they ate dinner together and then Lucien read to her from one of his books until the nanny reminded him that it was past her bed time. He tucked her in and told her to come and wake him in the night if she needed to.