The Duke's Wife {Wallflower #1}

Chapter 25

Hey guys sorry for the long wait and short chapter. I just wanted to get this to you ad soon as possible.  Some of you said you forgot what happened and wanted a little summary. I dont blame you! Here is a small recap of Chp. 24:

Lord and Lady Brighton visited the Vale's and that visit did not go well. Lors Brighto. was much too prideful and his wife Lady Brighton accused Rhea if trapping Hadrian into marriage. At dinner, Lady Brighton tries to seduce Hadrian but all turns bad to worse as Hadrian curses their Family and rightfully puts them In their place!

P.S.:I had to write this twice. TWICE!! So frustrated right now.... Hope you enjoy!!

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Chapter 25

"The best and worst times of your life can coincide. It is a talent of the soul to discover the joy in pain - thinking of moments you'll long for, and knowing you'll never have them again. The beautiful ghosts of our past haunts us, and yet we still can't decide if the pain they caused us out weighs the tender moments when they touched our soul."

- Shannon L. Alder

October 10, 1856

*Rhea*

Dear God, Rhea thought, as another wave of sickness rolled over her. She was bloody tired of this flu, it was weakening her and wringing her dry. It had been nearly a month since the Brighton’s had stepped into their home. Since then, Hadrian and Rhea experienced no attacks nor animosity – other than the occasional glare from one of the Brighton’s at an event – and Rhea had become relieved, glad that all and any hardships were over.

Unfortunately, this was not the case, nearly two weeks after their visit, Rhea’s sickness renewed once more, creating chaos in their home as Hadrian desperately tried to reveal the nature of her illness. Though Rhea felt fine most times, other times were hard and tiresome. They left her so weak that she was bedridden for nearly two days.

Rhea felt despair, not for her illness, but for Hadrian, who was anxious and alarmed at the drastic change in her health. She did not care for his troubled feelings. If she could, she would have hid this from him to keep him from hurting. Alas, she could not and struggled to maintain the façade that she was fine when she was not.

Hadrian had called in a doctor but the doctor did not know what was wrong. This left him antsy and brooding, not a good combination for him.

She could tell everyone in their household was afraid, for they had never seen such a thing but Rhea doubted it was as significant as they made it seem.

Rhea felt the sickness pass as she finally emptied her stomach a third time in the last hour. A knock sounded at the door just as she straightened herself, moving the bucket away tiredly.

“Yes?” she croaked.

The door opened and Hadrian walked in, bound straight for her with a frown marring his face. He looked at the bucket beside her bed and the lines on his mouth tightened. She still could not believe how beautiful he was, even as she laid there, feeling as if she were dying.

“Rhea, my love, how do you fare?” he questioned, standing to the right of the bed. He braced a hand to the side of her head and briefly kissed her forehead.

“Better. Truly Hadrian, I am,” she assured, noting the disbelieved look on his face.

The line on his mouth tightened further, but he did not say anything to her. She sighed, she would never be able to please this man with this situation, though she wanted to.

“Have you been fed?” he inquired.

Rhea shook her head, “Not since this morn. I have not been able to even look at since then.”