One Glance

Chapter 21

"Luke, I know this is a shock, but we need to tread carefully. We cannot just – where are you going?" she demanded to know as Luke turned away from her for the second time.

Luke headed directly for the open door, having the feeling that Isabella was in there. He paused in the doorway for a moment as his eyes found the blonde woman that was sitting up in bed and staring out the window.

She was entirely too thin. She looked pale and gaunt, skin and bones, and her corn silk coloured hair was in disarray, sticking out in every which way. She wore a plain, white gown over her skinny features, and her bony fingers were knitted together on her lap.

But she was beautiful, and she was his Isabella. She was awake. She was alive. They could get through anything. After everything that they had endured, Isabella's memories would surely come back. They had to.

His weight on the floorboards caused a creaking sounds. Isabella gasped, and her head spun around. Her brown eyes found Luke in the doorway.

This was the first time he has seen her beautiful eyes in over three years. How he had longed to see them. How many times had he imagined them? How many times had he pictured the love that shone so easily through their chocolate depths?

But there was no recognition in her eyes. There was nothing but fear and panic. Isabella seized the bedclothes and pulled them up to her chin, creating a barrier made of sheets between them.

Luke held his hands up and entered the room slowly. "Isabella, it is alright. You know me," he said softly.

Isabella sucked in a quick breath, her brown eyes widening as Luke edged closer to her. "Do not call me that," she whispered. "I do not know who you are. I do not know who Isabella is."

There was nothing there. How was it possible that she did not even know her own name? What had that doctor done to her?

"Your name is Isabella," Luke insisted. "My name is Luke. I am your –"

"Luke," interrupted Annaliese. "Doctor Whitney wishes to speak with us," she said firmly, motioning for him to follow.

Reluctantly, Luke chose to leave Isabella's room in favour of berating her doctor. Isabella's wary eyes followed him to the door. Luke closed the door behind him.

"I overwhelmed her with information yesterday and she had to be sedated," Annaliese hissed angrily. "You do her no favours by frightening her with the news that she is married with a child!"

Luke knew that Annaliese was right. But surely, if Isabella was told everything calmly, her memories would come back to her.

Luke followed Annaliese back downstairs to where their party was gathered in the entryway. Another man had joined them. From the sound of his voice, Luke recognised him as Doctor Whitney, the insane man who had drilled into Isabella's skull.

Jamie latched back onto Luke and Luke lifted him back up into his arms. "What the bloody hell did you do to my wife?" Luke demanded to know angrily.

Doctor Whitney frowned sadly. "Shall we continue this conversation in private, Captain?" he suggested.

Luke nodded curtly. They all followed Doctor Whitney to a private office, no larger than the cabins that he was used to on navy ships. The walls were lined with bookshelves overladen with medical textbooks and journals. Luke bitterly wondered if any one of those books told a doctor how not to rid a woman of her memories.

Doctor Whitney sat down behind his desk. Luke and Annaliese sat down in the chairs before the desk, while the others gathered around them. Jamie sat quietly on Luke's lap.