FREE! In The Arms of My Enemy (Completed!) Book 1

William's Miss Thorpe

Fidelia tried to wait for William, but whatever the doctor had given her for the pain caused her mind to drift like a falling leaf, fluttering this way and that until she fell into a fitful sleep. Sometime during the night, fever and chills crept into her bones, holding her captive. Her dreams were dark and clouded, where the foaming mouths of horses, their flashing hooves striking out, chased her through streets that she could not escape. She couldn't even pull herself from the dreams. She was trapped within her own mind.

Somewhere through the darkness, William whispered her name, and his lips brushed her forehead. Fidelia tried to call out to him, but no matter how hard she shouted, no sound came out. Someone trick­led broth between her lips several times, and she thought she heard Lottie's voice. She even imagined that Edmund visited her.

A bright flash of light finally woke her from her groggy state as Sally yanked open the curtains. Fidelia winced and groaned at the sudden brightness. Her head pounded as she turned to William's side of the bed. The sheets were undisturbed. Had he not returned during the night?

"What time is it?" she asked, squinting against the light.

"It be late afternoon, m'lady. I apologize for waking you, but the physician said your fever broke and you needed some real food." Sally set a tray of soup and bread on the side table.

"I was asleep nearly a whole day?" Fidelia asked, stunned as she maneuvered her aching joints over to the tray. Her ankle throbbed in protest.

"No, m'lady. It's been three days."

Fidelia stared at the maid. "Three days? But . . . where is Lord Greyville?"

"I heard the countess say that the other lords were meeting to dis­cuss a new tax for the war. He'll be sorry he missed you." Sally leaned closer to whisper, even though they were the only two in the room. "He's hardly left your side since he returned from his business with Mr. de Lacy."

Fidelia was disappointed that she hadn't awoken while William was still there, but the feeling was quickly dwarfed by the ravenous hunger in her belly. Although she forced herself to eat slowly so she wouldn't get sick, her stomach still felt unsettled.

"Oh no," she groaned, slapping a hand over her mouth. Sally paled and quickly retrieved the crutch the doctor had left to help Fidelia maneuver about the room. Sally helped her mistress out of the bed and across the room to the chamber pot before Fidelia could lose what little breakfast she'd eaten.

After she was back in bed and had managed to eat a little more, the pain in her ankle grew worse. Sally, seeing her discomfort, sent for the physician. The kind gentleman gave Fidelia another dose of laudanum and she quickly fell back asleep.

***
The next morning, she again woke to the curtains being thrown open and Sally bringing her a breakfast tray.

"Where is Lord Greyville?" Fidelia asked again, sitting up to ex­amine her ankle. Her mind felt much clearer than the day before, with only a dull ache. She accepted a cup of tea with thanks.

"Downstairs entertaining your guest," Sally said.

Fidelia choked on the hot liquid, sending it splashing over the edge of the cup and onto the sheets beside her. "My guest?"

"Aye, m'lady." Sally smiled conspiratorially. "It's that Miss Thorpe, the lovely one the Master was going to marry last . . ." She broke off as if suddenly realizing that she was speaking to the woman that William had married instead. "She . . . she heard about your accident and came to call about your welfare."

"William—Lord Greyville is down there with her now?" Fidelia's blood pounded in her ears and her chest tightened protectively. The sudden rush of emotions surprised her—since when had she become jealous? But she already knew the answer. Since William had become the center of her thoughts, since her heart thudded at his nearness . . . since she had almost kissed him after the accident. She had been far too forward, practically begging him to kiss her, she realized with mortification.