Jane Feather - Charade by Unknown (howl and other poems .TXT) 📕

disgusting sight. Just look at yourself."His voice shook with'suppressed fury as he pushed her in front of thepier glass.

Danielle averted her head, shrinking from the image of the bedraggledcreature. In addition to the oozing scratches on face and breasts,large bruises were purpling on her cheek and arms and the ones on herlegs and back throbbed beneath the ripped garments. She said nothing asJustin stripped away her clothes, throwing them into a heap on thefloor.

"Get on the bed," he rasped, and she stumbled to obey, desperatelythinking of something she could say that would return her husband tothis stranger's body. But nothing came to mind and then Mollyreappeared, staggering under the weight of a steaming jug and her otherburdens. "Fill the ewer and bring it here," the unfamiliar harsh voiceinstructed. "Thank you. Take those clothes and burn them; then you mayawait Dr. Stuart belowstairs. Show him up as soon as he arrives."

Danielle heard the door close on the only friend she appeared to haveat this moment and fought down the hot sparking tears of misery andfright.

"This will hurt." Justin shook antiseptic onto a towel, "but there isno knowing what filth those women carry beneath their nails." He washedthe scratches thoroughly and she held herself rigidly still beneath

thestinging pain of the antiseptic and his minute exploration of everyinch of her skin for further open wounds. He washed her from head totoe with scalding water, lifting her limbs, turning her over with allthe detachment he might have shown to a rag doll. And Danielle enduredin silence. There was nothing rough about his movements as he anointedthe bruises with cool salve, but there was little of tenderness,either. When he handed her a nightgown she put it on, her embryoprotest at bed-in-the-afternoon dying in the face of that cold mask andthin lips.

Dr. Stuart bustled into the room with many apologies for the delay inresponding to the summons. He'd been attending a birthing, but all hadgone well, thanks be. Now what was amiss with My Lady Linton? His tonewas jocular until he realized from the grim set of the earl'sexpression and the ashen face of the countess on the pillow that suchan approach was inappropriate.

"Her Ladyship has suffered an accident—a fall from her horse," Lintoninformed him. "I am concerned about the child." There was the slightestemphasis on the "I" and Danielle's spirit curled in on itself indespair. How could he think that she was not also concerned? But thenshe had given him little evidence to believe so.

Stuart, tut-tutting in a suitably anxious tone, begged leave to examineHer Ladyship and Justin, without a word, pulled back the sheet andstood beside the bed as the doctor prodded Danielle's abdomen, asked ifthere was any pain, and then asked if she had yet felt the childquicken.

"This morning," Danielle said in a dull monotone, "for the first time."

"Was this before the fall, my lady?" Stuart asked, continuing topalpate her belly that still showed only

the smallest curvature.

"Yes," she said unhappily, seeing Justin turn away with a mutteredexclamation. How could she explain

in front of the doctor that by thetime she had felt the life stirring in her womb she had gone too far towithdraw. And would it have made any difference anyway? She hadcertainly forgot the fact of her pregnancy wben she had taken up thecudgels for Brigitte Roberts, but even reminded of it she would nothave done otherwise. It was quite inescapable and there were noapologies she was prepared to make. Something had happened that shecould have done nothing to prevent. She would have gone into that cageto rescue Brigitte Roberts if the need had arisen four months hence asautomatically as she had

done so while her pregnancy was stillinvisible and unknown to all but the few.

"As there is no pain, my lord, and no bleeding we can hope thatttodamage has been done." Stuart pulled the sheet up. "It would be best ifHer Ladyship remained in bed for three days and she should take anopiate now to still any restlessness. If her body is quiet then anydisturbance to the child will be remedied."

"That will be done," Justin said. "How soon will it be safe for her totravel?"

"I would not advise a long journey, my lord."

"I am not suggesting one, just into Hampshire, by slow stages."

"In three days, then. If there are no adverse signs in the meantime."

Danielle listened to a conversation that was about her but took noaccount of her presence. She was powerless to interrupt, to demand whather husband had in mind, to protest the draught of laudanum

that Stuartwas pouring from a small vial—powerless until the physician left andshe could face her husband in privacy.

She turned her head away, though, when the physician offered her theopiate and Justin said, "You may leave that with me."

"As you wish, my lord." The door closed behind Molly and Stuart.

"Drink this." Justin picked up the glass.

"No." Danielle sat up in fierce determination. "I have no need of it. Iwill rest, if that is what you wish,

but I will not be drugged. Justin,please let us discuss what has happened. I do not think you understand

 . . ."

"I understand well enough," he interrupted harshly. "I understand thatyou are not to be trusted to take a care for yourself or for our childin your womb; that you are not to be trusted to keep your word and fromthis moment on I shall make a proper wife of you, madam. I accept fullshare of the blame but I

will correct my faults as you will correctyours. Now, drink."

"No." But he moved behind her, catching her head in the crook of hisarm, holding her with one arm as the other reached for the glass.

"You will," he hissed, tilting her head backward. Hermouth opened inprotest and Justin tipped the contents