His Christmas Match (A Gentleman's Guide to Once Upon a Time) (9 page)

Penelope leaned back, and
Rosalind shifted so that she could rest on the pillows. “I just ache.”

If she were coughing or had a
specific pain, it could be more serious. “Is your throat sore?”

Penelope barely moved her head.
“Dry.”

“I’ll ring for tea.”

Penelope burrowed further beneath
the covers and closed her eyes. Rosalind dashed across the room to give a yank
to the bell pull and stood by the door worrying her hands.
 
Penelope had to get better soon.
 
She had been looking forward to this week for
so long.
 
It would be horrible if she
remained ill for the duration.

A young maid arrived a few
moments later, and Rosalind quickly explained that Lady Penelope was ill and requested
tea and a mixture with Willow Bark brought to the room.
 
The young woman bobbed a curtsey and quickly
left.
 
Rosalind moved back to the bed and
pulled a chair up so that she could be close to Penelope in case she needed
something.

A few moments later there was a
quiet knock on the door.
 
Rosalind
assumed it was the maid returning with the tea and medicine and called for them
to enter. Instead it was Lady Meadows.
 
Rosalind jumped to her feet at her entrance.

“Penelope is ill?” the lady asked
concern marring her brow.

“Yes. I woke this morning and
found her burning with fever.” Rosalind moved to the side so Lady Meadows could
see to Penelope. As Rosalind had done earlier, Lady Meadows placed a hand on
Penelope’s cheek and brow. “Goodness! She is hot.”

Rosalind bit her upper lip,
worried that perhaps Penelope was more ill than she realized.

“I’ll send for Doctor Harper,”
she announced.
 

“Thank you.”

“I’ll also have cook brew some
broth, and we will try and keep her as comfortable as possible.”
 
Lady Meadows moved toward the door.
 
“I will ask Agnes to come sit with her.”

“Agnes?”

“She was my nursemaid and is
still with the household. She can take care of Penelope.”

“No,” Rosalind blurted out. “I
mean, Lady Sandlin sent me to see to her sister, and I would like to do so.”

A small smile formed on Lady
Meadows lips. “That is the reason Phoebe gave
you
to come here.
 
It was
never anyone’s intention, other than Noah’s perhaps, that you act as Penelope’s
companion.”

“Still, I would like to remain
and take care of her. I would not feel right enjoying the house party while
Lady Penelope is suffering in her room.”

Lady Meadows pursed her lips
before giving a quick nod. “For the moment, let us see what Doctor Harper says,
and we will decide what kind of care she will need.”

Lady Meadows opened the door to
leave and allowed a young maid to enter. “Cook brewed the willow bark tea as
you asked.” She set the tray on a small table.

“Thank you,” Rosalind murmured
and poured a cup. She helped Penelope drink until it was gone while Lady
Meadows watched on. “I’ll have cook prepare a tray and have it delivered.”

Rosalind glanced up. “Thank you.”

She sank down into the chair
after Lady Meadows left. Why had Lady Sandlin lied to her?
 
Did she no longer wish for her to be the
nursery maid to the twins? Was she not doing a good enough job? Had Lady
Sandlin only been being kind until now because of what had happened, and she
knew nobody else would hire her? What did Lady Sandlin hope to accomplish by
sending her to a house party where she clearly did not belong?

The questions rumbled about in
her head and a certain queasiness developed in her stomach. Was it because she
felt sorry for her?
 
Did Lady Sandlin
hope Rosalind would find another position or that by being with those in
society, the rumors would be put to rest so she could obtain a position in
another household?

“What are you thinking?” Penelope
whispered.

Rosalind glanced up to find a
glassy eyed Penelope studying her.
 
“Does
your sister wish to let me go?”

The left corner of Penelope’s
mouth turned up in a partial smile. “No. She wants you to enjoy yourself for a
change.” She slipped a hand from beneath the covers and gave Rosalind’s a weak
squeeze. “As do I and Lady Meadows.”

It was very odd that they would
take an interest in her in such a way. “Lady Meadows did not even know me
before I arrived.”

“She knew of you, and Phoebe
asked it of her.” Penelope closed her eyes and sighed.

She really shouldn’t be taxing
Penelope with her questions while she was so ill.
 
Rosalind slid Penelope’s hand beneath the
covers and then tucked the blankets around her.
 
Lady Sandlin, Penelope, and Lady Meadows may have had their plans, but
Rosalind knew where she belonged. At the moment, it was seeing to the care of
Penelope. And when she returned to the Sandlin estate, it would be in the
nursery.
 
This week was simply a
distraction, nothing more, and while she was grateful for the opportunity to be
like other young ladies, she knew it was a temporary situation.

* * *

The gentlemen stomped their boots
on the front landing before entering the foyer.
 
The hunt had not been as successful as Lord Meadows had wished, and Noah
believed the voices of the men not only disturbed the silence of the snow covered
morning but sent the game into hiding.
 
Most of the gentlemen did not mind that they didn’t have a chance to
shoot, and Noah had never been much of a hunter himself. He enjoyed the chase
and the ride much more than the killing.

He handed his overcoat to the
footman and followed the other gentlemen into the dining room.
 
He hadn’t eaten much before they left because
it was so early in the morning, but the fresh air and ride renewed his
appetite; he hoped the buffet was still stocked.

Many of the ladies were at the
table breaking their fast, and Noah was relieved to see that even more food had
been set out for the guests.
 
He choose a
plate and added eggs, kippers, and bread before finding a place at the table.
 
Lady Jillian was seated with two younger
ladies, and he took the empty seat to her right.
 
Today she wore a soft rose gown that
complimented the tone of her skin.
 

She smiled sweetly at him as he
took his seat.

“Was the hunt successful?”

“No,” he answered.
 
“Perhaps we will have better luck tomorrow.”

The other gentlemen had also
filled plates and took seats around the table. Noah looked about for his
sister. Neither Penelope nor Miss Valentine was present. Perhaps they were
still in bed or asked for a tray in their room.
 
It was odd that Penelope would sleep this late. She had always been an
early riser, and Miss Valentine was accustomed to being up early when caring
for the twins.
 
Perhaps they had already
eaten and returned upstairs.

“I’ve never understood how
gentlemen can enjoy chasing, trapping, and killing a poor animal,” Lady Jillian
wrinkled her nose in disgust.

Noah focused his attention back
on her. “I don’t particularly enjoy the sport.”
 
He took a sip of the hot coffee. The warmth helped take away some of the
chill that lingered from being outside.
 
“I enjoy the ride and the chase but not the rest.”

She smiled as if pleased with his
answer.
 
It may not be much, but he found
one topic in which they were in agreement.
 

Lady Jillian lifted the delicate
tea cup to her lips and sipped.
 
Her pink
lips were full and perfect for kissing.
 
How soon should he wait to kiss her? Or should he kiss her as soon as
possible to determine if there could be passion between them?
 

It was a bit bothersome that he
wanted to kiss her to determine a future when he wasn’t actually caught up with
a desire to kiss her at all.

In the past, the need to kiss
women had been strong, yet with Lady Jillian that same desire was missing.
Perhaps he should consider that as warning enough that maybe she wasn’t the lady
he sought.
 

Noah focused back on the food
before him. It was morning yet. He had risen early and had been out riding, and
he was starving. Once one appetite was sated, he was certain other appetites
would emerge, and he would find a yearning to kiss Lady Jillian.

“I couldn’t help but note the
amount of snow that fell last night,” she said.

Were they already reduced to
polite conversation about the weather or was it because they were surrounded by
several guests? “It made for a beautiful ride.”

Lady Jillian glanced toward the
window. “I’ve never cared much for snow. It is always so messy leaving puddles
when it melts, ruining the hems of skirts, and dampening boots.”

Noah loved the snow and had since
he was a child. He wished more of it fell at his estate, but it lay in the
southern portion of England. They didn’t get nearly as much as the northern
regions.
 
“Did you never play in the snow
as a child?”

Her eyebrows drew up in shock.
“Goodness no.”

Pity for the young girl welled
within his chest.
 
He hoped she didn’t
raise her own children with the same strictures as she had been raised.
 
If she did become his wife, Noah would make
sure his children enjoyed their childhood and not be sequestered indoors from
those Lady Jillian’s mother believed were beneath them.
 

“It is snowing again,” Lady
Jillian remarked a few moments later.

Noah glanced out the window.
 
Large flakes fell from the sky and thickening
by the moment. He could barely see the trees through the shower of white.
 
If this kept up, they would be snowbound for
the duration of their stay.

Many of the guests pushed away
from the table and stood as did Lady Jillian.
 
Noah came to his feet and offered his arm.
 

“I wonder what plans Lady Meadows
has for us today,” he said.

“She mentioned parlor games
earlier.”

There were several activities
Noah would not mind participating in, but most parlor games did not fall on the
list, however; it should be expected with young ladies in attendance.
 
Had this been the week Lord Meadows
originally planned, the days and nights would have been filled with gambling,
cards, dice, billiards, and brandy when not hunting.
 
With ladies present, more genteel activities
were required.
 

As much as he did not wish to
participate in a game of charades, or whatever else Lady Meadows had planned,
it gave Noah the opportunity to spend more time in Lady Jillian’s company to
gauge when he would have the opportunity to kiss her. That is, if he decided in
the end it was something he wished to do.

All had been going as planned
until Broadridge questioned him this morning. Now Noah felt rushed to make a
decision he wasn’t yet prepared to make.

As they crossed the foyer, Lady
Meadows was coming down the stairs. “Felding, I need to speak with you.”

He stopped and waited for his
hostess. Worry marred her brow, and her mouth was pinched. “What is wrong?”

“Penelope has taken ill.”

Noah straightened. “How ill?”

“She has a fever, and I’ve sent
for Doctor Harper,” Lady Meadows explained. “Penelope is resting comfortably in
her bed, and Miss Valentine is sitting with her.”

Thoughts of kissing Lady Jillian
instantly fled and were replaced with concern for his sister. He turned to the
young lady on his arm. “If you will excuse me, I wish to check on my sister.”

“Of course,” Lady Jillian
insisted.

Noah barely acknowledged her and
took the stairs two at a time and was soon marching down the hall to his
sister’s chamber. He gave the door one quick knock before he opened it and
stepped inside.

A gasp from across the room drew
him up short. Miss Valentine stood before an armoire clad only in a pale, thin
shift that fell to just below her knees.
 
Her breasts strained against the material, and it was light enough in
the room to see the shadows beneath the thin material which revealed more of
her luscious body than he had a right to see.

He should turn away, apologize,
leave the room immediately, but he was transfixed by the beauty of her. From
her disheveled, deep auburn hair and body of a goddess to her shapely ankles
and delicate toes, he found himself thinking how was it possible he had not
noticed how desirable Miss Valentine was before now?