Chapter 11

Recovery

"Oh, my goodness!" Margaret exclaimed upon entering the room. "Were you in a fight, Sister?"

Bridget brought her hand to her face again, becoming a little self-conscious. She had checked the cuts on her face and was sure they were not all that gruesome.

"Only with a bush," she replied, her voice laced with a hint of resilience. "I would like to say that the bush had it worse, but it is still standing."

Bridget smiled and tried to play it off as a joke, but Margaret still looked worried.

"And you are in bed?" Margaret asked. "Have you broken your leg?"

"No, nothing like that." Bridget laughed. "I might only have twisted it a little. I will be back on my feet in no time, or back on my foot."

Still, Margaret did not laugh. "What about the wedding?"

"What do you mean?"

"It is less than four weeks until my wedding. Will you be limping around? Will you be able to dance?" Margaret asked.

"I will be fine," Bridget assured her. "By the time the wedding comes around, I will be dancing and jumping of joy for you, Margaret. There will be nothing that will stop me from being at this wedding, and nothing will spoil it."

"Nothing?" Margaret asked.

Bridget shifted in the bed, sitting up a little, and she tried not to show her discomfort as she moved. It was not only her ankle that was sore but her side, too. It really was not all that bad, and she had declined a visit from the doctor so as not to make a fuss, but she did not want to worry her sister by showing there was some lingering pain.

"No, nothing," Bridget replied. "I already told you that my injuries are not that bad."

"I'm not talking about that," Margaret claimed. "I am talking about the Duke of Sheffield."

Bridget looked her sister in the eyes, trying to act a certain way for Margaret's benefit, remaining impassive.

Does she know I was with him this morning?

"What about him?" Bridget asked as nonchalantly as she could.

"Will the two of you continue to argue even at the wedding? I can see it in your eyes that you dislike him intensely. I only ask that you try to get on with him for my sake."

"Margaret," Bridget stated firmly. "First, you suggest that I should marry His Grace so that we can be married to brothers, and now you suggest that I try not to dislike him so much. Which is it?"

"You tell me," Margaret replied.

"We might have had one disagreement, and it was a debate and certainly not an argument. You have absolutely nothing to worry about. I have no intention of marrying the Duke of Sheffield, but that does not mean we can't be amicable."

He is handsome, but he ruins that with his outlandish behavior. He is a rake who tries to get a rise out of people, and he is certainly not the type to settle down.

"Where have you gone, Sister?" Margaret asked.

"Sorry?"

"I was talking to you, and your face has gone blank. Are you sure I should not call for a doctor?"

"No, I am fine," Bridget replied. "I was thinking of one of my books. What did you say to me?"

"I said I am glad you can be amicable with him. I don't want anything to ruin my wedding day."

Bridget leaned forward in the bed, showing Margaret she was not in pain even though she was still, and she took her sister's hand in her own.

"It will be perfect," she assured. "You have my word on that."

Margaret took a deep breath and composed herself. Although she was the younger sister, she acted like the older one, caring for Bridget both physically and emotionally.

"Good," she replied, brightening immediately. "That makes me so happy, and I will tell you something else that makes me happy, Sister." She leaned in as if she were about to reveal information that should be taken to the grave.

"Lord Michael?" Bridget asked with a smile.

Margaret nodded her head happily. "Yes, Lord Michael." She almost giggled. "Isn't he a fine man?"

"I don't know much about him, but I can see how happy he makes you, and that is enough for me, Margaret. That is the only thing that matters. If he makes you happy and makes you feel like you are the center of his world, then he is a man you should spend the rest of your life with."

Bridget could talk about reputation and respect, but she knew enough about Lord Michael to know he measured up in both areas.

"That makes me even happier to hear you say that," Margaret admitted. "He is a good man, and he treats me better than any man has before. He makes me feel things I have never felt before."

Bridget could not help but be caught up in her sister's happiness.

Marriage was not for Bridget, but it suited Margaret very well. She had been annoyed after her riding accident, and the Duke irritated her more and more, even if he had been somewhat a gentleman by helping her, but she could forget about her anger and ire when her sister was so joyous.

Bridget sat up a little straighter in bed and did not have to feign her happiness. She leaned forward again, and even though she was still in pain, it was not as intense as before.

"What do you feel, Margie? You must tell me!" She raised her eyebrows.

Margaret giggled and leaned in toward her. "I will tell you." She looked around as if someone might overhear the secret information, then turned back to her sister with a smile. "I think I am falling in love with him."

It was impossible not to feel that love when Bridget saw the look on her younger sister's face. Margaret was feeling so much joy that she was trying to stifle it to remain composed.

Bridget took both of her sister's hands and gripped them tightly. "That is the most wonderful thing I have ever heard. You are very lucky to feel that way, and it is obvious to me from seeing how Lord Michael is around you that he has feelings for you, too."

"Do you think?" Margaret asked.

"I am sure of it."

Margaret squeezed Bridget's hands, the glee transferring from one sister to another.

"He makes me feel unlike anything I have felt before," she gushed. "I always believed I would be paired with a man and I would not love him, but I might grow to love him. I had always hoped I would find love first and then marriage, but this is far better than I could ever have hoped. When Mother arranged this marriage, I was a little angry at her, but she found me the best man possible."

Bridget did not believe that was true, especially since she knew the marriage was arranged to help the family financially, but she was happy it had worked out for Margaret.

"I know Mother loves you very much and only wants the best for you. She chose a good man for you, but you are the reason you are feeling this way, Margaret."

Margaret looked at Bridget with a little confusion.

"You have always believed in love," Bridget clarified. "You accepted the arranged marriage, and you went into it with a loving heart instead of closing yourself off. You are falling in love with Lord Michael, but your willingness to be open and love means he has fallen for you, too. I have known you longer than most, and any man would fall in love with you, Sister."

"You always know the right things to say." Margaret smiled. "I very much look forward to Lord Michael and my wedding day. I am nervous about starting a new life, but I know it is the exact place I am meant to be."

"And there will be more to come that night," Bridget said slyly.

Margaret pushed her sister playfully on the shoulder. It caused some irritation in Bridget's ribs, but she didn't show it.

"I'm a little nervous about that," Margaret admitted.

"You need not be," Bridget told her. "Not fully. I have seen how Lord Michael treats you, and he is a good match. You will not only enjoy your wedding night but your entire marriage."

Margaret's expression turned solemn. "I wish you had been the first to marry," she said. "It still does not feel right that I will be married and you will not."

"You must not worry about that. You are marrying for love, and that will be the best thing in the world."

"I know," Margaret admitted, still looking sad. "It is only that I have dreamed of us both being wed and our children growing together, and I will not have that."

"You will have all you need and more," Bridget assured her. "I will be a loving aunt to your children, and that will make me happy, too. You will not suggest that I wed the Duke again, will you?"

"No," Margaret said, laughing. "I know you dislike him."

"I don't dislike him. He only rubs me the wrong way sometimes." Bridget saw the look on her sister's face and quickly added, "I will not let him bother me. Your happiness is far too important to me for me to do anything to jeopardize it. His Grace can annoy me as much as he wants, and I will be on my best behavior."

"Thank you," Margaret said. "That is all I really want. I have my happiness, and I wish for yours, too."

"Then your wish is granted," Bridget replied. "I am happy, married or not."

The sisters sat on the bed and stared at each other, sharing in the happy moment.

"I only wish Father were here to enjoy it, too," Margaret said.

"Father?" Bridget asked, fearing something had gone wrong. "What happened?"

"I don't know," Margaret replied. "He left this morning, and he didn't get a chance to say goodbye. Mother does not know when he will be back, but he is very busy. Do you think it was something I said or did?"

"No," Bridget said immediately. "No, of course not. I know he would stay for you if he could. He would only leave if it were for very important business back in London."

Margaret nodded, even though she still did not understand. "Do you think he will return?"

"I know he will try," Bridget replied.

Yet, she hoped he would not.