Chapter 32

32

"I 'm not leaving him, Mummy," Tricia said as she sat next to Thomas's bed.

"The physicians have treated his burns," her mother said. "He simply fainted from exhaustion. He's absolutely fine, and he will wake up in time. Right now I need to sleep, and so do you, darling. You've been through so much."

"The doctor examined me and said I will be fine." But then a fit of coughs took over Tricia. She had inhaled a lot of smoke, and according to the doctor, she would need to rest her body to allow her lungs to recuperate fully.

"You must come with me, love," Lady Clementine implored. "I shall make sure that Mr. Longbottom contacts me as soon as the earl awakens."

Tricia coughed again and then let out an earsplitting yawn. Her mother was right, of course. She needed to rest. She finally relented and went to her own bedchamber, where Kat was already sleeping.

Lady Clementine herself helped Tricia out of her garments—the lovely violet ensemble had been ruined by the fire—and she had barely lain into her bed when sleep took her.

* * *

"Tricia." Something nudged her.

She opened her eyes. Her mother stood next to her bed. "The earl is awake, Tricia, and he's asking for you."

Tricia gasped and scrambled out of bed. "Where's Trudy? I must dress. What time is it anyway?"

Her mother grabbed her by the arm, stroking it gently. "Only seven in the morning, darling. Trudy is here and will help you dress in your morning gown."

"That will take too long, Mummy. Can't I just put on a robe?"

Lady Clementine wrinkled her nose. "That would be highly improper, and you and I both know that."

Not quite improper, as Thomas had seen her in nothing, but her mother didn't know that. At least not yet.

Tricia huffed. "Fine, then."

Once Lady Clementine had left the room, Tricia washed her hands and face in the basin and then stood as Trudy helped her into her garments. She sat at the dressing table to have Trudy do her hair. Trudy grimaced.

"What's wrong?" Tricia asked.

Trudy widened her eyes. "I'm sorry, my lady, but your hair smells so much like smoke. I believe you should have a bath and wash your hair."

Tricia shook her head with vigor. "There's no time for that. The earl is asking for me, Trudy."

"If you're sure."

"I shall have a bath later. After I've seen the earl, and I know that he's all right."

"As you wish, my lady."

Once she had finished with Tricia's hair, Trudy curtsied politely to her. "Your mother is waiting outside the room to escort you to the earl's chamber."

"I hardly need an escort," Tricia said. "Everyone here saw Thomas kissing me last night."

"You shall have to take that up with your mother, my lady."

Lady Clementine was indeed waiting outside the bedchamber.

"Mummy, may I see him alone?"

Her mother pressed her lips together. "We must honor convention, Tricia."

"Everyone saw us kissing. You yourself saw it with your own eyes. If Cameron didn't see it, he has heard about it by now."

"Yes, I've spoken to Cameron already. He is waiting to see the earl, but the earl will see no one until he sees you first."

Tricia's heart sank. Perhaps Thomas would refuse her. But Cameron would force the issue. Still, she didn't want Thomas to feel obligated to marry her if he didn't truly love her…

Drat!

"Let's go, Mummy."

Together they walked the long way to the west wing of the mansion, to the earl's suite of rooms.

Lady Clementine rapped on the door softly.

Mr. Longbottom, Thomas's valet, opened the door. "Good morning, my ladies."

"I'm Lady Clementine Price-Adams, and this is my daughter, Lady Patricia. The earl has asked to see her."

Tricia's cheeks warmed. Longbottom knew well who she was. She'd been in the earl's bed only two days ago.

"Yes, of course, my ladies. Do please come in."

"Mr. Longbottom," Patricia said, "is the earl all right? Was he badly burned?"

"He is fine and resting comfortably. He has some fairly significant burns on both his forearms and his left hand, but it seems his coat took the brunt of it. The physician has treated his arms with a salve and given him some medication for the pain."

"Oh, he's in pain!" Tricia could hardly bear it.

"Burns are quite painful, yes. But he's well, and he wishes to see you."

"Yes, of course. Please, take me to him, Mr. Longbottom."

Longbottom led Patricia and her mother through several sitting rooms into the bedchamber, which Tricia already knew well.

She couldn't let her mother know that, of course, though at this point, Tricia did not give a fig who knew about her history with Thomas. She needed to see him. To see with her own eyes that he was all right.

He lay in his large bed, his hair in disarray, his arms bandaged in white. His left hand was also bandaged.

Thomas had such beautiful hands. Now they might be scarred. Patricia didn't care. She still loved him with all her heart.

His head was propped up on several fluffy pillows, and he turned his gaze toward them when they walked in.

And he smiled.

He smiled at Tricia.

Tricia wiped a tear from her cheek. "Oh, Thomas."

Her mother gasped at her use of his Christian name, but she didn't care. She went to his bedside and boldly sat on the edge of his bed. She wished she could take his hand, but she didn't want to cause him any more pain.

"Do you hurt too badly?"

"I shall be fine, Tricia," he said. He looked to her mother. "Lady Clementine."

She bowed her head. "My lord. I do hope you're not feeling too badly."

"I shall be fine, my lady." He lifted his head enough to meet Lady Clementine's gaze. "I know it's not quite proper, but would it be possible for me to speak to Lady Tricia alone?"

Oh please, Mummy. Don't make an issue out of this , Tricia begged silently to her mother.

A moment which seemed like an eternity passed before Lady Clementine finally responded. "I suppose it should be all right. Just this once."

Tricia's heart nearly burst. And then she coughed.

"Are you all right, sweetheart?" Thomas asked.

She was perfectly fine now, especially since he called her "sweetheart."

"Take a drink of water, please." Thomas glanced toward his night table, where a glass of water and a pitcher sat next to the lovely vase Tricia had admired two days earlier.

She nodded and poured herself a glass. "I simply inhaled a lot of smoke," she said when she was finished. "The physician said I will cough for a few days while my throat is healing, but there is no permanent damage done."

"Thank God."

She laid a hand on his shoulder. "I'm much more concerned about you."

"Both my lower arms and part of my left hand are burned, and I may have some scarring." Thomas grimaced. "But other than that, I got through quite unscathed. The only reason I passed out was from sheer exhaustion."

"Are they sure, Thomas?"

"They're quite sure, sweetheart. I shall be fine, and I've been assured by my physician that you shall be fine as well. That means the most to me."

Tricia swallowed and cleared her throat of the excess phlegm from the cough. "It means the most to me that you shall be all right."

"I know it does. And Tricia, you do realize that everyone saw me kiss you last night?"

"Yes, I know, but Thomas, you know?—"

"For the love of God, Tricia. Please let me say my piece."

Tricia bit on her lower lip and nodded. "All right, Thomas. Say your piece."

"Your brother will insist that I marry you."

Tricia opened her mouth, but Thomas glared at her.

"Please allow me to finish, Tricia."

Tricia glued her lips closed and nodded once more.

"I shall marry you, Tricia. I want to marry you."

"May I speak now?" she asked.

"No."

She let out a breath and nodded for the third time. "Fine. Continue."

"I've already ruined you, but we both know that. You told me that you'd only consent to a marriage of love."

Tricia's heart broke in two. She nodded.

"Three days ago, I couldn't tell you I loved you, Tricia. But now?" He burned his gaze into her. "I can say that I love you more than the earth and the heavens. The thought of losing you to that fire…" Thomas closed his eyes.

Tricia's heart mended, nearly burst out of her chest. "Thomas…"

He opened his eyes again. "It's the truth, dear Tricia. You are my everything. You are the woman I want to bear my children, to be my countess. Live with me until my dying day. I love you, Lady Patricia Price-Adams. I love you so much, and I should be forever honored if you would consent to be my wife."