Free If You Were Mine by Rebecca King Page B

away while he was gone.
    “ Mrs Holcombe?” he raised a brow at Cook as he stalked through
the kitchens.
    “ They are upstairs Sir, with the young Miss,” Cook replied,
“I’ll bring some more broth -” She never got the chance to finish,
the Master had already gone.
    Dominic
ignored the clumps of snow that fell from his cloak as he stalked
through the house. His heart thumped heavily in his chest. He eased
open the door and found himself assailed by a wall of heat. He
quickly removed his cloak and boots on his way toward the
bed.
    He was
disappointed to see no improvement in her condition. She still
carried that same waxy completion, and the awful rattling in her
chest was still alarmingly harsh in the silence of the room. He
didn’t need to ask Mrs Holcombe if Isobel had woken while he was
away.
    Removing
the new bottle of tincture from his cloak, within moments Isobel
had her first spoon of the greenish liquid that smelled vile.
Dominic shuddered as the stench assaulted his nostrils and he
looked warily at the murky concoction, but he had been assured by
the doctor it was what she needed.
    He
wasn’t surprised when Isobel coughed and spluttered. Merely
smelling the stuff made his stomach churn. Still, if it helped to
make her better, she would have to drink it. Dominic placed the
bottle beside the bed with a shudder of revulsion.
    Exhaustion swamped him as the ravages of the night began to
catch up with him.
    “ I’ll get you some breakfast, Sir,” Mrs Holcombe stated
quietly, weariness lacing her own voice as she moved to the
door.
    “ Not for me Mrs Holcombe,” Dominic said, certain he would not
be able to manage anything. “Get yourself some rest now, and thank
you.” He shot the woman a grateful smile as she left and carefully
took his place beside Isobel on the bed. Gathering her into his
arms, he sighed a deep sigh of contentment, he settled into a
sporadic sleep.
    Whatever
the day held in store for them, he would not be parted from her
again.
     
    Isobel
slowly became aware of a strange murmuring around her. It seemed
faint and hazy, as though the people talking were a long way away.
If only she could make out what they were saying. She wondered if
it was one of ‘those’ dreams again where Dominic came to her, but
this time there was no swirling mist. She took a deep breath,
wincing a little at the tightening band across her
chest.
    Feeling
more comfortable and at peace than she had been for some
considerable time, she lay there for several moments, and simply
enjoyed the luxurious softness of the pillow behind her, and the
scent of roses from the sheets surrounding her. She was lovely and
warm, something she had not felt in such a long time.
    As she
lay simply revelling in contentment, she slowly became aware of a
growing sense of unease. Vague menacing shadows and strange
intimidating images flickered through her mind, filling her with an
increasing discomfort.
    Where
was she? How long had she been there? Had she really been with
Dominic?
    Quickly,
she opened her eyes, wincing at the bright daylight that permeated
the room.
    “ Isobel?” Dominic’s wonderfully familiar voice was husky, and
so very close.
    Turning
her head sideways, her gaze met and held his green gaze and she
smiled softly at him.
    “ Thank God!”
    She
frowned at his heartfelt sentiment, and watched as he rested his
forehead briefly upon the back of her hand as if in silent
prayer.
    “ Dominic?” she croaked, aware that her voice was hoarse, and
her throat dry.
    “ We nearly lost you,” he whispered, his voice laden with
suppressed emotion.
    “ Lost me?” Isobel repeated in confusion, “but I am right
here!”
    Dominic
remained silent.
    “ Where am I by the way?” she asked, her gaze taking in the
graceful opulence of the room around her.
    “ At home, where you belong,” Dominic declared, placing a
tender kiss upon the back of her hand. “Havistock Hall.”
    Isobel
frowned as random events flitted teasingly