Free Stormspell by Anne Mather

she had slept on the couch. But it was unusual for him not to be up. particularly in the circumstances. and her mouth was dry as she left a startled Celeste and hurried along the hall to his room.
    To her relief, her father's eyes were open, but the strain of the last two days had left its mark upon him. He looked drawn and grey, and when he would have struggled up in the bed. she urged him down again.
    'You look tired.' she said, and it was an understatement. 'I think you should stay where you are this morning. Celeste and I can manage.'
    Professor Jason shook his head. 'Celeste,' he said, obviously finding it an effort to articulate. 'Celeste can mange. Just make sure she gives Howard his tablets. Francis will be over later today to check on his progress. I may stay in bed until he arrives.'
    Ruth sighed. 'All right. Would you like some breakfast? I can easily fetch you something.'
    'Perhaps some coffee.' conceded her father weakly. 'Nothing to eat. And would you pass my tablets from the table beside you?'
    Ruth handed him the bottle, and watched as he shook two out on to his palm. Then she poured him a glass of water from the jug he kept covered on the table beside the bed. and raised his shoulders slightly while he swallowed them.
    'Thank you. my dear.' he said, offering her a faint smile as he fell back on the pillows. 'And now I think I'll rest. If I'm asleep when you bring the coffee, just leave it beside the bed.'
    Celeste looked disturbed when Ruth related the conversation to her. 'Your daddy, he overwork himself yesterday.' she declared. 'He stay in bed all day. You and me. we'll look after Mr Howard, hmm?'
    Ruth looked uncertain. 'Daddy said—'
    'I don't want to know what your daddy said.' retorted Celeste shortly. 'What he don't know about won't hurt him. Now you finish your breakfast, and then go and fetch me Mr Howard's tray. I got plenty to do. 'stead of running round after some fool man!'..
    Ruth opened her mouth to protest, then closed it again. Why not? she thought, dismissing the stirrings of her conscience. She couldn't expect Celeste to do everything, and her father shouldn't expect it either. Besides, he need never know.
    None the less, it was with a sense of duplicity that she delivered her father's tray to his room, knowing that when she left there she intended going into Dominic's bedroom. However, her father was asleep, as she had expected, and it was easier to be defiant when she wasn't observed.
    It was a little unnerving opening Dominic's bedroom door. Somehow she never quite knew what she might find on the other side, and her breath eased out more evenly when she found him propped against the pillows. The plate of eggs Celeste had provided lay scarcely touched beside him. but some orange juice and coffee had been drunk, and some toast had also disappeared from the tray.
    'Hi,' he greeted her in some surprise as she came into the room. 'I wondered where you'd got to. Don't you care about your patient now he's on the mend?'
    Ruth's cheeks were pink as she surveyed his teasing face, so much less haggard now than on the previous day. Two days' growth of beard had left a stubbly bristle on his chin, but in spite of this dishevelment. he was still a distractingly attractive man. After her own introspection, she was doubly aware of him in a way she had not been before, and the memory of their last encounter coloured her reactions towards him.
    'How—how are you?' she ventured, approaching the bed with caution. 'You've been very sick. We've all been very worried about you.'
    'Have you?' His lips twisted. 'And I thought you'd abandoned me.'
    'Oh. no.' Ruth linked her fingers together. 'It was just—what with Doctor Francis being here, and—and Daddy--'
    'You decided to keep out of the way. Having done your bit, you wanted no part of the blood-letting!'
    'It wasn't like that.' Ruth moved her shoulders unhappily. 'Anyway. I'm glad you're feeling better.'
    'Oh, yes, much better.' He inclined his head,