Free Miss Lacey's Last Fling (A Regency Romance) by Candice Hern Page B

prompted with obvious impatience.
    "Yes, I believe he is considered quite competent."
    "And no one, your father or Dr. Urquhart or anyone else, ever told you what exactly ailed your mother? Her disease or condition was never named?"
    "No. Papa said we were never to speak of it."
    "Why?"
    "I do not know. I suppose because it was too painful for him. He loved her very much, you see. A dozen years later, he still grieves for her."
    He clucked his tongue, though Rosie did not believe it was out of sympathy. He fixed her with his formidable gaze, brows knotted together so tightly they formed deep ridges down the center of his forehead. "And what of you, Miss Lacey? What were your first symptoms and when did they begin?"
    "About two months ago. I was walking in our park when I suddenly became dizzy and had to sit down. I thought I might faint."
    "Did you?"
    "No, but the dizziness was quite strong. And then my head began to throb like never before, and my vision became fuzzy."
    "What happened next?"
    "After a few minutes, the dizziness passed and I was able to make it home safely. I went straight to bed and thought nothing of it. Until two days later, it happened again. This time, I noticed that my hands were freezing, even though I wore gloves. That is what made me think of Mama."
    She paused as the recollection of that first moment of panic almost overwhelmed her anew. "Go on," Sir Nigel said, without looking up from his note-taking.
    "I kept experiencing the headaches, the dizziness, the cold hands, as well as a ringing in my ears. It was just like Mama. I became scared."
    "Did you go to Dr. Urquhart?"
    "No."
    He looked up. "Why not?"
    "I cannot explain it, but I didn't want anyone to know. If my family knew I had Mama's disease, they would know I was going to die. I did not want them to know that. I could not bear it."
    "But you said a doctor had confirmed the diagnosis?"
    "Yes. I decided I had to know for sure, but I could not go to Dr. Urquhart, who would feel obliged to tell my father. So I went to Exeter one day with my sisters. I told them I wanted to visit the lending library while they shopped. Instead, I went to see a physician, using a different name."
    Sir Nigel's mouth puckered with disdain. "And what did he say?"
    "He said I had the same disease as my mother."
    "But he did not name the disease?"
    "No."
    He dropped his notebook onto his lap and glared at Rosie with undisguised contempt. "And what did you want of me, Miss Lacey? A more positive diagnosis? I assure you I have not achieved this level of my profession by telling people what they want to know rather than what they need to know."
    "Oh no, sir," she said, surprised he would think such a thing. "No, I am quite certain of the diagnosis. I wanted to see you simply to have a physician in London aware of my condition. You see, the headaches have begun again."
    "What do you mean, begun again? They stopped?"
    "Yes. Since I've been in London these last few weeks, I've had no headache until today."
    "And you experienced the same symptoms this morning?"
    "Yes. Well, sort of."
    "Sort of?"
    "It... it was not exactly the same this time."
    "Was there dizziness?"
    "Yes."
    "Disorientation?"
    "Yes."
    "Blurred vision."
    "No."
    "Coldness in your extremities?"
    "No."
    "Ringing in your ears?"
    "Sort of, though not the same as before. Every sound seemed to echo in my head like a Chinese gong."
    "And how do you feel now?"
    "Much better, thank you."
    "The headache has passed?"
    "For the most part."
    Sir Nigel rose to his feet and began to pace. He massaged the bridge of his nose with a thumb and forefinger, as though he, too, suffered the headache. "Miss Lacey, your story confounds me. You say you have your mother's disease, yet you have no idea what that disease is. Based on a few very common symptoms, I cannot help but believe you are making a gross assumption of fatality."
    "You did not see my mother, Sir Nigel. I tell you, I have exactly the condition she had."
    He stopped