When the usual charity party gathered for their weekly delivery, there was a fresh excitement in the air. For the ladies’ part, it was no different than the previous two weeks they had gone. Each week entailed bringing items to deliver that were most in need.
For Lord Gilchrist and Lady Abigail, there was the added excitement of not only presenting the mittens to the boys who would sorely need them, but also the enjoyment of being in each other’s company again.
“Why, Lady Abigail,” Lady Louisa said as she watched Abigail walk into the drawing room with her basket-full of mittens. “Did you do all of that?”
Lord Gilchrist was already in the sitting room and stood at the entrance of Lady Abigail and the duchess.
“Of course she did,” he responded before Lady Abigail could do more than open her mouth. “Why else would she be toting them around if she had not done the work?”
He gave her a sly wink and sat back down.
“They are for the boys. The headmaster said that they had no mittens for this coming winter. Lord Gilchrist told them we would be delivering them so that they can dash them to shreds and darn them up again.”
“What a rotten idea for perfectly good gloves,” Lady Louisa said, looking at her brother.
“Rotten or not, it is important the boys learn how. Without well-worn gloves of their own, these will make due.”
“But all of poor Abigail’s hard work,” the duchess added.
Lady Abigail wanted to tell her companions that she had not even completed half of the mittens seen here. If the Earl of Gilchrist wanted to cut holes in them, he had every right to do so, as he had knitted most of them.
Instead, she respected his secret and assured the ladies that she was aware of the plan and was perfectly fine with it.
It was clear to both Lady Abigail and Lord Gilchrist that both ladies were still teetering on the worry that one might offend the other and end the peace that had happily resided in the families over the past week.
“What else will you be sharing with the young boys today?” Lady Fortuna asked over their light meal, once she joined the party.
Though Lady Fortuna was of a very delicate nature, she not only worked herself beyond what seemed her capability, but she also greatly enjoyed stories that she knew she would never have the strength to make on her own.
“I’m not entirely sure. They all were begging for more stories. I am afraid I don’t have much. I was gone just for the last two years and then I spent another year in the hospital. I can't imagine rehabilitation to be a fascinating topic for their minds. Though I am sure Lady Abigail could speak for hours on the appalling conditions of patient dressing-gowns in the hospital.”
All eyes swiveled to Lady Abigail as the three between Gilchrist and Lady Abigail held their breath. Lord Gilchrist spoke the words so calmly and without a look in her direction that the others were sure it was a blatant stab at what he had previously deemed useless conversation.
Instead of being offended at his words and a great outburst ensuing between the two, Lady Abigail crinkled her freckled nose at him.
“I will have you know, Lord Gilchrist,” she said with a haughty air, “I know absolutely nothing about hospital gowns and, therefore, could not even comment on the subject.”
“How terribly unfortunate that is for you,” Lord Gilchrist countered with that wicked twinkle in his blue eyes. “I am sure the discussion of it would have been enthralling.”
Isabella let out her air in a burst of hiccupping laughs. It broke the other two ladies from their stares between the two conversing parties.
“I am glad to see you two are on much friendlier terms,” the duchess said, putting great emphasis on 'friendlier.'
Lady Abigail immediately looked down at her hands, red with blush. At that moment, she had forgotten the others in the room and continued the same banter that she had shared with the earl on their other occasions in the drawing room.
Now, seeing the faces between them, she realized it most likely teetered towards flirtation. She did her best to ignore the bright smile it brought to her sister-in-law's face as the same assumption came to her mind.
Lady Abigail took a calming breath. She had not woken this morning feeling completely healthy, but she also was not willing to let a little ailment ruin the day that she and the earl had worked so hard for.
Lord Gilchrist wasn’t too blind to see that Isabella was insinuating something between them. On the contrary, he was keener to see what Lady Abigail thought of the idea. Much to his surprise, she didn’t shrink away in horror as she had done the first night Lady Abigail feared she might dance with him at a ball.
Instead, Lady Abigail looked abashed and, even, dared he to think, guilty of knowingly flirting with him. It brought a warm stirring to his heart. For a moment, he forgot all his trouble, the look of his body or even his self-imposed distance from the lady for her sake. For just a split second, he saw what life would be like if he did truly court her and marry Lady Abigail.
The thought seemed to stick in Lord Gilchrist’s mind as they made the carriage ride to Foundling Hospital and school. He was desperate to shake it off, for he was not sure how he could spend the afternoon with her without giving his feelings away.
He stole a look or two in Lady Abigail’s direction from across the carriage, but she seemed determined to look out her window in deep concentration. He noticed that she seemed paler since first joining the party and worried that the words had settled in on her and left a sour taste.
She was quiet as they made their way to the hospital and the three other ladies split off in the other direction. Lord Gilchrist reached out his arm to Lady Abigail as he had before and when she gripped it, she leaned on him more heavily than before.
He turned to her then, full of concern. She did look decisively paler and he was sure he could see perspiration beading along the red ringlets that framed her face.
"Lady Abigail, whatever is the matter?” he asked, turning her to face him head-on.
He held both her elbows to steady her.
“I wasn’t feeling quite myself this morning. I thought it would pass, but the carriage ride has seemed to make it worse,” she said.
Her eyes were deep in concentration, staring straight ahead at the small flower on the earl’s lapel.
“Why did you not say something?” he asked, full of concern.
“Today was such a special day for all of us. I am sorry to say I was selfish and didn’t want to miss it.”
“It is not selfish at all to want to see your hard work to its new owner. I cannot let you continue in this state, however. I will take you home right away.”
“No, please don’t leave on my account. If you would but help me to the carriage, I am sure I will be fine.”
“Nonsense,” he said, steering Lady Abigail’s frame back toward the door. He gripped her hand to turn her and gave a start, “Why, Abigail, you are burning up. That settles it. I am seeing you home right now."
Lady Abigail had to admit she did feel a bit warm. She had done her best to hide her uneasy feeling all morning long, hoping it was going to pass. The jolting of the carriage ride had been too much, in the end.
“What about your sister and the others? You can’t just leave them here without an escort or carriage.”
“I will have the headmaster go and explain that you are not feeling well. I will ensure that you get home safely and then return for the others,” he assured Lady Abigail.
Lord Gilchrist motioned to the headmaster, who was standing at their side, to go and tell the ladies what he had just said.
The headmaster very much looked like a cat with its hair all ruffled out of place. He had no choice but to do as the earl bid him.
It was not usual for the earl to make demands of those below him, especially when he knew that they would be very displeased with them. However, this was an emergent situation. He was overcome with anxiety and knew he would feel no better until he, himself, saw Lady Abigail safely home.
Though the carriage ride was made as quickly as could be allowed in the streets of London, it felt much too long for the earl. All the jolting and tossing of the ride only seemed to cause Lady Abigail more discomfort.
Finally, they arrived at Lady Abigail's residence. The footman hurried to the door to get proper assistance. Lord Gilchrist, on the other hand, did his best to help Lady Abigail out of the carriage.
Lady Abigail felt quite weakened from the second ride and, between that and her stifling corset, couldn’t seem to find enough air. She feared she might faint as the sky seemed to swirl above her.
Without even knowing it, she was caught up in the arms of the Earl of Gilchrist. He walked as quickly as he could without the help of his cane, a most painful act, while he carried the swooned Lady Abigail through the small front garden and up the front steps.
Just as he felt his hurt leg could take no more, the duke came rushing through the hall and relieved Gilchrist of his burden. He had his sister taken swiftly to her room and a doctor called.
Gilchrist was unsure if he should stay or wait in the hallway for the duke’s return. When the man finally descended the stairs again, Gilchrist rushed to meet him.
“Whatever is the matter with her?” Lord Gilchrist asked, full of concern.
“I can’t say entirely. Abigail is burning with fever, though,” the duke responded.
“I must return. I left the others at Foundling Hospital,” Lord Gilchrist said, torn between staying and going.
“Come with me into my office and tell me what occurred this afternoon,” the duke encouraged instead. “Perhaps it will shed some light on Abigail's condition. I have sent for the doctor and he should be here shortly.”
“If you would be so kind as to wait for him to convey what you tell me, I will go and retrieve the other ladies. It seems that you too might need a rest.”
The two gentlemen walked down the hall and into the duke's office. They both had a good dram of whiskey. The earl’s leg was extraordinarily tender and his body exhausted from walking on it, even that short distance, without the assistance of his cane.
It didn’t matter a whit to him. At the moment that Lady Abigail swooned he thought nothing of what the pain was in his leg. He only had a resounding urge to get Lady Abigail to the care she would need.
Soon after Lord Gilchrist told the duke all that had transpired, the duke left to collect the others and the doctor arrived. Lord Gilchrist told his story for the second time before the doctor went to look in on his patient.
Upon his return, the doctor informed the earl that Lady Abigail most likely had ague fever from spending too much time out of doors. He doled out his treatments and promised to return tomorrow to check on her condition.
After the doctor left, the duke and ladies arrived. Lord Gilchrist again relayed the details given him, but he was entirely done in. The whole party was invited to stay for a small dinner before returning to their own homes and beds.
The earl would only leave once the duchess promised she would send both he and Lady Louisa any word on a change in Lady Abigail’s condition right away. Although it wasn’t a happy time, the duchess couldn’t have been more thrilled to see this dear gentleman, who was like a brother to her, care so much for the sister-in-law she cherished so deeply.