“I did not know what to do, what should I do?” the boy cried.
“You should go to bed,” Cedric said calmly, gently rolling Adeline onto her side, just as Mrs. House had told him to do, “Take tomorrow off. I imagine you must have had quite the fright.”
“But I- ” Ebon started to say.
“I said go!” Cedric boomed over his shoulder. “Leave us at once!”
Sniffling, the sixteen-year-old servant took off down the hall and toward the staff quarters.
“You are safe, Adeline; you hear me?” Cedric asked, forcing his voice to be calm and free of fear or worry despite what he felt, “Thiswillpass, and you will be well again.”
Desperation coursed through Cedric. He wanted to call for Mrs. House, but he feared what effect that would have on Adeline if the girl saw her old nurse again. So instead, he continued to kneel by Adeline’s side, watching helplessly as the girl’s convulsions seemed to drag on.
“Oh, my God!”
Cedric wrenched his head up as he heard the exclamation, and he glared at Deborah as he saw her running toward them.
“Leave us at once!” He snarled, moving closer to Adeline’s convulsing body.
“Hush, you ogre!” Deborah snarled right back, kneeling beside the girl.
Cedric’s mouth dropped agape as Deborah smoothed away the hair in Adeline’s face.No onehad ever talked to him like that. Especially when he was in one of his more visceral moods.
“Come now, love, snap out of it,” Deborah cooed, her entire focus on Adeline as she moved her hand in soothing circles on the girl’s back. “Come back to us. Remember what you said? You are strong!”
Cedric’s gaze dropped back to Adeline as the little girl let out a heartbreaking whimper, and then suddenly her seizures stopped. Her little body all but melted into the floor, and her eyes fluttered shut.
“Adeline?” He worriedly asked, stroking a hand over her hair.
“Shhh,” Deborah soothed, placing her palm on the girl’s neck as she closed her eyes.
Cedric snapped his mouth shut, worry making his nerves stand on end, and his hands shake.
“Her heartbeat is steady,” Deborah whispered, removing her hand, “And her breathing is deep and strong. She is just asleep.”
Cedric expelled his held breath, dizzy with relief.
“Of course she is,” he whispered, gathering the girl in his arms, “After what just happened, the poor thing must be exhausted.”
Adeline felt troublingly light as Cedric lifted her into his arms and rose to his feet. He took a step, then halted when the sound of grinding glass echoed through the suddenly silent hallway. He looked down and saw that one of the large Chinese urns had crashed to the floor; no doubt what he had heard crashing in the first place.
“What is- oh my!” Mrs. House gasped as she rounded the corner.
Cedric turned with Adeline in her arms. The housekeeper was in her nightgown and robe, holding up an oil lamp as her wide eyes surveyed the mess.
“Is she-” Mrs. House began to ask, but as Cedric opened his mouth to order her back to bed, Deborah spoke.
“Our girl is just fine, Mrs. House. Thank you for your concern.” Deborah stated kindly, “Would you please see to cleaning this mess up? We do not wish for any other incidents this evening.”
Cedric looked back at Deborah, in awe of her calm strength amid the chaos.
“Of course, Your Grace, of course,” Mrs. House replied, then scurried off to do as she was told.
Then, to Cedric, she whispered, “I shall send Arina to the room.”
Cedric nodded quickly.
“Come along,” Deborah urged, putting a gentle hand on Cedric’s lower back, surprising him once again, “Let us get our little love to bed.”