The Apothecary's Daughter

Chapter 20

Daniel arrived in London by nightfall. He was thankful Miss. Somers packed him so much food because the driver didn't have to stop on the journey. The servants were told not to wait up for him so the home was dark when he arrived. The footman he travelled with took his bags up to his chamber. Daniel went to his study, his mind a muddle.

His study was his favorite part of the home. It was his retreat, where everything was in order, the way things should be. He poured himself a glass of whiskey and  grabbed a ledger at random from the stack waiting on his desk. He read it over several times, never making it past the first few lines before his mind would wander back to the scene from earlier in the day. He had never seen such a peaceful sight than the one he saw earlier. It seemed so natural, the two of them in the garden, like the universe was finally in sync. When he arrived upon the scene as well his departure from his daughter into the hands of Miss. Somers was something that would normally occur. Daniel was typically very protective of his girl yet he allowed Miss. Somers into their lives without so much as a second thought.

He was ruminating too much, he told himself. He just needed a good night's rest in his own bed to settle his spirits. He put the ledger down on his desk and finished his whiskey. He walked through the manor to his old room.

The room was just as he remembered: deep forest green walls with bits of navy. There were some feminine touches that remained from his wife that Daniel left out for Matilda's sake. Cecilia's vanity in particular remained the same. Nothing had been touched since she passed away. The brush was still set in front of the mirror. He remembered in the last few days  that Cecilia insisted her hair be brushed.

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"Please Daniel, it is improper for me to look like this. Help me plait my hair up." Cecelia begged.

"I assure you the Queen does not plan on visiting your chamber within the next day, my dear. Do not oblige yourself to this stress."

"Daniel, ever since I was a little girl my hair was properly put up, just as my mother did and I will not set a bad example for mine."

"Matilda will not care if your hair is not plaited. She can barely sit up herself. She cannot judge you too harshly." Daniel reassured.

"But I will. Please just help me to my dresser. If you do not wish to brush your ill wife's hair I shall have a maid do it." Cecelia replied abruptly.

"Now my dear please do not stress yourself over this. Let me help you over and brush your beautiful hair if that is what you wish." Daniel says, rising to help his wife.

"That is all I ask. Then I shall return to bed like a good patient. The doctor is to visit today correct?"

"Yes he will be here before noon." Daniel says as he guides his wife over to the dressing table.

"Then my hair must be put up and my face scrubbed. Please have someone fetch me a tub of warm water. "

"I will fetch it myself."

"Thank you my dear." Daniel exits the room, pausing for a moment to look at the wonder that is his wife. Even in sickness her hands still expertly twist and pin her hair.

"The will of that woman is stronger than any stallion I've seen." He mumbles to himself as he goes down to the kitchen.

"My lord what can I help you with today. Shouldn't you be with your wife? The doctor told me she isn't long for this world." Louisa asks as Daniel enters.

"My precious wife requests a basin of warm water to clean her face. She does not wish for the doctor to see her without proper dress."

"Why did you not send Billy down 'ere? He's suppose to be your running boy."

"I needed a break from the room. But please hurry, I fear she may become quite cross if I do not return soon."

"Of course, my lord." Louisa fills a small basin with water and sets it on the stovetop and finds a clean cloth. "Here you are sir. I shall send Harriet up with the tea as soon as the doctor arrives."

"Thank you." Daniel takes the basin back up to the chamber. Cecelia is still sitting at her dressing table, her hands no longer weaving her hair. She looks different, smaller somehow within the brief moment Daniel had left. "May I help you with anything my dear?" He asks. Cecelia turns around and Daniel notices the paleness in her cheeks and the distant look in her eyes.

"Oh Daniel," she says, as if in a dream. "Do help me finish preparing." Suddenly the hairbrush falls from her hand and her body collapses. Daniel rushes to her side, lifting her delicate body into his arms. He lays her on the bed ever so gently. He checks to see if she is breathing.

"Someone please send help." Daniel shouts, cradling the body in his arms. "She's gone." He whispers as tears begin to roll down his face. Servants begin moving in and out. His Cecelia is taken from his arms and he is moved to another room, given a glass of brandy, and forcibly placed in a chair. He does not know long he is sitting there before Louisa enters the room.

"Pardon my forwardness my lord but you've got work to do. Your wife is dead but you have a beautiful little girl down the hall that needs her father now more than ever. Go be with her, she needs to know 'Papa' isn't going to leave her either. Mrs. Briggs is speaking with the coroner and the doctor now and tomorrow we shall figure out the rest but you now must go and be with your daughter."

Daniel walked down the hallway to the nursery and looked down at his sleeping child. "It is only you and I now my dear. I guess we are going to have to make the best of it." Daniel kisses the child's forehead and sits beside the bed, falling asleep almost instantly.

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Hey guys!!! Sorry again for yet another late update! I understand there are some continuity errors with Cecelia's death but I am working to fix those!

Please let me know what you thought of this latest chapter in the comments. You have no clue what those comments mean to me.

Hopefully there will be another update before the end of the month!