Finding Him

46l Marry Me

The lukewarm temperature of his skin was a good sign, Hadassah thought to herself, her lips pressed to his cheek. Surely it meant he would awaken today, surely it meant he would rise from his many weeks of slumber and return to her arms.

Those were the exact thoughts that ran through her mind every morning, when she would wake up to find Daniel lying still beside her. She would plant a kiss to his cheek and mentally deceive herself that he was getting better. While she knew she succeeded in doing nothing but lying to herself, she knew it was the lie that kept her sane. It was the lie that gave her hope that one day, he would return to her. For nothing else and no one else gave hope to her; not the Physician who thought the injury inflicted to his head would most likely kill him in the end, or cause him to suffer brain damage, ruining him forever. Not Earl Talbot who tried to look hopefully, but could hardly play the part. Not Daniel. Even Daniel seemed unwilling to give hope to her for he laid still and unmoving for three months.

Sighing softly, she slung her arm over his torso and leaned into him. In only a few minutes she would be required to rise from his side and get dressed long enough to accommodate his visitors; his father, sometimes Julius as well, and especially the strange little girl who would sit by his side and murmur to him. Hadassah didn't know who she was, and she hadn't bothered to ask. Today however, she suspected a name would be added to the list of Daniel's visitors; Lady Talbot. She had informed them of her intent to travel once the baby was old enough to travel with her.

Crawling out of bed, Hadassah's feet settled on the carpet, it's hair prickling her bare feet. She jumped into action, changing out of her night clothes and styling her hair into a simple French braid. Turning from the dresser, she stripped Daniel of his night shirt, hefting his form into her arms. By the time she was done dressing him, her arms ached from holding him up for too long. She knew she would get help dressing him if she asked, but she had already relieved the maid with the duty to do so, of her duty. He was her husband and he was in this condition because of her, she would do the work.

Barely an hour after they were both dressed, there was a small knock on the door, indicating the start of the many visitors that would soon crowd the room.

In four months, Hadassah had settled into her routine of caring for Daniel. Lord Talbot announced they would have to leave the Physician's estate and move back to the home Julius lived, his announcement frustrating Hadassah. It wasn't only that she hated Julius greatly, it was that she hated to be near him. But Hadassah managed to keep her displeasure locked in. The little girl however, did not. After going into a hysterical tantrum for hours, she only agreed to stop screaming and crying when Lady Talbot pointed out to her that her actions would worsen Daniel's situation by not only giving him a headache, it might also succeed in deafening him.

Gasping softly, her eyes bulged to reflect her shock, before she clamped her mouth shut, walked over to Daniel's bedside and resumed her position beside him.

Taking the blanket from the armoire, Hadassah sprawled it over Daniel until only his face was left sticking out from the edge. His head was still devoid of hair, the Physician ensuring it continued to be shaved for as long as he needed to inspect the wound the gun had inflicted on his head. But Hadassah thought that now they were no longer in the Physician's home, she would permit his hair to grow out.

She turned to climb into bed beside him, when a soft knock sounded on the door. Sighing softly, she turned to the door and pulled it open.

The little girl appeared, face pale. She peeked up shyly at Hadassah, before glancing down at her feet once more. “May I... Well, I...”

Stepping aside, Hadassah held the door wide open. “You mustn't disturb him.”

“I won't, I promise.” She murmured softly, before scurrying into the room. When Hadassah closed the door, she turned back around to find the girl settled by his bedside, head bowed over his ear.