Gift from the Sea by Anna Schmidt Read Free Book Online

mortification.
    “Besides,” Maggie’s mother continued, “she’s bringing others with her—her maidservant and her traveling companion, Sir Frederick Groton, a nephew of the duke. Plus, I suspect that at least a portion of her motive in coming is to lighten the burden of your grief over Michael. She’s fond of you.”
    Maggie certainly appreciated that it was far too risky to involve any more people in this matter until they could be certain what Stefan Witte’s purpose truly was. Of course, there was a solution for that but she knew better than to suggest how simple it would be to load the German up anddeposit him on the steamer that brought mail and passengers and supplies between New Bedford and Nantucket twice daily weather permitting.
    In spite of occasional bursts of sympathy for a patient in pain, she continued to argue that turning the German over to the authorities and letting them sort it all out made a great deal more sense than keeping him at the inn. But all her protests had fallen on deaf ears—in fact, with each day the seaman was under their roof, everyone else in the household became more attached. The world had indeed gone mad.
    “Just let me get dressed,” she said with a long-suffering sigh.
    Lucie nodded and turned to leave. “And bring your coat and scarf and mittens. There’s a strong north wind and it’s very damp and raw out.”
    Maggie did as she was told. Wrapping her wool scarf twice around her neck, she took the back stairs to the second floor and hurried down the hall to room three. Overnight, the German had taken an unexpected turn for the worse. And now he was lying flat in the bed, his eyes closed, his face as pale as the sheets. Every few minutes his entire body was racked with coughing and Sarah ran to attend him.
    “Ah, Maggie,” her father said. His voice was reassuring but his expression showed clearly the worry and concern he had for this new development. He was wearing his winter coat and gloves and scarf. He took Maggie’s hands in his and drew her to one side of the room while Sarah wrapped Stefan in layers of blankets. “Here is the plan. We are moving Stefan to the cottage for the time being. Given his state of health, Tom thinks it best that you stay with him.”
    “I have my work at the hospital,” Maggie protested.
    “That’s all arranged. Doc has told the staff that he plans to move all of his surgical patients out of the hospital to private homes and cottages to be cared for until the threat of influenza has passed. Everyone will simply assume we are caring for such a patient and Doc is making his usual rounds in the community instead of the hospital.”
    “But you can’t possibly expect me to stay alone with him. Once he’s stronger, Papa—”
    “Sean will be just outside the back door in his workshop, repairing his nets. He and Sarah will take the nights. We’re installing locks on the door, and we’ve nailed shut the window of the downstairs bedroom. You will be perfectly safe. The man is weak as a kitten—”
    “But Auntie Jeanne will wonder why I’m not here,” Maggie protested, searching for any possible way she might avoid the assignment her father was giving her. She felt almost desperate to avoid such close contact with Stefan Witte. Something happened to her sense of propriety whenever she was near him, and the only sensible way to fight that was to maintain her distance.
    Over the German’s coughing, Maggie continued to protest, “I’m to be his nurse and warden?”
    “We will all help you, Maggie,” her mother assured her, coming to stand with Papa—a united front. “Besides, it’s only until Auntie Jeanne and her party leave. How long can that be?”
    Well, let me think now—two summers ago when she “visited” she stayed for three months. What if she decides she likes it here so much that she decides to stay permanently?
    Maggie felt outnumbered, not to mention confused. What was it about this man that had her parents