The Apothecary's Daughter by Charlotte Betts Read Free Book Online Page B

hurts!’ She raised her fingers to her forehead and was shocked to feel the stickiness of blood.
    When she saw her stained hands she at once became faint again. Ever since her mother died she hadn’t been able to abide the
     sight of blood.
    ‘Miss Leyton!’
    Taking a steadying breath, she opened her eyes and saw that it was Dr Ambrose who had come to her assistance. She struggled
     to stand but was firmly pushed down.
    ‘Rest still,’ he said.
    He supported her as they sat together on the floor while he pressed a cloth to her forehead.
    Susannah was strangely conscious of the doctor’s arm round her back and his warm hand on her forehead. She closed her eyes
     and leaned against his muscular chest. His skin smelled of shaving soap and his breath was faintly scented with peppermint.
     After a while, she realised that Harriet’s screams had stopped. ‘Where’s Harriet?’ she asked.
    ‘I have her.’
    The voice came from near the door and Susannah turned her head to look. A man a little older than herself, with smiling eyes
     set in a handsome face, held Harriet to his chest. The child was scarlet with rage as she sobbed and sniffed and wiped her
     nose on her sleeve. The man dabbed gingerly at her face with a lace-trimmed handkerchief.
    The shop bell tinkled and Arabella, resplendent in buttercup-yellow silk liberally decorated with lace and rosettes of blue
     ribbons, saw her daughter in the arms of a stranger.
    ‘Mama!’ Harriet kicked her rescuer on the shins, wriggled to the floor and ran to hide her face in her mother’s skirt.
    If Susannah’s head hadn’t hurt so much she would have laughed at how quickly Arabella sidestepped to avoid Harriet’s runny
     nose being wiped on her lace underskirt.
    ‘What has happened?’ Arabella’s voice was sharp.
    ‘Do not alarm yourself, madam.’ The stranger smiled winningly. ‘There has been a slight mishap and your daughter is upset.
     She ran out of the door as we arrived and I snatched her up to prevent her from falling into the path of a hackney carriage.’
    ‘Oh!’ Arabella gathered Harriet to her bosom, carefully turning her daughter’s grimy face away from the precious silk. ‘I
     thank you, sir.’
    ‘May I introduce myself? I am Henry Savage, Dr Ambrose’s cousin.’
    ‘Arabella Leyton.’ She proffered her fingertips.
    Susannah regarded Mr Savage more closely. More unlikely cousins she couldn’t have imagined. Mr Savage’s golden hair, richly
     patterned waistcoat and smiling face were full of sunshine, while Doctor Ambrose’s severe but darkly handsome looks carried
     something of the night.
    Mr Savage bowed to Arabella. ‘I came today hoping to introduce myself to your husband on a matter of business.’
    Cautiously, Dr Ambrose lifted the cloth away from Susannah’s head and peered at the wound. He was so close she could feel
     his breath warm on her cheek and she looked away, suddenly discomfited by his gaze.
    ‘The bleeding has stopped,’ he said, helping her to her feet.
    Arabella shrieked. ‘Susannah, what have you done? There is blood all over your bodice.’
    ‘What have
I
done?’ She was indignant. ‘Harriet smashed a gallypot between my feet and I slipped in oil of turpentine.’
    Arabella wrinkled her pretty little nose. ‘And what is that terrible smell?’
    Susannah sniffed. It wasn’t only the turpentine that smelled unpleasant. Then she remembered. ‘Oh, no! The syrup!’
    The pan was burned black and its contents wasted.
    ‘Your father will be most displeased with your carelessness, Susannah,’ said Arabella, tight-lipped. ‘You know how he hates
     waste.’
    ‘It was hardly my fault!’
    At that moment Mathew and John, stark naked and dripping wet, arrived to see what had caused the commotion.
    ‘What in the name of heaven …? I’m only away from home for a short while and when I return it’s to Bedlam!’ scolded Arabella.
    ‘If you took the time to look after your children none of this would have