Stronger than Yearning

His voice reverberated through her body, and she heard it inwardly rather than outwardly. She felt dizzy and faintly sick. Too long without food, she told herself, remembering her skipped lunch and the long drive.

‘Faint from lack of food,’ she told him, forcing a brief smile.

She could feel her own heart racing, hear its agitated thump. James was still holding her, although less fiercely. Her eyes were on a level with his throat. She lifted them to his face, a curious spasm of sensation curling through her as he smiled down at her.

‘Now then, you two, that’s enough of that!’ Jessie’s briskly firm tones broke them apart, Jenna too bemused to be upset by her assumption and James merely laughing at the older woman as he said teasingly: ‘Jessie, you must remember we’ve only just got engaged!’

‘Aye, well, in my day engaged meant engaged and not married, and we’ll have no carryings on under this roof, her ladyship wouldn’t like it!’

‘Her ladyship?’ Jenna stared hard at James, but he refused to respond.

‘You go and check up on Sarah, then, my love,’ was all he said, ‘and then we’ll go downstairs. Knock when you’re ready. That’s my door.’ He indicated a stout wooden door opposite from the one Jessie was holding open.

‘You won’t have your own bathroom I’m afraid, miss,’ she told Jenna as she ushered her into her bedroom. ‘We don’t run to that here.’

Jenna smiled reassuringly, her smile deepening as she viewed her room. It was comfortably large with three small, dormer, leaded windows that immediately overlooked the courtyard and then the countryside beyond it. A pretty rosebud-decorated wallpaper covered the walls. Flounced white muslin curtains hung at the windows, the same fabric being used on the two single beds. The floor was bare, polished boards, with a deep, rich shine, a rag rug in soft faded pinks in between the two beds. Although she and Sarah had no private bathroom the room had a basin set into an attractive vanity unit.

‘It’s pretty, isn’t it?’ Sarah was lying on one of the beds, and although she smiled, Jenna sensed that she was tired and in some degree of pain.

‘Very,’ she agreed, ‘typically English cottagey. You look tired. I don’t know what time we’re going to eat.’

She turned enquiringly to Jessie who told her, ‘Her ladyship said to have dinner ready when you arrived—it’s only home-made soup, cold game pie and salad, so if the young lady would like something on a tray ..?’

‘Would you like that, Sarah?’ Jenna questioned, sitting down on her own bed and taking one of Sarah’s hands between her own. She didn’t want to give Sarah the impression that she and James did not want her company. She knew how sensitive she was and was anxious not to hurt her.

‘I think so, if you don’t mind.’

‘Not at all. A tray would be lovely,’ she told Jessie with a smile. ‘What would you like to drink, Sarah? Milk? Tea?’

‘Or there’s home-made lemonade,’ Jessie supplied.

‘Milk, I think.’

When Jessie bustled off, Jenna enquired tactfully if Sarah wished to use the bathroom. Watching her colour slightly, Jenna felt a wave of sympathy for her. ‘I can

manage by myself at the flat. I’ve got my chair. But here…’

‘Don’t worry. James will bring your chair up. You know that he intends to ask his godmother if you and Lucy can stay here while we’re away. How do you feel about that, Sarah?’

‘I think I shall quite like it if Lucy is here too.’

Her response was obviously genuine and Jenna felt relieved.

‘You look to me as though you’re suffering some discomfort,’ she told Sarah bluntly. ‘Do you have something you can take?’

‘Yes, some painkillers. They’re in my bag.’

Jenna got them for her and gave her a glass of water.

‘My back started aching in the car, but I didn’t want to take them then. They make me so sleepy. Sometimes I feel as though I’m sleeping my whole life away.’ Frustration edged her voice and Jenna felt compassion ache inside her. ‘Maybe that’s the best thing I can do,’ Sarah added dolefully, ‘sleep myself into oblivion.’

‘Nonsense,’ Jenna retorted crisply. ‘You will get better, Sarah, and in fact, I think that your back aching is a good sign. You’re obviously getting some sensation returning.’

She could see that Sarah had not thought of that aspect of her pain, her face brightening slightly. ‘Do you really think so?’

‘Yes, I do.’ Jenna mentally crossed her fingers that she was right. ‘We must mention it on your next hospital appointment.’ She grimaced faintly and got off her own bed. ‘I’d better go downstairs. James will be wondering what I’m doing. I hadn’t realised his godmother was titled.’

‘Yes, she and James’s mother were cousins.’