Chapter 80. Changing Tides

Proserpina

Ria was a little feverish that evening. The time she had spent in the outdoor pool, despite being asked to come in, had made her catch a chill, and she had been sneezing at dinnertime as well. She had a small slice of pie, which was unusual enough for her. Having forced her to have some broth that I had fixed for her, I stood, worriedly, fussing over her when Lucien entered for dinner.

Scrambling down from her seat, she trundled over to him and clasped his knees.

I felt a pang of jealousy.

How soon she had accepted him into her life, I thought.

Lucien lifted her up in his arms immediately and frowned across at me.

'She's burning. She has a fever, Woman!.’ He was almost yelling at me, his eyes hot embers of fury.

Good grief, I thought crossly. I had been a veteran of colds and coughs and fevers with the kids when we were in Bhutan, struggling all alone. One sneeze and the man was behaving like he was being decapita