“Why must you torture me?” Her pain was almost unbearable.
Victor tries to ignore the state of her undress. Her long blonde hair is hanging about her shoulders as he hoists her in his arms and walks over toward the sofa. Summer groans and attempts not to be sick.
Her blue eyes open wide and she is but a breath away from him. She can smell the scent of whiskey and man, and she wonders if he tastes as good as he feels. Startled by her intense reaction to him she pushes away. “I’m awake now, you can release me, Mr. Yates.”
Victor ignores her and sits on the couch with her on his lap. “You may call me Victor.”
“I most certainly will not, Mr. Yates. I am your employee, until you say otherwise.” She scrambles off his lap and he lets her go, this time. “I am tired, won’t you please go away,” she begs desperate for him to leave before her tears start again.
“I’m sorry, Summer, but I can’t do that.” He rises and stokes the low burning embers in the fireplace. When he has it roaring, he carries over a tray of soup and biscuits. “You see, I owe you a debt and I don’t yet know how I am going to repay you. Come sit by the fire and tell me about Summer Denning.”
Staring at her employer, she grabs her wrap, slipping it on and ties it tightly around her waist. Soon this charade will be over, and she will be free to return home with her brother. Her letter from Annie was never sent, she died on the ship. Summer read the list of dead in the newspaper and it included Annie’s name. It’s been over four weeks since she mailed her letter and it’s a two-month journey from England to Boston on a normal ship and that was in good weather. What if Alex gets sick and… “I can’t think right now, Mr. Yates. Everything hurts…” she whispers and wipes at her tears.
He jumps to his feet and guides her to the sofa. “Come sit down, Summer. It will pass, take a slow, deep breath.”
She closes her eyes and attempts to do as he suggests.
“Let me help you. Tell me, where are you from?” He wraps a blanket around her shoulders, and she blushes when she realizes her reputation would be ruined if anyone knew about this situation. Her parents would be horrified and her brother? She doesn’t want to think about what he would do.
“You’re too kind, tell me how Jonah is getting along? I hope he wasn’t traumatized by that monster.” Her mind slips for a moment and all she can hear is the moans of her family as they lay dying. Her hand covers her eyes and her tears continue to fall.
“Just breathe, Summer. Let it go, listen to my voice,” he urges and takes her hand in his. The comfort he offers is a gift and the warmth of his intention begins to sink in.
“Thank you,” her eyes open and she gives him a tremulous smile.
“Here, you need to eat something.” He hands her a cup of warm broth, satisfied when she smiles and sips it. The salty explosion in her mouth causes her to groan in ecstasy. She was hungrier than she realized. He brings the tray closer and she wipes her eyes with a napkin.
“Jonah is all right, though understandably worried about you. Thank you, Summer, if he had been struck instead of you... I don’t even want to think about it.”
“That man is a pig!” She slams her cup down and the noise sends bright shards of pain through her eyes. “Damn!” She murmurs to herself. “Why would you employ somebody who mistreats women and children to tutor your son?”
“I didn’t know…” his guilt is intense. Summer glances at his disheveled black hair and day’s growth of beard and sees the worry in his beautiful eyes.
“Forgive me Mr. Yates, that wasn’t called for. I am not myself and children heal quickly. They easily forget things best forgotten.”
“The war took me away, Summer, but I am home now. I won’t be going back to Boston anytime soon. The epidemic is spreading rapidly. In fact, we’re leaving for New York shortly. I have acquired a new job that needs my attention.”
Summer opens her eyes and stares at him. “What do you mean? How bad is the epidemic?”
“It is bad, they hired a German doctor to create an island to house the sick and infected. The isolation seemed to work at first, until now. It has passed to the population, somehow. The Boston harbor has been closed. No more ships are allowed in or out until it is contained.”
“This new doctor is his name, Dr. Rudolph?” She whispers. Her blue eyes stand out against the pale skin and her hands tremble as she slowly lowers them to her lap.
“Yes. Do you know him?” He asks, but her heart begins to pound in her chest. She can’t breathe! She stands and her blanket falls away as she wheezes for air.
“Summer, what’s wrong?” Victor jumps up and moves quickly to her side.
She strains to talk, but can only wheeze out, “He actually did it, he took my father’s research and is using it to make a name for himself.” Victor grabs her and she can see his mouth moving, but can no longer hear his voice
He sweeps her up into his arms and walks to the chair nearest the fire. “Easy now, it’s okay.”
Summer is shaking so hard her teeth are chattering. Drawn to his heat, she wraps her arms around his waist and hides her face in his neck.
Shock, she is going into shock, Victor thinks. He rubs her leg and arm and talks to her. “Listen to the sound of my voice, you
