“Happily … you were … nearer. I should have been … loth to put you … to such … inconvenience. It is … very dark. Draw the curtains … further apart! No … matter. …” The whisper ceased.
Burnest tiptoed to the bed.
“It is nearly the end,” he murmured in Lady Fanny’s ear. “Just sit where you are.”
She nodded. Her face was drawn.
John crept up to the bed and knelt beside it, his head buried in the coverlet. Lady Frances laid her hand on his shoulder.
“Do not grieve, John,” she said pitifully. “You know he would not wish it.”
Only a strangled sob answered her. Roxhythe moved his hand.
“Devil … take you … John! What now?”
John carried the hand to his lips, smothering it with kisses.
“My lord! My dear lord!”
“Chut!” Roxhythe pressed his fingers feebly. “Have … a care to him … Fanny.”
“I promise.”
There was a long, long silence. Nothing broke it save the laboured breathing. John was quiet now, clasping my lord’s hand. Lady Fanny sat very still.
Over by the fire was the surgeon, staring into the red embers. He did not move.
Half an hour crept by; yet another. Somewhere outside a clock chimed mournfully.
My lord’s eyes opened. There was a faraway look in them not of this world.
“I must … to Whitehall. To … my little … master.” Faintly, very faintly came the whisper. His beautiful smile curved my lord’s lips. “Sire … Sire. …”
The eyelids fluttered, closed. My lord’s hand quivered. He gave a deep sigh, full of peace.
“Only … your … pleasure … Sir. …”
His head fell sideways a little on the pillow. The smile was still on his lips, but the light had gone out.
Colophon
The Great Roxhythe
was published in by
Georgette Heyer.
This ebook was produced for
Standard Ebooks
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Emma Sweeney,
and is based on a transcription produced in by
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and on digital scans from the
Internet Archive.
The cover page is adapted from
The Great Roxhythe,
a painting completed in by
Walter Lambert.
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League Spartan and Sorts Mill Goudy
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