Sundown (22 page)

Raphael paced back and forth, feeling
as if he wore the floorboards from beneath h
is feet.  Pausing with his worrisome patrol, he stared at the hall clock, noting
nearly twenty minutes
had
past.  Fearing the worst, he charged into the bedroom determined.  

Rowena stood over the bed, dousing the child with a cool cloth while
Leticia
reached for the fireplace poker.  He watched with a halfway amusing smile as his mistress lifted the lance and skewered the child’s soiled clothing, tossing the filthy rags into nearby fl
ames.  The look of disgust, which
crossed her beautiful features suddenly made her look worn and severe.  Without a word, he turned his attention back upon the child, leaning forward he noticed purple blotches etched beneath her closed lids.  Upon closer inspection, he could tell at one time the child’s hair must have shined like a copper pennant.  Reaching out, he brushed aside a lock of matted hair.  

“Master Raphe, she’s ripe with fever.”  Rowena murmured.  Continuing to soothe the child’s burning flesh, she looked up at him with apprehension.  “I daresay she’ll make it through the night.”

“Have faith, Rowe.”  He said.  Watching the child’s chest rise and fall, he turned away not wanting the servant to see his foreboding.  “Keep her cool until the Doctor arrives.”

Minutes
passed into an hour.  In that
time
,
the child tossed back and forth racked with chills, thrashing
feverishly.  Now and then, Raphael
pause
d
his pacing to listen, as
she would
whimper stran
ds of unintelligible warble.  He
reached out and touched the girl’s tempered skin, stroking her clammy cheek.  Were he not prepared for the violent assault, he was quite certain the child would have broken his nose.  Clenching both arms, he easily secured her flailing arms. 
Just then
, a pair of wild sea green eyes flew open.  Taken aback, he found himself s
taggered.  He had to admit
he had
never seen eyes a shade so beautiful.  Without warni
ng, a raw wail escaped her lips.  T
he evocative sound was full
of sorrow.  In an instant, the
pitiful sound brought him back to reality.

“Please don’t …” Through chattering teeth, she whimpered.  “Send me back.”  

Raphael lifted the girl into his arms.  Looking up at Rowena for support, the housekeeper nodded her head, encouraging him to continue with his coddling.  With a groan of disgust,
Leticia
made her feelings known.

“Really,
is this quite necessary?  Why look at her,
she’s hardly a
child
…”

Losing his patience, he mustered his last reserve. 

“Get out!” 

Leticia
gathered her composure, and marched from the room.  For the
first time, Raphael swore
he heard his mistress curse outside his bedroom door.  Lifting a brow in disbelief, he received a sideways smirk from Rowena.

“You’ve bonded with the mite.”  The housekeeper told him.  Stoking the fire some more, she cocked her head, and shrugged her shoulders.  “You might as well hold the poor dear until she falls asleep.”

Raphael rolled his eyes.  Tilting back his head, he wanted to laugh.  Certainly, he had a knack for getting himself trapped in to the strangest of situations.  Fondling a young girl, much less a child was not exactly his cup of tea.

“Must I?” 

Raphael looked down at the girl.  Feeling guilt-ridden, he slid an able arm beneath the girl’s neck and crawled
atop the covers, bearing to her shivering
form.  Closing his eyes, he listened to the uneven rasping
of her breath, and prayed
his warmth would help until the doctor arrived. 

Minutes passed into quiet hours, and soon there was nothing but darkness.  At some point, he guessed Rowena departed the room set upon her housekeeping duties and
he had
drifted off to sleep.  Dis
appointed, he realized Doc
Lawrence
had not
come.  It was early Christmas morning, and no doubt, the old man slept somewhere toppled over in his cups.

“Just you and I, sweeting.”  He whispered. 

The sound of his voice must have startled her for he felt her stirring beneath his touch.  Raphael’s mouth curved with softness amazed
she still held on.  Relieved, he pulled her near, feeling the dank heat of her naked flesh.  It was then he noticed, the melding of a familiarity as old as time.  The slightest touch brought his fingers against the soft expanse of a taut nipple and the weight of her breast beneath his hand.  Curious, he moved his hand, exploring the unknown.  To his surprise, he
found a perfect mound and
more than a hand full. 

Raphael jerked from his coddling position.  Throwing back the sheets, he starred in utter disbelief.  Bathed by firelight, her gooseflesh shimmered beneath an orange ethereal glow.  He studied her rounded hips and the pelted expanse, which nestled between her shapely legs. 

God, but he was a fool. 

How could he have missed something like this?    

“I d-don’t want to d-die alone ...not-like-this.”  She whispered, barely a rasp.  Struggling for another breath, she pleaded with him.  “Please don’t leave me.”

Startled by her desperate words, he felt his heart wrench.  She touched a chord in him
he had
naught felt before.  Once again, he pulled her into his arms, but this time it was different.  He no longer felt drawn to save an innocent child.  Something in him felt possessive, almost primal.  Lifting her chin, he brought his lips to her ear and whispered. 

“You’re not going to die. 
You are
going to live.  One day
you are
going to marry. 
You will
have a fine husband and beautiful babes to rear.  After a long and happy life, then you will die happily in the arms of your husband.  Do you hear me?”

“God-has-sent … one of his angels,” She chattered feverishly.  “W-what does he call you?”

“Raphael.”  He whispered. 

“And now the Lord has sent me to heal the
e for I am the angel, Raphael.”
  She murmured a passage from the bible before closing her eyes.

Raphael smiled.  “Hush now, lie still and I will hold you through this night.”

Sh
e barely breathed coherence, yet
recognition escaped her lips.  Raphael w
atched her grow
still, so still his heart faltered until finally he felt warm breath against his neck.  Drawing her close, he nestled her against his chest, holding the wraith-like creature into the wee hours of the morning.  He gave a silent prayer, asking God to save her pitiful soul, and in return, he would do everythin
g in his power to see
she continued to live as he had
told her.