Lydia Dare - Wolf Next Door

"What time is it?" Prisca asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"It's late," Lily said, covering a yawn. "Go and get some sleep."

"How is Alice?"

"About the same," Lily sighed. "I do hope it doesn't take Will long."

"You truly believe the magic will work?" Prisca asked.

"I do."

Prisca didn't know what to say to that, so she simply nodded. It would take more thought on her part, apparently.

Lily smiled and yawned again. "I have to get back to the duchess for my shift."

"Oh, let me take another turn," Prisca said, rising from her chair.

"That's not necessary," Lily said. "You sat with her most of the day."

"I

know

it's not necessary. But I want to. Besides, you look like you could use some rest, yourself."

"Are you certain?" Lily asked hesitantly.

"Go," Prisca said, shooing her from the room. "I'm going to her now. I'll call for you if anything happens."

Lily leaned and kissed her cheek. "Thank you," she said quietly.

Prisca made her way to the dowager's room and smiled at Major Forster, who slept in a chair with his feet propped on the edge of her bed. Prisca wiggled his foot and he looked up, blinking his eyes quickly.

"Everything's fine," Prisca assured him when he looked panicked. "Go get some rest. It's my turn."

"I don't like to leave her."

"I know. But you'll be better for her when you've rested."

The man finally lowered his feet and said, "Just for a few hours."

When he was gone, Prisca sat down beside the duchess. Alice Westfield had always seemed so strong. It was still so shocking to see her wasting away in the bed. It didn't quite seem possible.

Someone cleared his throat behind her, and Prisca glanced over her shoulder to find Ben leaning against the doorjamb, a large book in his hands. "Lily said I could find you here."

Prisca gestured to his tome. "A little light reading?"

Ben grinned. "Told you I'd bring you a book to peruse. It'll be a long night. If I were you, I'd start at the beginning."

"This is your werewolf book?" She bit back a grin. What utter nonsense.

"Lycan," he stressed, stepping forward and handing her the aged, black leather book.

Lycans: Legend and

Lore

was emblazoned in gold on the cover.

"Of course. How could I forget?" She rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Benjamin, I never knew you to be so odd."

He shrugged. "You've never been my sister before."

Prisca looked down at the book in her lap. Werewolves. It would probably keep her up while Alice slept. She sighed. "Thank you."

He winked at her and then left the room.

Prisca cracked open the book to find the rendering of a single wolf, his snout lifted toward the sky. On the inside cover was a written note:

A Lycan cannot

be embraced by another until he embraces the wildness

within himself.

She touched a hand to her locket and turned the next page. Instantly she was enthralled, and she turned page after page until she spotted a sketch a few chapters in. A naked torso of a man caught her eye, but it was the crescent-moon-shaped mark on his chest that really drew her attention. "Heavens," she muttered to herself. It looked identical to Will's birthmark.

"You do look engrossed." The major's voice startled Prisca, and she nearly leapt from her seat.

Composing herself, she smiled at the man. "Just reading."

He pointed to the beeswax candle on the table by her side. "You're about to lose your light."

True enough, very little was left of the candle, and the light was flickering to extinguish itself. He crossed the room, opened the drawer of the table, and retrieved a new one. He lit the new candle with the old and replaced it in the holder. "Sorry, I overslept," the major apologized.

"Did you?"

He nodded, looking chagrined. "Aye. It'll be dawn soon."

And she'd only read half of the book. She had no idea so much time had passed, because it was so engrossing.

The old officer's dark eyes softened as they landed on the dowager duchess. "I'll stay with her now."

Prisca rose from her seat by the bed and smiled at the man. The worry on his brow was echoed in her heart. "Are you certain?"

He resumed his vigil at her bedside. "There's no place else I'd rather be."

"You love her," Prisca whispered.

The major nodded, his eyes still focused on the sleeping duchess. "I never thought I could love someone after my wife, Elspeth's mother, and I think Alice felt the same way about Jonathan. We certainly never expected to feel this way about each other. We've known each other for years…"

Prisca squeezed his arm as she passed him. "I'm certain Will shall return in no time and all will be set to rights."

"Little Sorcha can work miracles," he agreed. "Just the same as my Elspeth."

The major, a military man his whole life, believed in these witches, too. That made Prisca feel a bit better about putting her hopes on them as well.

"Oh," he said as she stepped into the corridor and was about to close the door behind her.

"Yes?"

"You forgot your book." He pointed to her vacated seat.

She could never forget what she'd read, however. Prisca snatched the book up and started for the room Lily had made up for her.

***

Prisca woke to scratching at her door. She blinked her eyes open, surprised to find afternoon sunlight filled her room.

"Miss… er… Lady Prisca," she heard Molly's voice through the door.

Prisca leapt from the bed. "Oh, Molly, do come in!"

The door opened, and her maid bobbed a curtsey. "Hello, my lady."

She was so glad to see the girl that Prisca threw her arms around the maid's neck. "Oh, Molly. Have you come to stay? Tell me, how are things at Langley Downs?"

Apparently uncomfortable with Prisca's affection, the maid pulled herself from the embrace. "Sir Herbert thought you might have use for me."

A sane mind. Prisca had use for a sane mind. "I am so glad you're here."

Molly shuffled a bit. "I didn't come alone, my lady."

"Oh? Who else is here?"

"Your brothers accompanied me."

Prisca released a breath. "What do those cretins want?"

"They came to see how you are. And to see how Lord William fares after your father punched him the other night." Molly leaned in close. "Honestly, Miss… Lady Prisca, I can't imagine Sir Herbert punching anyone."

It had been a surprise to her, too, not that she wanted to rehash the particulars with her maid. "Are all of them here? My brothers, I mean?"

Molly nodded.

Prisca winced. Perfect. She had images of werewolves frolicking in her mind, and now she had to deal with those five dolts. "Help me pick something to wear, will you?" She gestured to the wardrobe at the far side of the room.

In no time, Prisca was dressed and entering the Westfield blue parlor. Pierce lounged against the far wall. Emory paced the back of the room. Blaine and Darius sat on the settee, their heads together, talking quietly. Garrick wore a pensive look and sat stiffly in a high-backed chair.

At her entrance, all of them stood at attention.

"Priss," Emory began, starting toward her, "what is this about Will being gone?"

She certainly couldn't tell them the truth. "The dowager has gotten worse," she explained. "Will has gone in search of a… doctor to help."

"What about Dr. Bramber?" Garrick asked, concern on his brow.

Prisca shook her head. "He left a tonic, but it hasn't helped. Will knows someone more… qualified."

Emory frowned. "I didn't realize it was so serious."

"Probably," she began, "because you were so busy trying to plan my future for me. You each should know that I won't let any of you go unpunished for that. But my focus now is on my mother-in-law."