LoverforRansom Read Online Free PDF Page A

normally slept in this bed. She stretched her legs, luxuriating in
the silky smoothness of the cotton against her bare skin.
    A muffled sound came from the next room, and Cathleen pushed
herself up off the pillows to listen more closely. Again, she heard a whimper. Jenny…
    Throwing back the covers, she slid off the side of the bed,
grateful for her habit of counting steps to familiarize herself with unusual
surroundings.
    Eight steps to her bedroom door.
    Thirty-six steps to Jenny’s room.
    Sometime during the night, Jenny had opened her bedroom
door. “Jenny?” Cathleen called in an authoritative voice. She squinted in the
darkness that was barely lessened by moonlight spilling in through the door to
the balcony.
    A gasp tore from the girl’s throat. She twisted wildly
toward the sound. “Who’s there?”
    “It’s I, Cathleen, your teacher. What’s the matter, dear?”
    “I don’t…I thought I heard—” Fresh sobs gurgled in the
girl’s throat and she burst into tears.
    Cathleen rushed across the room and planted a firm hand on
Jenny’s shoulder before sitting beside her and dragging her into an embrace.
“Hush, sweeting. It’s all right now.”
    Holding Jenny tightly, Cathleen stroked her hair, soothing
her with soft words until the girl stopped shuddering and sniveling.
    A breathless Mrs. Byrne appeared in the doorway. “What’s all
this commotion about?”
    “Jenny was experiencing a night terror.”
    “A night terror? Oh, Miss Ryan, these sorts of outburst from
her are common at night. The doctor said that we must let her work through
these fears, otherwise—”
    Cathleen was appalled. “Work through them?” she interrupted.
“Are you mad? You cannot begin to imagine what losing sight is like. Every
noise, every creak, every thud is amplified tenfold. She’s terrified.”
    “But…” Mrs. Byrne stopped talking and her lips formed an O.
Her eyes glittered in the darkness and she began to wring her hands. “I would
never… The doctor said…”
    “Well, I’m here now,” Cathleen said, gathering Jenny closer.
“I will help her learn to deal with the heightened senses.”
    Cathleen closed her eyes, fighting away her own memories of
night terrors. Steeling herself, she held Jenny back far enough to study the
girl’s face. “Would you like me to stay with you?”
    Jenny nodded.
    Cathleen caressed the girl’s cheek and coaxed her to lie
back down. Taking Jenny’s hand to reassure her, Cathleen stood. “I think it’s
best if I stay here the rest of the night, Mrs. Byrne. We’ll discuss what else
this doctor has told you tomorrow.”
    Speechless, Mrs. Byrne nodded. She turned to leave but
stopped. “Miss Ryan, I’m glad you’ve come.”
    Cathleen smiled. For the first time since she’d arrived at
Byrne’s End, she was glad she’d come too.
    * * * * *
    Ransom looked up from the breakfast table, shocked as Jenny
made her way into the room on Miss Ryan’s arm.
    What could have possibly happened since his departure last
night to have caused such a change in his sister? Ransom judiciously didn’t
speak, but rather exchanged glances with Sissy. The nickname had been bestowed
on his mother as a child by Aunt Chloe. As the oldest, Ransom had adopted the
term and thus set the trend for Jenny.
    Jenny’s hair had been combed to a shine and pulled back in a
bow. She wore a fresh day dress and even though her eyes were fixed, unseeing,
her countenance was bright and flushed with color.
    “Where on earth are your manners, son?” Sissy asked, the
nervous warble in her voice evident. “Aren’t you going to pull Miss Ryan’s
chair out?”
    The teacher waved her hand at him in dismissal. “I’m quite
capable of seating myself.”
    But Ransom was already on his feet. After tossing his napkin
on his chair, he circled the table and pulled Jenny’s chair out.
    “Your brother is waiting to seat you,” Miss Ryan whispered
as she gently nudged Jenny into her seat.
    Groping, Jenny found the