Jasper sent her a quizzical look. “Good man?”
Anne shrugged. “As far as I know.” Though she still had questions about what she didnotyet know about him.
Jasper held the door for her, and the two followed the doctor more sedately into the house.
Anne left Jasper to his happy reunion with Katherine in the parlour and went upstairs. Realizing she needed to use the water closet, she walked past Lady Celia’s room. As she neared the side passage, she heard whispers.
She slowed and peered gingerly around the wall.
There stood Dr. Finch and Rosa, heads bent close in hushed conversation. This was the second time she had seen them alone together. What were they up to? Had Rosa been the woman she’d heard him talking to through the thicket?
Anne thought about retreating unnoticed, but she really needed to use the water closet. So she stepped around the corner and cleared her throat to alert them to her presence.
They leapt apart and looked over, expressions wary.
“I beg your pardon,” Anne said. “Sorry to interrupt.”
“Not at all.” Rosa turned away with a pert lift of her chin. “Dr. Finch was just giving me some ... unsolicited advice. Good day, Doctor.” Rosa nodded to the man without meeting his eyes and strode past Anne, disappearing into her own room.
For a moment, Dr. Finch’s gaze followed her. Then, probably noticing Anne watching him, he bowed and entered Lady Celia’s room.
6
That Sunday, Anne again attended church. Miss Newland was still unable to walk, so Anne sat with Charlotte’s friend Ursula Birt once more. Waiting for the service to start, Anne admired the lofty nave with its arched arcades, sunny lancet windows, and many memorial plaques. The pupils from the charity school were sitting high in the gallery at one end. And there, near the front, Colonel Paine, now dressed in civilian clothing, was sitting with Miss Fitzjohn in the family box.
Anne also saw Dr. Marsland in attendance, but not his younger partner. Did Dr. Finch never attend, she wondered, or was he busy with a patient? She studied Dr. Marsland with interest. The forty-something physician was reasonably handsome, well-dressed, and well respected. She was curious why he had never married and if he’d remained single by choice. She noticed more than one lady try to catch his eye, but he did not seem to pay them any heed.
Following her gaze, Miss Birt leaned near and whispered, “Rumor has it he courted a woman in the past but was disappointed in love. As far as I know, he hasn’t shown interest in anyone else—except perhaps Lotty, although she insiststhey are only friends. ‘The lady doth protest too much, methinks.’”
The bells rang, the organist began his prelude, and they all stood for the processional hymn while the curate, Mr. Strong, entered wearing his vestments. Anne did her best to shift her focus to the service as the parish clerk at the reading desk led the responses, and then the curate ascended the wooden double-decker pulpit to pray and give the sermon.
Afterward, she and Miss Birt walked to Yew Cottage for luncheon. Upon arriving, Anne learned Miss Lotty had invited Dr. Marsland and Dr. Finch as well. Anne suspected her old friend might be attempting some matchmaking—but for her ... or for herself?
Anne offered to help Dinah in the kitchen. Before her father remarried, she had prepared many simple meals when their maid of all work had her half day off. And Anne was happy to help now, especially with guests expected to join them.
When they heard the knocker, Dinah scurried out to answer the door. Anne followed more sedately to greet the physicians.
Dr. Marsland handed Miss Lotty a coin. “Here you are. Another Roman coin for your collection. Found near Highfield Farm.”
“Oh! Thank you, Richard. How considerate.”
Ursula raised a brow and sent Anne a pointed look.
Anne greeted both doctors, then excused herself to return to her tasks.
From the pantry, where she stood arranging serving dishes on a tray, she could hear the others conversing in the adjacent dining room.
“You really ought to marry, Ernest,” Dr. Marsland said. “Patients have more confidence in a married man. And you’dnot suffer so much unwanted attention from swooning females... or their mammas.”
“You are not married, sir,” Dr. Finch replied. “If that’s not impertinent to point out.”
“It is impertinent, but you’re right. Yet I am older and more established, so it is not such an issue.”
“Perhaps the attention of females is not onerous to Dr. Finch,” Miss Lotty suggested mildly.
“A wife would also serve to quell rumors,” Miss Birt added.
“Rumors?” the younger man asked, clearly uneasy.
