She had to rush to finish dressing when she heard Dr. Seeton had arrived. As it was, she couldn’t speak to him until after his examination of Christopher. And perforce, with wet hair hanging down her back, she felt she looked the hoyden. Couldn’t be helped.
She led him into her upstairs parlor. “Can I get you some tea? I need some. There is so much going on today with the worry about Christopher and the investigation I find a good cup of tea helps me to take a moment to relax and think.”
“I should be delighted to share a pot of tea with you, Lady Branstoke,” Dr. Seeton said.
She gave instructions to the footman, then invited Dr. Seeton to sit.
“Did Miss Rangaswamy tell you she practiced some Ayurvedic healing massage on Christopher? She said it gets the energies flowing again.”
“It did relieve some of his tight muscles. That will bring blood flowing to the area and be a healing benefit.”
“I am so glad she thought to do that, then. I believe we have much to learn from the medical practices in India and other countries.”
“I was approached by the East India Company to go to India for a couple of years as a company doctor. It was tempting for all the things I might learn; however, I have a good practice in London and did not want to jeopardize all the effort I’d already made in developing my practice. I decided—not without some regret—I shall learn from those that go instead of me,” he said.
Cecilia smiled. “I’m sure your London patients appreciate your decision.”
Dot came in then with the tea tray, and Cecilia served Dr. Seeton and herself.
“I must tell you, Lady Branstoke,” Dr. Seeton said as he accepted the teacup from her, “I am impressed with the neck brace your housekeeper fashioned for young Sedgewick.”
“Was he wearing it this morning?”
“Miss Rangaswamy put it on him to show me. It does all that I could want it to do to keep a young child from moving his head around. He didn’t like it, but when I told him with the brace on, he could get out of bed for meals and could sit up for visits, he decided it was okay. I strictly said no running or jumping or other wild movements that young children are happy to make.”
Cecilia sighed with relief. “That is good news. How long do you think we should keep him quiet and wearing the brace?”
“I’d like to see him wear the brace for a week; however, if after my visit tomorrow he shows continual improvement, he will not need to be bed-bound. I told Miss Rangaswamy she could continue with therapeutic massages. With your permission, I would ask her to teach me her techniques.”
“I am delighted! But you do not need to ask my permission. That will be up to Miss Rangaswamy. It is her knowledge to share or not.”
He bowed his head in acknowledgement. “I see,” he said. “So I assume if I would like to know how to fashion a brace as your housekeeper did, I should speak directly to her?”
Cecilia nodded. “I pay wages for the work people do for me. I do not own their talents.”
“You are unusual, then, Lady Branstoke.”
She shrugged. “I do not hold that as a bad thing to be.”
He smiled. “I would happen to agree with you, my lady.”
* * *
“Thank you for seeing me,Mr. Partridge,” James said as a young clerk showed him into Damon Partridge’s office.
Damon Partridge rose from behind his desk and reached across to shake James’s hand. “I admit your visit piqued my curiosity, Sir James.” He gestured for James to sit in the chair in front of the desk as he sat down again.
James nodded. “That is understandable.” He sat down and crossed one leg over the other as he settled into the chair.
“To what do I owe this visit? Do you foresee problems with the Waddley acquisition by my father?”
James waved a hand negligently. “I do not get involved in Waddley business. I leave that to my wife, Mr. Thornbridge, the solicitors, and the banks.”
“Yes, I was surprised to see you did not assume ownership on your marriage.”
James smiled lazily at Partridge, his eyes half hooded. One side of his lips kicked upward. “Lady Branstoke is much mistaken by society.”
Damon Partridge looked at him consideringly. “Hmmm. Unknown depths. I wonder if I should warn my father.”
