Dr Fielding was expected at ten o'clock. Which meant Eleanor had precisely two hours to prepare herself for whatever embarrassment the day would bring.
She checked on Aubrey at half past eight. He was asleep, his face less grey than yesterday, his breathing steady. The laudanum had done its work. She did not wake him.
At precisely ten o'clock, Mr Davies announced Dr Fielding.
Eleanor received him in the drawing room—the same drawing room where Aubrey's parents had deposited him yesterday. The ribbons and dried arrangements she had hung with such desperate optimism now seemed absurd, frivolous decorations for a house with so much tension and resentment.
Dr Fielding was a man of perhaps sixty, with a perpetually cheerful expression and an air of professional competence that might have been reassuring if he weren't smiling quite so broadly given the circumstances.
"Lady Madeley!" He bowed with unnecessary enthusiasm. "Delighted to meet you properly. Your in-laws speak very highly of your... fortitude. Not every wife would agree to nurse a husband she hasn't seen since their wedding vows!"
He chuckled as though this was amusing rather than mortifying.
Eleanor's spine stiffened. "Many wives in my particular situation do not have my in-laws."
"Ha! Yes, quite right. Lord and Lady Egerton are rather... forceful in their persuasions." Dr Fielding seemed entirely unbothered by the tension in the room. "Still, it's for the best. Can't have a viscount recovering alone. Bad for morale. Bad for healing. And the intimate nature of the care required… Well, only a wife can provide that sort of thing without scandal, eh?"
The way he said "intimate" made Eleanor's stomach clench.
"Now then!"Dr Fielding clapped his hands together. "I should like to examine the patient and explain the care regimen to you both. Best if you're present. You'll need to see what you're dealing with. No point being squeamish about it."
Eleanor's stomach dropped. "I... perhaps I should wait outside while you—"
"Nonsense! You're his wife. Nothing to be embarrassed about." Dr Fielding was already heading toward the stairs. "You'll need to know exactly what needs washing, how to check for infection in the more... delicate areas. Can't do that from the corridor!"
He said it loudly enough that Tom the footman, fixing a lamp nearby, turned bright red.
Eleanor felt her face burn. "Of course. He is upstairs. I shall show you."
"Excellent! Lead the way, my lady." Dr Fielding followed her with continued cheer. "Your husband is quite fortunate, you know. Many men with injuries of this nature end up with far worse complications. Though I suppose we won't know the full extent for some time. These groin injuries can be tricky—never quite sure what's been affected until everything heals. Or doesn't heal, as the case may be!"
He laughed.
Eleanor climbed the stairs, her dread mounting with each step. This was going to be even worse than she'd imagined.
She knocked softly on the bedroom door, then entered.
Aubrey was awake, propped against the pillows, his eyes darkening with something that might have been dread when he saw them both.
"Good morning, my lord!" Dr Fielding said with entirely too much cheer. "I trust you passed a comfortable night?"
"Tolerably," Aubrey said, his voice rough. His eyes cut to Eleanor. "Though I would prefer to recover at my house in London rather than... here. With a proper physician attending me privately."
"Nonsense! Can't be moved." Dr Fielding set down his bag with a decisive thump. "Lady Madeley, if you'd position yourself here—yes, perfect—you'll want a clear view of the injuries."
Dr Fielding rubbed his hands together. "Now then, my lord, let's have a look at the damage, shall we?"
He pulled back the bedclothes without ceremony.
Aubrey's entire body went rigid. "Doctor, perhaps Lady Madeley could step out while—"
"Bet you regret your separation, eh?" Dr Fielding chuckled. "Quite the scandal. Still, you're married, so let's not be missish about it."
Eleanor's face burned. Aubrey's knuckles went white as he gripped the sheets.
Dr Fielding lifted the nightshirt and peered in. "Ah yes. Quite spectacular bruising. Purple and black—always impressive, these riding accidents. Lady Madeley, come closer. Don't be shy."
Eleanor took one reluctant step forward, keeping her eyes firmly on the doctor's face.
