“Where’s Graham?” Hope asked. “And why did Mr. Harris kiss your hand? I thought you loathed one another.”
“What is that dog doing here?” Aunt Belle asked, eyeing the animal as it trotted in behind them, cutting in front of the matriarch.
Faith led them into the parlor and explained at length what had happened. She told them that Duncan was alive and had mistakenly believed that Logan and Jeanne had been secretly meeting. When they began to ask why he had thought that, Faith tried to avoid the explanation. Thankfully, Aunt Belle ordered a break in the story so that they could take tea.
Unfortunately, Grace couldn’t hear the rest of the story as a messenger arrived from Harris House. She opened the letter and read it immediately, her brow bunching together as she did so.
“What is it?” Hope asked, standing up.
“Is something wrong?” Faith asked.
“It seems Dr. Barkley is feeling unwell and is unable to attend Mr. Carlyle. Dr. Hall has requested my presence to attend.”
“For a dog bite?” Faith asked, confused.
“No,” Grace said, looking up. “There seems to be another issue besides the bite.” She looked around. “I must go at once.”
“Of course, dear, of course,” Aunt Belle said as Grace hurried out of the room. She turned to Faith and Hope. “Now what are we to do?”
For the rest of the day, all three busied themselves with nonsense. Hope took to her sewing, while Belle sat at her desk, working. Faith however, couldn’t bear to sit quietly in her aunt’s office and decided to retire to her room, where she was able to bandage Jaco’s ear up. The big dog whined the entire time and fell asleep on her bed afterwards.
Once she finished with that, she went to the desk that sat before the window. Her hand moved gently over several paint brushes, as well as the unfinished canvas that stood on the easel next to her desk. Deciding that there was nothing better to do, she sat and worked on the landscape painting of the loch that she had begun weeks ago.
For several hours, Faith painted as she tried to sort out everything that happened. Logan loved her and to her surprise, she found that she loved him too. She regretted not telling him so.
When no news came by suppertime, Faith decided to put away her paints and crawl into bed. She soon drifted to sleep.
When Faith opened her eyes the next morning, she saw Grace enter her room. Jaco, who had followed her to her room last night, began to growl.
“Jaco, stop,” Faith muttered into her pillow.
“Good morning,” Grace said, her eyes puffy from sleep. “It’s time to wake up. Things are happening.”
“What things?” Faith asked before sitting up quickly. Jaco, sleeping on the bed behind her curled legs, stood up, stretched, and then jumped down. “Grace. You’re back.”
Her sister smiled.
“Will you get dressed?” she asked.
“What happened? What took you so long?”
“I’ll not repeat myself again,” she said warily. “Come along. The family is in the parlor.”
With Una’s help, Faith dressed in a daffodil-colored morning gown. Una seemed to take her time brushing and styling her hair. After what seemed like ages, Faith was finally set free, and she hurried to the parlor, followed faithfully by Jaco.
Upon entering the room, Faith saw her sisters, Aunt Belle, Graham, and Logan, waiting for her. Logan stood the furthest away, leaning against Aunt Belle’s desk as the others spoke. Jaco hurried over to him and was rewarded with a scratch behind the ears. Faith found it hard to keep her eyes off him. There was a buzz in the air. Feeling uncomfortably like she was the last to know something, she slowed.
“Ah, Faith, coming here, my dear,” Aunt Belle said, patting the spot next to her on the sofa where she sat. “Grace has some news.”
Faith’s brow lifted quizzically as she sat next to her aunt.
“News? What news?” she asked.
“Well,” Grace said, stepping toward the middle of the group. “Everyone here knows that I’ve been trying to garner entrance into any medical school that might take a woman.Unfortunately, I’ve not been accepted.” She smiled brightly as Faith looked around, noting that the others seemed just as confused. “But none of that matters, as I’ve been recommended by Dr. Barkley to shadow Dr. Hall in Glasgow as his assistant.”
Faith’s chin dropped as Hope came forward. Both sisters crowded Grace.
“Oh, darling, that’s wonderful,” Faith said, gripping her hand tightly. “Dr. Hall has permitted this?”
