“It is not an offer, Dr. Hall,” Lady Belle said with an authority that would grate every Scotsman’s nerve. “Come. Mrs. Stevens has informed me that they’ll be serving momentarily. And Grace, I should advise you that your Penguin will not be permitted in the dining room during meal times.”
Dr. Hall turned.
“Your what?”
“My cat. His name is Penguin.”
“Mr. Penguin,” Arabella added, though for some reason the added mister made Grace feel like a child in front of this very real, professional man.
“I see.”
With a lightness of foot that seemed to only appear when she was feeling delighted about something, Aunt Belle turnedand left, leading the way to the dining room. As it was informal, they followed her, one by one, into a brightly painted room at the front of the house. Yellow walls, paintings of flowers, and lace-covered windows met them, causing Grace to frown. Why was each room so different in style? It was as if two completely different people had lived here and had divided up the rooms and decorated them to each other’s tastes.
Grace and Dr. Hall both reached for the seat to Aunt Belle’s right, just as they both pulled back.
“It’s yours, of course,” Dr. Hall said stiffly, pulling the chair out for Grace.
She bobbed her head in thanks, feeling Aunt Belle’s eyes on her.
Once everyone was seated, the servants began to plate a various array of Scottish and English foods. To Grace’s horror, she was served a slice of haggis, a food she had thankfully avoided in her two years since coming to Scotland. But now as it touched the other small groups of food on her plate, she felt her appetite disappear.
“Now, as you know, Dr. Hall, we’ve come to Glasgow for two reasons. One is so that Miss Arabella and my niece get the opportunity to mingle with society. It does not do well to keep such pretty, clever girls in the country, especially since they are the perfect age to make matches.”
Dr. Hall stabbed a piece of chicken with his fork.
“I am no matchmaker, Lady Belle.”
“Of course you’re not, and we are not searching for one. We simply require your presence a few times. I am already well acquainted with the societal families in the city, but you know so many people, as patients and otherwise, that we would be grateful for your perspective.”
“I suppose I may do what I can, but really. I’m not a very good judge of character,” he said, focusing on Grace. “And I care very little for social gatherings.”
Well, that was fine with her. She didn’t like social gatherings either.
“Yes, so I’ve noticed. Now the second reason, and likely the more important of the two according to my niece, is Grace’s education. She has been studying under Dr. Barkley for nearly a year, ever since we returned from Italy last winter.”
“Yes, I know.”
“And it was very gracious of you to allow her to continue her apprenticeship under your guidance, and try as I might to understand Dr. Barkley and my niece, I’m afraid I can’t quite comprehend how this apprenticeship will lead to her being crowned a doctor.”
“No one will be crowned, Aunt Belle,” Grace said. “And I’ve told you at least three times about the Apothecary Act.”
“Yes, but will that not make you some sort of barber surgeon?”
Grace opened her mouth to reiterate the terms of her apprenticeship, when Dr. Hall suddenly spoke up.
“Under the Apothecary Act of 1815, a person is required to train for a period of five years, under the instruction of a licensed physician. They are required to learn everything they can about anatomy, botany, chemistry, psyche,materia medica, and finish with a six-month residence at a hospital. If they can complete their apprenticeship, they will be given a license to practice medicine, under the Society of Apothecaries.” He paused, his cool eyes scanning each of them. “It is an aging practice, one that will hopefully be fully replaced by the earning of medical degrees through university in the next decade or so, but as Parliament has yet to pass legislation, it is the only way a woman canachieve the title doctor, as the fairer sex is not permitted in such schools.”
“Yet, Dr. Hall,” Belle said with a little wiggle of her head. “The fairer sex is not permitted, yet.”
For the third time that day, Grace noted his jaw twitch. He really did not like that he had been forced into this position and while Grace was sympathetic to him, aware of what being forced to do something one didn’t wish to do was like, she couldn’t find it in her heart to regret it. If Dr. Hall had been bullied into this role, she would simply have to prove to him that it wasn’t a bad idea. That she was a studious pupil who didn’t take hard work lightly.
“Of course,” Dr. Hall said after a moment’s pause.
“What a dear you are to take my Grace under your wing,” Aunt Belle said, patting him on the hand. “I trust I could count on you to see to it that Grace is used to her full potential.”
Grace coughed into her napkin at her aunt’s words. Surely she could hear how bad that sounded? Thankfully, no one seemed to notice.
“But I’m afraid I will not be a very gracious teacher,” Dr. Hall said as the tops of her cheekbones turned a shade of red. Aunt Belle frowned. “I take my work seriously and my patients are the most important people. I will require your niece to put this work above all else, including her social life.”
