“My aunt repeated her invitation. I know it’s not what you want—I don’t want that for you, either. But perhaps if we looked at it more in the way of a strategic retreat? Gathering strength until the right time strikes?”
She sealed her lips in an angry line, refusing to answer. She wanted to shout at him that now was the only time thatmattered.
“What of my proposal about practicing obstetrics after our baby arrives?” she demanded quietly. He’d not even reacted.
“It’s interesting,” he said diplomatically. “I’ll consider—”
“You’llconsider? I believe it ismyconsideration that matters,” she said, biting and spitting out her words like bitter fruit.
“Is it your only desire to fight me?” He looked at her incredulously. “If I’d known that before we married—”
Nora blanched, her legs unsteady. Daniel stopped as if shocked by his own words. He opened his mouth to apologize but the dagger was on her tongue, ready to throw.
“If I’d known how you’d be, maybe I’d never have considered…”
It hit the target. She pictured the blood running down the internal wound, draining the color from his face. They were playing at war, inflicting injuries that couldn’t be soothed.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, though it was, of course, too late.
Daniel’s disappointment glinted like arsenic crystals in his dark eyes. “I’ve never wanted to shut you up anywhere, including our nursery. I assumed you’d love our child and want to care for it. Even my mother, with her eccentricities, spent more time with us than our nurses.” His stare raked over her. “My aunt wanted you to consider using your talents to help direct her society. You could give input on medical care for female prisoners.”
“I’m not a secretary, Daniel.” Nora closed her eyes because it hurt less than seeing him. “I don’t practice medicine to be a philanthropist. I practice because my fingers ache when I don’t. The thought of turning away from someone’s cry—”
“And a baby’s cry?” He waited, fear in the wrinkles at thecorners of his eyes.
Her heart was a stone weight, chipping to pieces like flint. “I love our child already. But I won’t stop loving medicine. Please don’t ask me—”
His shoulders fell. “Very well. But as I said, the midwife debate is public now. And I’d rather not be in the thick of another controversy.”
Nora remembered the last one—keeping the curtains drawn in the middle of the day, waiting for each successive excoriation in the newspapers. When she’d been found out as a woman practicing medicine, Daniel and Horace and even Harry had been seized in the hurricane. Several doctors still avoided the men of 43 Great Queen Street. She’d give anything for a bit of anonymity. But…
“I can’t sign it, Daniel. And I can’t trade my work for the cheap imitation offered by your aunt.”
Chapter 27
Daniel pretended not to notice as Horace evaluated the neat row of sutures. The patient slept soundly, blissfully unaware of the careful slices and ligatures Daniel had employed to excise the rocky tumor from her neck.
“You could have done the surgery easily, Horace. I saw your dissection work this week. I wish you’d at least join me.”
Daniel headed St. Bartholomew’s women’s ward, which meant he could only operate on the females in his care, but Horace was still titular head surgeon and could practice on any ward in the hospital. Daniel missed the days of watching his mentor race breathlessly through surgery after surgery.
Horace gave a small shrug. “I could do the routine surgeries, but where is the diversion in that?” He smiled impishly. “I did receive a note today from a visiting Hungarian royal. She’d very much like me to oversee the birth of her spaniel’s litter.”
Daniel burst into laughter. “Attend the delivery of puppies?”
Horace’s face shone with amusement as he instinctively began cleaning instruments. “So long as it goes well, I believe I could persuade her to contribute to Nora’s hospital.”
“Of all the strange—”
Daniel broke off as Jeffers careened into the room. “You’reneeded now, Dr. Gibson.” His mottled red face and urgent words demanded speed.
“What is it? I’m still with Mrs. Hatfield.”
Jeffers surveyed the peaceful patient. “I’ll stay with her until she’s awake. Wilkins needs you in the delivery room.”
“What happened?” Daniel asked as he headed for the door, Horace at his heels.
“He just delivered a baby and he’s having trouble with the placenta.”
