They docked late afternoon on the twenty-fifth, and Faith wanted only to go to the hospital and check on Seth’s condition. Andrew refused to let her go alone, so he put his men in charge of theMorning Starand accompanied her in a hired cab.
“I’m here to see Seth Carpenter,” she told the nurse at the reception desk.
The woman looked at her for a moment. “Who are you?”
“I’m his ... well, he’s married to my cousin. Her name is Nancy, and she runs the boardinghouse where we all live.” Faith knew she was rambling, but there was something in the woman’s expression that worried her. “What room is he in? I know my way around the hospital from my classes here.”
The nurse glanced over her shoulder as if making sure noone could overhear her. “He’s not here anymore,” she replied, turning back to Faith.
Faith’s heart dropped. “He died?”
The nurse again looked around the room and down the hall. She shook her head. “No. I don’t know where they took him. They were worried about his safety.”
Faith let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you.” She turned and took hold of Andrew’s arm. “Let’s go.”
At the boardinghouse, Faith was surprised to find two armed soldiers on the front porch. She knew Major Wells had promised protection, but it seemed strange to have uniformed men patrolling her place of residence. After answering the guard’s questions and waiting for someone to verify who they were, Faith and Andrew were finally allowed to come inside.
“It’s been chaos.” Bedelia was the one who had identified them and seemed to feel it her duty to catch them up on all that had happened. “The soldiers arrived not long after you left. They had orders to guard us and to protect Mr. Carpenter at the hospital.”
“But he’s here now, as I understand it.” Faith discarded her wrap and hat.
“Yes. Mrs. Armistead and Nancy thought it best to care for him here at the house. The doctor comes once a day unless there is a problem. We haven’t had any real complications, however, since last week. He’s doing much better, but it will be a long recovery.”
“I’m sure.” Faith looked over her shoulder at Andrew. “Why don’t you wait for me in the front room while I check on Seth? Maybe you can sweet-talk Miss Bedelia into a cup of coffee.” She smiled at the spinster. “I think we could both use one, if it isn’t too much trouble.”
“Of course not. There’s always a pot on the stove, as you well know.” Bedelia sounded gruff, but there was a softness in her expression that hadn’t been there before. “I’m glad you’ve come back. We were quite concerned for your safety.”
“Well, you needn’t have worried. My fiancé was overseeing my protection.”
Bedelia looked surprised. “You’re engaged?”
“We are.”
The spinster huffed and turned toward the kitchen. “I believe you drink your coffee black, Captain Gratton.”
“I do, thank you.”
Faith looked at Andrew and winked. When Bedelia was out of earshot, she leaned close. “I think she likes you.”
“That’s a relief.” His tone was sarcastic, but Faith knew it meant a lot to him to be accepted.
Without further delay, Faith made her way to Nancy’s bedroom. The door stood open, and to her amazement, the room had been transformed. At one time there had been a sitting area, but now that was taken over by a makeshift hospital room. There was a single iron-framed bed and several tables with various bottles and instruments, bandages, and other medical supplies.
Seth was asleep, but he did look better. His head still sported lacerations, bruises, and bandaging, but much of the swelling was gone. Faith moved closer and found Seth’s arm splinted and wrapped tight. Otherwise, he seemed to be resting well. She glanced at the other end of the room where Nancy, great with child, slept on the bed she’d once shared with her husband.
A tap on her shoulder made Faith jump. She turned to find Grace motioning her away from the room. She followed Nancy’s mother down the hall to the dining room.
“I just finally got Nancy to rest.” Grace embraced Faith. “It’s good to have you back, but I didn’t expect you for a few days yet.”
“Andrew knew I was miserable and cut the trip short. He broke all sorts of records speeding us home.” She pulled back. “Now, tell me how Seth is doing. He looks better.”
“He is much improved. It was a frightful ordeal, and we thought we’d lost him more than once, but he’s a fighter, and Nancy wouldn’t let him quit. Bringing him here was actually the major’s idea. He knew it would be easier to protect all of us at the house rather than going back and forth to the hospital.”
“That makes sense. What about Nancy?”
“She’s doing well, but I think the baby is going to come early.”
Faith nodded. “I thought so too. I’m sure the stress of all this has taken its toll. Hopefully the baby will be all right. If not, we’ll see to it that he or she is well cared for.”
