Dove was curious as one of the village boys, Tommy, who was about fourteen, argued with another lad of a similar age.
The second boy, Freddie, pointed toward the viscount. “You can’t say that what he did was a miracle.”
“If you don’t believe so,” Tommy snapped, “then perhaps you should talk to the vicar, because your faith doesn’t appear to be as strong as you might think.”
“Here, now, what’s all the fuss about?” Mr. Meriwether walked forward. He had been in the back of the church working on his sermon for that Sunday, but when he heard the commotion, he’d come to investigate.
Tommy was the first to speak. “Freddie,” he jabbed a thumb in his friend’s direction as if anyone wasn’t sure who he was referring to, “doesn’t believe in miracles.”
“I didn’t say that!” the other boy cried. “I only said that what Lord Markel accomplished wasn’t enough to qualify as one.”
The vicar held up his hands when it appeared that the argument would continue. “Let’s settle our tempers and speak of the matter in a more rational tone.”
Again, Tommy was the one who stepped forward with the explanation. “We were passing by the smithy on our way to the church when Mr. Carruthers, the butcher, collapsed outside. Lord Markel saw him and ran to help. When he grabbed the fireplace bellows, I couldn’t imagine what he was about when he put it against Mr. Carruthers’ lips. He pumped it a few times and the butcher’s eyes opened as if he’d been revived from the dead!” He glared at Freddie and then asked the vicar, “Wouldn’t you qualify that as a miracle? It was just like Lazarus from the Bible!”
Freddie rolled his eyes. “He was dead for four days,” he corrected. “And I didn’t say what the viscount did wasn’t impressive.”
Lord Markel stepped forward. “I’m afraid that I’m going to have to agree with Freddie on this one, Tommy. What I did was science, not a miracle. At least, not unless God would have allowed it.”
Tommy deflated like a hot-air balloon. “But, you brought him back to life!”
“I’m afraid not,” Lord Markel explained. “If you would have noticed his face, it was covered with soot, so I knew he had collapsed from a lack of air in his lungs, rather than an apoplexy.” He got down from the stage and faced them on a more even level, although he still towered over them by several inches. “I merely recalled something I’d learned at university. It is referred to as the Bellows Method and was first used by a Swiss physician by the name of Paracelsus. It is a way to push air into the lungs if someone is suffocating, such as an excessive amount of smoke inhalation. A local surgeon by the name of William Tossach in Scotland also claims that you can use air from your own lungs with mouth-to-mouth contact. This has also been proven as effective for victims of drowning and is recommended by the Academie des Sciences in Paris.”
No one moved or spoke after his pronouncement, although Tommy and Freddie’s eyes were as wide as saucers. Dove would be lying if she said she wasn’t impressed as well. It appeared that Lord Markel was indeed, an educated gentleman.
“Is that enough to satisfy both of you lads so that we might start practice?” Dove’s father asked.
They nodded in unison and snapped out of their trance to get into their position as the local shepherds.
The viscount rejoined Dove and when he glanced at her, she offered him a small smile. “Impressive, my lord.”
He shrugged, as if embarrassed. “I had something of a fascination with medicine, so I paid attention when it suited me.”
“To the relief of Mr. Carruthers, I’m sure,” she noted in a dry tone.
His eyes warmed slightly. “I merely wanted to offer my assistance.”
“And that you have,” Dove returned. “To the whole village. Everywhere I go I hear your praises being sung.”
His gaze was steady. “Do you find fault with that?” he asked softly.
“Not at all,” she said evenly. “As long as it is deserved, and it seems as though it is.”
Chapter Nine
After the play practice, the vicar asked Cain if he would like to join them for luncheon and he agreed. He saw Dove stiffen out of the corner of his eye, but rather than escort her home before the vicar, he volunteered to stay and return with her father.
This obviously surprised Dove, but there was a slight sense of relief in her blue gaze too. After the rest of the occupants of the church had taken their leave as well, Mr. Meriwether looked at Cain rather curiously. “I didn’t realize I had been mistaken when I noted your regard for my daughter.”
Cain’s mouth kicked up in the corner. “You are not wrong. I just don’t wish to harm her reputation by making your congregation believe there is something untoward going on between us. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that if I were to spend too much time alone in her company, people would get the wrong impression.”
“A very astute observation, my lord.” The vicar smiled. “And I appreciate that you are taking a care for Dove’s honor. I knew you were a man of worth.”
Cain narrowed his gaze. “I have the feeling this was some sort of test.”
The vicar looked up at the ceiling. “The Lord is always testing us, my lord. It’s when we act upon our human nature that it plays an important role in our character. We must learn to draw from our faith and not our temptations when they are set before us.”
He immediately saw Dove’s lovely face. “But what if we can’t?” Cain asked softly.
