“As I am,” his wife said. “I was worried that he wouldn’t behave but after he had a stern talk from Gemma, my husband settled down.”
Ned’s world came to a sudden stop. “Gemma?”
“Yes, Miss Taylor brought her by,” Mrs. Crispsaid. “They had heard there had been an accident and so had charitably come to pay a call on us. Gemma is a lovely lady. She approved of your work on Mr. Crisp’s hand.”
Approved?Ned’s genial smile froze.
“She told Mr. Crisp he would be a fool to rewrap his hand without that block of wood. Convinced my stubborn man to listen. Thought you would like to know that, sir,” Mrs. Crisp finished. She had been busy darning a sock as she spoke so she didn’t notice the impact of her words on Ned.
Gemma approved, of whathe, a traineddoctor, did for a patient? He knew he’d better leave now.
Ned stood. Crisp rose to his feet, as well. “I’ll see myself out,” Ned said.
“I can’t have you do that,” Crisp countered. “Not after all you did for us, and on the Sabbath, no less.” He walked out the door with Ned to where one of the Crisp lads walked Hippocrates. Ned tossed the boy a coin and took the reins.
Crisp nodded for his son to go about his business. Once the lad was out of earshot, he asked, “Is everything all right, Mr. Thurlowe?”
“Yes, fine.”
“Your jaw is very tight. It is Gemma, isn’t it?”
“Do you mean Mrs. Estep?” Ned flashed and immediately regretted it.
“My Molly does like to go on. She doesn’t notice things. I do. I will say, though, that I learned a thing or two listening to the women yesterday.”
“And what did you learn?”
“That my Molly has been in pain and worried about it.”
Immediately, Ned’s attention switched from his irritation with Gemma to concerned physician. “What sort of pain? Here, come back and hold my horse,” he said, waving at the boy. He would have started back to the cottage but Crisp stopped him.
“It is the piles, sir. That’s all. She had the piles. She won’t talk about it with you, sir. She’s never said a word to me but suffered in silence. And she’ll not be happy that I shared. She was embarrassed speaking yesterday with Gemma.” He glanced over his shoulder as if to be certain his wife hadn’t creeped up on them, before adding, “I asked why she hadn’t told me she wasn’t feeling well.”
“And her answer?”
“For one, she was afeard she was dying.”
Ned frowned. “It is a common ailment.”
“Don’t I know. I’ve had them myself.” Crisp shrugged. “Who understands the thinking of women.”
“I could have helped her. I could have spoken with her about it Sunday.”
“That is what I said. She didn’t feel comfortable talking to a man, not even her husband, about the matter. You know, it is personal. I suppose women don’t like talking about their bums while we men are always going on about our arses. Actually, to be honest, I didn’t like talking about it with you when I had them. And I don’t want you to takethis the wrong way, but I just think she was shy speaking about her privates with one who looks like you.”
“One who looks like me? What does my face have to do with this?”
“Mr. Thurlowe, you know the lasses are partial to your looks. They are all sweet on you. I don’t mind. I mean, I know my Molly would never stray. I’ve never believed I had a concern with you and she.”
“Oh, well,” Ned said, “that is a relief.”
“I thought you’d want to know that I trust you around my wife.”
“Except she doesn’t want to talk to me when she isn’t feeling well, and that is a problem.”
“Well, she doesn’t want to talk about her bum.” Crisp laughed. “That is good, no?”
No, it wasn’t good. In truth Ned’s mind was whirling over the idea that a patient in pain would refuse care because of his looks or her shyness. It didn’t make sense to him. Once he started working, all he saw was a body, not the person.
