“I did what my father would have done. What Dr. Chalmers would have done, and Sir Cornelius, and physicians since ancient times. I did no harm, and tried to help a woman die without too much pain.”
He looked at Mr. Drummond again. “Do you think he—”
“Perhaps it was a coincidence. Or an accident on the dose. Or what you are suspecting. I do not know him well enough to guess.”I do not know how brave he is.
She looked at the dark clouds, now thick on the horizon. “It looks to rain soon. I should start back.”
“You will ride with me. I won’t risk you out on these hills in a storm.” He picked up her bag and bound it to his saddle on the side. Then he lifted her on, to sit sideways, before swinging up behind her.
“I don’t like this, Davina. I don’t want you going out to tend to ill farmers.”
I forbid it. She waited for that to come next. It didn’t, but she could hear him thinking it.
This was why women were not allowed to study medicine, or most things really. Not only because of the indelicate nature of the profession. All that risk, to their health, their bodies, their sensibilities, even their minds.I will not risk you. I cannot risk you. What a small life she would have if she lived without any risk.
She rested her head against his chest, welcoming the embrace his arms made while he held the reins. “You said you did not expect me to be other than I am. Well, this is who I am, Brentworth.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
They filled the nights with warmth and erotic explorations that left Eric more contented than he had ever been. In the dark and the firelight, they were of one mind, one body and close to one soul.
During the days, however, a row was brewing. Twice in the next week, Davina openly defied him. She carried her bag out of the house after hearing about some sick farmer. The second time, he sent a footman after her in the phaeton. “Wait for her and bring her home when she is done,” he instructed. “However, if upon arriving you learn that this person has a malady that can be passed to others, I want you to drag her out of there. No one will upbraid you if you must lay hands on her to do so.”
Neither one had such an illness. The first, she told him later, had fallen off a wagon and down a steep ditch and suffered dizziness. Rest would probably be enough for him. The second, he learned to some discomfort, had been a child accidentally burned when some fuel fell from the hearth.
“What did you do for him?” he asked that night after some playful passion drenched with his relief.
“Wet compresses to ease the pain and heat, mostly. His mother made a bath with some herbs and plants to soak the arm. Sometimes the old ways are more enlightened than a physician’s medicine, and that may have helped.”
“Will he scar?”
She turned on her side and looked at him. “Not badly. He is young, and as he grows the skin may well improve. The young are not fully formed yet, and that can make a difference.” She gave him a little jab with her finger. “You did not have to send that boy after me.”
“His name is Rufus. He would be insulted to be called a boy. He will take you whenever you go out from now on.”
“I will not let him interfere, so do not tell him to.”
“I wouldn’t think of doing so.”
But Rufus had his orders to interfere most seriously if necessary. Eventually, if this continued, he would have to. They wouldn’t all be burns and falls. The farmers and local people now knew the new duchess was a healer, so more calls would come too.
It was time to return to London. There were plenty of physicians there, so Davina would not be needed. She could settle into being a duchess. Nor did he think there was anything more to be learned here regarding Davina’s claims.
She stretched out on her stomach beside him. He had built up the fire and nothing covered her body. He admired the lovely curve formed by her back as it dipped down before rising along the swell of her bottom.
“I saw that part of one of the walls was down,” she said. “Did that happen today?”
“It did. They are removing the stone much as it was put up, but in reverse. Roberts has wasted no time. Finally given leave to tear it down, he found some men and built a scaffold and set to it.” Eric had watched the first stones fall from a hill where he went riding.
“Will you move the family apartments back there if you rebuild?”
He had not told her about his initial plans because he was not sure he wanted to encourage her medical interests. He no longer was sure how he wanted to use the wing. “I don’t know yet. I have to choose an architect and speak with him and plan its chambers. I did promise Roberts there would be another chapel built, however.”
“I hope you don’t move the apartments. I am fond of these chambers. I would not want to leave the memories behind and stay elsewhere when we visit.”
The sentiment charmed him. He did not think he would want to move the apartments either, now that he thought about it.
He rose and smoothed his hand down that curve. He pressed kisses along the same line. She closed her eyes and smiled, luxuriating in the sensation. She giggled when he kissed the nape of her neck, and started to turn into his embrace.
