“Oh, dear, I’m so sorry,” she began, noting his expression had hardened as if she’d touched upon a subject he didn’t wish to discuss.
“No needto be sorry, Miss Easton. It’s life, is all. Harsh for some and kinder to others.”
For a moment she didn’t know what to say, until at last she blurted, “You’ll find the people friendly here, Dr. Whitaker, although it may take them a while to grow accustomed to you. We’ve known only Dr. Philcup for years. Yet they’ll come around, I’m sure. You’re our physician now, after all.”
“So I am, and gratefullyso, especially now,” he said simply, staring at her again as she found herself doing the same to him.
For a moment a great stillness enveloped them as if the rest of the world had inexplicably fallen away. Then in the next instant, she blinked, and he cleared his throat, which left her wondering what she might ask of him next. She didn’t wish to touch upon another unpleasant topic for him—
“Luther, old boy, come here!”
Linette gasped at the sudden commotion beyond the library in the foyer.Luther? Had she heard Donovan correctly?
Her heart lodged in her throat, she ran out of the room, very much aware that Dr. Whitaker followed not too far behind her. Nothing would have prepared her for the sight of Luther—very much alive!—wriggling and barking in Donovan’s arms. Her father, Corie,Paloma, and Miss Biddle encircled the lively scene while stunned servants appeared as if from every corner of the house. Even Cook, the older woman nearly as wide as she was short, hurried from the kitchen wiping flour from her hands onto her apron.
Everyone was talking at once, asking questions, staring in wide-eyed amazement, until at last Joseph Easton raised his hand to speak.
“The strangestthing occurred, really. Almost to the house, a young man rode up alongside the carriage and signaled for us to stop. I’ve never seen him before, but he had Luther wrapped snugly in his cloak! Said he found him on the beach and wanted to return him to his young mistress. He handed Luther to me through the window and then he was gone, galloping away.”
“He spoke English?” Donovan asked, grown suddenlyserious as he handed Luther to Paloma, who laughed with delight as Luther licked her face.
“Why, yes he did, quite perfectly, my son.”
“English or French, what does it matter, husband?” Corie asked him, coming close to hug his arm. “Whoever he might be, we’ve our dear Estelle with us, safe and sound thanks to him, and now Luther, too! Truly, it’s a happy Christmas!”
Linette saw that her sister’steasing words seemed to ease Donovan, who glanced behind him at Adam standing further back from the family gathered there.
“What say you, Whitaker? Should we let Estelle know straightaway that her beloved mutt is safely returned? I know you’ve prescribed rest and quiet for her.”
“I have, Your Grace, but such news will greatly encourage her recovery—”
“Luther!”
All eyes turned to the top ofthe staircase where Estelle stood in her nightgown, and none too steadily, either, as she burst into tears at the sight of her little dog. With a yip, Luther jumped out of Paloma’s arms and ran barking up the stairs, Corie hastening after him, followed by Donovan.
They reached Estelle only an instant after she’d sunk to her knees to gather her dog to her breast, laughing, crying, while Luthersquirmed and whimpered and licked her wet face.
Linette’s eyes were clouded with grateful tears, too, as Donovan lifted Estelle into his arms and carried both her and Luther back to her room, Corie leading the way.
Linette wanted to run upstairs to join them, but she knew Estelle had experienced enough excitement without having the rest of the family adding to the commotion. Instead, she stoodin the foyer with her father and Paloma while the servants, Cook, and Miss Biddle went back to their preparations for Christmas dinner.
“Oh, Grandpapa, it’s so wonderful!” enthused Paloma as Linette gestured for Dr. Whitaker to come forward so she might introduce him to her father.
“Papa, may I present our new doctor, Mr. Whitaker.”
“Ah, yes, we met after the service today,” Joseph Easton saidwarmly with a slight bow of his head.
“A pleasure to see you again, Mr. Easton, and under happier circumstances than when I first arrived here, I’m very pleased to say.”
“Yes, happier indeed, though not so for one of my parishioners, Mrs. Polkinghorne. She’s an excellent seamstress in the village and made our Corie’s wedding dress to Donovan six years past. I received a message from her husbandasking for prayer right before I left to come here. She’s taken ill, you see.”
“Ill? Then I must go to her at once.”
“Yes, some bad fish pie, I believe. A dear woman, but a frightful gossip, God bless her. If you’re able to help her, I’m sure her recommendation would fly like the wind about the parish. A very good thing for a new doctor, yes?”
Dr. Whitaker nodded, while Linette felt a stingof disappointment as he went to gather his black bag and top hat from a footman.
Of course he couldn’t stay, she knew that, and why it seemed to matter to her so much that he wouldn’t be dining with them was a strange revelation to her. She scarcely knew the man!
