Harris didn’t bat an eye when he let her in. Either he wasn’t aware she’d been in the house hours ago, or he was a good actor.
“Lord Montcrest, please.” She removed her gloves, pretending this was a perfectly normal call.
“My lady.” He showed her into the drawing room and left.
He returned to serve tea.
“Is Lord Montcrest busy?” she asked.
“He’s with Mr. Fleet. I don’t believe it will take long, my lady.”
“And Lord Rowan?”
“In the sitting room, my lady.”
While she was there, she might see how Rowan was faring.
She went down the corridor and knocked on the sitting room door. “Rowan? It’s me.”
“Lady Effie.” Rowan smiled. “I’m happy to see you.” He was still using the crutches.
On a table, a shiny new copy ofA Textbook of Horseshoeing for Horseshoers and Veterinarians.
She rushed to it. “This book is wonderful.”
“A present from Uncle George. He said I’m going to be a great veterinarian.”
“And I agree. How are you doing?”
His smile disappeared. “Dr. O’Neil has just left. He removed the cast. Do you want to see the wound? I know you won’t faint. Harris became green when he saw it, and Uncle George was deeply upset. I would like to know your opinion.”
“Of course.”
He sat on a chair and uncovered his leg, revealing two long scars crisscrossed with stitches. “It’s horrible, isn’t it?”
“No. Considering what happened to you, the leg is healing well. May I?” She warmed her hands.
“Please.”
She touched the scars and the flesh around them gently. “There’s no swelling, and the bone seemed perfectly healed.”
“That’s what Dr. O’Neil said, but he didn’t tell me if I would be able to walk again without crutches. What do you think?”
She hesitated before talking. The last thing he needed was false hope. “Animals are different, and they walk on four legs. Human anatomy is quite complicated when it comes to ankles.”
“So I’ll limp forever.” He covered the scar.
“No, I didn’t mean that. You’re young and healthy. With time, the leg might work perfectly well.”
He sagged back into the chair. “I hope it will when my mother returns.”
That surprised her after what Tristan had told her. “Your mother is coming?”
He blushed. “I don’t know. One day, she’ll come and see me, and I don’t want to give her a new reason to leave when she realises her son can’t walk.”
She took a deep breath not to let out a sob. Tristan hadn’t told her the full story, but from what she’d garnered, the chances Rowan’s mother would return were close to none.
She squeezed his hand. “A mother doesn’t care about a bad leg.” She wanted to say more, that a mother would love her child unconditionally, but Rowan was a bright young man. He would understand she was listing all the qualities his mother didn’t have.
