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“Then, if I may, be there for the rest of his,” Stanforth suggested, a sad note in his voice. “At the very least, you should remain in London until we know if your medicine is improving his condition.”
Marina swallowed thickly. “If he is dying, he will not want to depart this world from here. He will want to be at home, at Stadley.” She toyed with the cuff of her sleeve. “I do not suppose you would be willing to come to Stadley for a few weeks, would you? We can observe him, and my medicine, together.”
The doctor hesitated… and then dipped his head in a nod. “I can delay my return to Edinburgh. Truthfully, I am curious to see the effects of your medicine; it would be remiss of me to be anywhere else.”
“As long as you do not steal it and tell the rest of the Royal College that it is your invention when my uncle miraculously improves, then I am happy for you to study it,” she said, forcing a smile. “I believe in it, Doctor. I believe in it more than I have ever believed in anything I have made before.”
He removed his hat and bowed his head to her. “Then I look forward to your triumph, and every physician in the country vying for your remedies. I hope you shall not forget that I was the first to champion your work.”
“The second,” she corrected.
The doctor chuckled. “Ah yes, I neglected to include your uncle, who I am quite sure believes you are the finest mind in England. And he is probably not wrong.” He put his hat back on. “I shall make arrangements to travel as soon as you are ready. You know where to write to me, to inform me of the details.”
“Thank you, Doctor,” she said, her throat tight. “Truly, thank you for all you have done, and continue to do, for my uncle.”
The doctor smiled sadly. “Despite my doom and gloom, I really do hope it works, Your Grace.”
“As do I,” she replied, her breath catching. “My goodness, as do I.”
Two days later, Marina left the familiar comfort of Stadley, having settled her uncle back into his rooms at his beloved country seat, watched over by the diligent Doctor Stanforth.
“Greet His Grace for me,” the doctor said as Marina departed, her heart leaping at the thought of seeing her husband again.
She had missed him. Terribly.
In the quiet, sad moments at the London townhouse, with the shadow of her uncle’s health hanging over her, she had longed to have Anthony there at her side. She had imagined how much easier it would all be if she could just be held by her husband for a while, to relieve some of her pain.
It did not help that they had parted ways badly, for she did not know what sort of reception she might expect.
Maybe he has thought over what I said. Maybe he will just be happy to see me, too.
Bernard had continued to request that she not inform Anthony of his condition, but as the carriage took her toward Knotgill, she resolved to explain everything to her husband. He deserved to know, and she could not endure the burden of secrecy anymore.
Just the idea of telling him lightened her spirits, so that she practically ran into the manor when the carriage came to a standstill outside the main entrance.
“Marina!” William was the first to see her, sprinting across the entrance hall and colliding with her, his arms gripping her in a fierce hug. “You came back, just like you said you would.”
She smiled and hugged him back. “Did you doubt me?”
“Not even a little bit,” he said, looking up at her with a grin. “Can we go and play in the woods?”
Marina patted his head. “I need to speak to your father first, and then we can.”
The boy pulled a face. “Maybe you shouldn’t speak to him. He’s in a foul temper.” He hesitated. “He broke into your library. I told him he wasn’t allowed, but he did it anyway.”
“What?” Her stomach twisted, thinking of all the precious things she had left in there, safe behind a locked door.
William shrugged. “I don’t think he took anything, but he shouldn’t have done it. I really did try to stop him.”
“No, no… I suppose this is his manor; he can go into my library if he wants,” she told the boy stiffly, trying to pretend like it did not affect her. “I will just speak to him quickly. See what all of this is about. Do you know where he is?”
“In his study,” William replied. “He has been in there even more than usual. Very sedentary.”
Marina forced herself to chuckle, cautious of not worrying the child. With that, she excused herself, her own temper flaring as she marched in the direction of Anthony’s study.
What was he thinking, breaking into my library? Does he not trust me?
True, she had not been completely honest with him, but she had not been so untrustworthy that he should be invading her private domain. Rather, she had just been doing what she had always done; acting independently.
