Page 131 of Regency Whispers: Scandalous Matches

The journey back home seemed to take for ever, with Alice feeling every jolt of the carriage and every corner they rounded. Drummond was driving fast, aware Alice was inside the carriage bleeding, and no doubt eager to get her home before she lost so much blood she breathed her last breath. Frank sat opposite her, looking young and scared, his arm placed strategically to ensure she did not tumble from her seat.

As the carriage slowed, Alice saw Drummond jump down calling out as he did so, and the next thing she saw was Simon’s anxious face.

‘Alice, what happened?’

She tried to lift her head, but the world tilted and shifted under her, so instead she closed her eyes and let someone else tell him.

Outside she could hear Simon ordering someone to run for the doctor and also the barber-surgeon. Alice tried to protest: she had heard terrible stories about these barber-surgeons and the things they did in terms of professional interest. She did not want to endure an agonising procedure, her only comfort a little strong alcohol beforehand.

Tears began running down her cheeks as Simon carefully looked back into the carriage.

‘Stay here with me, my love,’ he said softly, reaching out and taking her hand. Now half the front of her dress was bloodstained, and it hurt every time she moved.

Simon carefully climbed into the carriage and slipped his arms underneath her, lifting her ever so gently. He moved slowly, his eyes fixed on her face so he could see if there was any increase in pain as he carried her. The hardest part was getting out of the carriage, but once he extricated them, Simon could move more quickly. He carried her into the house and straight up the stairs to the bedroom they had shared this past week.

Miss Stick helped to position her in bed, pulling back the bed-sheets and then tucking them around Alice’s legs, and then she hurried out to organise anything the doctor might need.

Simon stayed with her, kneeling by the side of the bed as if he were a child saying his prayers, his hand holding hers tight.

Alice closed her eyes, feeling suddenly weary despite the pain.

‘Stay awake, my sweet,’ Simon said softly but firmly. ‘It is important you stay awake.’

With great effort she forced her eyes open. They felt like they had heavy weights attached to her eyelids, and all she wanted to do was surrender to the pull of sleep.

A few minutes later she heard the doctor arrive, and Simon quickly explained the situation. She had not met the man before, having been in good health since arriving in London, and was pleased to see a reassuring, sensible face looking down at her.

‘We need to remove Lady Westcroft’s clothing so I can see the wound fully before I attempt to take out the knife,’ Dr Black said, motioning for Miss Stick to come forward from her position by the door. ‘We need scissors, as sharp as possible, to cut away the material. I dare not try to lift her garments over her head.’

Miss Stick returned a few moments later with sharp scissors and leaned over Alice. Her normally composed demeanour had cracked, and Alice could see tears in the housekeeper’s eyes.

‘Let me, Miss Stick,’ Simon said quietly, taking the scissors from the woman.

He worked slowly but steadily, instructing Miss Stick to hold the material of her dress taut as he cut it. The bodice part of her dress was thicker and Alice felt the scissors jolt and stop a few times, but after a minute the fabric was laid open to reveal her chemise and petticoats underneath.

Despite her predicament, Alice felt a little self-conscious. No doubt in the course of his job Dr Black was accustomed to seeing the naked form, but the only man who had ever seen her naked was her husband, and she suddenly had the urge to cover herself with her hands.

‘Be still, Alice,’ Simon murmured reassuringly as he gripped the hem of her chemise and began sliding the scissors along the material. ‘There is only you and I and Miss Stick here with the doctor.’

Once Alice’s chemise was cut, Miss Stick hurried forward and arranged a sheet over her chest to help preserve Alice’s dignity, and then the doctor stepped forward to look at the wound.

The dagger was still embedded in her abdomen at the level of her navel, but far to the right in the space between the bottom of her ribs and the bones that marked the top of her pelvis. With every movement the wound stung and sent a jolt of pain through her body. The doctor took his time inspecting the wound and then moved away from the bed to talk to Simon.

‘I wish to hear,’ Alice called, surprised at how weak her voice sounded. The doctor looked over, a serious expression on his face, but Simon placed a hand on the man’s elbow and guided him closer to the bed.

‘It will be dangerous to remove the knife, but we must for the wound to begin to heal,’ Dr Black said, his expression grave. ‘I believe the blade has missed the major organs and vessels, but as we remove it we may reveal a bleed that has been plugged by the knife, or there could be damage to the bowel underneath.’

‘Is there anything we can do to decrease the risk?’ Simon asked, his face pale.

‘You must stay completely still, Lady Westcroft. Even moving a fraction of an inch could be the difference between life and death.’ The doctor looked between Simon and Alice. ‘I will prepare the needle for stitching the wound after. It will be painful, but I have laudanum in my bag which should ease you.’

‘I do not want laudanum,’ Alice said, thinking back to when she had hit the tree as a girl on horseback and bruised her ribs. The doctor then had given her laudanum, and she had fought terrible hallucinations for days. The alternative was significant pain whilst her wound was stitched, but she would take that over the painkiller any day.

‘Very well.’

The doctor moved away and spoke to Miss Stick in a low voice, instructing her on all the things he would need. Simon returned to Alice’s side, crouching down by the bed and holding her hand.

‘You are brave, my sweet,’ he said, lowering his lips to her hand and kissing the skin.