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“I will not tell you again, boy—”
“What shall you do if I do not agree? Beat me here in the park?” I felt my resolve breaking under the weight of my annoyance. “Your remedies caused greater illness. That is a fact.”
“I can make your life very difficult, Dr. Darrington.”
I chuckled, because no, he could not. “Sir, my life has always been difficult, so I do not think I will notice.”
“You—”
“Theodore!” I turned to see Henry rushing to me, his clothing a mess, and his eyes panicked. “Quickly! Lady Verity was thrown from her horse!”
It was as if the rest of the world fell away, and my heart contracted to the point of agony. Within the blink of an eye, I found myself once more on my horse, riding faster than I ever thought possible.
15
Verity
I did not feel so bad, but there was blood, and as such, all the world descended to where the Du Bell family had settled by the pond, and where I had been brought after my fall.
“The bleeding is not stopping, my lord,” Bernice said as she held a cloth to my head.
“Where is the bloody doctor!” the marchioness demanded as she held my shoulders. It was the first time I had heard her use such language. You would think I was dying. Was I dying?
There were so many people around me, rushing from left to right, calling out one thing or another. It had all happened so fast. I was upon my horse, calm one moment, and the next it was galloping toward the trees and bushes, and I flew through the air before landing in the dirt. I glanced down at my hands to see my gloves had been torn. The skin underneath was cut and dirty from bracing my fall.
“Make way!” I heard the marquess holler, but still, I looked at my hands.
“Lady Verity?” This voice was not panicked or loud, so I looked up to see the warm eyes of Theodore looking back down at me.
“Dr. Darrington?”
“Good, you still know who I am.” He smiled gently. “What hurts the most?”
“Can you not see she is bleeding from her head!” the marchioness snapped, but her voice shook to the point I thought she was crying.
“My dear, allow him to do his work,” the marquess said, coming to guide her from my side, though she stayed not even a few inches away.
“Lady Verity?” Theodore called to me again, this time reaching his hand up to take the cloth from my head. I flinched at the feeling of air upon the wound. “So is it your head that hurts the most?”
“Honestly, I cannot feel anything right now,” I finally spoke.
“Oh God, what does that mean?” the marchioness questioned from above me.
“She might very well still be in shock,” he answered her but never looked away from me. Reaching over, he pinched my arm as hard as he could.
“Ow!” I gasped, my eyes wide as I touched my arm. “Whatever was that for?”
“One…two…”
I did not know why he was counting, but I cried out in pain when he pressed the wound on my head.
“You are hurting her!” the marchioness exclaimed, and he was.
“Pain is sometimes good. I can only treat what I know is injured,” he answered, then looked back at me.
“What hurts?” he asked me again.
“My head, hands, and now my arm, thanks to you,” I pouted.
“What of your legs and back?” he questioned as he focused on my head. “Did you hit those anywhere?”
“I cannot remember, but they do not hurt.”
“Move your foot for me,” he said, and I did so. “Very good. Lord Monthermer, have the carriage brought immediately. I shall treat her further at your home. The cut is deep but not life-threatening. You did well to have pressure applied to it.”
“I do not wish to go home, I feel as though I have been trapped indoors all week,” I muttered.
“Verity, you are bleeding, my dear! We must get you home at once,” the marchioness said.
“The carriage is already here,” the marquess replied.
“Brilliant. I will lift her,” Theodore said, and my eyes widened.
I gasped. “I can walk—”
“Verity, enough! Do not be ridiculous right now! You are injured,” the marchioness insisted. “Dr. Darrington, please do whatever is necessary.”
He did not wait for further instruction, and I felt his arms reach around my waist and underneath my thighs. When I glanced up at him, it was as if the sun had been reflected into my eyes. He seemed to shine as a knight did in armor.
“Hold on,” he whispered down to me, making me shiver strangely. Quickly, I looked away, not at all sure why I was reacting as I was.
Those before us parted, making way for him. With so many eyes watching, however, I closed my eyes. Was this not embarrassing? Honestly, I did not feel all that unwell, yet suddenly, it was as though I were a princess.
