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“Shall I make the driver wait?” All of a sudden Edwin felt as if he was a child once again leaving home for the first time to attend Eton. He’d been so comfortable here, and so removed from his life that the thought of returning to everything he left behind held no appeal.
He was being ridiculous. What was he going to do? Continue to live here and work as Rayne’s assistant? He was a member of the peerage. If anyone from his rank worked, it was businesses, or the stock market. Railroads and shipping. Those were the professions of his class.
Not wiping down the filthy body of a small girl who had been neglected, abused, and starved.
“Well, then. I guess it is time to depart.” He turned to Rayne, not caring for the look of desolation on her face. Surely, she wasn’t sorry to see him go?
“Yes. Then I see that it is.” She straightened and for a moment the Dr. Stevens he’d first awakened to had returned. Gone was the soft, caring woman who he’d worked side by side with the past week.
“I wish to thank you again for taking such good care of me, Dr. Stevens.” He could not think of one other thing to say. All the things he wanted to say but could not, would forever remain unspoken.
Rayne held out her hand and he took it. “I’m glad you have recovered, my lord. If you find any problems with your leg once you return home, please send word.”
“And be sure to send your bill around for my man of business to pay.”
She nodded. “Certainly. I will do that post haste.”
“So, again thank you.” He took a deep breath and turned to join Randolph at the door.
Before he left, he turned. “If there is anything you need…”
Dr. Stevens smiled. “I will be fine. Thank you for your concern.”
“Yes.” He hesitated. “Goodbye, then.” With his trusty cane at the ready, he stepped out onto the steps and made his way down. The driver opened the door and he stepped in. Once he was settled, he looked back at the house and saw Dr. Stevens watching him from the front room window, her finger holding back the lace curtain.
He waved.
She waved.
The carriage rolled forward.
Chapter 6
Rayne checked on Glory, the little girl who was brought to them after being hit by a carriage two days before. Once she’d awakened, she told Rayne her name was Glory because right after her birth, her mama said, “Glory be, another mouth to feed!” Whereupon her mother promptly died.
Rayne tried her best not to laugh, particularly at the serious way the little girl told the story. She said she lived with ‘some people’ and sold matches on the street corner. If she sold a lot, she got to eat. If not, she had to wait until the next day.
The little girl broke Rayne’s heart.
She had no idea what she would do with Glory, but one thing she was adamant about. She would not be returned to ‘some people’.
It had only been two days since Edwin had left. She found herself waiting to hear an inappropriate remark over her shoulder while she worked, or the tap and shuffle of his gait. And then feeling a sense of loss when it didn’t come.
She had to pull herself out of this. Life was pleasant, fulfilling, and worthwhile before he entered her life, and it would continue to be so once she got her concentration back. She was probably just tired.
“Dr. Stevens!” She jumped when a man’s voice startled her out of her reverie. A strange man stormed into the infirmary, reminding her she’d forgotten to lock the front door again.
“Yes. I am Dr. Stevens. How may I help you?”
The man was frantic and out of breath. He was a large man, gruffy looking. “There’s been a terrible accident, and we need your help.”
“Certainly. I’ll grab my bag.”
He took a deep breath and shook his head. “No. They are bringing patients here. The injured who they don’t have room for at hospital. How many may we bring you?”
“Oh, dear. If I use every bed in the house, I can take twelve, but two of them are taken up by the children.” She waved in the direction of Glory, and a young boy who was still recovering from influenza.
“Ten it is, then. We’ll be back in about an hour.” He raced from the house before she even got to ask him what sort of accident it was. Now she had no idea how to prepare. She ran after him, but he had alre
