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“Looking for things? Is he a detective?”
She laughed. “No. He unearths relics and broken pieces of items from the past and sells them to museums. Or donates them, I’m not really sure.”
* * *
For the past few days Edwin had dwelled on this very strange engagement of Rayne and the insufferable Faulkner-Jones and hoped to clear it up. He still wanted to see if there could be something between him and Rayne, but with a betrothal standing in the middle, and as a newly awakened gentleman, he could not honorably pursue her.
“And you plan to marry this man? What of your medical practice? How will you continue with your work if you are traipsing all over the world looking for ‘things’?”
“Truth be known, I do not have answers to those questions. The few times Mr. Faulkner-Jones and I have spoken, the conversation was about mundane things. The Queen’s birthday, traffic, weather, the usual English subjects of no importance.”
He leaned forward in his chair and rested his hands on his thighs. “Do you not think these are significant matters to discuss? You are speaking about the rest of your life with this man.”
“I know. I would have concerned myself with them had I remembered that the betrothal, and Mr. Faulkner-Jones himself, existed. However, I am off to see Father tomorrow, and I have an uneasy feeling either Mr. Faulkner-Jones will be there, or he has already been. Father’s note was quite abrupt.”
“What of the dinner tonight? Is your fiancé still expected?”
She shook her head and stood. He climbed to his feet as well. She still appeared tired from dealing with all the train accident patients and the little bit of sleep she had gotten during that time. Plus, she had a small child to contend with, and a long-forgotten betrothed. “No. He sent around a note that he will not be escorting me to dinner.”
Edwin gr
inned. “Pity.”
“Yesss.” She drew out the word, a slight smile teasing her lips.
“I don’t suppose you would care for my company on the trip to see your father?” Although he offered, he really did not want to be part of that conversation, but if she needed his support, he would do it.
He was certainly becoming honorable, this new Lord Sterling.
“No. Father can be difficult to deal with, and I have a feeling Mr. Faulkner-Jones has already discussed his visit here with him.” They began to walk together from the office to the infirmary.
“How long of a trip is it?” He limped along beside her, taking in the empty beds. Soon things would be back to normal. Well, as normal as can be for a doctor who ran an infirmary.
“Not far. About a two-hour carriage ride. I usually take the hack that runs along the road from here to his village.”
“I will send my carriage for you to use.”
Rayne pulled out a pan from under a counter and filled it with bandages and salves. “That would be lovely. Some of the public hacks can be quite unpleasant.”
“Where does he live?” He followed her to the kitchen where she handed him the bandages and salves and then filled the pan with warm water.
“A village outside of Bath on the road that runs to Bristol.” They returned to the infirmary and she proceeded to unwrap a bandage around a patient’s upper arm that had been sliced when she’d been shoved up against a broken window.
“Will you be staying all night?” He took the dirty bandage from her hand and balled it up, then tossed it to the bin in the corner.
“No. Father’s house is small and there is only room for him and his one employee, Mrs. Johnson, who used to work for me. But in any event, I am needed here, so spending the night away is not feasible.”
He shook his head. Rayne might be an intelligent woman and a fine doctor, but she had no head for common sense matters. If she kept up the pace she’d set for herself, she would wear out in a few years. ““I am sure your nursing assistant can spend a night or two here if needed.”
She turned to him, handing him another dirty bandage. “Can I afford to have her stay overnight?”
He did not hesitate. “Yes.” Of course, she could afford it because he would make sure the money was available to pay the assistant for extra hours.
“How are things with the infirmary now?”
“There isn’t much to do with the remaining patients, they just need to be kept comfortable. One patient leaves today, and the rest will likely return home on Monday.”
In a total switch of topics, she said, “I was considering bringing Glory with me. I think she would love a trip to the countryside.”
