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“Yes, I would like that, however, now I need to spend a bit more time with Mrs. O’Leary.” ‘Twas best to get back on track to give Rayne time to compose herself.
“Yes. The people from the asylum are sending someone for her in the morning.”
“Oh, how terrible! This is one of your patients, Rayne?” Mrs. Richards asked.
Rayne nodded. “Yes. There is a long story behind it, so please don’t spend a great deal of time in sympathy for the woman.”
Rayne’s sister and brother-in-law looked at her strangely but said nothing. Edwin nodded and headed to the infirmary with pad and pencil in his hands.
Two children came racing down the stairs, laughing. Glory practically ran into him as she chased an older boy. He grabbed her by her arms. “Whoa there little lady, where are you off to in such a hurry?”
“We're goin 'o play wi'h a ball. Shah 'im, 'homas.” Glory barely got the words out, trying to catch her breath.
The boy held out the ball. “It’s just a regular ball, sir. Nothing different about it.”
Edwin smiled. “Let me guess. You must be Master Thomas Richards? Am I correct?”
The lad nodded. “Yes, sir.”
“I am Lord Sterling, a friend of your aunt, Dr. Stevens.”
He held his hand out and was pleased when the boy accepted it and gave it a good, strong shake. “I apologize, my lord. I wasn’t aware that you were his lordship.”
“Do not concern yourself.” Edwin squeezed the boy’s shoulder and continued on his way. Yes. Little Glory would do well with her new family.
* * *
Rayne had waved goodbye to her sister’s family, Glory with tears in her eyes, but clinging to the lovely doll Dean had bought her the day before. They’d spent three days visiting and catching up on family news.
Rayne had not mentioned her betrothal to Mr. Faulkner-Jones to Mary Beth. She knew what her sister’s stance would be on the entire mess and Rayne was befuddled enough without adding her sister’s angst about how controlling their father was. Especially with his youngest daughter.
She and Edwin had gotten to speak briefly about her dinner with the man she was trying desperately to convince not to marry her. She thought back to the useless conversation they’d had.
“I don’t understand why you wish to marry, sir. Me, or anyone else for that matter. You’ve stated that you intend to follow your present lifestyle of travel and work out of the country. Why do you feel the need for a wife?”
“It is imperative in my work to have a wife.” He waved his hand around in a dismissive motion. “It is part of the requirements to advance. It makes one appear more stable.”
She tried again. “Even if you feel the need to have a wife, I don’t understand why you would want to marry someone who is reluctant, as you must know by now I am. Since it matters not to you who you marry, why not choose someone else?”
He sighed with exasperation. “Because I don’t have time to waste on this and your father assured me from the beginning that you would be more than willing to take on a husband who was absent most of the time so you can concentrate on your work.” He wiped his mouth and threw his napkin down on the table next to his plate. “As far as I am concerned, it is settled.”
She’d not said anything more about the marriage after that, but found it hard to make polite conversation, and then spent the night tossing and turning in her bed.
A few days later, the banging on her front door woke her. She rolled over and checked the small pink and white flowered clock on the dresser across from her. Eight o’clock.
She jumped out of bed, surprised and disorientated. She never slept that late and whoever was at her front door must have had an emergency. She wondered briefly where Walter and the maids were as she hurriedly dressed.
Just as she was halfway down the staircase, still trying to finish braiding her hair, Walter appeared from the back of the house and opened the door.
“Well it’s about time! I thought I would be out there all day. Since when is this door locked? Not good for patients.”
The muscles in Rayne’s stomach clenched as Father stepped through the door, his presence taking up the entire entrance way.
“There you are daughter. Don’t tell me you were still abed?”
She walked to her father and kissed him on his cheek. “No. I was up in my room going over some notes.” She felt the flush rise to her face and Father scowled, obviously not believing her lie.
“I wasn’t expecting you.” She took his arm and walked him down the corridor to the dining room where wonderful smells filled the air. She settled in her usual seat and reached for the tea pot.
