Page 38 of The Chef and the Countess

Celia shook her head. “Unfortunately, true. Of all the patients you see, you remembered Selena.”

“The duchess is not easy to forget.”

Celia gave Drew a sad smile. “She is quite beautiful.” She sobered. “How frustrating that nothing can be done about such horrid men. As a doctor, you must witness terrible things.”

“I do. The ones I cannot help haunt me. Including the duchess,” Drew replied grimly.

“I must go to her. Do you remember the address?”

“I do. You say the duke is ill?”

Celia nodded.

“Allow me to go to the residence first,” Drew offered. “Since I was there before in a medical capacity, I might be able to gain entry. I will discover all that I can. I’ll return at six and join you and Liam for supper. Is that satisfactory?”

Celia sprang from her seat and threw her arms around Drew’s neck, knocking his spectacles askew. “Thank you!” She jumped back. “Oh, I am sorry!”

Drew chuckled as he straightened his eyeglasses. “Quite all right. No harm done.” Drew stood and picked up his bag and the mug of tea. “I’ll return the cup at supper.”

“Wait! I can make you a sandwich to take with you. I have become quite adept at it these past few days.” Celia ran from the office before Drew could refuse. She pulled the egg salad container from the icebox, made the sandwich, wrapped it in parchment paper, and returned it to Drew in minutes. “There. Something to eat as you travel. Roast turkey dinner tonight. I will see you at six.”

Drew tucked the sandwich into his bag. “I am off to investigate.”

Celia followed him through the rear door and onto the walkway. He flagged a hansom cab and waved to Celia before he climbed in. She waved in return and watched the cab disappear around the corner.

* * *

Between the rush of customers, Celia kept watching the regulator clock in the kitchen, anxious for Drew’s return. There wasn’t much call for tea items this afternoon, so Celia assisted in filling the plates with food and learning Liam’s system of keeping track of what orders belonged to what tables. The orders were completed by half past five, and the doors were locked to transition to the pub and gaming room for the seven o’clock reopening. Everyone had eaten and cleaned the dining area, washed the dishes, prepared the beer barrels, and ensured the few liquors they had available were plentiful. Tonight, they would also offer canapes that arrived this morning from a marquess’s dinner party.

Drew strode through the rear entrance, and Liam pointed to the staff dining room door, then handed her two plates. “For yourself and the doctor. I’ll be right behind you.”

Celia entered the room and placed the full platter before Drew.

“Well, this is quite the meal. Like Christmas dinner.” He looked at Celia and smiled. “Thank you.”

“It does smell and look wonderful,” Celia agreed. “I never celebrated Christmas last month. My husband was too ill. So this is very welcome indeed.” With the three of them seated and the door closed to give them privacy, Celia turned to Drew. “I cannot wait. What did you discover?”

“I will endeavor to explain between bites.” Drew sliced his turkey. “The residence is on Chapel Street, in Belgravia, with the usual grand terraces and stucco design. The butler, Yarrow, answered the door. Hoping the information you were given was correct, I told Yarrow that the duchess had been in touch and asked me to check in on the duke. I was ready to have the door slammed in my face.”

“Did he?” Celia asked.

“No. He looked surprised by my news. ‘You heard from the duchess? How is she? When is she coming home?’ that sort of thing. I asked, ‘When did she leave?’ Yarrow claims she disappeared in the middle of the night with a few valises on December 4th. She has not been seen or heard from since. I told Yarrow that I had received a telegraph two days ago. Yarrow asked to see it, and I said I did not keep it as I assumed it came from the Chapel Street address.”

Celia looked from Drew to Liam. “Leave? In the middle of the night? I wonder why, besides the obvious reason?”

“I may know the answer,” Drew replied solemnly. “When I was called in last year, the duke wanted me to sign papers so he could start the procedure of committing the duchess to an asylum. I refused. We were alone briefly, and I told her of his plan.”

Celia’s hand flew to her mouth. “Oh, no!”

“Jaysus,” Liam muttered. “Can a wife be placed in an asylum at her husband’s word?”

“It has been more difficult since a recent law passed. You need more than two doctors’ signatures now. I told Barnsdale this. He did not like what I had to say.”

“What happened next?” Celia asked, caught up in the narrative.

“Yarrow escorted me to the duke’s room. A medical professional can tell when someone is dying. I would say the duke is in the middle stage. He was bedridden, and foul air permeated his room. He had lost weight since I last saw him, and his skin was blotchy. The cough he had in April is considerably worse, as well. I am guessing it’s cancer of the lungs. The duke did not acknowledge my presence as he drifted in and out of consciousness.”

Drew sighed. “How much time does Barnsdale have left? It differs with each person. Two months. Maybe less, or perhaps a bit more. After my obligatory examination, I instructed Yarrow to hire a live-in nurse to make his last days comfortable. I also left new aspirin powder to assist with any pain and a prescription for laudanum. Will the butler do so? That is up to him. He said the duke and duchess had no children and I did not ask about other family members.”

“Bloody hell,” Liam muttered. “Rich or poor, chances are you wind up dying alone.”

“It happens to some, perhaps more than we know, I am sorry to say,” Drew replied.”

“I will never find Selena in this populous city,” Celia remarked sadly. “If she is even still in London.”

“I feel your friend will make herself known once the duke dies. I know that doesn’t assist you in the short term,” Liam replied. “As I said, you can stay here, however long it takes. You have a purpose here—and a home.”

Emotion swelled through Celia. She laid one hand on top of Liam’s and one on top of Drew’s. “Thank you, both of you. You have saved me from a terrible plight. My dear friends.”

Celia meant it. Regardless of their horrid duke sire, these were the two most honorable and generous men she had ever met. In Liam’s case, her feelings were growing beyond friendship. She was not sure if Liam reciprocated her growing feelings, but she was content with their current relationship.

She admired Liam’s kindness and strength and found herself drawn to him in a way she had never experienced before. He was often hard to read. Could there be something lasting between them? How could she feel such intensity on such a brief acquaintance?

Celia would puzzle it out one way or the other.