Page 47 of The Gentleman Physician

“The boys have fallen asleep,” Julia said. “Nurse Smyth is sleeping on the floor between their beds, in case they should need her. And I am here. I will make certain Charles is not alone. Tomorrow, there will be much to face, things you must do. You need to rest in order to get through it. You must take care of yourself, and then you may go on seeing to the rest of us. Ginny, please. It is the only way you will rest tonight.”

Then she reached out to Nathaniel and took the cup from his hands, her warm fingers brushing against his. They shared a glance over the cup, he trying to encourage her and she accepting it with the barest smile.

“Here, Ginny.” She placed the cup in her cousin’s hands and waited.

Lady Heatherton looked from the tea to her cousin, and Nathaniel saw the barest hint of acceptance in her eyes. She began to raise the cup to her lips. “You will not leave him?”

“I will not.” Julia’s firm tone was accompanied by a gentle hand on her cousin’s wrist.

The cup was emptied and her ladyship handed it back to her cousin. The two women rose together and Nathaniel watched, on his knees, as Julia led the grieving woman from the room. She glanced back over her shoulder to him, her lips forming the words thank you.

Nathaniel stood in the empty room and looked about himself. Nothing remained to be done that he could do. The staff would care for the house, Julia would see to her cousin, and in the morning the rest of the world would be told about the baron’s passing. With his patient gone, Nathaniel had no further part to play.

He bent unhurriedly and lifted his medical bag. His hand adjusted, finding the familiar place on the handles to grip, and he walked out of the room. The hallway remained dark except for the light streaming into it from the sitting room, and much further down the hall from the baron’s chamber.

Moving silently down the hall, Nathaniel went for the steps. He descended carefully and was about to go in search of his coat in the small cloakroom when he heard his name.

He looked up to find Julia at the top of the stairs. She glanced over her shoulder once, then came down with slow, deliberate steps. He walked to the bottom of the stairway to meet her and she stopped just above him.

“Miss Devon? Have you need of anything else?” He would do anything she asked of him. Leaving her in this house, knowing he would have little cause to come back to it, made him feel sick inside. But what could he do? A man died, his family must mourn, and Julia with them.

“I know a great many things will have to be done right away,” she told him, whispering. “But none of us know where Mr. Macon is and he should be informed. Would you contact Mr. Olivier and tell him of our need? He might locate Mr. Macon, and Virginia will need his counsel on what to do next.”

His hopes that she’d actually needed him entirely dashed, Nathaniel nodded brusquely and bowed. “I will go to Olivier right away.”

“Thank you. And thank you for helping Virginia. She needs her rest.”

“Of course. You are most welcome.”

Julia glanced over her shoulder again, looking up the stairs, and when she turned back to him she was nibbling on her bottom lip. “I am not certain how I will pass the night alone. But I must keep my promise to Virginia.”

Was she frightened to keep a lone vigil? He had never seen her balk at anything resembling duty before. But he could understand this; there were not many who would sit alone with a departed loved one.

“I understand. Are there any of the servants who might sit with you?”

Julia shook her head and brought a hand up to her forehead, releasing a weary sigh. “I would not ask it of them. My maid, Emily, is incredibly superstitious. And they all have enough duties. I will simply have to find a way to occupy myself.”

“It will be a long night.”

“I know.” She took in a deep breath and tucked a dark curl behind one ear before reaching out, her hand going to his arm. Her eyes searched his for reassurance he could not give. “When will you be back, Doctor Hastings?”

He regarded her carefully, taking in her sad eyes and her lips, neither smiling nor frowning, noting the way the candlelight in the hall picked up the copper flecks in her eyes and made them sparkle. Tired, sorrowful, and still the most beautiful woman he had ever known.

Nathaniel felt himself leaning towards her, drawn to her person, wanting only to embrace her, to hold her against him and protect her from the losses of the world. He lifted his hand to lay it upon hers, ready to speak though he did not know what he would say.

From the corner of his eye he saw Thurston exit the cloakroom with his beaver and coat. He took the escape with a large measure of relief. Nathaniel swallowed and took a step back, and she dropped her hand to her side again.

“I am not certain when I will return, Miss Devon, but you may send for me if there is a need. Good night.” He bowed, took his things in his hands before Thurston could help him into the apparel, and let himself out the door without another word. Only after he had sped past two other houses did Nathaniel slow enough to put on his coat and hat.

His heart would not stop loving her, but his mind told him he must let go.

Chapter Eighteen

Nathaniel knew he had taken the coward’s way out, to leave Julia in such an abrupt manner. But the longer he stood looking at her the more confused his emotions became.

If anyone could talk sense into him it would be Timothy, and he’d already promised to go inform the man of the baron’s passing. He quickened his steps and kept an eye out for a carriage, though there would be none for hire this late in the evening. But Bath was not overly large, and Nathaniel’s long legs made it across the distance with speed.

Sometimes he wished he owned a horse, but it did not seem fair to keep an animal in town when he rarely had a use for it. Not to mention the expense.