Page 53 of The Gentleman Physician

She gathered her skirts in one hand and held the rail with the other as she ascended the steps. Passing Thurston, she nodded her thanks to him, and went to find Virginia.

Chapter Twenty

“Are you going to resume glaring at Miss Devon when she returns?”

Nathaniel found Timothy smirking at him. His friend had returned to his chair, elbows on the armrests, and one fist tucked under his chin. He looked less the part of a barrister and more that of a mischief maker, given the glint in his eye.

“I beg your pardon?”

“You heard what I said. The woman you love stood not four feet from you, and all you did was stare at her. And not in a very pleasant manner.”

“What should I do? Take her up in my arms and declare my affection? At a time like this?” Though Nathaniel wished he had the right to enfold her in her arms, offering comfort and respite from the world around her, he could hardly act on such feelings.

He wished someone was taking care of her. Julia appeared ready to drop from exhaustion at any moment, given the dark circles beneath her beautiful eyes. Yet she behaved with as much refinement as ever.

“If you continually wait for the correct time, I must warn you, it may never come.”

Timothy had a point, Nathaniel knew, but he sincerely doubted he should make any declarations of his feelings at a time of mourning, or on a business call with a barrister. Why was he even here?

He pressed his index fingers to his temples and closed his eyes, trying to push back the headache that had been threatening to burst all morning. He’d not slept the night before, his mind too full of Julia and his concern for her and the burdens she’d taken up.

“Nate?” Timothy’s earnest tone brought Nathaniel’s gaze back to his. “I don’t want to see your heart broken again. If I seem too meddlesome, know that it is only because you are my friend, and I care about your well-being.” Delivering each word with deliberate inflection, Timothy had never sounded so sincere outside of a courtroom.

Nathaniel relaxed enough to offer his oldest friend a spare smile. “Thank you. I will keep that in mind when next I’m tempted to throttle you.”

A grin cracked his friend’s serious expression. “I appreciate that.”

Nathaniel chuckled, but grew somber once more when they heard voices beyond the door. Female voices.

The door opened, Julia entering first, followed closely by her cousin.

While Julia looked as though she needed a great deal of rest, the baroness appeared calm. The only indication of her true feelings could be found in the red rims of her eyes and the pallor of her face.

Bows were made, curtsies returned, and Lady Heatherton stood with her hands clasped before her, blonde eyebrows raised, every inch the noblewoman. She wore a black dress with few frills and long sleeves, a white fichu stretching from the neckline to almost below her jaw. Her mourning struck him as both appropriate and elegant. Indeed, she could be the very personification of dignified grief.

“Gentlemen, thank you for calling upon me this morning. I have learned that Mr. Macon has come and gone, after informing my cousin he intends to press his suit to become guardian to my sons.” She swallowed and looked to Julia, who gave her an encouraging nod.

“I had rather not worry about Mr. Macon. Mourning my husband has stolen a great deal of my energy and my concentration. But I feel it is best we decide on what is to be done to allow me to devote my time and energies to my sons and our estate.”

“I agree, my lady,” Timothy said, his tone as somber as his expression. “Please, sit, there are things we should discuss.”

“Of course. My cousin will stay to attend to me. Doctor Hastings, I trust your honesty and judgment. I hope you have come today to lend those traits to us?”

“I have, my lady.”

There were two armchairs near the fireplace, a bench beneath a window, and the chair behind the desk. The ladies took up the chairs while the men brought the other furniture closer, creating a semi-circle around the hearth. Nathaniel tried not to look at Julia too often, but he did put the small bench nearer her chair before sitting upon it.

She glanced at him and smiled before Timothy cleared his throat, drawing everyone’s attention to himself. Nathaniel placed a great deal of hope in that smile. As brief as it was, it lifted his heart.

“The fact that you are in mourning can be used to our advantage, if we act immediately. The opposition will no doubt try to paint you as a woman absorbed in grief and unable to function in the role of guardian, as well as your ability to appear before a magistrate or judge to make your case. But if we act first, we can instead demand that your mourning is treated with deference and respect. I would ask you to compose a letter, giving a definitive date as to when you will be able to address the concerns of the court, and hinting heavily that you have friends in high places who are willing to vouch to your character.”

Nathaniel glanced from the baroness to Julia, wondering what they would make of this idea.

“It’s a delaying tactic,” Lady Heatherton said. “To buy us time.”

“Exactly, my lady. It will give me time to contact your solicitor, run him down if I must, and build a case. It will also give the court something to think about, when they realize you have your own connections.”

“I cannot think whose names I might flaunt, besides my brother the earl. He is hardly a useful sort of person.” She pursed her lips but her eyes had taken on some life. Nathaniel relaxed and looked to Julia again.