Page 3 of A Countess of Convenience

Wrinkling her nose, Dora replied, “A paste of arnica flowers applied to the bruise twice a day.” It had a strong pine smell Dora couldn’t forget. “And the bleeding, of course.”

“He did not try an operation of any sort?”

“No, my lord.”

The doctor’s lips had thinned to a stern line. “Idiot.”

Dora and Mrs. Welbourne exchanged a glance, and the older woman leaned forward, hope in her face. “Is there something that can be done, my lord?”

Lord Farringdon sat back in his chair, hand cupping his chin, lost in thought. “If she survived the journey here, she could likely also tolerate the trip to my surgery,” he mumbled, completely unaware of the two women. “Or I could have my instruments fetched here.” He glanced around the room. “Can she be moved to a bed, please?”

Mrs. Welbourne clasped her hands, her face rapt. “Do you know some remedy for her?”

Dora spoke almost at the same time. “What are you planning to do, my lord?”

“If what I suspect has happened, the cause of Mrs. Harper’s malaise is a build-up of pressure in the cranium.” He looked from one mystified face to the other and said, “There is likely bleeding in her brain from the fall that is causing pressure within her skull. That pressure is affecting her ability to move and speak.”

“And you can cure that, can’t you, my lord?” The anguished plea in Mrs. Welbourne’s voice made Dora’s heart hurt.

“There is an operation I can perform that might give her a chance at recovery, but I have to tell you, Mrs. Welbourne, grave risks accompany it.” Lord Farringdon stood. “She might not survive the operation. But neither will she live long if something is not done for her.”

“What do you propose to do?” Dora rose as well. If there was any way to help Judith, she wanted to help.

“The procedure is called trepanation. I would cut,” he paused and took Mrs. Welbourne’s hand, “a small hole in Judith’s head to let any blood trapped in her skull escape.”

Dora’s gasp of surprise echoed loudly in the quiet room.

Mrs. Welbourne’s eyes grew large and round. “Wha…what did you say?”

“It is not an uncommon operation, ma’am. It can be completed in a relatively short period of time.” The physician’s soothing voice exuded calm. “And if successful, it could give your daughter a real chance at life again.”

Mrs. Welbourne dragged her gaze from Lord Farringdon to Judith’s immobile face and staring eyes. And finally settled on Dora’s. “What do you think, Miss Harper?”

Unwillingly, Dora looked at Judith. She had come to intensely dislike attending her sister-in-law once the accident occurred because it saddened her to remember the charming, vivacious woman she’d known so well. If there was even a chance that the old Judith could return, shouldn’t they take it? “I think Judith would not wish to remain as she is now, for however long or short a time she would live. I believe if Lord Farringdon says we should try the operation, then we should.”

Farringdon gave her a kind smile. “Thank you, Miss Harper, for that vote of confidence.” He turned to Mrs. Welbourne once more. “It must be your decision, ma’am. Yours and your husband’s.”

Tears pooled in the woman’s eyes as she nodded. “I’ll tell Mr. Welbourne what you have said, but he will agree with me. We must do all we can to return our daughter to us.” She stood and straightened her shoulders. “You will do it here? Now?”

“Yes, as soon as I send to my surgery for the instruments. My coachman will know what to tell my assistant.” He strode into the foyer. “He will return with both shortly. Can you have Mrs. Harper moved to a bed, please?”

Mrs. Welbourne nodded and sat beside her daughter, taking her hand.

“Is there some way I may be of service to you, my lord?” Dora followed the man into the foyer. “Or Judith?”

“Yes, Miss Harper.” Lord Farringdon stared into her eyes, and her heart stuttered at the gravity she saw there. “You can pray.”

Chapter 1

Cambridgeshire, mid-March 1762

The slow tick, tick, tick of a clock penetrated the fog of sleep enveloping Judith Harper. Her rest must’ve been fretful, for she didn’t want to open her eyes, would rather have drifted back off into slumber. But that infernal ticking irritated her no end. It sounded so loud. She’d ask Simon if they could take it out of the room, at least until she could get a good night’s sleep. The creak of a door and hushed whispering annoyed her as well. Why couldn’t they just let her sleep? Likely her maid had come to wake them. What she wouldn’t give for just five minutes more beneath the warm covers. She began a slow slide back down into the lovely oblivion…

The whispering continued, more animated. So animated it brought Judith to the verge of wakefulness this time. Good Lord, she might as well get up then. “I’m coming,” she mumbled and tried to push back the covers, though they wouldn’t cooperate at all.

A loud crash jerked Judith completely awake. Her eyes flew open in alarm to find Dora, of all people, bending over her, wide-eyed and staring.

“Judith? Did you say something?” Her sister-in-law sat on the bed and gripped her shoulder.