At least the vicar has lost interest in pursuing me. Now I may need to shield my dear Kitty from his clutches. . . .
“What you have told us has been most informative, Vicar,” Helen said. “We shall certainly weigh your words carefully when deciding how to pursue any further relationship, if any, with the doctor.”
“I hope you will, as I will not be here for at least a fortnight to render further advice. I must go to London to visit with several influential clergymen of my acquaintance.” His voice was heavy with pride.
“Oh, my!” Helen clucked to show she was impressed. “I am sure your business must be of the utmost urgency to take you away for so long.”
“Indeed it is. Regrettably, an older clergyman is recently deceased. It is my hope I shall be found suitable to replace him.” He leaned toward Helen as if sharing a confidence. “The new parish is quite prestigious, serving a number of London’s wealthiest families.”
“I am certain you will be appointed,” Helen assured him. “Although if you are, we shall most assuredly be at a loss here.”
“I shall miss all of you terribly, even over this fortnight. Thankfully, Vicar Weems has agreed to conduct services here in my absence.”
Lavonia nodded. On both occasions she had met Vicar Weems, he had impressed her as a man of God.
“I do wonder if Katherine will even notice my absence.”
“Undoubtedly.” Always one to make a match, Helen arose from her seat. “In fact, she is sewing in the drawing room at this very moment. Shall I escort you?”
“Please.”
Lavonia tarried as they left. Looking out of the picture window, she watched the heavy rainfall water the expansive lawn. She had been detained so long that the church meeting was sure to be over. She sighed. “Perhaps it is just as well. I feel as gray as the sky.”
“Are you coming, Lavonia?” Helen asked, sticking her head back into the room.
“All right, Helen.” She had no desire to watch her sister become enchanted with the vicar. But perhaps that was better than sitting alone, nursing renewed doubts about William Amory.
nine
“Oh, dear Vonnie, please do not force me to go to Aunt Amelia’s!” Katherine collapsed into several down pillows situated on her bed, to which she had retired after being revived with smelling salts.
“I am pleased to see you are well enough to complain.”
Katherine grimaced. “I must speak despite my illness, lest I be shipped off to Aunt Amelia’s as I sleep!” Retaining her prone position, she folded her arms over her chest in an act of defiance.
Lavonia patted her hand. “Perhaps we should await Dr. Amory’s diagnosis before making any decisions.”
“Will he be here soon?”
“Helen sent word that he was to come immediately.” Lavonia gave her a shamefaced look. “Although I feel rather foolish now that I see you merely fainted.”
“Au contraire, Vonnie. My fainting might not be trivial at all. This incident could simply be a precursor of worse evils to come!” Demonstrating her usual flair for drama, Katherine reached for the smelling salts on the nightstand beside her bed. Uncorking the small bottle made of clear glass, she took a dainty whiff. Her eyes opened wide as the pungent odor hit her nose. Shaking her head, she looked revitalized as she closed the bottle and returned it to its place beside her bed.
“You seem to be feeling better already. Almost like your old self,” Lavonia observed.
“But not well enough to make the trip to London.” She began to sniffle. “Vonnie, could you please hand me a kerchief out of my vanity drawer?”
Nodding, Lavonia set to do her sister’s bidding. “You must be terribly disappointed. Aunt Amelia’s letters about life in the city always seemed to brighten your days.”
“Yes, but perhaps life in London is not all I thought it might be.”
Lavonia patted her sister’s hand. “Perhaps not. But Aunt Amelia is certain to be vexed if she has traveled all this way just to find you plan to stay here after all.”
“I know. And I do hate to disappoint her.” Katherine looked at Lavonia with misty eyes. One by one, tears fell on her cheeks. After taking the kerchief from Lavonia, she patted each cheek dry. “But she can find someone else to live with her, oui?”
“Perhaps. But you have always been her favorite niece.”
Her features brightening at the flattery, Katherine let her hands, still holding the kerchief, drop to her lap. “Yes, I always have been.” A triumphant smile crossed her lips. “But of course, she simply adores you and Helen, too.”
“Whatever you say.” Not looking at her sister, Lavonia bent over the bed and smoothed the covers.
Katherine sniffled into her kerchief. “You will tell Aunt Amelia how disappointed I am that I cannot go back with her?”
“In due time. But I shall delay.”
A stricken look crossed Katherine’s face. “Pourquoi?”
“Because, my dear sister, I am hoping that as the days pass, you will find yourself well enough to go to London with her after all. As you recall,” Lavonia said, pulling the covers over Katherine’s chest with one final pat, “she plans to stay a full fortnight.”
“Is that all? Really, a fortnight is hardly enough time for me to recover. No, she will have to go back to London”—pausing, she let out a sigh—“without me.”
“But if you cannot go to London, where will you go, Dearest?”
“Could I not remain here?” Katherine looked about the darkened room. An expression filled with fondness crossed her features, as if she had lived in the room since childhood. Katherine let out a dramatic breath. “Helen is so kind.”
“I agree. But we have imposed upon her hospitality quite enough.” Bringing herself to her full height, Lavonia placed her hands on her hips. “If you do not wish to go to London, then you shall go to America with me.”
Kitty bolted upright. “Go and live in America!” She nearly spat out the country’s name. “Mais non! I would never do such a thing!”
“And why not? We have lived together in the same house ever since you were born.”
“Oh, Vonnie, I would rather be with you than anyone else in the world. It is just that. . .” Kitty stopped herself. Widening her eyes and softening her lips, she gave Lavonia a soulful look. “Please, will you stay here, Vonnie?”
Lavonia braced herself against her sister’s pleading. “There is nothing here for me,” she managed to say with enough assurance that she believed it herself.
“Au contraire, there is much for you here. Helen adores you, and so do I.” She raised an eyebrow as if she dared Lavonia to argue. “And so does the doctor.”
Before Lavonia could answer, Helen breezed into the room. “But of course I adore you, Lavonia. You have always been special to me.” Helen rolled her eyes toward the door to indicate she wasn’t alone. “Dr. Amory is here to see Katherine.”
At the mention of the doctor’s name, Lavonia’s heart felt as though it would jump high enough to land in her throat. How much did he overhear?
Dr. Amory strode into the room. “I beg your pardon for taking so long. I arrived as soon as I could.”
“That is quite all right,” Lavonia murmured. Against her will, she averted her eyes from his handsome face.
“I would have been here sooner, but I was in the midst of painting at the Roths’. I had to return to my room to retrieve my medical bag before I could come.”
His crisp voice gave Lavonia the courage to look into his face. In his eyes she saw not the condemnation mixed with amusement she had feared, but genuine concern for Katherine. She hoped his demeanor meant that he had no plans to inquire into whatever he had overheard.
“How regrettable that your work was interrupted,” Helen observed.
“The Roths were understanding. They know medical emergencies take precedence over their portraits.”
“Of course they do,” Kitty agreed.
He cut his gaze to Katherine. “And how are you
by now, Miss Penn?”
“I am so glad to see you, Doctor. I am feeling quite poorly after my attack.”
“Yes, your spell was quite sudden. Has this ever happened before?”
“No.”
He looked surprised. “What do you think caused it?”
Katherine’s eyes widened. “I really do not know, Doctor. The whole incident is a mystery to me.”
“Were you exerting yourself at the time?”
Katherine shook her head. “No. I was having tea. And listening to Aunt Amelia.”
“And you get on well with your aunt?”
“Oh yes!” Katherine lifted her chin proudly. “Everyone says I am her favorite niece. Is that not right?” She looked to the two women.
“Oui, oui!” Helen agreed before she was interrupted by Luke’s entrance.
“May I see you a moment, ma femme belle?”
“Mais oui, le mari!” Helen answered, her face beaming as it always did whenever Luke referred to her as his beautiful wife. She turned to the others. “Excusez-moi, s’il vous plait.”
As William watched them exit, Lavonia couldn’t help but notice that he seemed pleased to be rid of Helen. He turned to Lavonia. “Now, where were we?”
“We were conferring about the event surrounding Kath-erine’s fainting spell,” Lavonia reminded him. “When my sister collapsed, Aunt Amelia was in the midst of discussing the work Katherine would do once she takes up residence with her in London.”
She thought she saw a hint of a smile touch his lips before he straightened his mouth into a serious line. “Oh? What type of work?”
Katherine wrinkled her nose. “She wants me to do housework.”
Tilting his chin, Dr. Amory rubbed it with the thumb and forefinger of his right hand. “From what little I know of you, Miss Penn, I surmise you are unaccustomed to heavy work?”
“Oui!” She flashed him a sweet smile. “Aunt Amelia did not actually say I would be expected to do such awful work. She was simply telling us that we will temporarily be short one maid, that is all. And of course, I told her I could certainly make do until we find someone to take her place.” Rolling her eyes skyward, Katherine clasped her hands to her chest and let out a tortured breath. “I would like to help my dear aunt. Really, I would. But I am simply too sick to do the maid’s chores. Oh, how awful it is to be ill!”
“Indeed.” The doctor nodded. “I notice your cheeks are not flushed, as they generally are when you have a fever.”
“Are you quite sure? I do feel oh, so hot.” Withdrawing a fan from a drawer of her nightstand, she began cooling her face with rapid motions.
“I have not seen you demonstrate any other symptoms since I arrived.”
As if on cue, Katherine began to hack. “Oh, I do beg your pardon!” she apologized after several coughs. “Dr. Amory, I despise that you must see me like this. I know my illness causes me to appear most unladylike.”
“That is quite all right. Illness knows not of etiquette.”
With a quick motion, Katherine threw her hand onto her head. “Oh no! I seem to have developed a headache as well. Oh, why must I suffer so?”
“Why, indeed?” Dr. Amory seemed more amused than concerned. “Miss Penn, I recommend you continue to rest until you feel better.” He turned to exit.
“But, Dr. Amory,” Katherine protested, “you have barely examined me at all.”
Stopping in his pace, he returned his gaze to his patient. “I believe you are overtired. Plenty of rest should take care of that.”
Deflated, Katherine turned over in her bed and nestled into the down pillows.
Crooking his forefinger, he motioned for Lavonia to join him in the hall. Without words, he led her down the stairs and into the parlor.
Lavonia couldn’t contain herself once her feet passed the threshold. “I surmise you did not wish to alarm my sister, Doctor. But please, be frank with me. Is she very ill?”
“What is your opinion, Miss Penn?”
Lavonia was taken aback by his question. “My opinion? Why, I have not formed an opinion. I defer to your knowledge for a diagnosis, Dr. Amory.”
“All right. I shall give you my opinion.” He took in a breath as though he were summoning his courage. “First of all, I believe your sister’s symptoms are real.”
“Of course they are.”
He lifted his forefinger. “Please, allow me to finish. I believe they are real, but I have noticed a pattern. Have you not seen it as well?”
Lavonia thought for a moment. “Her illnesses do take on the pattern you described earlier in that she seems sicker at some times than at others. You said the degree is related to her happiness, but no other doctor has made such an observation.”
“Then let me ask you. How was your sister’s health before the arrival of your aunt?”
“For the past few days, her health has been nearly perfect.”
He nodded. “I suspected as much. Now, am I to understand that she fainted while your aunt was discussing the prospect of Katherine taking on the duties of the maid?”
“Yes.”
“And she was taken by surprise by your aunt’s request?”
“Yes. I was taken by surprise as well. I had no idea Katherine would be expected to labor so.” Her mouth curved. “You see, Dr. Amory, she was sheltered from hard work by my parents when they were alive, and I try not to expose her to too much effort now. So frankly, I can see why she fainted at the prospect of such a change.”
“Would you?” The doctor let out a laugh.
“I fail to see what amuses you, Dr. Amory.” Her chilly tone belied her indignation as she noticed how the sun drifting through the picture window highlighted his deep eyes. The rays created shadows accentuating his straight nose and crafted face. His laugh was more melodic than the most enchanting song. How could she find the one who was mocking her, and her sister, so charming? Bracing herself, she set about making her voice ominous. “Do you not realize how delicate my sister is? Such physical work could place her in grave danger!”
“Do you really believe that?”
She was taken aback by his challenge. “Why, why. . .of course!”
“Then you are either lying to yourself or you are a fool.”
“A fool! How dare you!” The tone of her voice was no less sharp than as if she had slapped him across the cheek.
“I beg your pardon. Perhaps I should not be so blunt.” His eyes shone with regret. “Let us discuss this another time, when neither of us is vexed.”
“There shall be no other time, Dr. Amory.” Anger welling inside her, Lavonia blurted, “I have no objection to scrubbing floors. I shall go live with Aunt Amelia, and take Katherine with me. You need not worry about either of us again.”
ten
“But I do worry about you,” William objected.
“Why?” Though she was filled with rage, she noticed that he seemed calm. Suddenly she felt ashamed at herself for her outburst, when all he seemed to harbor for her was compassion.
She wanted to keep her voice crisp, but her soft tone be-trayed her conflicting emotions. “Why do you worry about me? I can take care of myself.”
“Can you?” He seemed to be seeking an answer rather than offering a retort. “But I thought Christians rely upon the Lord.”
The truth of his observation fueled her vexation. “I have no desire to debate with you, Doctor.”
“And I do not wish to debate with you.” Placing a strong hand on each of her shoulders, his lips parted as his eyes searched her face. Her heart racing, Lavonia froze, unsure whether he planned to kiss her or to speak. After hesitating, he chose the latter.
“If you want to leave, that is fine with me. I have nothing to say about it.” He let go of her as if to confirm his statement.
Lavonia’s heart sank at his words. So he cares not for me after all?
“But first, I ask that you favor me by granting one request.
Her curiosity got the better of her. “What?”
“Go with me to the Stone place at two in the afternoon on Sunday.”
The Stone family were farmers with a brood of children ranging in age from infancy to teens. She remembered that on his previous visit with Katherine, the doctor was planning to see their sick baby on his way home. “How is the baby?”
“So you remembered.” A smile of pleasure was her reward. “Little Isaac just has a touch of colic.”
“Poor little thing. I hope it shall pass soon.”
“The goat’s milk should start to help in a few days. Until then, I suppose his crying causes his parents more trouble in sleepless nights than anything else.”
Lavonia couldn’t help but notice how his face glowed when he spoke about his patients. Even when other doctors would have been at wit’s end with Katherine, William always tempered firmness with a strong dose of kindness. “What a blessing you are.”
He gave her a quizzical look. “What was that you just whispered?”
Surprised that she had uttered her thought aloud, Lavonia answered, “Nothing. It was nothing.”
Though his expression indicated he didn’t quite believe her, he gallantly changed the subject. “So will you go with me?”
“If you will tell me what business I could possibly have with the Stones.”
“You shall know when we get there.”
“Do you think it proper for a lady to go to a strange place with a man, unescorted?”
“If you fear traveling two miles in a carriage with me, Miss Penn, I surmise you will survive less than a week in pioneer country.” His violet eyes held a dare, mixed with amusement.
Too proud not to accept his challenge, Lavonia willingly fell into his trap. “Very well. I shall go with you. But mind you, there had better be good reason.”
“I shall leave it to you to decide that, Miss Penn.” He tipped his hat, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “Good day.”
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