He made Riona comfortable in one of the corners of the carriage facing forwards, and placed a small circle of foot warmers around her, and then gave her a hand warmer.
"You need a muff as well," he noted, and then offered her his gloves.
"No, really, I can’t, you need them." She shook her head.
"I insist."
Riona glanced at the firm set of his mouth, and then proposed, "How about we each wear one, and we share the hand warmer?"
She took the left glove, and held the hand warmer in her right hand, while Lucien tugged on the right one, and grasped her tiny hand and the hand warmer in his left. With his gloved right hand he tucked them in under the blankets, and slid over on the seat to be as close to Riona as possible.
They passed the long arduous journey chatting amiably. They tried to read the papers by the dim light coming through the shades, but even when they did dare open them, it was so dark outside, it was almost as though it were night.
So they resumed their conversation from the previous evening, and Lucien subtly began instructing her in medical studies. He saw she was quick to pick up details, and asked many intelligent questions. He was so impressed that he jokingly suggested they pass the time with him having her memorise all the bones in the body, starting from the head down.
"Coronal Suture, frontal bone, temporal bone, nasal bone, maxilla bone, zygomatic bone, the maxilla, mandible..." he began to recite, pointing at each on his own head.
Thus they spent a pleasant if arctic four hours until they stopped at Clones for their meal, which they ate hurriedly for fear of the weather worsening.
But Lucien did manage to spot a clothes shop in the swirling snow, and purchased Riona the heaviest woollen dress in the shop, in a rich deep sable, as well as a woollen shawl, some flannel underthings, and a thick, heavy pair of boots, since he had noticed the soles of the ones Riona was wearing were nearly worn through.
Riona, still waiting for him back at the inn, smiled gratefully, and went into the small washroom to change. She tugged on the flannel petticoats, then the dress, and wrapped the shawl around her shoulders before tying the ends around her waist and fastening them in a knot at the front.
She tugged on another pair of woollen stockings Lucien had bought her, and then the boots, and finally Riona put her cloak back on and pulled the hood up over her head.
It was only as they had got into the coach that Lucien muttered, "Oh dear, I forgot the one thing you really needed, gloves."
Riona shrugged. "We got along well enough this morning, so here, take this glove, and grab the hand warmer."
In truth, Riona was not entirely unhappy to have to spend hours huddled under a blanket with Lucien holding his hand, and at least his thoughtful purchases meant she was a great deal warmer than she had been that morning.
"Thank you for being so kind, about the boots and underthings." She smiled, and gave him a shy peck on the cheek.
"Think nothing of it, my dear."
Lucien beamed down at her fondly, his golden eyes lighting up his whole face. But lest they grew too serious, he said, "Now, we’re onto the hands, metacarpals and so on, but first we need to test you on what you learnt this morning."
"Yes, Dr. Woulfe," Riona replied meekly. "If I pass, do I get to put together my own skeleton?"
Lucien grinned. "We’ll think of some other prize for you, I’m sure, Riona."
The warmth of the clothes, the fine dinner she had had, and the heat from the foot warmers and Lucien’s own large frame soon caused Riona’s eyelids to droop, however.
Lucien tucked her head against his shoulder, and still clasping her right hand firmly in his own, only this time without the hand warmer, he slid his other arm around her waist and allowed himself to drift off to sleep as well.
A jolt several hours later awoke him, and a signpost encrusted in snow outside the window when he opened the shade a crack informed Lucien that they were on the outskirts of Monaghan. He was about to wake Riona, when he halted.
The dim light entering the carriage rested on her face, and he saw her smile in her sleep. Unable to help himself, he leaned forward and kissed Riona on the lips.
She sighed softly, opening her mouth a fraction as she did so, and the kiss deepened. Riona could feel the kiss, and for a moment thought it was dream.
But as she fluttered her lids drowsily, she could see Lucien quite clearly, and wondered what she should do. If he knew she was aware of him kissing her, what might he think? Wouldn’t it be better simply to pretend she was still asleep? At the same time, curiosity over the kiss told her to respond.
In the end, however, Riona decided upon the first option, and waited for him to lift his head before making a show of opening her eyes sleepily, and asking if they were there yet.
"Nearly at the inn," he confirmed, gazing down at her warmly with his tawny golden eyes.
Riona held onto his hand tightly, and moved her left hand over to cover them again with the blanket, before placing it on the arm he still had securely wrapped about her waist.
"Now where were we, coronal suture..." she said with a laugh.
Lucien laughed too, a full-throated, hearty chuckle. Riona marvelled to herself at how young he looked compared to when she had first met him, when he had seemed so serious and careworn.
Lucien’s thoughts were running along similar lines, as he thought how young and innocent Riona had looked as she slept and how he had taken advantage of her.
But she seemed to be completely unaware of what he had done. Best just to leave it at that, and not do anything which might destroy their growing friendship for one another.
She was a poor girl, a stranger to Dublin, with a needy family, looking for her father, and some way to support herself if she couldn’t locate him. It would be the height of stupidity to try to kiss Riona whilst she was awake. The last thing Lucien wanted was for Riona to feel grateful to him, and mistake that feeling for something more.
So he listened as she recited her list of bones, and enjoyed the luxury of simply holding her hand and being with her. He wondered if her whole family was very close, as she certainly seemed to be utterly at ease with him holding her hand. Unless of course she had had a suitor?
The thought dampened his spirits somewhat, until he cheered himself up by reflecting that since none of the married couples he knew ever even sat side by side, let alone held hands, it was probably extremely unlikely.
Antoinette had always possessed such a rigid demeanour, Lucien had on more than one occasion felt himself surprised that she and his brother had ever managed to have a child at all, let alone two, but then Lucien pushed this uncharitable thought aside as he began to add to Riona's list of bones.
Once outside of the inn, Lucien swept her up into his arms as she tried to step out of the coach, and carried her into the foyer.
"Sorry, my dear, but even with those new boots there's too much snow underfoot. I wouldn’t want you to get a chill," he explained as he carried her into the hotel and set her down in front of the desk.
After ordering the two best rooms available, Lucien observed that the dining room was filled with guests having tea, and so ordered their tea and evening meal up in their room, as well as a hot bath.
"Which room will you have it in, sir?" the manager asked.
"The lady’s room please," Lucien stated, and followed the porters who climbed upstairs with their bags.
A bevy of servants began to fill the tub almost immediately, and Lucien disappeared into his own room, where he began to unpack some clean articles and his shaving kit.
At length he wondered why no one was bringing any hot water to him, until he realised the query had not been simply about the food, but also the hot water.
Oh damn, he thought, assuming he would have to do without until the servants were finished drawing Riona’s bath.
But just then a tap came at the door, and Riona poked her head in. "I’m sorry to disturb you, Dr. Woulfe, but they’ve laid out a
ll sorts of barbering items in my room, and the manservant is waiting to give you a shave. Won’t you come in?"
"Er, don’t you mind?"
"Not at all," Riona replied as she looked around his room to compare it with her own. "My fire is drawing very well compared to that tiny flame you have in your hearth. In any case, there's a screen, so it’s perfectly decent. I don’t mind sharing at all. It will save the servants some work."
"I’ll be there in a moment, then."
Lucien gathered up his dressing gown and crossed the landing, tapping on Riona’s door and entering just as she was taking off her cloak.
"Here, let me," he offered, and hung it up on the peg, before helping her undo the knotted shawl, and removing it as well.
"Thank you so much. My fingers were frozen."
The manservant then sat Lucien down by the window where he had laid out all of his razors and scissors. Soon Lucien was closely shaven, and sleek-headed with pomander.
The young man was pleased at his handiwork, and asked Riona, "There now, don’t you think your husband looks a picture?"
"A picture indeed." She grinned at Lucien, and handed the young man a coin from Lucien’s jacket pocket as he had indicated.
The valet thanked her heartily and left the room. Only then did she begin to laugh.
Lucien scowled, inexplicably piqued that she might have found the idea of them being a couple amusing. "What on earth is so funny?"
But she merely said, "I hate to admit it, but that pomander is awful. I think I prefer your lice lotion."
Lucien began to laugh himself then, and a quick glance in the pier glass confirmed her opinion. "You know something my dear, I think I agree with you. I’ll get in the tub now, if I may, and wash it off."
"That’s fine. You go first. It’s steaming, and in any case, they’ve left plenty of cans of hot water."
Lucien went behind the screen and stripped off his clothes, and once he was in the tub safely, Riona ventured over to pick them up and fold them, and then began to read the papers loud while he soaked in the tub.
"Unless of course you’d like to give me another bone test," she quipped.
"No you’ve passed the first part with flying colours. I still have yet to determine your reward," Lucien said with a sigh as he leaned back in the tub.
He enjoyed the sound of her musical voice as she read him each of the articles in turn, and the sudden thought came to him, I’m happy. He was startled, but began to analyse the feeling further.
For the first time in my life, I feel like I haven’t got a care or worry in the world. How very odd. Is it the girl’s fault, or is it just a coincidence? Perhaps it's just because it’s the first time in years that I’ve been away from Dublin and my medical duties?
Lucien pondered this thought as he finished lathering and rinsing his hair. He was just about to get out of the tub when he noticed there were no towels on his side of the screen.
"Um, Riona, if I might trouble you, are there any towels in the room?"
"Oh, sorry, yes, they’re here on the bed," Riona replied.
She moved over to the screen, and got a wonderful view of his bare torso and broad shoulders, all heavily muscled, his chest lightly furred with crisp dark curls.
She caught a tantalising glimpse of a narrow waist as the rest of his body disappeared under the water. She handed him the towel wordlessly, and scampered away over to the hearth, where she resumed reading the paper, with one eye on it and the other on the screen.
He emerged from behind the screen in his dressing gown a short time later. "Now that I’ve washed my hair again, you’ll have to put some more of your favourite lice lotion on me. I’ll just go get it, if I may."
"Fine," Riona nodded, secretly looking forward to making contact with his lovely hair again.
After she had administered the medication, she said, "If you don’t have anything to do yourself, you could sit and read the paper to me while I have a good long soak. I must admit I'm as stiff as a board after that long freezing coach ride."
"All right," he said a trifle hesitantly, "but I’ll dress first, and then I need to go out before the shops close to see if I can find you some warmer things to wear."
"Please, you’ve already spent more than enough on me," Riona argued.
"It's my pleasure. Now get in the tub."
Once he had finished dressing on the opposite side of the screen, Lucien took her vacated seat by the fire.
He read the paper to her as she bathed, and then at last, about an half an hour later, she came out from behind the screen in her dressing gown. She tugged open the door as the servant brought in the tea things and then cleared the tub and water cans away.
Riona poured out the steaming brew and then put some pie and cakes onto Lucien’s plate. She took a small slice of toast for herself and nibbled at it delicately.
Lucien put down the paper after a time and frowned. "You’re not eating very much, Riona."
"To tell you the truth, Lucien, my head aches, and my throat feels a bit scratchy. It might be a cold coming on."
"I just hope that’s all it is. But I suppose a walk in the pouring rain and your sitting in that freezing coach can’t have helped. I tell you what, we can stay over an extra day here, and then head on when you're a bit more rested," Lucien proposed.
"No really, Lucien, I'm sure you are anxious to get home, and staying at an inn is only costing you money, as well as being far less comfortable than having all your own things around you. At any rate, the weather might get worse rather than better. Please don’t concern yourself on my account."
"All the same, I'm going to go into my medical bag to get you something, and then I want you to get in that bed with as many hot water bottles as will fit, and stay there. Doctor’s orders."
"Yes, Doctor Woulfe," Riona said meekly.
"I’ll be back in a moment."
"Oh please, finish your tea at least."
But Lucien’s hand came up to touch her forehead. "You're a trifle feverish my dear, so no arguments. Get in that bed."
Riona did as she was instructed, pouring herself a cup of tea, which she placed upon the small table beside the bed.
Lucien was back several minutes later fully dressed, and with a glass of cordial which he made her drink down at a gulp.
"There now, get under those covers, and I'll look in on you again as soon as I come back from shopping."
Lucien pecked Riona on the forehead, and with a last tug at the covers, so that they were up to her chin, he left her.
Riona was overwhelmed by Lucien’s kindness and attention, and even more stunned when he came back about half an hour later with a thick flannel nightdress and robe, and a heavier black woollen cloak, as well as a thick pair of leather gloves and a fur lined black muff.
He had also purchased three more dresses, one a dark green with a high cream lace neckline and collar, one a deep wine gown which complemented her unusual hair, and the last a heavy woollen gown in black watch tartan.
Lucien banked up the fire until Riona feared it would set the chimney ablaze, and then proceeded to offer her selection of books of poetry, some stories by Poe and a novel by Dickens, ‘The Old Curiosity Shop,’ to read.
Riona turned the books over in her hands almost reverently, and offered him her thanks.
"No trouble at all, my dear. And now, if you will excuse me, I have some letters to write. Then I shall come back and check to see if you are still asleep. If you aren’t then I shall come read to you, if I may."
Riona once again thanked him for his kindness, and settled down to read the collection of Renaissance poetry he had brought her.
Lucien found Riona slumbering about an hour later with the book still open in her tiny hand. He picked it up and read:
Song, by Edmund Waller
Go, lovely rose!
Tell her that wastes her time and me
That now she knows,
When I resemble her to thee,
How
sweet and fair she seems to be.
Tell her that’s young,
And shuns to have her graces spied,
That hads’t thou sprung
In deserts where no men abide,
Thou must have uncommended died.
Small is the worth
Of beauty from the light retired;
Bid her come forth,
Suffer herself to be desired,
And not blush to be so admired.
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