The Fire's Center

by Shannon Farrell

  Riona had never seen him looking so angry. He was like a tiger on the rampage.

  "You don’t have to prove it to me," Riona said soothingly as she patted him on the shoulder, and sat down next to him on the leather sofa.

  Lucien threw himself down on the sofa, took her hand in his own, and sat with his eyes closed in the deepening twilight.

  "It just makes me so angry! They pretend to be charitable on the one hand, and have their own hidden motives on the other."

  Riona squeezed his hand warmly. "As I said, a month should show us what they're all really made of. Don’t worry, it will all work out in the end."

  "I can’t help but worry. O’Shea seems harmless enough, just vain and arrogant to a fault. But O’Carroll..." He shook his head.

  "You found something out the other day, didn’t you, something bad. Then why didn’t you tell them?"

  "Because it wasn’t proven, and hushed up at the time."

  "What was?"

  Lucien looked at her, embarrassed now, and shook his head. "Let’s just say some irregularities with the female patients, and leave it at that. And the fact that whilst he is a brilliant diagnostician, when it comes to surgery, well, many of his patients died."

  "And let me guess, these patients were at the hospital where he was practising, training, and they were all poor," Riona said coldly.

  "Nothing was ever proven! I certainly can’t go around telling people, you do see that, don’t you?" Lucien looked at her pleadingly.

  Riona stood up and went to the window, and sighed. "All right, we're stuck with him. But we can try to make sure he does a little damage as possible. Perhaps if you are an absolute beast to him, he will be quite glad to leave."

  Lucien went over to her and put an arm around her waist. "Clever girl."

  "Just so long as you don't appear unreasonable."

  "Please, let’s try to talk about something more cheerful. It’s about time we gave you some supper, and a bone test."

  "I love bone tests." Riona beamed as she turned to face him.

  "I believe you do at that, you strange little thing." Lucien grinned as he ruffled her hair playfully and led her into the dining room by the hand.

  Since they were eating alone, he moved her plate and glasses up to his end of the table, and he poured her some port afterwards.

  "Are you sure you don’t want to try a cigar?" Lucien teased, after remarking on how well she had managed to get away with staying in the dining room with the men the day before.

  "But I was very busy!" she defended herself.

  "You’re sure you didn’t want to be left out of the excitement?"

  She blushed, and admitted, "Well, there was that too, though I must say, I never intended for your sister-in-law to be left on her own."

  "Well, she had plenty of male attention afterwards, you saw to that. Speaking of which, what did Durance have to say to you throughout the whole meal? I put him next to you because I thought he would be reasonably quiet, but he certainly had enough to say for himself," Lucien observed with a pang of jealousy.

  "He was full of good ideas," Riona revealed as she took out her pocketbook, and began to read them aloud.

  "Hmm." Lucien nodded at each idea. When she had finished the list, he stubbed out his cigar, and then rose, taking Riona’s arm to escort her from the room.

  "A lot of these ideas we can’t act upon now, but in a few years' time, and with the right backing, who knows? You’ve done well."

  Riona poured him coffee in the drawing room, and then Lucien sat back and sipped it slowly, savouring the warmth, for the night air had suddenly grown chill.

  "Would you like me to send the maid for you shawl?" Lucien offered when he saw her chafe one of her arms up and down.

  "No, I’m fine if I move up to the fire a bit."

  Lucien slid over to get closer to her.

  "We can always sit under a rug the way we did in the coach," he suggested, pulling the throw from the back of one of the sofas to drape over their laps.

  "Better?"

  "Aye, much better. Bone test?" Riona suggested, to keep the mood light, although she certainly didn’t know how she was meant to concentrate with him sitting so close to her that their legs were pressed together intimately. She could feel the warmth of his flesh burning though the thick fabric of her gown.

  "No, muscles this time, just to be awkward, then liver and kidneys."

  As Lucien put her through her paces, they heard a knock at the door, and then Bob came in to announce that Quentin and his wife were outside.

  "Oh no, just what I need after a long day," Lucien said with a sigh as he rubbed his eyes wearily.

  "Shall I show them in, sir?" Bob asked in a puzzled tone.

  "Yes, yes, of course," Lucien agreed miserably.

  "Um, I think I’d better go upstairs, then," Riona started to excuse herself.

  "No, there’s no need."

  But Riona wanted to do some more reading before she went to bed, so she rose and was just lifting the rug from around them to fold it and put it back on the sofa when Quentin and Antoinette entered the room.

  "I’m sorry, are we interrupting anything?" Antoinette asked waspishly.

  Lucien and Riona however, looked completely innocent, and smiled.

  "Not at all. I’ll just order two more cups for coffee. Please sit," Riona said graciously, earning herself another murderous look from Antoinette.

  Antoinette yanked off her velvet gloves ostentatiously, and threw back her cape to reveal an elegant silver gown with a rather daring décolletage.

  "We were at the opera, but I couldn’t pass this way without popping in to find out how it went with the interviews," Quentin informed his brother.

  Lucien explained all that had happened during the day, and concluded, "Riona and I had exactly the same list, but they held out for their top two candidates. In the end we compromised and got two apiece. I don’t like it one bit, but Riona reminded me that it is only a month’s contract initially. If we have ended up with unsuitable doctors, we have the next four weeks to put them through their paces and find out."

  Antoinette again shot an evil look at Riona, resenting the fact that her name came up so much in the conversation. She also disliked intensely the way her husband was always staring at the girl.

  Why had they never mentioned this clever little cousin of theirs before? And why did Lucien seem to hang upon her every word? Surely the almighty Lucien Woulfe couldn’t have actually fallen in love?

  "If you’ll excuse me," Riona said, when she could bear the uncomfortable scrutiny no longer, "I’ll go on up to my room. It’s been a long day."

  "What, breaking up the family party already, Riona?" Lucien said in a wheedling tone, not liking to be left with Quentin and Antoinette.

  "Sorry, Lucien, but I'm sure you have a few more business things to talk over with Quentin. You can show him the lists I’ve left on the desk. Good night."

  Lucien escorted her to the door. "Good night," he whispered, a small smile playing about his handsome mouth. "And thank you again for everything, my dear."

  Riona went up to her room and got ready for bed, putting on in her flannel gown and floral dressing gown, and taking down her hair to give it a good brushing.

  She was just about to get into bed when she realized that she had left her books in the study when Lucien had surprised her there that morning. Her own fire had gone down, but the one in the study was still blazing nicely, so she curled up in her chair by the fire and began to read.

  But soon her eyelids felt heavy, and she paused mid-sentence, her head lolling sideways, her auburn hair tumbling down over her face.

  It was in that posture Lucien found her a short time later. He had seen a light under the door on the way to bed, and had gone to investigate.

  "Riona? Riona!" he called softly but got no reply.

  Finally Lucien put one of her arms around his neck, and took her tiny form up into his arms.

  Lucien stroke
d Riona’s auburn hair back from her cheek, and planted a kiss there.

  "Poor lass," he sighed, as he carried her up the stairs to her own room. He laid her down on the bed gently, gazing at her lovely face in repose.

  Then Lucien pulled the covers up to her chin, and bent once more to kiss her.

  "Good night, dearest girl. Sweet dreams," Lucien whispered.

  Blowing out her lamp, he reluctantly shut the door behind him.

  Chapter Sixteen

  The rest of the week passed in a frenzy of activity as Riona tried to keep up with her studies and various tasks, and still help Lucien with all his plans for the new clinic.

  She carried out her toilette and reading from six until nine every morning, when Lucien usually found her in the library or medical study and insisted she come in to breakfast with him.

  He saw patients from half nine until about two on most days, and after dinner, at around three, Lucien went to the clinic to see how the renovations were progressing, and to keep abreast as to whether or not all the supplies were on site yet.

  The clinic was a rather depressing two storey building which had once served as a linen factory. Thus far they had only refurbished the ground floor, cleaning it and placing two rows of wrought iron beds along each of the two long walls. They had also partitioned off several areas for a proper bathroom, with cold water running from a tank on the roof, an office, kitchen, storerooms, linen cupboards, and a private room for particularly sensitive cases or for surgery.

  Riona scrubbed, cleaned and organised despite Lucien’s insistence that she shouldn’t do any physical labour. She was determined to prove her worth and show Lucien that there was no task she wasn’t willing to undertake to help him and the needy people the clinic was designed to treat.

  She also diligently checked the lists of supplies, but commented to Lucien that in some cases she believed he had been overcharged for the food and other necessities he had ordered.

  Lucien told her to make a note of the prices and write it all down, and he soon determined that the men who had promised unlimited help for the clinic had actually been planning to line their own pockets.

  "It’s a disgrace, taking advantage like that." Lucien shook his head. "Well done, Riona. I’m very proud of you," he had praised after investigating the matter further.

  "I’m glad I could help," Riona had said modestly.

  Riona also counted the sheets, dresses, shirts, trousers, and all the other items they had bought specially for the patients, and she looked carefully through all the medicine cupboards.

  Riona also couldn’t help but notice that whilst Dr. Kennedy and Dr. Briggs were always on hand to help in any way they could, Dr. O’Carroll and Dr. O’Shea had never once turned up to offer any assistance.

  After spending about three hours helping to prepare things, they would go home for a bath and a light supper, and then over coffee in the drawing room, but also in the medical room study, Lucien would teach her about the human body.

  He fished out his old microscope from his student days, and some of his samples and slides, and exposed Riona to the wonders of the tiny world which normally remained unseen to the naked eye.

  Sometimes they would finish the night with a bone test or a game of anagrams, or even of cards, and though Lucien was always reluctant to part with Riona company he always insisted at eleven, "Time for bed, lass."

  Riona was also reluctant to separate from Lucien, for she loved every moment they spend together. Never had she felt so alive as in his presence, or when his warm golden gaze rested upon her.

  But she also knew she had to get some sleep, since she was up every morning at six, and sometimes even earlier if something special was happening or she was absorbed with some particularly difficult studies.

  On the following Friday, a week to the day after Riona had arrived in Dublin with Lucien, the clinic was opened with a small inaugural ceremony. All the committee members and new doctors assembled for the auspicious occasion.

  Riona had helped make the arrangements for a splendid tea in the afternoon for any one passing the area, and tried to make sure that none of the food was too rich for some of the travelling skeletons who came out of the Liberties to partake of it.

  Fortunately she and Lucien had both agreed that no strong spirits should be served to anyone, for some of the people were quarrelsome enough at the sight of all the food, without adding liquor to the equation.

  Riona had to admit to herself that she had been right about Dr. Kennedy and Dr. Briggs, who both seemed dedicated and personable if somewhat shy young men. They at least made the effort to try to mingle with everyone at the celebration.

  But as for O’Carroll and O’Shea, they were a different story entirely. Dr. O’Carroll in particularly was an extremely good-looking young man, in a glamorous sort of way, with rather long hair, jet black, which he wore heavily scented and pomaded.

  He strongly resembled one of the lizards she had viewed in a natural history book she had seen in Lucien’s library, so smooth and suave did he appear.

  She could see him looking almost leeringly at every woman who went past, though he seldom spoke to anyone other than Lucien and the most socially important of the committee members.

  When Lucien had introduced Riona to him, he had clutched her hand possessively, and commented on her eyes, hair and gown all in one breath in a manner which made her decide then and there to give him as wide a berth as possible.

  Dr. O’Shea was little better, for though he was not quite as sophisticated as Dr. O’Carroll, he was obviously one of the arrogant country gentlemen’s horsy set, with his loud braying laugh.

  He was no doubt fond of drink, since he had turned up obviously inebriated, and was spiking his tea with brandy from a small hip flask whenever he thought no one was looking.

  He also had an extremely reprehensible habit of thumping all of the women workers soundly on their rumps. Riona had only barely managed to escape from his rollicking assault by placing a warming pan behind her back. The young gentleman had soundly thwacked what he had though was her posterior, only to find his hand throbbing and everyone in the room staring at the huge crashing sound which had come from his general direction.

  Lucien laboured to keep an unconcerned countenance, but all the same, he decided he would put O’Shea on the night shifts if at all possible in order to keep him well away from Riona.

  He had missed O’Carroll’s suggestive comments, and though he certainly didn’t warm to him upon closer acquaintance, he knew he had to give him a fair chance and put up with him for a month at least.

  Lucien also decided to pair up O’Carroll and Kennedy and O’Shea and Briggs to try to force them to get along, and to make sure the doctors he trusted would be there to support those he didn’t.

  The remainder of the staff were introduced around to everyone. There were day and night porters, Seamus and Sean, and the day and night boys. Then they had a woman in for the breakfasts and dinners, Breda, and another for suppers and getting the patients ready for bed at night, Emma. The clinic was also employing two nurses, Ursula and Angela.

  Riona had remained Lucien that they would need reliable laundresses, and Riona said she would ask Mrs. Kinsella and see what could be done. She had come up with two of her nieces, Anna and Colleen.

  Riona, dressed very becomingly in her pale grey linen dress, circulated through the throng, making sure everyone was introduced and had enough to eat and drink in a quiet, unobtrusive way.

  Lucien marvelled at how good she was at remembering everyone’s names, and making every person feel welcome.

  At one point Quentin and Antoinette put in an appearance. Riona greeted them graciously and offered them the guided tour.

  But Antoinette remained stubbornly outside, sipping at some fruit cup with a grimace of distaste, while Quentin trailed after her. Riona noticed as she led Quentin through the entryway that Dr. O’Carroll didn’t waste any time in making a beeline towards Antoinette to get bett
er acquainted.

  She frowned worriedly, but Quentin took her arm and led her inside.

  By God, but Lucien was a lucky man, came his unbidden thought, as Quentin trotted along with Riona like a frisky puppy. Secretly he had always been envious of his older and more handsome brother, hence his decision to marry Antoinette even though he had never possessed even the slightest illusion that she cared about him.

  But now he could see Lucien’s point. Why marry someone just for the sake of propriety, for status and wealth rather than love? Antoinette had never cared about Lucien either, of course. She had just been looking for a good marriage, and a home of her own, with lots of social prestige. The only person Antoinette had ever really loved was herself.