Bride for a Duke

by Bryn Donovan

  * * *

  Ellie sucked in her cheeks and turned on her heel. She was dismayed to see that Dr. Hughes had fallen unconscious. His heartbeats were even fainter, and his breathing was shallow and weak.

  * * *

  “Maybe you should go back in there, Lee.”

  * * *

  He stood and stared towards his bedroom. “I can’t go back in there right now. I can’t bear to see her like that. Hearing it is bad enough.”

  * * *

  “Stay here with Dr. Hughes then. I’ll just come back and forth.”

  * * *

  Ellie went to the head of the Schmitts’ bed and held on to Jane’s hand.

  * * *

  “The baby is turned, Jane. I need you to push.”

  * * *

  Ellie helped push Jane upward as she bore down and pushed. Her entire body trembled, the exhaustion evident.

  * * *

  “Ok, that’s good, Jane, now just rest a moment.” Liam glanced at Ellie but said nothing

  . “Here we go, Jane, give me one big push!”

  * * *

  Jane pushed and let out a whimper as the baby emerged into the world. Liam quickly flipped the baby over and began rubbing the little boy’s back vigorously. Every person smiled as the baby uttered his first cry. Ellie reached for the baby and began to clean him with the now warm water as Liam finished with Jane and cut the umbilical cord. Once he was finished, Ellie handed the baby over and left the room to check on Dr. Hughes. She smiled broadly at the waiting Schmitt family.

  * * *

  “Go see them. Its’s a beautiful, healthy little boy.” Ellie knelt beside Dr. Hughes, her smile vanishing

  . She touched his neck and felt nothing. She struggled with the stethoscope, her hands shaking. She listened but couldn’t find a heartbeat. Ellie stood slowly, placing the stethoscope back in her bag.

  * * *

  “Liam?” she called out, and motioned for him to enter the kitchen.

  * * *

  He stepped brusquely up to her and placed his hands on his hips. “What is it? I’m still a little busy in there.”

  * * *

  “Dr. Hughes has passed away.” Her bottom lip trembled

  . “You… you should have cared for him instead of me. He must have had a heart condition.” She began to sob and pull in ragged breaths

  . “You’re the doctor, not me!”

  * * *

  “You’re right; I am the doctor and that’s why I give the orders,” Liam snapped.

  * * *

  Ellie’s head drew back, her breath still hiccupping. She felt like she had been slapped. “Well, now you can be the doctor all by yourself!” She grabbed her bag and ran from the house

  .

  * * *

  Liam took a step to chase after her but stopped. He had far too much to deal with at that moment than to go chasing after a hysterical woman.

  “It’s been two days,” Roy hissed over the breakfast table.

  * * *

  Eva held her hand out face down and lowered it, indicating he needed to be quieter. “She’s just up in the loft! She might hear you!”

  * * *

  Roy rolled his eyes and gulped down the last of his coffee. He stood and grabbed an extra biscuit. “Try to get her up today. Two days moping in bed is not only ridiculous, it’s unhealthy!”

  * * *

  Eva closed her eyes against the raising of his voice. He opened the front door and let in the cool morning air. She was grateful when he shut it again. She could see Dennis wave his good morning and join him stride for stride as they marched to the barn. That boy had grown at least an inch since he had started working for them.

  * * *

  Eva sighed as she climbed the loft ladder, saying a silent prayer that Roy Jr. would stay asleep a little longer. She was ready to step over the top when a knock sounded.

  * * *

  Eva hurried down before the visitor could knock again. She was surprised whomever it was hadn’t seen Roy. She thought it was perhaps Mary. To her surprise, Liam Parsons was standing on the other side of the door.

  * * *

  “Good morning, Eva. I hope I haven’t called too early.” Liam held a brimmed hat in his hands and worked the brim nervously as he opened and closed his fingers

  .

  * * *

  “Uh, no…” Eva said and moved aside

  . “Please, come in.”

  * * *

  “I was hoping I could see Ellie.”

  * * *

  “She’s still asleep, I’m afraid.”

  * * *

  “Would it be too much to ask you to wake her?”

  * * *

  Eva hesitated before nodding her head. She leaned in and whispered. “She’s been in bed since the…incident. Two days.” Eva moved away and climbed the ladder once again

  .

  * * *

  “I won’t see him,” Ellie said before her sister could even ask.

  * * *

  “Ellie,” Eva said gently as she sat on the edge of the bed. “Just hear what he has to say.”

  * * *

  “I have already told you, Eva. There is nothing to talk about. I’m not cut out to be a doctor. Maybe I’m not even cut out to be a midwife.”

  * * *

  “That’s foolish talk!” Eva pushed at Ellie’s shoulder

  . “You know it is.”

  * * *

  “Please just ask him to go away.” Ellie rolled over and drew her blanket over her shoulder

  .

  * * *

  Eva came back down the stairs and held her hands out, palms upward to Liam. “She won’t see you. I’m sorry.”

  * * *

  Liam nodded and worked his mouth. He supposed that was it then. There was nothing further to say.

  * * *

  “Thank you, Eva.” He placed the hat on his head and opened the door.

  * * *

  Eva knew there was more that should be said. She knew this was a limbo Ellie was in and what she needed was her confidence built back up.

  * * *

  “Liam, wait,” Eva said as followed him outside, wrapping her shawl around her as she did so.

  * * *

  “She’s talking about giving up medicine.”

  * * *

  Liam shook his head and sighed. “She has too much talent and potential to just walk away from it.”

  * * *

  “I know she does. She blames herself for Dr. Hughes dying.”

  * * *

  “He had a bad heart. There was nothing more she could have done.”

  * * *

  Eva ran a hand across her forehead. “She thinks she should have fought you harder to stay with Sarah Smith and let you take care of Dr. Hughes.”

  * * *

  Liam shook his head adamantly. “She wasn’t ready to handle that kind of birth on her own. That was one of the worst breach births I have ever seen. Neither of us could have saved Dr. Hughes.” He sighed and looked at the door, hoping beyond hope that Ellie would stick her head out and agree to talk to him

  . “The thing is, as terrible as that breach was, Ellie did help with the turning before I got there. She just couldn’t complete it. She simply needs more training.” He stepped into the buggy

  . “Please tell her that.”

  * * *

  “I think it would mean more coming from you.”

  * * *

  Liam shook his head slowly. “I won’t force myself on her. When she’s ready to talk she knows where to find me. Don’t let her stay down too long. It’s not healthy for the mind or the body.” He tipped his hat to her and flicked the reins over his mare’s back, making a clicking noise with his mouth.

  * * *

  Eva watched him drive away, a sadness settling over her. Liam was good for Ellie. She could feel it. Not just as a mentor, but as a companion. She hoped Ellie would snap out of it and see that for herself.

  * * *
<
br />   Ellie rolled over and stared at the ceiling. She knew Eva was out there talking about her to Liam. She could have eavesdropped, but she didn’t want to. She just wanted a clear answer. Clinton felt like home. She didn’t want to return to Chicago. Donald hadn’t responded to her yet, but whatever he had to say wouldn’t matter. It wouldn’t sway her. She sighed and sat up. But how could she actually stay here now?

  Eva handed Ellie the letter and silently prayed it wouldn’t be a mistake. Ellie had gotten out of bed later on the same day Liam had stopped by in the morning, and that had been two days prior. She was talking hardly at all and barely ate, but she was at least up and helping with things around the house and farm.

  * * *

  Ellie the letter and opened it immediately.

  * * *

  Dearest Ellie,

  * * *

  Thank you for your response. I understand that our visiting would have been in error. I had failed to mention in my last letter that I had married Eloise. I had planned to visit you on one of the many business trips my father sends me on. However, that would have been compromising for both of our reputations, I’m afraid. I still have my old feelings for you. It wouldn’t have been fair to any of us, but most of all not to you.

  * * *

  I am pleased to hear how well you are getting on in Clinton. I’m sure you will make a wonderful midwife one day.

  * * *

  Take care of yourself, Ellie. You will always hold a piece of my heart.

  * * *

  Yours truly,

  * * *

  Donald

  * * *

  Ellie reread the letter once more before ripping it into several pieces and throwing it in the fireplace.

  * * *

  Eva held a hand lightly to her throat as she watched her sister climb the ladder to the loft. She wouldn’t ask right away about that letter. Ellie’s actions spoke volumes. It was an ending. A closing of a chapter in her life. She prayed the next chapter would be much happier.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Liam rarely wanted to punch things, but he was having a day where that was exactly all he wanted to do at every turn. Dr. Hughes had been gone for more than a week and although Liam had slowly been making the office more his own, reminders of Levi Hughes were everywhere.

  * * *

  Mrs. Baxter had come for an unnecessary checkup, and Liam was sure it was because she wanted gossip concerning the deceased doctor. She dabbed her eyes with an already soaked handkerchief.

  * * *

  “I just can’t believe it.”

  * * *

  “I know this is hard, Mrs. Baxter, but he wouldn’t want you to sit around and cry like this.” Liam closed his eyes, aware that his voice was starting to carry a bite

  .

  * * *

  Mrs. Baxter sniffed and stood. “I know you have big shoes to fill, Dr. Parsons. I’m praying for you.” She patted his arm

  . “You’ll do fine.” She shuffled to the door and left without another word

  .

  * * *

  Liam sighed and checked his schedule. He needed to be out to the Schmitt place in twenty minutes to check on Jane and the baby. When the doorbell chimed he literally let out a growl.

  * * *

  “Liam?” a familiar voice called out.

  * * *

  “In here.” Liam kept his face still when Eva

  Goodall popped her head through the door of the examination room.

  * * *

  “What can I do for you, Eva?”

  * * *

  Eva had never seen Liam as anything other than warm and friendly and was taken aback by his curt tone.

  * * *

  “I wanted to talk to you about Ellie.”

  * * *

  Liam looked away and busied himself with packing his bag for the next two stops he would be making. Dark, puffy circles dominated the skin under his eyes and there was at least two days’ growth of hair on his normally smooth face.

  * * *

  Eva continued when he didn’t respond. “I was hoping you would come out and try to talk with her again.”

  * * *

  “I don’t have time for that, Eva. I’m swamped here without help.”

  * * *

  “That’s why I want you to speak with her. She’s miserable without the medicine, and I know she misses your company.”

  * * *

  Liam snapped his bag shut and stared and moved past her. “She is more than welcome to come see me, but I have no time to go out to your place. She’s a grown woman and shouldn’t need coddling.”

  * * *

  “Liam!”

  * * *

  Liam stopped, regretting his harsh words. He turned, his face softer. “I’m sorry, Eva. I’m just overwhelmed here.”

  * * *

  Eva nodded. “I understand. I’m sure you’re grieving.”

  * * *

  Liam could only nod. He didn’t trust his voice. It wasn’t that he and Dr. Hughes were friends, because they hadn’t been, but they had worked together, and then there was the guilt. Horrible guilt.

  * * *

  “I’ll let you get back to work,” Eva said, and left the office.

  * * *

  Liam knew he needed to leave, that he was already late, but all he could do was stare at the door Eva had just shut. His mind flashed with memories of that day. He saw Levi, red-faced and sweating, his mouth yelling his rage. He saw the flash of fear on Ellie’s face when she came to ask him to check on Dr. Hughes. He saw himself destroying Ellie’s self-confidence. Liam’s eyes burned. Ellie had been right: she should have been the one to deliver the baby. Perhaps Levi would still be alive. Perhaps he wouldn’t feel so guilty every time he had to see one of Levi’s former patients.

  * * *

  Lord, please forgive me. Please forgive my arrogance. Please help me fix this.

  * * *

  Liam had only been back to the office for a few minutes before the door opened and his name was called. He was surprised to see Robert standing in the waiting area. Liam immediately could tell something was amiss. His brother rarely just stood in the front room, and he certainly never wore a look of panic on his handsome face.

  * * *

  “What is it? Has something happened?”

  * * *

  “It’s Carrie. She’s sick again.”

  * * *

  “Let me get my bag.”

  * * *

  Robert held up his hand. “No. She wants…we all want Ellie.”

  * * *

  Liam’s eyebrows shot up. “Ellie? She hardly knows her.”

  * * *

  “Mary and I agree that your…countenance isn’t what it normally is.”

  * * *

  Liam opened his mouth then snapped it shut. He stared at his brother, noting they both were taking a wide, stubborn stance.

  * * *

  “Mary and I feel that Ellie’s bedside manner might be better.” He paused

  . “Plus, she’s a girl.”

  * * *

  “We aren’t even speaking!”

  * * *

  Robert nodded his head. “I know. It’s time you mended that anyway.”

  * * *

  Liam shook his head and crossed his arms.

  * * *

  Robert took a step towards him. “Haven’t you noticed that she stays home most of the time? Widow Brooks looks after her more than we do sometimes

  . She has a headache more days than not.” Robert stopped and took a deep breath

  . “She’s your niece, Liam. Put your pride aside today.”

  * * *

  Liam allowed his arms to unfold and drop to his sides. His pride. It was ironic how he had always prided himself on not being proud.