Page 98 of An Uncommon Earl

Now that the room was not so crowded, Asher began to fidget. After peeking out from his hiding spot between Jane and a large pillow and determining that only Aunt Millward remained, he crawled onto Jane’s knee. She wrapped her arms around him.

“I am happy for you, Jane,” Aunt Millward said. “I had high hopes for Lord Bloxley, and I am glad to know that he did not disappoint. He is one of the few gentlemen of my acquaintance who may be worthy of you.”

“If you had not gone with me to the Foundling Hospital that day, none of this would have happened,” Jane said.

Her aunt gave a gratified smile. “Reaping the rewards of doing the right thing is always immensely satisfying.”

Yet another knock sounded on the door, this one firmer than the last.

“My heavens,” Aunt Millward said. “Have you gone more than five minutes without interruption this morning?”

Jane was spared from answering by Alexander’s entrance. A smile instantly came to her lips, and Asher squirmed out of her arms.

“Lord Bloxley!” Asher cried.

“Good morning, little fellow.” Alexander moved to the bed and tousled Asher’s hair, studying his wound carefully. “How are you feeling this morning?”

“Mrs. Hunt put more magic potion on,” he said. “I will be grand vewy soon.”

Alexander chuckled. “I have someone here whom I should like you to meet.” Another gentleman entered the room, and Jane instinctively pulled her blanket up a little higher. “This is Dr. Thorndike,” Alexander said. “Dr. Thorndike, this is Asher Barton; my fiancée, Miss Jane Hadford; and her aunt, Lady Millward.”

“My pleasure,” the gentleman said, bowing politely.

Jane studied the man curiously. He was far younger than she had imagined the foremost surgeon in England to be—in his thirties, perhaps. His light-brown hair was pulled back in a small ponytail, and his clothing, although finely cut, was more serviceable than extravagant.

“Thank you for coming so quickly, doctor,” Jane said. She could only imagine the haste with which he had made the journey to be at Bloxley Hall so soon.

“I am glad to be of service, Miss Hadford.” He looked to Alexander. “These are my two patients, I assume.”

“Yes.” Asher had already made his way into Alexander’s arms, so the earl turned slightly so the doctor could get a good look at the little boy’s forehead. “We believe this blow to the head is Asher’s only injury, but he was unconscious for several hours last evening.”

“Any difficulty with speech or memory?” Dr. Thorndike asked.

“Not that I have noticed,” Jane said.

He set the black bag in his hand on the end of the bed, opened it, and took out a large magnifying glass. “Now then, little fellow, can you look at me?”

Drawn by the sizeable round glass in the doctor’s hand, Asher turned to study the instrument with almost as much intensity as the doctor was using to look into Asher’s eyes.

“His pupils are somewhat dilated,” the doctor said. “How is his balance?”

“He was not very steady on his feet last night,” Alexander said.

“Let’s try him now.” The doctor walked across the room and set his magnifying glass on the small table beside the chair. “Can you come and pick up my magnifying glass, Asher?”

Curiosity won over Asher’s shyness. He squirmed out of Alexander’s arms and crossed the room in a few unsteady steps. Picking up the glass, he gazed at it for a moment and then handed it back to the doctor.

“Thank you, Asher,” the doctor said. “That was very well done.”

With the ends of Alexander’s shirt trailing on the floor behind him, the boy hurried back to the earl and raised his arms to him.

Alexander picked him up. “That was an improvement over yesterday,” Alexander said. “Although not quite his normal level of agility.”

Dr. Thorndike nodded. “The symptoms of severe blows to the head range significantly, but it seems to me that Asher is already well on his way to recovery. I do not anticipate any lasting damage, and if your housekeeper’s salve is helping the wound, I would encourage you to continue to apply it until it is fully healed.”

Relief flooded Jane. She had guessed as much when Asher had seemed so much more like himself this morning, but it was very reassuring to hear the words spoken by the doctor. “Thank you, Doctor,” she said.

Slipping his magnifying glass back into his bag, Dr. Thorndike moved to stand beside her. “And now you, Miss Hadford,” he said. “I gather from Lord Bloxley that this is not your first injury.”