Page 76 of The Quiet Wife
He smiled. “Miss Elinor Leyland is a very strong young lady. She seems to have shaken off the worst of the fever and is sleeping. I don’t think she’s quite out of the woods yet, but she is considerably better than she was yesterday.”
Jemie sagged with relief.
Lizzie wiped her eyes, comforted by his mother, and then rang for the tea tray while Jemie searched for an excuse to go up to Elinor’s room but came up with nothing satisfactory. Certainly nothing that would get past his mother’s sense of propriety.
The doctor accepted a cup when the tea tray arrived and sat beside his mother. Jemie sipped his own tea and tried not to fidget.
After some polite discussion, the doctor declined any further sustenance, signalling his imminent departure.
Frances entered the drawing room. Clearly tired, and more than a little dishevelled, but looking more beautiful than Jemie had ever seen her. He wanted to gather her into his arms. More than that, he wanted therightto be able to gather her into his arms.
He held his hands behind his back to restrain himself as Lizzie and his mother went and embraced Frances.
Doctor Emslie came over and stood beside him with a smile.
“Young Elinor is a lucky girl.”
Jemie nodded and cleared his throat.
“I will leave you now,” Doctor Emslie told them. “But please just send word if you are even a little concerned.”
Jemie watched as she saw him out, leaving him with his mother and Lizzie, who each collapsed into their respective chairs, clearly weak with relief.
“My word,” Lizzie sighed. “What an awful night.”
His mother nodded her agreement. “As a matter of interest, what, exactly, did you put in your note to Mr Leyland?”
Lizzie sniffed. “I simply told him that the doctor had said that Elinor was gravely ill and suggested it might be wise to return before morning.”
His mother looked puzzled. “I know he’s an odd fish, but I thought he would be here by now.”
“It took a long time to locate him,” Lizzie had no qualms in speaking freely.
“Locate him… oh.” His mother frowned. “I see.”
Jemie cleared his throat. “The footman was very discrete. He didn’t tell me where he did eventually find him, but clearly, he was not at the Bibby office, nor his flat in the city.”
“Have you relayed that to Frances?” his mother said.
“No. Nor do I intend to. I don’t want to add to her worries. She has enough to deal with in looking after Elinor without worrying about what her husband is up to,” Jemie said quietly.
His mother rubbed her forehead. “We would only be surmising. It could have been entirely innocent.”
Jemie sniffed, and his mother threw him a warning glance.
When Frances re-joined them a short while later, she had tidied her hair into some semblance of order and put on a fresh gown. She looked slightly less careworn.
“How is she?” his mother asked.
“She’s very weak and drained but holding up.” Frances forced a smile.
“Then do have some tea,” Lizzie encouraged her. “I will arrange something light for lunch. Would you like a tray in Elinor’s room?
“I feel very fortunate to have you all looking after me,” Frances told them. “I’ll have that tea and then venture back upstairs.”
Lizzie busied herself with the teapot, but the slam of a door, and a long tread along the corridor made them all still. Jemie saw Frances flinch as her husband strode into the room. He appeared clean, and well rested, unlike the rest of them, who were exhausted and dishevelled. Nobody moved.
He looked at them and raised his eyebrows. “I take it all is well?”
