Brent looked thoughtful. ‘We haven’t decided yet. I think Maggie’s interested in buying me out, but it’s such a steady stream of income. I don’t want us to starve in Wakeville.’
‘Byrony,’ Saint said, ‘before I forget, do
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come see me tomorrow. I want to make certain everything is all right.’
It was the first time Jules realized that her husband, who was a man, was also a doctor, and that he would actually see and touch other women. It was most disconcerting. She heard him continue to Brent, ‘It occurred to me that besides medical help, your folk are going to need clothing. Tell you what, Brent, I’ll contract with Jane to make clothes.’
‘I’ll get Horace to pay half,’ Del said. ‘Don’t forget Bunker Stevenson, Sam Brannon, and I’ll bet we can even enlist James Cora to help.’
‘A ball,’ Chauncey said suddenly. ‘A subscription ball, that’s what we need.’
‘With costumes, love?’ Del asked. ‘Like the first time we met?’
‘Yes, indeed, and I’ll thank you, husband, not to remind me of that evening!’
‘Ah,’ Del said, ‘but there was such wit flowing, at least from this poor souP He held his hand dramatically over his heart.
‘We could invite all the upper crust, charge them a fortune, and Wakeville would shortly be on the map,’ said Saint.
‘We can even ensure that Lloyd Marks is there,’ Chauncey said. ‘He draws the maps,’ she added to Jules.
‘I think,’ Del said, ‘that the Stevensons
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would be delighted to hold the ball at their home.’
‘Yes indeed,’ said Saint. ‘You can hint to Bunker that we’ll all do our damnedest to find Penelope a husband out of the flock of men who will be there.’
‘If,’ Byrony said, ‘we could just convince Tony Dawson to be a bit mean, he’d make a perfect husband for Penelope.’
Planning the Wakeville ball went on for several more hours. Lydia served all the food in the house and cleaned out Saint’s liquor supply. When the last of the guests had left, Jules sighed and walked back into the parlor.
‘What a scene of devastation,’ Saint said ruefully, following her.
Jules was silent a moment, then turned to her husband, blurting out, ‘What will you do to Byrony?’
‘Do? What do you mean?’ He cocked his head to one side in question.
‘I mean, she’s pregnant!’
‘Ah,’ he said. He walked to his now thoroughly embarrassed wife and took her hands in his large ones. ‘Yes, she is pregnant. Yes, I will examine her, thoroughly. She is a patient. I want her to go through childbirth with as little difficulty as possible, and I want her child to be as healthy as possible. That’s all there is to it.’
‘You don’t … that is, you won’t touch
He broke off her pitiful string of words. ‘Come sit down, Jules.’ She did as he bid her, and he moved to stand by the fireplace. ‘You may be certain that I am not a slave to lust, my dear. As I said, Byrony, outside my office, is a good friend. Once inside my office, she is a patient.’
‘But she’s so beautiful!’
‘True. And it bothers you that I will be touching her intimately?’
‘Yes.’ ‘Well, that’s straight talking. In medical school, a long time ago – ‘
‘Not more than nine years!’
‘Well, then, nine years ago, when I was a young man rather than a doctor, I got terribly embarrassed, more than my female patients, I’d wager, when I had to examine them. Embarrassed, not lustful. I remember once that my hands were actually shaking, and my face was red as a beet. But, you see, Jules, that young girl I was examining was very ill. She hurt. She trusted me to make her feel better. The fact that I was a young man made no difference. Pain tends to dissolve embarrassment, you know.’
Jules lowered her head. ‘You must think I’m an awful fool.’
‘Not at all … well, just a bit, sweetheart.
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As my wife, I realize it must be difficult for you to understand that a female patient has no more sexuality to me than a male patient. But it’s true.’