Iris smiled warmly and added, “I do like that young man. You should marry him.”
The words came out of nowhere, and Lily bit her lip. “I—I don’t think so, Mother. I do not intend to marry anyone.”
“Nonsense. You need to marry and have babies. I do miss my babies.” Her mother sighed and leaned back. Her face clouded over, and Lily recognized that Iris was starting to slip into one of her spells. Since Rose’s wedding, her mother had enjoyed several weeks of clarity, but Lily feared it was all an illusion.
“Rose will have a baby soon,” Iris murmured. “I do believe so. Especially with that handsome Irishman she married.” Her mother pressed her hand against the carriage door. “I miss George so very much, you know. There are days when I wish I could join him.”
“Mother, no.” Lily didn’t like the direction of this conversation. Out of desperation, she offered, “The babies will need their grandmother.”
Iris appeared confused for a moment. Then she rapped at the carriage and called out to the coachman. “Nelson, stop for a moment.”
Lily didn’t like the look in her mother’s eyes, but the coachman obeyed and pulled the carriage over to the side of the road. “What is it, Mother? Are you not feeling well?”
Before Iris could answer, she threw the door open and bolted out into the streets. Lily hadn’t expected it, and she tried to follow, but her skirts tangled up. “Nelson, stop her!”
The coachman gave the reins over to their footman and hurried after Lady Penford. Lily gathered up the yards of fabric in her skirt and left the carriage to chase after them. It was dark outside, and she knew this wasn’t a good idea to be out in the London streets with only a coachman and her mother.
But what choice did she have? Her mother could easily be trampled by horses or accosted by a stranger.
It wasn’t easy to pursue Iris on foot, but she eventually caught up to her. Nelson had restrained Iris, who was kicking and shoving at him. “Let me go, or I’ll have you dismissed from your post.”
“Lady Penford, please. It’s not safe here.” Nelson kept a firm grip on her, but the older woman began to scream.
“Help!”
A few bystanders turned to look, but before anyone could approach, Lily saw a dark figure hurrying toward them. When he reached the light, she saw that it was Matthew. His carriage was nearby, and a sudden rush of relief passed over her.
“Lady Penford, what is it?” Matthew asked. He motioned for Nelson to let go of her. The coachman waited until he was closer and then obeyed.
“I want to be with George,” Iris wept. “I’m so lonely. I just. . .need George to be with me.”
Matthew exchanged a look with Lily.
Help me, she pleaded silently. Her mother’s grasp on reality was slipping away. Lily worried that she might have to take Iris back to Penford, if she continued to have bad spells.
“May I escort you home?” he asked her gently. “You must be weary after this long night.”
His sympathy seemed to break through Iris’s frustration, and she looked back at him with tear-filled eyes. “I—I don’t know. What’s happening?”
“Mother, let us go and have a hot cup of tea,” Lily urged. “It’s very cold outside, and you need to get warm. Matthew will accompany us, won’t you?”
He nodded and offered his arm. “I should be glad to take you home.” He ordered his coachman to drive on without him.
Iris rested her gloved hand in the crook of his elbow, weeping silently as he helped her walk back to the carriage. Lily overheard him giving orders to Nelson to drive around the city for a while, giving Lady Penford time to calm herself.
When they were safely inside the vehicle, he took a seat beside her mother, talking all the while. His calm tone seemed to soothe Iris, and she leaned back in her seat, closing her eyes after a time. The rocking motion of the carriage helped, and Lily whispered, “Thank you, Matthew.”
He gave a nod. “How long as she been like this?”
“Ever since my father died. It broke her heart, and I know she wanted to join him in death. Rose and I had to take her to the country, and even then, she has not been well. She may never be the same.”
The worry over her mother was a burden she would always carry. But for now, it eased her to have someone else to share the responsibility.
“She is lucky to have you,” he said quietly. In the darkness, his steady gaze warmed her. Lily felt the comfort of his presence and braved a smile.
“Will you stay a while, just to help me get her inside the house? You could have tea with us, even though it’s late.”
“I will stay as long as you have need of me.” His quiet reassurance filled the space between them. He reached out to take her hand, and she squeezed it in thanks.
A moment later, the carriage lurched, and she went crashing forward into his arms. Matthew caught her, and Iris awakened.
“What’s happened? Was there an accident?” Her mother’s eyes had gone wild, and she twisted her hands together. “Why have we stopped?”
“Wait here.” Matthew helped Lily back to her seat. “I’ll find out.” He opened the door and closed it behind him.
Lily rubbed at her shoulders, which were bruised from the collision. She didn’t know what had caused them to stop, but it was her mother’s fear she had to manage.
“I’m certain everything is all right,” she said. “You aren’t hurt, are you?”
“No.” But Iris appeared agitated by the accident. She began twisting her hands together, staring out the window and muttering to herself about wolves. Lily reached out to take her hand. “Matthew will be back in a moment. I’m sure it’s nothing.”
But it was indeed taking a while. Lily started to open the door, and then she saw Matthew approaching. He was no longer wearing his coat, and he was carrying a bundle of something enormous, dark, and furry. Was that an animal bundled inside his coat? Lily saw the concerned look on his face and asked, “What is that, Matthew?”
A whimpering sound came from the coat. “It’s a dog,” he said. “It ran out in front of the horses and startled them. I don’t know if he’ll live, but I didn’t want to leave him there.”
In the darkness, Lily could hear the dog panting and whining from pain. “Bring him inside the carriage, and we’ll take him home. I want to have a look at him.” She had read the medical book Dr. Fraser had loaned her, but she wasn’t certain if she knew enough to help the animal. Perhaps not.
And yet, she did want to help in some small way. The dog was enormous, with black and white patches of fur, though she didn’t know what breed he was. His fur was matted and filthy, and his ribs were evident through his skin.
Matthew climbed inside the carriage, and the dog nearly filled up the entire space. Lily moved across to the opposite seat, and the animal was so large, his head rested in her lap. “He looks half-starved.”
“It’s likely he had to fend for himself in the streets.” Matthew closed the door to the carriage and reached for her hand before she could pet the dog. “Be careful. A hurt dog might bite you, and we don’t know anything about him.”
“Oh dear,” Iris muttered. “Oh dear, oh dear. It’s a wolf you’ve brought.” She edged backward against the seat, but Matthew blocked the door with his leg. Lily met his gaze, trusting that he would prevent her mother from fleeing.
“It’s not a wolf, Iris. It’s a dog who has been hurt. Lily wants to try to heal him.”
“But he’s so big,” Iris whispered. “I don’t know. He could be a wolf.”
“He’s not, I assure you. And I will not allow him to harm you,” Matthew promised. Then he turned to Lily. “Do you think it’s all right that I brought him here to you?”
“I would be more upset if you had left him to die.” She looked up at him. “I don’t know if we can heal him, but I want to try.”
They rode through the streets, back to the Penford townhouse. Lily started thinking back to the books she had read and remembered that she s
hould not give him any food or water—at least, not until she was certain there were no serious injuries. This dog needed their help, and she was going to do everything she could to save him.
When they arrived home, Matthew carried the dog inside. Lily guided her mother into the house and gave orders for hot tea. She also requested a blanket, water, bandages, and salve for the animal’s wounds. “Oh, and bring me the laudanum, Hattie.” She didn’t know if it would help the dog, but it was all she had.
“Where do you want me to take the dog?”
“Into the study. We can lay him upon James’s desk.” She told Hattie to take her mother into the parlor and give her tea. “Mother, will you be all right?”
“Yes.” Iris paled at the sight of the dog. “I would rather not be in the presence of a wolf just now.”
“He’s only a large dog who has been badly hurt,” she repeated. “I am going to take care of him. But Hattie will bring you some tea and see that you’re feeling better.”
“Yes. . .I. . .that would be fine,” her mother murmured. It did seem that she was still frightened of the dog. She took several steps away from them. “I’ll just have my tea now while you look after him.”
Lily didn’t like the way the dog appeared so still and quiet. He was hanging in Matthew’s arms like a dead weight. “Follow me. I want to see his injuries right away.” It was too difficult to tell how wounded the animal was, but his flesh was scraped raw in several places.
Matthew walked down the hallway with her until they reached her brother’s study. She was surprised to find James seated inside, surrounded by papers. “I need your desk, James.”
Her brother stood, eyeing the bundle in Matthew’s arms. “What have you there?”
“It’s a dog,” Lily answered. “I am going to tend his injuries, and I need a large clean surface for that. Clear off your desk, if you would. I don’t want to get blood on your ledgers.”
Her brother’s expression was a blend of amusement and fascination, but he obeyed. “Lily, what do you know about tending wounded dogs? He’ll bite your hand off.”
“No, he won’t. Matthew will hold him for me.” She wished she knew how to sedate the dog. The laudanum might work, but she wasn’t certain of the dose.
“Oh, so you’re going to have him bite Matthew’s hand off, is that it? That’s all right, then.” Her brother cleared off his desk, and Matthew set him down on the surface. Now that they had more light, she saw that the dog was larger than she’d realized. It must have been an enormous strain to carry him this far, but Matthew appeared indifferent to the weight.
The dog’s black and white fur was matted and coated in blood, and his head was large with a rounded snout. She had not seen a dog like him before, but it was his soulful eyes that caught her heart. He stared at her, trembling with pain, and she murmured, “I’m going to fix you, Dog. Just hold still, and I’ll make it better. I promise.”
“Keep your hands away from his mouth, Arnsbury,” her brother warned.
“Indeed.” Matthew used his coat to restrain the forelegs and head of the dog. The moment he held down the animal, it frantically tried to twist and buck against him.
“I need to sedate him,” Lily said. “When Hattie comes, we’ll do that first. And I think it would be wise to muzzle him gently. Perhaps with your cravat.”
Matthew nodded in agreement and rested his hand upon the dog’s head. “Easy, there.”
“What sort of dog is he?” Lily asked. She had never seen a dog so large before.
“I believe he’s a Landseer breed. They are usually quite calm and gentle.”
The dog’s whimpering grew louder into cries of pain. It bothered her deeply to see the animal in such agony, and Lily vowed to herself that she would heal him to the best of her ability.
Hattie arrived at last with the bandages, blankets, and a basin of water. She set them down upon the desk and then pulled out the laudanum and salve from her apron pocket. “Is this all you’ll be needing, Lady Lily?”
“Yes, thank you.” Her mind was spinning with what to do. First, she needed to take the edge off the dog’s pain.
“I have tea and biscuits on a tray in the hall,” Hattie added. “Shall I bring them in?”
“No, take them to my mother,” she replied. She could not imagine having refreshments right now. To her brother and Matthew, she asked, “Should I try the laudanum on him first?”
“Whiskey might be better,” her brother suggested.
“I am not about to get this poor dog intoxicated.” She reached for the laudanum, deciding that it would be best to start with a few drops and observe him. Lily poured a tiny spoonful and gave it to him to lick, but the dog ignored it and lay back panting.
“Hattie, I’ve changed my mind,” she called out to the maid. “Bring me a biscuit for the dog.” She needed a means of getting him to take the laudanum, as bitter as it was.
“He might not eat anything,” James warned. “He looks as if he’s barely conscious.”
She suspected as much, but they would try. When Hattie returned with a biscuit upon a plate, Lily poured a few drops of laudanum upon it. “Hold his mouth and teeth for me, Matthew.” The dog appeared to be stunned by all that had happened, and her brother was right. The animal showed little interest in the food, despite his frail and starving state.
Instinct warned that the moment she began probing his wounds, he could lash out at Matthew. A muzzle was most definitely needed, but not until she got him to drink some of the sedative.
“Since he won’t eat, we’re going to have to pour it into him,” she warned Matthew. “I want you to hold him steady, and I’ll take care of it.” Given the dog’s size, she suspected he would need more than she’d imagined.
Matthew drew his forearm across the animal and used both hands to pry open the dog’s mouth. Lily eased a spoon inside and poured the droplets upon his tongue. Once she was finished, Matthew released the dog. The animal licked at his chops as if he loathed the bitter taste. “I know that’s awful, but it will make you feel better.”
“Now you can muzzle him,” she said to Matthew. He removed his cravat and gently wound it around the dog’s mouth, tying it off behind his ears. They waited for a time until the dog’s heavy panting seemed to ease, and he closed his eyes. She prayed she had not given him too much.
From the bent angle of his back leg, Lily could see that it was broken and would need to be set. The top layer of his skin was shredded from being dragged across the road while dried blood and dirt matted his fur.
She would need to clean the wounds to prevent him from getting a fever. “I’ll need you to hold the basin,” she said to Matthew. To James, she added, “Go and bring me three more pitchers of water and some towels. I will also need two short pieces of wood, about this length.” She demonstrated with her hands, knowing the broken leg would need to be splinted.
Her brother obeyed and retreated into the hallway.
“You’re doing well with the dog, Lily,” Matthew said quietly. “I believe you will heal him.”
She was grateful for his quiet faith. “I will do the best I can.” But his confidence in her offered a support she hadn’t known she needed. She had read about treating wounds, but never had she attempted it herself.
James arrived with the remainder of her supplies, along with a large basin. Lily gave it to Matthew and asked him to hold it beneath the dog’s wounds. With the pitcher, she began pouring water over the scraped flesh, washing away the dirt and debris. The dog jolted when she touched his raw skin, but she spoke softly to him. One wound was a large gash, but it didn’t appear deep. She was careful to avoid his broken leg as she ensured the other three limbs were intact.
Some of the water spilled upon Matthew, but he shrugged away her apologies. “It’s no matter to me.” She saw that several splinters of wood were embedded in the dog’s flesh, and she pulled them free as best she could.
The dog nearly came off the table when she touched a tender spo
t, and she was glad that Matthew had muzzled him—else he might have lunged to bite her hand. “I’m so sorry,” she murmured to the dog. “I’m trying to be gentle.”
Lily could feel the dog’s ribs through his skin, and what he needed was good food and a warm place to sleep. She continued caring for the dog, all the while speaking to him in a soft voice.
“You are such a good boy,” she praised him. “So very brave.” She put some of the thick salve upon his cuts and bandaged the larger gash, wrapping the linen bandages around his torso. The dog continued to whine, and when she touched his broken leg, he whimpered.
“I’m going to splint his leg,” she told the men. “Matthew, I want you to hold him down while I try to set the bone.” He kept a firm grip on the dog, and she palpated the leg gently, trying to feel where the bone had broken. The break didn’t seem too bad, and she studied his other legs to determine how to set it. The animal yelped when she moved his leg, but the bone did appear to slide back into position.
Lily took the thin pieces of wood James had brought and placed them on either side of his leg, binding it with bandages. Then she inspected the splints to be sure they would not move out of place.
“There now. That’s done.” She inspected the dog for further injuries, but it seemed that she had tended everything. His fur was wet, and she tried to dry him off as best she could.
Her earlier nerves had dissipated, replaced by a strange sense of triumph. This animal would heal because of her. Even now, she could see him resting easier, and the thought filled her with satisfaction.
“I’m going to make a place for him to sleep by the hearth,” she told the men. “James, will you stoke the fire?”
Her brother did, while she went to fetch the blanket Hattie had brought earlier. After she spread it out on the floor, she reached toward the dog.
“Let me carry him, Lily,” Matthew intervened. “He’s far too heavy for you. Especially now, when he’s had so much laudanum.” He lifted the dog from James’s desk, and she saw the tremendous effort he used to carry the dog. She could not help but notice his taut muscles straining against his shirt when he placed the dog upon a blanket near the hearth. A sudden flash of memory overcame her, of when she had felt Matthew’s skin against hers on their wedding night. She had traced the lean planes of his body, learning each and every muscle. A warmth suffused her skin at the thought, and she tried to push it away, focusing her attention upon the dog.
What the Earl Needs Now (The Earls Next Door Book 2) Page 11
