Page 39 of Loving an Earl
“Mrs. Fitzpatrick,” said Emmeline’s family physician, Dr. Bailey, as he hurried into the room carrying his valise. “Please tell me what happened.”
Emmeline explained what she knew of the aftermath of the carriage accident to the doctor while she and Lilly lit all the candles and lamps in the room.
“The coach wheel was on top of him, pinning him by his legs,” Lilly added. “He is the Earl of Langford, doctor. Please help him.”
“I will do my best,” Dr. Bailey said as he ran his hands up and down Langford’s body checking for injuries. “Your head is bleeding. As soon as I see to Lord Langford I will look at your head. Has he been conscious?”
“No,” Emmeline answered.
“His leg is broken at the thigh and his shin bone pierced through the skin and is causing blood loss. I need to set both bones and hope infection doesn’t set in. I would hate to have to amputate it. His shoulder is also dislocated and will need to be put back into place. I will need some strong footmen to hold the earl steady while I set his leg and pop his shoulder back in. No other bones appear to be broken, but I’m worried about internal injury.” He began cutting off Langford’s clothing until he was left in his breeches. “You may want to avert your eyes as I’m also removing his breeches.”
Emmeline, wide-eyed and nervous, met Lilly’s eyes, and they both turned their backs.
“In fact, while I set his leg you may want to vacate the room.”
The last thing Lilly wanted to do was take her eyes off Langford, even just to turn around. Part of her believed that if she was seeing him alive and breathing, then he would stay alive and breathing. Nevertheless, she hurried from the room with Emmeline, calling for two footmen. Moments later two came running down the hall. “Dr. Bailey needs your help inside.”
“I’m frightened,” Lilly said as she leaned against the wall out in the dim hall, her eyes focused on the shape of the closed door.
“Me too,” Emmeline said. “I had Mother send messages to both Blackstone and Caldwell. They will want to be here.”
Deep screams pierced the air. They went on for a time. They sounded animalistic, even though Lilly knew they came from Langford. Her hands covered her ears, and she mumbled, “It’s going to be fine. He’s going to be fine.”
“Lilly.” Emmeline’s voice sounded far away. “Does your head hurt?”
“What?” It was then Lilly realized she was kneeling on the ground, holding her head and shaking all over. Even her teeth were rattling. “No. I don’t know what happened. When he screamed...”
The doctor opened the door. “You may come back in. I’ve set the bones in his leg, sutured, and splintered it. With luck he will keep the leg and only walk with a limp. His shoulder popped back in easily. He also has a nasty bump on the back of his head, but I don’t detect any internal damage, which is a miracle considering what happened. I’m hoping he will regain consciousness soon. I left a vial of laudanum on the night table. See to it he has a teaspoonful once every four hours. For several days, it’s imperative to keep his pain at bay. I will be back tomorrow afternoon to rebandage the stitches. Pray infection doesn’t set in.”
“Dr. Bailey,” Lilly spoke. “Thank you so much for taking care of Langford. I hate to ask, but can you look at my head?”
“Oh, my dear, I’m sorry I forgot.” He waved to a chair. “Please take a seat.”
Lilly sat in the chair next to Langford and winced when the doctor cleaned her cut.
“You do not need stitches. It is more of a scrape than a laceration. I’m putting a bandage on it. I will check it when I return.”
Emmeline walked with the physician. “I will see you out.”
When Lilly was left alone with Langford, she stood and walked around the bed holding a lamp to see his injuries close up. The side of his face was scraped and raw but not bandaged. She could not see the bump on the back of his head, nor would she feel for it. If she touched him she was afraid she would cause him pain. His left arm was bandaged, and the cloth wrapped around his midsection so he couldn’t move his arm or shoulder.
She hesitated to move the sheet to look at his leg since she knew he was naked beneath the thin sheet. Her cheeks heated at the thought of being in a room with Langford in a state of undress. It didn’t matter that she had seen him naked before—these circumstances were much different. But then her curiosity got the better of her, and she slid the sheet aside just to get a peek of his lower leg. Not that there was much to see as it was bandaged. She didn’t dare move the sheet up to see how far the bandage went. She presumed to the top of his thigh.
Once again, her cheeks heated. At any other time, she may have admired his muscular physique, but it didn’t seem right now.
Sitting back down in the chair, the lamp beside the bed illuminating his features which were drawn. Every once in a while, he groaned and gritted his teeth. Even unconscious, he was overwhelmed by the pain. Her fingers went to her temple and realized it was sore to the touch and there was a dull ache across her forehead. But it was not enough to take her away from Langford’s bedside.
Mullens, Edmund’s valet, and Mrs. Lewis, the very capable housekeeper at the Langdon townhouse, had just arrived and were settling into chairs to watch over him. Lilly wondered absently who’d had the presence of mind to send for them. She was grateful someone had. Lilly expected Blackstone and Caldwell would arrive at any moment, as well, provided they were at home to receive the messages.
After all the commotion when they arrived home, the house seemed eerily quiet now.
Every so often, Lilly’s head fell as she nodded off. Her mind and body were exhausted from the night’s events. From the poor mother and baby dying, leaving three small, orphaned children, to Langford getting run over by a carriage. She had often thought about how dull her life was, especially during her year of mourning. Well, she would live with dull if the alternative was what had transpired tonight. She never wanted to go through such a thing again, ever.
Her head bobbed down again at the same time Langford groaned. “Where am I?”
Lilly jumped up so fast, the room spun, and she had to grab onto the chair to keep from falling. Mullens and Mrs. Lewis also startled and now stood at his bedside. “You are at Emmeline’s townhome,” she said quietly, willing her heartbeat to resume a normal pace.
“Why?”
