I would rather have my own room. Tracy and I did enough sharing when we were kids,” Beth smiled.
“You can say that again!” Tracy chirped.
Hélène nodded and opened the bedroom door.
Grey carried Beth into the huge and exquisite bedroom. The muted lamps on the nightstand and dresser projected a soft light that illuminated the pale-yellow walls with tan crown molding and a white ceiling. The contemporary blue and cream furnishings were accented with pops of tan and red pillows. It was a surprisingly modern room for such a centuries-old abode.
“It’s beautiful,” Beth said as Grey sat her on the bed. “I love it.”
“I’m so happy that you do. This has always been one of my favorite rooms,” Hélène smiled. “I decorated it myself.”
“You have a lovely sense of style,” Beth complimented.
“Thank you,” Hélène said graciously. “I will return with a change of clothing for you as soon as I show Tracy and Greyson to their rooms.”
“Alright. Thank you so much,” Beth said.
Grey allowed Hélène and Tracy to precede him and gave Beth a rueful smile as he left the room.
Beth grinned as she ran her hand over the huge bed. She wished she didn't have to sleep in it all alone. But she understood Hélène’s point of view and respected her values. Plus, she’d have plenty of nights to spend with Grey in the future.
Only shortly after having left, Hélène breezed back into the bedroom with her arms full of clothes. A man carrying a doctor’s bag followed close behind her.
“Beth, dear, this is Doctor Eugene Estelí. He is a very dear friend of mine and a brilliant doctor,” Hélène said.
“Bonjour, doctor Estelí. Thank you for coming to see me on such a horrid day,” Beth said.
“You are very welcome, Miss Carlisle. It is my calling to heal when and as I can!” Eugene smiled genuinely. “Now let’s take a look at that ankle.”
Beth thought he was a handsome for an older man. He was of medium height and build with brown hair that was graying at the temples and a smile that was as kind as it was wide.
The doctor knelt on the floor and laid her ankle across his knee. He gently pressed his very capable fingers against the swollen appendage and Beth winced.
“Hurts?’ he asked.
Beth nodded.
“A little,” she answered.
After further evaluation, he reached for his bag and pulled out a tube of ointment and an Ace bandage.
“Thankfully, it is not broken. But it is sprained,” Dr. Estelí said. “I’m going to apply this ointment for the swelling and wrap it. Try to stay off of it as much as you can so it may rest. I will leave a cane that you are to use.”
“A cane?” Beth wailed.
“Yes and you must use it. I am quite serious. Hélène, make sure she does not walk without it,” he insisted.
“I will see that she doesn’t,” Hélène said seriously.
There was a twinkle in Hélène’s eyes. She would enjoy having someone to take care of. And Beth thought that it might be nice to be fussed over by a motherly figure.
*****
“I hear we have guests. Who are they?”
Claude turned from the fire to look at his older sister. Manette had manipulated her way into the household a year ago claiming financial difficulties. And of course Marceau, ever the family man, had invited her to live with them.
But Claude thought Manette was lying. She was too tight-fisted and stingy, in his opinion, to squander the sizable entitlement that she had inherited from their mother. Claude was sure that she had other motives for wanting to be at Victory’s End and he was determined to discover those reasons.
He looked at his tall, thin sister. She had never been a beauty. She was too long and angular to be considered as such.
Claude had always marveled at the fact that she’d married and had children. He thought it was a miracle that a man had ever looked at her in that way. But it had happened
“You can say that again!” Tracy chirped.
Hélène nodded and opened the bedroom door.
Grey carried Beth into the huge and exquisite bedroom. The muted lamps on the nightstand and dresser projected a soft light that illuminated the pale-yellow walls with tan crown molding and a white ceiling. The contemporary blue and cream furnishings were accented with pops of tan and red pillows. It was a surprisingly modern room for such a centuries-old abode.
“It’s beautiful,” Beth said as Grey sat her on the bed. “I love it.”
“I’m so happy that you do. This has always been one of my favorite rooms,” Hélène smiled. “I decorated it myself.”
“You have a lovely sense of style,” Beth complimented.
“Thank you,” Hélène said graciously. “I will return with a change of clothing for you as soon as I show Tracy and Greyson to their rooms.”
“Alright. Thank you so much,” Beth said.
Grey allowed Hélène and Tracy to precede him and gave Beth a rueful smile as he left the room.
Beth grinned as she ran her hand over the huge bed. She wished she didn't have to sleep in it all alone. But she understood Hélène’s point of view and respected her values. Plus, she’d have plenty of nights to spend with Grey in the future.
Only shortly after having left, Hélène breezed back into the bedroom with her arms full of clothes. A man carrying a doctor’s bag followed close behind her.
“Beth, dear, this is Doctor Eugene Estelí. He is a very dear friend of mine and a brilliant doctor,” Hélène said.
“Bonjour, doctor Estelí. Thank you for coming to see me on such a horrid day,” Beth said.
“You are very welcome, Miss Carlisle. It is my calling to heal when and as I can!” Eugene smiled genuinely. “Now let’s take a look at that ankle.”
Beth thought he was a handsome for an older man. He was of medium height and build with brown hair that was graying at the temples and a smile that was as kind as it was wide.
The doctor knelt on the floor and laid her ankle across his knee. He gently pressed his very capable fingers against the swollen appendage and Beth winced.
“Hurts?’ he asked.
Beth nodded.
“A little,” she answered.
After further evaluation, he reached for his bag and pulled out a tube of ointment and an Ace bandage.
“Thankfully, it is not broken. But it is sprained,” Dr. Estelí said. “I’m going to apply this ointment for the swelling and wrap it. Try to stay off of it as much as you can so it may rest. I will leave a cane that you are to use.”
“A cane?” Beth wailed.
“Yes and you must use it. I am quite serious. Hélène, make sure she does not walk without it,” he insisted.
“I will see that she doesn’t,” Hélène said seriously.
There was a twinkle in Hélène’s eyes. She would enjoy having someone to take care of. And Beth thought that it might be nice to be fussed over by a motherly figure.
*****
“I hear we have guests. Who are they?”
Claude turned from the fire to look at his older sister. Manette had manipulated her way into the household a year ago claiming financial difficulties. And of course Marceau, ever the family man, had invited her to live with them.
But Claude thought Manette was lying. She was too tight-fisted and stingy, in his opinion, to squander the sizable entitlement that she had inherited from their mother. Claude was sure that she had other motives for wanting to be at Victory’s End and he was determined to discover those reasons.
He looked at his tall, thin sister. She had never been a beauty. She was too long and angular to be considered as such.
Claude had always marveled at the fact that she’d married and had children. He thought it was a miracle that a man had ever looked at her in that way. But it had happened
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