“Thank you.” Louise leaned toward her brother and hugged him. “Your support means the world.”
“Nothing would please me more than to see you happy, Louise. If Mr. Berkly can help with that, then I’m all for it.”
It was still a big leap to take, Louise reflected. Deciding what to do did not get any easier as the day wore on. If she did what her father wanted, she would be made to suffer without any lasting results. But if she agreed to let Mr. Berkly operate – if she ran – she would be going against her father’s wishes and making other people party to her scheme.
Later that evening, while lying in bed, she gazed up through the grainy blackness at the ceiling she knew was there but could not see. Her fingers curled into the edge of her blanket while every pro and con she’d considered thus far filled her heard. In the end, one thing stood out above all else: If she walked away from Mr. Berkly’s offer, she knew she’d regret it forever.
With this in mind, she let Hannah into her confidence the following morning. The maid helped her pack a few things and together they set off for Linton House.
“Could I not go to Lemora instead?” Louise asked Albert after informing him of her decision to go through with Mr. Berkly’s surgery. Much like yesterday, she sat on the sofa next to her brother while Mr. Berkly, who’d recently arrived, occupied the armchair.
“Papa’s parents may love us, Louise, but they won’t defy him by hiding you. You’d be better off going to Troningburg, but I didn’t suggest it since visiting with Mama’s parents would likely drive you mad.”
Not to mention it would mean crossing the Channel and heading to Austria, which was quite a bit farther than Louise wished to go.
“I’d also like to add something I failed to mention yesterday,” Mr. Berkly said, causing a flicker of unease to spring up inside Louise. “You will not be able to travel post operation. When I spoke of remaining still, I meant it. Getting into a carriage will be completely out of the question, which means I’ll have to come with you so I can operate at the location where you decide to remain for the following month. And then I would have to stay, incase complications arise later on.”
Every hope Louise had harbored of fixing her eyesight dwindled. “I wish you’d said so sooner, Mr. Berkly, since this changes everything. I can’t possibly ask you to leave St. Agatha’s for any duration, never mind a full month. You have patients, people who rely on you. It would be selfish of me to try and convince you to turn your back on them in order to treat me instead. I hope you’ll forgive me for wasting your time. Yours too, Albert, but it seems I’ve only one reasonable option. I’ll meet with Doctor Pierson tomorrow and pray the couching lasts.”
Marcus considered Lady Louise in contemplative silence while sipping his coffee. She’d shown an unexpected degree of willpower during yesterday’s conversation - an admirable intent at defiance he’d not thought her capable of when considering how timid she’d seemed on the two previous occasions he’d met her. Today she’d made up her mind, which had to mean she was at her wits end, so desperate she’d risk the wrath of a man whose authority she’d been raised to adhere to. It could not have been an easy choice for her to make, and that in itself told him how much she wanted his help. Add to that the fact she was willing to do without that help so she’d not be a burden to others cemented his decision.
“I’ve already spoken with Redding. He knows he may have to manage without me for a while. Naturally, I have to confirm this with him before I take off.” He gave his attention to Viscount Linton. “Where do your parents-in-law reside?”
“Mr. Berkly,” Lady Louise remarked, her voice as firm as he’d ever heard it. “I appreciate your willingness to help, but I really must protest.”
“And I’ll not deny you that right,” Marcus told her with a smile he knew she couldn’t see. Hopefully, she could hear it in his voice. “But I’m not the only oculist in London. My patients can be referred to two other qualified surgeons during my absence. If you’ll grant me a couple of hours to make the necessary arrangements, I should be back and ready for departure to..?”
“Dorset,” Linton supplied while Lady Louise blinked in rapid succession.
It looked like the poor woman’s head was spinning. Hopefully, she’d relax once they were on their way.
“Can the ladies be ready by then?”
Linton nodded. “I’ll make certain of it.”
“Good.” Marcus frowned. “Because the sooner we get going, the farther we’ll be from London when Grasmere finds out his daughter is gone, and the less likely he’ll be of following our trail. I cannot stress enough the importance of his not finding your sister before she’s recovered. She’ll not be able to tolerate tension of any kind, Lord Linton.”
“Leave my father to me,” Linton said. “Diana and I spoke at greater length last night. She will accompany you to her parents’ home before joining me in the Lake District. As far as Papa will know, my wife and I have decided to visit with friends. He’ll believe my sister chose to ignore her appointment with Doctor Pierson in order to join us.”
“You plan to create a false trail?” Lady Louise asked.
“From what I gather, that part of the country is beautiful this time of year.”
Lady Louise’s throat worked. Her sightless eyes began to glisten. When she spoke next, her voice broke. “I scarcely know what to say. Thank you. Both of you.”
Her sincerity was endearing. During his brief career, Marcus had experienced numerous emotional outbursts and shows of gratitude, but none had ever affected him as much as Lady Louise’s.
Here was a lady for whom the world ought to be for the taking. Born into privilege, her family could afford the most advanced medical treatment, carried out by the best specialists in the field of ophthalmology. And yet she was being denied, out of ignorance, stubbornness, and downright foolish snobbery.
Marcus sympathized. He knew what it meant to appear to have every advantage, when all one really had was a well-crafted facade, put in place by one’s parents. Behind it, they weren’t the lords and ladies Society forced them to be, but regular people with real feelings. Of course, his facade had been stripped away while Lady Louise’s remained intact, but that didn’t make her situation any less humbling. If anything, the obstacles she chose to face increased his respect along with his keen determination to help her.
Aware of the hour, he stood. “I’ll be back by three. Please have a carriage ready by then.”
Since there was much for him to accomplish in only two hours, he departed without further comment.
4
It was like a strange dream in which each second counted, where Louise expected they’d be stopped at any moment and forced to return to the City. And yet the carriage continued its westbound journey without hindrance.
It seemed impossible that getting away should be so simple. She dared not believe it for fear she’d be disappointed.
They’d set off exactly at three as discussed. Diana sat beside Louise on the bench with Mr. Berkly and Hannah directly opposite. In the meantime, Albert traveled north to create a diversion. If Louise’s father gave chase and followed the trail as intended, it would take at least two weeks for him to find her. Hopefully longer if her brother and sister-in-law could delay him some more.