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He bent and lightly kissed her “That’s how I feel,” he said He drew back and grinned “If we est one we can find”

A FEW DAYS later, they went to Athcourt, intending to stay for two days They wound up staying for a week

Dain turned out to be knowledgeable—and obstinately opinionated—about a vast array of topics, and the twohappily, like old friends or brothers They raced each other over Athcourt’s vast park and into the surroundingOne day, Dain undertook to teach Dorian soilism, and they knocked each other about in a corner of the stable yard, while their wives cheered them on

Dain’s bastard son lived at Athcourt as well He was a wicked piece of ht years old, whom Dain proudly referred to as the Demon Seed

Little Dominick ary of Dorian at first, but within two days, he was inviting the Earl of Rawnsley to visit his treehouse This, Dorian learned, was a signal honor Until now, only the boy’s adored papa had been privy to the refuge’s location and initiated into its mysteries

And so, Dorian came away from Athcourt with scraped knees and elbows, Dain’s assurances that Gwendolyn’s affairs would be properly looked afterand afor a child

Dorian told hi for a child he would never see born and ruthlessly focused his energies on realizing Gwendolyn’s hospital dream

Dain had agreed with him that her influential title and wealth would not fully co one at that She would be contending with scores of htened view of feminine capabilities

“I can deal with the men,” Dain had said, “but I should want precise instructions I know nothing about hospitals, even the everyday variety, and it see novel in mind”

“I’m not sure she’ll be as precise as one would wish, when the tins of eht that if I started the project now, it would make a healthy distraction Moreover, if I a, others will take iton, for instance, another felloon’t pipe up that it must be a perfect cube and start a roith so to the best authorities Instead, they will all on Certainly,’ and write down h it came direct from the throne of Heaven”

Dain had chuckled, but soy “Am I overly optimistic?” he’d asked “If you have doubts of my capabilities, Dain, I wish you—”

“I was only wondering why the devil you don’t cut your hair,” Dain had said “While I doubt your coiffure would affect your credibility—you’re a Camoys, after all—I should think it was a dah in organizing this project”

Dorian had smiled sheepishly “My wife likes it”

“And you are besotted, poor fool” Dain had given hihed “Well, then, I collect this is as rational as you’re ever going to be Make the most of it, I say”

Dorian was determined to make the most of it

Accordingly, on the second night of their return ho an early start on her hospital

She told him it was an excellent idea and she seemed very enthusiastic, but Dorian could not shake off the feeling that herly tee and made love to her instead

The following afternoon, they settled down in the library to discuss the matter in detail, and she was the saly sketched out a rough plan for the building itself, and described the functions of different areas All the saed

In the following days, she went on working cheerfully with hi her dreams into orderly facts and specifications, but the note of abstraction remained

Dorian bore it patiently He had learned from her that it was often possible to combine several treatments to combat an ailment’s array of symptoms One remedy for sick headaches, for instance, combined laudanum with ipecac—the former to dull the pain and the latter to relieve the nausea by inducing vo

He had, likewise, devised a combination treatment for her One of the “medications” arrived a week after their return from Athcourt

Dorian slipped into her study and left the packet on her desk while she was consulting with the cook about the following day’s menu Then he left the house, to work on the next part of the remedy

AN HOUR LATER, Gwendolyn stood in the study doorway, gazing blankly at Hoskins