“I know,” Ellen said quietly, pressing her ear against his warm chest to hear his heartbeat. “I see that now. I should’ve given you a chance to explain earlier. And thank you.”
They stayed in the water together, silent. The only sound came from their breathing and the stirring water as they stroked one another’s bodies. Mark rubbed her shoulders, and she stroked his calves. He threaded his fingers through her hair, andshe cupped his knees. He massaged her back and arms. She ran her foot along his, then played with the hair on his shins. Reassuring one another they were here, whole, and alive. Everything was well.
Eventually the water chilled, and Ellen’s eyelids drooped. “Let’s go to bed,” she managed to say. “Do you need help getting out?”
Mark hummed. “Maybe,” he said sheepishly. “You can call for Dryden, I don’t want you hurting yourself.”
Ellen stood, ignoring the bite of cold air against the scratches and cuts on her body. “Oh, pish.” She carefully stepped out of the tub and onto the cold, wet floor and wrapped herself in a fluffy white towel. “What are you going to do about those bandages?” She eyed the soaked cloth as Mark gripped the edges of the tub to pull upright, grimacing in pain.
“I…assumed you would have extras hidden away somewhere.” Mark stared up at her in surprise.
She frowned. “Mark, why would I have bandages lying around my house?”
He gave a tiny shrug, small enough it wouldn’t hurt his ribs. “You’re the medical professional.”
Ellen stared at him, mouth open. “No, I’m not. I’m not a doctor.”
He cocked his head. “You aren’t? We should fix that.”
She shook her head, an incredulous laugh breaking free. “That’s ridiculous. How on earth are we going to manage you and Oxford, me and medical school, and possibly a baby?”How can he give me so much?
He grinned. “We’ll sort it.”
Ellen rolled her eyes “I’ll help you out of the bathtub and then we can wake one of the servants to find an old sheet. We can rip it and use it for now.”
It took several minutes to get Mark out of the bathtub, and by the end they were both moaning in pain and laughing with utter relief that they were alive to feel the pain. Ellen bit her lower lip tokeep from giggling helplessly as she attempted to unknot the waterlogged bandage.
“Don’t make me laugh,” Mark moaned, clutching his side. “It hurts too much.”
“Come on.” Ellen wrapped an arm around him. “Bandages. Bed. Now.”
Mark turned his head and nuzzled her ear. “God, I knew I picked the perfect woman. So bossy.”
Ellen’s face heated as his teeth tugged on her earlobe. “I am trying to take care of you!”
“Mmmm, let’s do that too,” he teased as they angled out the bathroom door and to her bed. “Over the covers or under?”
Ellen rolled her eyes. “We willsleepunder the covers.” She helped the nude man into bed and tucked him in, then readied for bed.
When she’d rewrapped his bandages, combed her hair, took off her wrapper and slipped into bed, he was already asleep. Ellen took that moment to stroke his hair back from his bruised face, looking at the man she loved. The man who’d come back for her. Who’d never leave her. Who encouraged her dreams, eased her fears, and even sought out contraception despite his personal discomfort.
She curled against him, using his shoulder as a pillow.We survived this. We can face the rest of the world together.Ellen fell asleep to the sound of his heartbeat.
Epilogue
London, August 1888
Mark wiped a warm wet cloth on Ellen’s brow. “You’re amazing,” he marveled. “Look at what you’ve done.”
Ellen gave him a tired smile, the sweat drying on her face and neck, as the squirming baby kicked on her bare chest. The tiny mouth opened in a half-yawn, half-wail as the infant rooted for her breast.
“He’s small,” Mark noted, looking at the cheesy, gray paste all over the baby with mild distaste.
“He’ll probably be jaundiced,” Ellen agreed. “Early ones usually are.” Her locket pooled in the hollow of her throat, covered in sweat and tears and whatever was on the baby. The baby reached up and scratched at her chest, searching for her nipple.
“He’s perfect.” Mark dipped down and kissed Ellen’s temple. “He’s alive and he’s perfect. You’ve done so well, my love.”
The midwife, still kneeling between Ellen’s legs, picked up a new cloth and wiped the blood and mucus from Ellen’s thighs, grinning up at the happy couple. “The baby is precious, and I know you worked so hard to get him here.”