Free The Village Spinster by Laura Matthews

solution of sal ammoniac, vinegar, and whisky in water. Clarissa sat down with her charge, taking the warm hand in both of hers. “Poor dear. You must be miserable. But I have just been with your brother William and will divert you with his latest start."
    Her patient turned interested but pained eyes to her and Clarissa continued, “He is considering whether he should take up a profession!”
    Lady Aria giggled. “Will? How absurd he is. Whatever put that start in his mind?”
    “I think it must have been his dealings with Dr. Lawrence yesterday.”
    “Will wants to be a doctor?” she asked, incredulous.
    “Oh, no. Apparently that is far too lowly a profession for a gentleman. Something like the military seems more to his taste.”
    “He would look splendid in a uniform, but I cannot believe he would like it at all—the orders and the miserable conditions.”
    “Mr. Traling thought there was not a great deal of demand for military officers just now,” Clarissa said.
    Lady Aria turned her head fretfully on the pillow. “I suppose not, and I’m glad. I should hate for Will to go off and become a soldier.”
    Clarissa wished to keep her patient awake long enough to apply the lotion, so she asked, “Do you think William needs some form of occupation? Being down from school he may well be at loose ends.”
    Lady Aria’s shrug sent a different sort of pain through her body and she gasped. Clarissa continued to stroke her hand. In a moment the added discomfort ceased and Aria attempted to answer Miss Driscoll’s question. “He’s always found plenty to do before this: hunting, fishing, riding, driving, going to the races, training his dogs. It’s probably just some notion he’s taken because Alexander has been plaguing him.”
    “We should talk about Lord Kinsford,” Clarissa began. But at that moment Meg brought in the lotion and Lady Aria grimaced when Clarissa applied it liberally through her hair. It was a painful process and when she was finished, she patted the girl’s good shoulder and said, “Why don’t you try to get some sleep now, my dear? You’ll feel better if you do.”
    Without a word Aria sank into a light, uneasy sleep and Clarissa tucked the covers about her carefully before leaving the room. Meg had a nuncheon laid out for her on the table in the dining parlor. After her walk, Clarissa had a good appetite, but she was distracted by her concern for the girl. What if Lady Aria had indeed sustained damage to her head, to her brain? She seemed perfectly coherent, though feverish and sleepy. Would they be able to tell at this point? Her shoulder was a minor matter. It would heal quickly. But her head... The more she pondered the matter, the more Clarissa grew eager for the doctor’s visit.
    When Dr. Lawrence arrived, however, he was accompanied by Lord Kinsford. Clarissa suspected that Lord Kinsford had skulked about at the edge of the village awaiting the doctor’s arrival, only to “happen” to fall in with him there and gain admittance along with him to his sister’s sickroom. As though Clarissa had intended to deny him access to his sister for the duration of her stay! Clarissa shrugged off the episode. Lady Aria was her first concern.
    She led the way into the sitting room, where the young woman was still sleeping, her cheeks flushed. Dr. Lawrence took her wrist and felt her pulse. Lady Aria came only slightly awake at the movement. Her eyes seemed not to focus right away on the doctor and she frowned. “What is it?” she asked.
    “It’s Dr. Lawrence, Lady Aria,” he said, touching her forehead and then her shoulder. “Do you remember where you are?”
    “At Miss Driscoll’s.”
    “And do you remember why?”
    “I’ve had a fall from my horse.”
    “Good. Do you know when that happened?”
    “I’m not sure,” she said, her voice low and uncertain.
    “Right. Don’t be concerned. You’ve been sleeping off and on so that what day it is mightn’t be quite clear.” Dr.