Mrs. Thornton: “Dr. Ogilvy, Thank you for coming.” She holds out her hand with a linen handkerchief tucked within it, motioning for the doctor to come into the room. The handkerchief in her hand is Mrs. Thornton’s way to avoid the new social custom of hand shaking that she finds overly familiar. “It is Fanny. She will not respond to me.” She frets worriedly. And Mrs. Thornton is not taken to fretting.
Dr. Ogilvy: Kneeling by Fanny’s side as she lies on the sette, the doctor opens up his bag and takes out his stethoscope and listens to Fanny’s heart. “Herrr hearrrrt beats good and strrrong.” He nods while trilling his r’s. Then he tests her pupillary reactions. And though Fanny does not follow his finger left and right or up and down, she flinches when his finger almost touches her eye. Then he lifts up Fanny’s arm and gently taps her elbow with a rubber mallet and her arm jerks. He repeats that test with her knee to the same result. “Herrrr rrrrreflexes are worrrrrking fine.” Then he feels her forehead and cheeks. “She is verrrrry cold. Mrs. Thorrrnton, we must warrrrm this wee gerrril (girl) up to maintain prrrroper cirrrrculation, to prrrrrevent her condition frrrrom deterrriorating.” He animatedly punctuates his words with his Scottish accent trilling his r’s and he looks soberly at Mrs. Thornton as he stands up.
Mrs. Thornton: “Deteriorating?” Mrs. Thornton’s breath hitches in alarm as she steadies herself for what he might say next [(3) right].
Dr. Ogilvy: “Miss Thorrrrnton is in shock frrrrom herrr orrrrdeal. She must rrrrest and sleep. I will give herrrr some laudanum and sit by herrrr side overrrnight to keep watch.”
Mrs. Thornton: “I appreciate your concern, Doctor Ogilvy. But am I not sufficient to watch over and nurse my own child?” She asks a tad imperiously--getting her own back, as well.
Dr. Ogilvy: “Of courrrrse ye arrre, Mrs. Thorrrrnton, my dearrr. But cases such as herrrrs arrre delicate. And we have to watch herrrr carrrrefully.” He looks wistfully at the still form of Fanny Thornton, then he clasps Fanny’s hand in his. “Little Fanny, you werrrre the firrrrst bairrrn I tended when you had the scarrrlet feverrrr when I came to Milton twenty yearrrrs ago now. You have much living to do yet. So we will see to your rrrrest tonight.” Then he gets a twinkle in his eye as he looks up at Mrs. Thornton. “Not to worrrry! She’ll be rrrright as rrrrrain soon enough--and begging forrrr new drrrrresses and rrrribbons to make herrrr feel betterrr--if I rrrrecall the lassie’s temperrrrrament.” He adds winkingly. For who in Milton has not heard of Miss Fanny Thornton’s impeccable taste--with the expenditures related to such taste and refinement.
Dr. Ogilvy winks at Mrs. Thornton--who stares at him coolly. She finds Dr. Ogilvy to be an excellent doctor, but a tad familiar for her tastes--and his Scottish attire does not help in her estimation of him, his trousers being entirely too form fitting and indecorus in her mind. Conversely, Dr. Ogilvy appreciates the merely fifty year old Hannah Thornton’s face and form as being quite bonnie despite the motherly concern showing on her face at the moment. Dr. Ogilvy has been widowed these past five years--and Mrs. Thornton has been widowed for sixteen years. That is enough mourning put together to last a lifetime in his view--and life is for the living. Dr. Ogilvy smiles respectfully at Mrs. Thornton and bows his head. She imperceptibly nods her head at the good doctor.
Mrs. Thornton: “And my son and his fiancé Miss Hale also received glancing blows from rocks thrown at them.” She walks over to John and Margaret who are still embracing each other. She gently touches their shoulders and they look up at her. “My dears, let Dr. Ogilvy attend to you now that he has seen to Fanny. The footmen will help carry Fanny upstairs to her bedroom where she may rest.”
John and Margaret nod their agreement. Frankly, they are a bit stunned by Mrs. Thornton’s solicitude--and her lack of admonishing them to behave more decorously by not embracing. However, while Mrs. Thornton does have a slightly raised eyebrow about their embracing, she is glad that her son has such a sensible and caring girl for his intended. Though such a warm thought has yet to escape her lips, Mrs. Thornton smiles benignly at John and Margaret as she escorts the footmen carrying Fanny up to her room.
YOU ARE READING
"N&S: John Thornton, Love Lessons", by Gratiana Lovelace (2013-2014) (Done)
FanfictionJohn Thornton has an eager mind, starved for intellectual stimulation. But what John could not have foreseen was that just as his mind needs nourishment, so does his heart. Mr. Hale's proud, beautiful, kind, stubborn, and compassionate daughter Mi...
Ch. 10 (PG-13, S): Recovery and Romance
Start from the beginning
