I've struggled with this one trying to get it right. It still feels a bit off to me but it is as good as it is going to get, I think. Hope you enjoy.
Louisa was improving daily and feeling more like herself. Her confidence, so heavily shaken in the last months, was returning as well. One benefit of her being injured and the subsequent surgery was that she was spending more time with James, just being with him. He was trying to walk now, growing so quickly she lamented. But she was equally proud of him; he really was turning into quite the little charmer and she loved taking him on walks through the village, pushing his stroller and stopping to visit with his admirers.
But that lead to questions and insinuations too. Seemed half the village had an opinion about what she should do about Martin. Few seemed to believe she was staying with him because she wanted to or that their relationship was improving dramatically. Oddly enough, Mrs. Tishall seemed to be one of the more supportive inquisitors. Louisa had stopped by the pharmacy to pick up more nappies and Caroline Bosman was inside. "Oh hello Louisa," she greeted as Louisa wheeled the stroller through the door.
"Caroline, how are you? Seems like I haven't seen you in ages," Louisa replied. "I heard what happened, are you alright?"
"I am, almost back to normal, but you are obviously not, since the curmudgeon has kept you locked away up on the hill. I can't believe you are staying there, Louisa, after what he did to you."
"What?" Louisa fired back. "He didn't do anything…unless you count saving my life."
"As he should after the way he treated you and then caused your accident. I heard what happened and I just can't tell you how surprised I am that you let him anywhere near you."
"He didn't cause my accident! I ran across the road without looking; he didn't make me do it."
"Sure he did with the way he was behaving. Honestly Louisa, why do you put up with him?"
Louisa was fuming, her anger boiling over. "I put up with him as you say, because I love him and he loves me and yes, we were having a rough patch and neither of us was behaving well but…but he loves me…enough to go chasing all over Cornwall to find me when he realized I was in danger. And he …he did the surgery that saved my life, even though it was against all the rules. And he was going to follow me to Spain when I was running away, just drop everything and go after me because… because …"
"Because he finally realized what an arse he'd been?" Caroline shot back.
"Maybe but… he … "
"He'd be lost without you, wouldn't he Louisa?" Mrs. Tishell joined in softly. "I've seen the way he watches you ….such longing there, you know. I've watched it ever since he first came here, you know. Anytime you were around, he just couldn't take his eyes off you. I remember all those things he said at the castle that day; he meant them for you. He stayed here for you." Then looking across at Caroline, Mrs Tishell grumbled. "How many men you know'd give up their career, and a big one he was going back to in London too; how many would give that up for their woman? He did. He stayed here for Louisa because he knew this is where she'd be happiest and he can't bear the thought of her being unhappy. It makes him crazy sometimes, sure….cause he really can't stand us much. But he does it…for her, for them to be a family."
Louisa looked at the pharmacist in shock. She was actually championing Martin and Louisa as a couple….together. She really was better. "Thank you, Mrs. Tishell."
Sallie Tishell nodded shyly but her eyes sparkled. "Don't pay any attention to what the others are saying, Louisa. Your Doctor Ellingham loves you with everything that's in 'em. And you love him too, I know. And anybody says anything against you, then they're just jealous of what you got."
Caroline chuckled. "Well, if that isn't rich…the crazy woman who kidnapped your baby is defending your marriage now. But what he's done is indefensible."
Louisa stared at her supposed friend. "Martin's different. He's different than other people and most don't understand him; they want him to be like them and won't see that he has his own qualities that make him special. All you want to see are the rough edges. But there is more to him, so much more and my mistake was not remembering that…expecting him to be like other people…forgetting that the reason I was attracted to him in the first place was that he isn't like everyone else. He came to sports day because I asked him, not because he wanted to be there but because he felt it was his duty to me. He rearranged his schedule and left patients sitting at the surgery to come down there and to try to be who I wanted him to be. Problem was, I kept changing things on him and it frustrated both of us. He stayed as long as he could but I wasn't happy with that; I kept trying to prolong his agony. And when he'd finally had enough of me being an idiot, he started walking back to his other duty, the surgery. I am the one who chased after him, yelling and complaining the whole way, I might add; and I was the one who ran into the road without thinking. I continued to be an idiot at the hospital, although when he arrived later, I'll admit he overdid things a little. But still, it was me; I was the one pushing. Martin tries to do what he thinks I want. Sometimes he just doesn't know how or maybe he isn't sure what it is I want because I'm not sure either."
"Oh come on Louisa, you can't take all the blame…."
"No, I'm not. Martin is taking responsibility for his part of our rough patch. But he isn't the ogre everyone tries to make him to be. And if you ever gave yourself the opportunity to know him a little better, you'd see that. I was there, Caroline, when he broke through your front door to save your life. He dropped everything at the surgery because when the lab report came through, he knew you were in danger. He drove out to your place and broke through the door and …and you probably don't remember but…he was so gentle with you, so caring."
"Yeah, until he knew I was alright and then he turned into a troll again."
"Did you give him a chance to be anything else?"
Caroline looked at her bemused. "No…I suppose not."
Louisa looked away, not wanting to forgive her friend just yet. "Thank you, Mrs. Tishell, for the nappies and for …for saying what you said. You're right, those words were meant for me and he has stayed here for me. I am a very lucky woman." With a toss of her pony tail, Louise turned the stroller and exited the shop.
She pushed James in the stroller up the hill as fast as she could, anger fueling her every step. Martin was in the kitchen making espresso when she pushed through the back door and shut it with a bang before letting out a loud huff. Martin stood quietly, watching her, mentally speculating what the problem might be.
"Are you alright?" he asked as calmly as he could; fear gripping him that he had done something wrong, again.
"No! This…this village…." She barked, still angry over Caroline's comments and the attitude of many of the villagers.
"Mmmmm…." He was relieved he wasn't the cause of her anger and also curious as to what had. But a quick study of her expression told Martin that now was not the time to probe. Louisa needed to calm down first. "Would you like an espresso? Or perhaps some water; you look hot," he said as he turned to the machine to retrieve his cup.
When she didn't respond, he chanced a glance at her. Instantly he realized that she took his words as a double entendre. The way she was looking at him, face flushed, eyes sparkling and an expression he normally associated with the bedroom, sparked heat within him as well. For a moment, they were in their own place apart from the rest of the world, their eyes communicating far more than either was capable of verbally. But then the sounds of patients in the waiting room filtered through and the spell was broken.
Louisa had seen Martin's transformation in that moment. His expression had gone from concern, to curiosity, to his eager to please look. She also saw the disappointment that settled over him as the noises drifted in from the other room. "Louisa, I have patients," he mumbled dejectedly before turning to walk back to his consulting room. Hurriedly she caught him just before he dipped his head to go under the stairs. "Martin," she said softly.
He turned, his head already lowered for the hallway and she used it to her advantage to kiss him; nothing special, just a chaste peck on his cheek, but he paused and looked at her tenderly. "Thank you," he said quietly. "I um… I love you, you know," he quickly added before ducking under the stairs and turning into his office, leaving Louisa smiling.