They were quiet for a moment. “When will the fortune be transferred to the Horticultural Society?” Dr. Thomas asked.
“I’m not certain. My brothers will surely do their best to fight it in court, which could hold everything up.” Garrett sipped his tea. “If only the money was going to a better cause—to feed the poor or build a new orphanage. Anything... But the Horticultural Society? As if England needs more flowers for the rich to enjoy.”
Dr. Thomas considered that. “Perhaps you could convince them to put it to better use. Your mother has a few worthwhile charities that are near and dear to her heart. I’m sure the Society would consider contributing to some of those, out of respect for your family.”
Garrett nodded. “That is an excellent idea.” He stood up to check on Marcus in the next room. He was sleeping soundly, and his brother Joshua was curled up beside him.
“May I ask you something?” Garrett whispered to Dr. Thomas as he returned to his chair. “Did you know what you were doing when you pushed on Marcus’s heart? Had you seen that done before?”
“No, and I had no idea if it would work, but I’ve been studying the human body all my life. It was instinct mostly—and desperation.”
“You didn’t give up. That’s the important thing.” Garrett leaned back in his chair again.
They sat in silence for another moment.
“Now may I ask you a question, Garrett?” the doctor asked.
“Of course.”
“When your boat went down, did you work as hard to save those passengers as you worked to save Marcus today?”
Garrett experienced a flash memory of the giant waves, the ropes and canvas tangled together in the stormy sea, and how he had been pulled down into the cold dark depths.
Why had he been pulled down? Because he refused to let go of Johnny’s hand. He’d sucked a few mouthfuls of water into his lungs and began to convulse before he finally let go and kicked his way to the surface.
“I risked my life,” he replied. “But in the end I only saved myself.”
“And you feel guilty about that?” Dr. Thomas said.
Garrett nodded.
“I understand, but it wasn’t up to you to save everyone under those circumstances, son. I don’t mean to sound disrespectful, but it’s rather arrogant of you to think so. As I have said before, nature is both a beauty and a beast. You did your best, but it was simply their time that day, and not yours.”
Garrett looked down at his tea that was now cold in the cup. “I suppose you’ve seen a lot of death in your profession...”
“I have, and it is never easy, but it is a part of life. Sometimes, even when we do everything humanly possible to try and save someone, in the end, it makes no difference what we’ve done.”
“It made a difference today.”
“Yes, it did.” Dr. Thomas closed his eyes, inhaled deeply, and slowly let it out.
Garrett watched him with interest. “I once told you that I envied your ability to cure people. I wonder if you might teach me some things?”
Dr. Thomas opened his eyes. “I’d be happy to.” Then he smiled. “Or you could simply enrol in medical school. I could put in a good word for you.”
Garrett stood up and walked to the window to look out at the storm. “It might not be such a bad idea to learn a profession,” he said, “now that my family is broke.”
Dr. Thomas sighed. “Money isn’t everything, Garrett.”
“I wholeheartedly agree,” he replied, turning to face him. “It’s one of the reasons why I left Pembroke Palace in the first place seven years ago. Despite the opulence and the endless flow of money, I wasn’t happy.”
Dr. Thomas squinted at him in the firelight. “A strange thing to hear from a man who agreed to marry a woman he never set eyes on before—for no other reason but to collect a monetary award the day after the wedding.”
Garrett regarded him shrewdly. “Touché.”
He returned to his chair and sat down.
“What are you going to do,” Dr. Thomas asked, “now that there will be no funds awarded to you today?”
“I think the more important question,” Garrett replied, “is what will Anne do?”
“It all depends on how you approach the situation.”
“What do you recommend?”
The doctor considered the question for a moment, then offered his best fatherly advice. “I recommend extreme, heroic, and above all, desperate measures that may or may not involve groveling. To your betrothed, as well as your family members.”
Garrett looked into the hot fire and suspected there could be no other cure for this. He thought of Anne, his beautiful Anne, and knew he would do anything to win her forgiveness.