Dr. Kingsley
The road up to Lady Harrington's chateau was a mess far worse than I'd anticipated. The rain seemed to get worse every moment. I was lucky for two reasons: 1) I had been dealing with these storms for the better part of my adult life. I know when we can make it. 2) I wasn't the one driving. My son, Adrian, joined me. Adrian was gripping the steering wheel so tightly I thought his hands might leave an imprint on it. He was driving slowly, carefully navigating the slippery curves.
"Easy, Adrian," I said, my voice low but firm. "There's no need to rush. Lady Harrington wants us there as a precaution. It doesn't sound urgent, so we can take our time. Last thing we need is to have an accident yourselves."
Adrian nodded, his eyes glued to the road. His focus was intense, but I could sense his mind wasn't entirely on the task at hand. I had raised him long enough to know when something else was occupying his thoughts. Or someone.
I suppressed a smile, though I found it a little amusing. The moment he found out Samantha Harrington was at Victoria's estate, it was like I was trying to get a four-year-old princess-lover to join me at Disneyland. Not that I could blame him. Even if she is six years older and world-famous, Samantha Harrington was a stunning woman; many a man have lost themselves in the pursuit of a pretty face.
Including you, you old codger. My wife, in her youth, was a knockout and absolutely lovely in her sixties. She had been way out of my league, and I still convinced—or captured her, depending on who you ask—so stranger things have happened.
Adrian's voice broke my thoughts. "Do you think she's okay? Lady Harrington, I mean."
I glanced out of the window at the snow-covered trees that lined the road, casting eerie shadows under the car's headlights. "Victoria's an extremely tough and stubborn woman. I'm sure she'll brush this off like she does everything else. I think the visit is more of a precaution than anything. We will make sure she's alright. Apparently, the crash was minor, and there are no visible injuries."
It took us another hour to get to Victoria's home.
The chateau came into view, its grand silhouette emerging from the downpour like something out of a Gothic novel. It was a beautiful, imposing estate, with tall spires and manicured grounds backlit by the almost constant crackle of lightning. The driveway was long, and it took us a minute before we finally pulled up to the entrance. The chateau's windows glowed warmly, offering a stark contrast to the wind and rain outside.
The grandeur of the place always gave me pause. I'd been here before, of course, but castle-like displays always made me smile, and so I took an extra moment to appreciate it.
Adrian put the car in park and glanced at me. "You ready?"
I chuckled softly. "I should be asking you that. I know where your head's at."
He flushed, glancing away. "I have no idea what you are talking about. I am the consummate professional."
I laughed. "Two things. One, I am not sure you know what consummate means. Two, you're a consummate idiot. Please try not to fangirl over Samantha."
He snorted. "I assure you I don't know what you are talking about."
Right. You have no idea what I am talking about, I thought, but I let it slide. There was no point in embarrassing him.
As we got out of the car, the cold hit me immediately, biting through my coat and stinging my face. We hurried to the entrance, navigating the wind and rain. The front door opened before we could knock, and there she was—Lady Harrington, looking as poised and regal as ever, though there was a faint tiredness around her eyes.
She gave me pause, as she always did. At forty two, Lady Harrington had raised two boys and been in the political, economic, and social scene for years. Time had done nothing to soften her beauty. She was without flaw, without blemish. Gorgeous simply gorgeous. It made me wonder if she had made a pact with a group of witches.
I kept these thoughts to myself.
"Philip," she greeted me warmly, her voice soft. "I'm glad you could make it."
"Victoria," I said, stepping inside and brushing the snow from my coat. "I would've come sooner, but the roads were a nightmare."
She smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "I appreciate you coming at all. It's been… a day."
I nodded, glancing around the grand entryway of the chateau. The place was as impressive as always, with high ceilings, elegant chandeliers, and beautiful artwork lining the walls. It felt warm, inviting, and yet there was a tension in the air, something unspoken but present.
Adrian followed behind me, his eyes scanning the room. I saw him subtly glance toward the hallway, no doubt hoping to catch a glimpse of Samantha. Poor boy.
"How are you feeling?" I asked Victoria, my tone turning professional.
She waved a hand dismissively. "I'm fine. A little shaken, but nothing serious. It's the others I'm worried about."
I could see in her eyes that she wasn't telling me the whole story. Victoria was the type to downplay her own injuries, especially when there were others involved. But I had known her long enough to know when to push and when to let things slide. For now, I'd let her have her pride.
"I'll still need to check on everyone," I said, pulling my medical bag off my shoulder. "You know how I am. I won't take 'fine' as an answer."
Victoria's smile softened, and she gestured for us to follow her inside. "Of course. Come in. Let's get you settled."
As we walked through the grand hallway, I couldn't help but notice the subtle signs of stress in the house. It wasn't anything obvious—just a sense of weariness, like the place itself had absorbed the tension of the day's events. The warmth of the chateau did little to ease the feeling, but it was still a welcome respite from the biting cold outside.
Adrian fell into step beside me, his eyes darting around, still hoping to catch sight of Samantha. I hid a smile. If only he knew how transparent he was. But for now, there were more pressing matters at hand.
***
As we moved deeper into the chateau, Victoria led us into a sitting room that was warm and cozy despite the tension hanging in the air. A roaring fire crackled in the hearth, casting a soft glow over the room, with plush chairs and sofas surrounding it. It was the kind of room that felt like a sanctuary, a place to retreat from the outside world.
"Please, sit," Victoria gestured toward one of the chairs. "I'll have someone bring tea."
I nodded, but my focus was already shifting to her. "Before we get comfortable, let's have a look at you," I said, setting my bag down. "Adrian, would you mind bringing in the portable EKG, X-ray, and oximeter from the car? We'll need it to be sure."
Adrian nodded eagerly, a little too eager, and I shot him a look that said to calm down. He hurried off to the car, leaving me with Victoria.
I turned back to her, noticing the slight tremble in her hands as she crossed the room. She sat down carefully, as though her body was betraying her usual grace.
"Tell me about the accident, Victoria. Don't leave anything out," I said, taking a seat across from her and observing her carefully. I could see a faint bruise forming on her arm, just peeking out from under her sleeve.
She exhaled slowly, her composure faltering just for a moment as she recounted the events. "It wasn't anything at first. The rain and wind had just started to pick up, but the roads were slick. James, our driver, was doing fine until he wasn't. The rain and wind got worse. It was so awful it's not completely clear to me how James was able to see anything. We came around a corner, and the car skidded. We went off the road right into the Sumar River."
She paused, her gaze distant, as if reliving the moment. "We hit the riverbank and were partially submerged. The front of the car crumpled. The back was mostly submerged, and we were high-centered so badly that we were almost on our side."
I leaned in, frowning. "Victoria, that's not a minor accident. Depending on how you hit the water, it's like running into a brick wall. You could have been killed. You all could have."
I noticed the tremble in her hand increase ever so slightly. "Yeah. You're right."
And there it was; the slight crack in the armor of an incredibly strong woman. Damn her. I took a breath. "Thank you for calling me, Victoria, and for telling me the truth. But I am cross with you for downplaying the accident on the phone. That type of impact and momentum can cause serious problems. It's not just the visible injuries we need to worry about. I know you worry about listening ears, but no more of that. We have doctor-patient confidentiality. Only honesty for now on, okay?"
Victoria had the class to look a bit guilty. She nodded.
Just then, Adrian returned, carrying a couple of small cases with the equipment I'd asked for. He set them down gently, and I began unpacking it, turning my attention back to Victoria. We started going through her history. I already had most of it, just needed to double-check. I did an oral examination and other testing. I made notes in my electronic file.
I could feel Adrian's energy shift the moment Samantha entered the room. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him go rigid, and I suppressed a smirk.
Here we go.
Samantha walked in wearing casual clothes—shorts and a tank top—and yet she looked effortlessly stunning. I didn't need to look at Adrian to know his reaction. The boy was practically speechless.
"Doctor Kingsley," Samantha greeted me, her voice soft but steady, yet playful. "Good to see you. You're as handsome as ever."
I rolled my eyes. "Samantha Harrington, what did I tell you about teasing this old man?"
She snorted. "You're barely 50, and I think older guys are sexy."
I wanted to face-palm. I could almost hear my son's teeth clench.
I tried not to sigh. "Alright, you troublemaker. Just sit there and look pretty. I was just finishing up with Victoria. You're next, so on behalf .."
She nodded and gave me a funny grin, moving to sit on the couch opposite me. Adrian, poor boy, stood frozen, his eyes darting to me nervously. I shot him a glance, signaling him to sit, and he obeyed quickly, looking a bit flustered.
It was then that Samantha noticed Adrian. "Adrian! Oh my gosh, is that you? You got so much bigger! How are you?"
I ignored the rest of her words and returned to Victoria's exam. "Any pain here?" I asked, pressing lightly on her leg.
"Just a little bruising," she replied. "Nothing too bad."
My fingers brushed over a bruise forming on her thigh, and I nodded. "You've got some bruising on your legs and back, but nothing too severe. It could have been much worse. Any headaches or dizziness?"
She hesitated. "I do have a bit of a headache, and I hit my head pretty hard when we crashed. But I haven't been dizzy."
I pressed lightly on the back of her head, feeling for any tenderness or swelling. "You've got a bump back here," I said, frowning. "I'm not too concerned, but you should be careful over the next few days. You could have a mild concussion. I want you to take it easy. No strenuous activity, and if you feel any dizziness or nausea, you need to rest immediately. If it gets worst or you start to have unaccounted for pain I want you to call me."
She nodded, a flicker of worry crossing her face. "Yes. Doctor. I'm just thankful to be alive."
I nodded, scribbling some additional notes and turned. "Alright, Samantha. You're up here. Come here."
Samantha stood up, her movements a little stiff as she made her way toward me. "Alright, let's take a look," I said.
Samantha smiled as she sat down. "I'm alright, really," she said softly, but I could see the fatigue behind her eyes. I ran through her history, priors, and medications in a more thorough manner than Victoria, as I saw her pretty regularly compared to Samantha. I started the physical examination.
I gently palpated her legs and back, tested her eyes, checked her ears, nose, and throat, and tested her reflexes. All good so far. The bruising was more noticeable, especially on her thighs and lower back, but nothing alarming so far. "You've got a bit more bruising than Victoria," I said, "but nothing that suggests internal bleeding."
I moved on to her abdomen, carefully pressing in different areas. "Any pain here?" I asked, monitoring her face for signs of discomfort.
"Not really," she replied, wincing slightly. "It's mostly just sore."
I nodded. "That's normal after a crash like this. There's a lot of muscle strain that happens when the body tries to brace for impact, even if you don't realize it at the time."
I stood up and motioned for Adrian to bring over the portable X-ray machine. "I'm going to have you sit still while I get a few scans just to be safe. It'll only take a few minutes, but I want to rule out any fractures or deeper injuries."
Adrian hurried over, pushing the equipment into place with more speed than precision. He was flustered, clearly still distracted by Samantha.
The X-rays were quick and painless. After a few scans, I reviewed the images on the small monitor attached to the machine. "No fractures, nothing serious," I reported. "You're both incredibly lucky. Just a lot of bruising and muscle soreness, but no internal injuries that I can see. I want you both to take it easy for the next few days. Stay hydrated, rest, and if anything feels off—headaches, dizziness, confusion—give me a call immediately."
Victoria, who had been watching quietly from her chair, looked relieved. "Thank you, Doctor. We'll follow your advice."
Before I could respond, Adrian, who had been watching the whole exchange with wide eyes, blurted out, "I can't believe I wasn't there to help." His voice was full of emotion, his eyes darting between Samantha and me.
Samantha smiled warmly, her gaze softening. "You're sweet, Adrian. But we were lucky. We had someone else looking out for us."
I raised an eyebrow at that, glancing at her meaningfully.
Victoria chuckled. "Well, doc, you could say that we had our own knight in shining armor show up and rescue us if you can believe it."
Samantha spoke next, and her face went a bit pink. "Yeah, he pulled us out of the vehicle. It was crazy. He is in bed because of exhaustion."
Just then two of the most darling girls I had ever seen came in. Preteen to teen, both right around twelve give or take a few years. Not twins though. Sisters, but not twins. They walked in a bit unsure of themselves, with damp hair and pajamas, looking as if they had just come from a bath. Their faces were a mixture of exhaustion and relief, and it was clear they were still processing everything that had happened. I gave them a warm, grandfatherly smile, beckoning them closer.
"Well, well, what do we have here? Two brave young ladies, I take it?" I said, my voice gentle as I knelt to meet them at eye level.
The younger girl stood beside her the elder girl, her eyes wide and filled with an innocent curiosity. "Hello. I am Lily, and this is Maya."
Maya, the older of the two, gave a shy smile. "Hi, you have a kind smile. Who are you?" she said softly, her voice carrying the weight.
"It's nice to meet Maya and Lily. I am Doctor Kingsley, and this is my son Adrian. We are friends of Ms. Victoria."
"Oh," said Lily. "That's good. It's nice to meet you. We are friends too. But we just met Victoria and Samantha."
"Is that so?" I said. "And how did you meet them?"
The girls glanced at each other. Lily was the one that responded. "Our dad helped them out of the river. It was super scary."
The mystery man who saved Victoria and Samantha and their driver had two daughters. So the man stops to help two strangers out of a dangerous situation. Interesting.
"Yes, I bet that was scary. How are you two doing? Are you okay? How is your dad?"
Maya glanced over at Samantha and Victoria before nodding, her voice shaky but proud. "Yeah, it was really bad out there. The rain was so heavy, and the wind... it was like the car was going to tip over."
"And it was so dark!" Lily added, her little hands clenching into fists at her sides as she recalled the night. "We were scared about Aunt Victoria, about Miss Samantha... but Dad made sure we were all okay."
I gave them both a soft look of understanding. "That sounds terrifying. But your dad did a wonderful job looking out for everyone, didn't he?"
Both girls nodded enthusiastically. Maya's eyes brightened as she spoke again. "Dad was amazing. He got everyone out, even though it was raining so hard, and the car was stuck in the mud. I thought... I thought something bad might happen, but Dad didn't stop until everyone was safe."
Lily nodded in agreement. "He told us everything was going to be okay, and he just... knew what to do."
I could hear the pride swelling in their voices, and it warmed my heart to see how much they admired their father. It wasn't every day you came across a man who could inspire that kind of love and respect in his children.
"Your dad sounds like quite the hero," I said, giving them both a pat on the shoulder. "You two must be very proud of him."
Maya and Lily beamed, their faces lighting up despite their obvious fatigue. "We are," Maya said, her voice firm with conviction. "He didn't panic at all."
I smiled softly, feeling the weight of their words settle into the room.
"Well," I said, reaching into my pocket and pulling out a couple of lollipops, "I think you both deserve a little something for being so strong today. It's not every day you get through something like that."
Being younger, Lily's eyes lit up as I handed her and Maya each a lollipop. Maya tried to act cool. Something about being 13, brought that out in girls, but she was just as pleased I could tell. The girls unwrapped the candy, the simple treat a welcome distraction from the gravity of the day.
"Thank you, Doctor," Maya said quietly "Its been a hell of a day. Don't tell my dad I swore."
"You're welcome, my dear," I replied. "And I won't. Now, let me ask one more time. How are you both feeling? Any bumps or bruises?"
Lily shook her head, sucking on her lollipop with enthusiasm. "We're okay," she said around the candy. "It was scary, but Dad did everything."
Maya nodded in agreement. "We didn't really do anything... Dad was the one who saved everyone. It was him."
I looked at Samantha, who had been watching the exchange in silence, her expression soft and thoughtful. Then, turning back to the girls, I said, "Well, it sounds like your dad had everything under control. But still, you were there for him. That's important too."
Adrian, who had been standing quietly to the side, looked a little uncomfortable. It was clear to me that hearing so much about Ethan was making him uneasy.
After a moment of silence, I clapped my hands together lightly, bringing the conversation back. "Alright, girls, I'm glad you're doing okay. But you've had a long day, and I think it's time for you both to get some rest."
Maya and Lily nodded, their energy finally starting to wane. "Thank you," Maya said, her voice small but grateful.
"You're very welcome," I said, patting her gently on the shoulder as they both turned to leave. "And if you feel anything strange, even just a little bump or bruise that doesn't feel right, you let me know, okay?"
The girls nodded before heading off down the hall, their giggles fading as they disappeared around the corner. Adrian remained quiet, but I could tell he was still processing everything.
"Well," I said, standing up and stretching, "I think that's all for now. We'll need to keep an eye on everyone, but so far, it seems like your family has been incredibly fortunate."
Samantha nodded, though her gaze lingered down the hall where the girls had disappeared, a thoughtful look crossing her face. I could tell she was still processing the day's events as well.
"Fortunate indeed," she murmured, her eyes reflecting a mix of emotions that I couldn't quite place.
As I packed up my things, Adrian stayed quiet, but I noticed the way his eyes followed Samantha.
"Alright," I said, breaking the tension. "Let's get everything wrapped up for the evening. You've all been through enough for one day."