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for, and that the rest of the countryside believes he has gone to London and you to Brighton. We shall have to move him immediately and conceal the carriage for a while so that it appears he has taken it and then sent it back for your journey."
    Alex was mollified by his reluctant though genuine desire to see her through in her plan, and in all fairness, she could not blame him for trying to stop her. After all, lying wide awake in bed the past several nights, even she had begun to doubt her ability to carry it all off.
    While it was true that she had never been one to refuse a challenge, she had also never been foolhardy, and there were more than a few moments when she had begun to see the entire idea in just that light. However, it could not be helped. There was no other means of raising the money. Even if they were to strip the house and sell off all the paintings and furnishings, she very much doubted they could raise such a sum in so little time. Besides, then where would they be—
    living in an empty shell of a house? Desperation could make even as crazy a scheme as hers seem the very essence of practicality.
    Watching her closely, the doctor sensed some of the conflict that was raging within her and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Never you mind, Alexandra. I shall see to it 39
    Lady Alex's Gamble
    by Evelyn Richardson
    that they all muddle along in your absence. If Alexander should improve, which I very much doubt, I shall tie him to the bed so that he cannot make any more trouble for all of you. Never fear, you will do magnificently, as you always do." Alex smiled gratefully up at him, laying her hand on his.
    "Thank you. You have always been such a good and true friend to us all. I do not know what I would have done without you."
    "You would have been desperate enough for company that you would have gone looking for someone who could offer you true companionship instead of a few paltry moments of useless advice in between patients," he muttered gruffly, avoiding her gaze. Those clear green eyes fixed on him saw entirely too much sometimes, and it would never do for her to know how very much she and the children meant to him. It would ruin her confidence in the objectivity of his opinions if she knew how much he doted on them, how he longed to be a rich man so he could truly smooth away all her cares instead of just sympathizing with them.
    "Well, having done my best to encourage you to behave in a rational manner and having met with your usual stubbornness, I can depart with a clear conscience knowing that nothing I can do or say further will persuade you." He shook his head and made his way to the door. "However"—he turned to grin impishly at her—"I shall do my utmost to insure that this mad scheme of yours is no more risky than it need be, and I will keep a jailer's eye on everyone in Mrs. Bates's cottage."
    40
    Lady Alex's Gamble
    by Evelyn Richardson
    "Doctor Padgett?" He paused, his hand on the doorknob.
    "Do you think Alexander will pose a problem?" Alex asked. For the first time during his visit she looked unsure of herself. Some of the bravado had slipped away and he saw the worry in her eyes and heard it in her voice. "That is, I mean ... do you think he will recover?"
    Here was a dilemma. The doctor did not wish to upset her any further, nor did he wish to offer her false hope. Alexandra was not the sort of person to thank him for wrapping up an unpleasant truth in clean linen. He himself was not so sure that they would not be better off without Alexander de Montmorency, who had done nothing for any of them in the past several years except bring them worry and heartache, not to mention leading them to the brink of disaster. "No," he answered slowly, "I do not expect him to recover. He has abused his good health too much. His body does not have the reserves to cope with this last piece of stupidity. But I shall do my very best to keep him alive until you return. That I will promise you."
    Alex