<b>Chapter </b><b>49 </b>


    Every year, Rowan arranged two full physicals for her–he knew her health better than anyone.


    Janice shot him a re. “What do you mean, quack? That young woman’s got her act together—her medical skills are top notch, and she’s got a lovely temperament…”


    She paused, eyes lighting up with mischief. “Honestly, I think she’d make a wonderful granddaughter–inw for me…”


    Rowan pressed his fingers to his temples, exasperated. “Grandma, every time you see a living, breathing woman, you decide she’d make a perfect wife for your grandson.”


    “What’s wrong with that? Don’t you trust my taste?”


    “Grandma, these things are about chemistry.”


    “Chemistry? How do you know there’s none if you never even meet her?”


    Janice was unfazed. “Just wait–I’ll visit a few more times, get to know her better, and then bring her over for you to meet.”


    “I’m telling you, she’s sweet, and she looks-”


    “Grandma,” Rowan cut in, rubbing his stomach as his temples throbbed, “I’m starving.”


    “Starving? Goodness, look at the time! Why haven’t you eaten? Just sit tight!”


    Janice jumped to her feet–forgot her cane entirely–and marched to the kitchen, moving with surprising speed for someone her age, determined to fix him some noodles.


    Off to the side,n spoke up, looking worried. “Should I have our people look into that doctor? Just in case, so the olddy doesn’t get scammed.” “No need.” Rowan picked up a cup of herbal tea and sniffed it, his


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    expression cold and distant. “As long as she’s happy, that’s all that matters.”


    “And that medicine…?”


    “It’s nothing but herbal tea. Just a way to make a quick buck off her.”


    Rowan leaned back on the couch, stretching out his long legs with nowhere to put them, looking both annoyed and indifferent. “Just make sure she doesn’t actually bring anyone home.”


    “Understood.”n nodded, checked his phone, then frowned. “Sir, the Murphys‘ family dinner is tomorrow. Miss Elissa will be attending.”


    Rowan’s eyes darkened, his voice unreadable. “When has she ever missed one?”


    “She’ll probably get caught up in another round of family discipline. Are we still not going…?”


    Rowan cut him off, face like stone. “What does that have to do with me?”


    “She likes Frank, doesn’t she? Let Frank protect her, then.”


    “Sir…”n hesitated, almost as if he wanted to say more.


    Was it just him, or did Rowan sound… annoyed?


    Janice soon returned with a steaming bowl of noodles, her movements brisk. She looked over her grandson and sighed. “Youing over here–will Matriarch Paige Murphy be alright with that?”


    She was referring <i>to </i>Rowan’s official grandmother, Lady Paige Murphy.


    “What could she possibly object to?” Rowan’s eyes flickered with a hint of something sharp. But when he looked back at Janice, he softened. “You don’t have to worry. She won’t dare make a move anymore.”


    “In the future, you’re the only grandmother I’ll have.”


    –


    Unless she <b>was </b>traveling, Elissa always wore dresses. Spring, summer,


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    fall, or winter–it didn’t matter.


    So when Tanya Foster saw Elissa emerge from her room that morning, she was surprised, and couldn’t help but stare. “Why aren’t <i>you </i>wearing one of your usual dresses today?”


    “Heading back to the main house,” Elissa answered shortly. She caught Tanya’s lingering curiosity and added, “If I get in trouble and have to kneel, pants give a little extra protection.”


    Tanya mulled that over. It made sense, but something still felt off.


    After breakfast, Elissa and Tanya left together.


    “Aren’t you off today? You’ve been seeing patients for three or four days straight.”


    Elissa smiled faintly. “Nothing to do at home anyway–I might as well help


    out.”


    She didn’t want to spend the day alone.


    The clinic was always busy; with so many peopleing and going, the hours flew by. There was simply no time to let her mind wander.


    That afternoon, just as Elissa finished removing acupuncture needles from a patient, a group of young nurses by the window started calling


    out.


    It was snowing again.


    Elissa nced at the clock, hurried back to her office to change out of her coat, grabbed her bag, and headed out.


    The weather report had predicted heavy snow. She wanted to leave early–if the roads iced over and traffic got bad, she’d bete, and give everyone at the Murphy house another excuse to make things difficult.


    Her cab driver was a penny pincher; even as the car felt like an icebox, he refused to turn on the heat.


    She rubbed her hands together in the backseat, and the driver nced at


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    her apologetically. “Sorry, miss. If I save a little power, I can get in a few more rides today.”