Eleanor froze for a few seconds, her eyes wide with disbelief, then spun on her heel, her voice sharper and louder than usual.


    "What are you doing here?"


    "Okay!" Evelyn answered, picking up on her mother''s irritation.


    Eleanor let out a long breath, turning back to her daughter''s side. She knew she couldn''t me Evelyn for any of this, and since Evelyn mentioned Joslyn had gone to drop off theundry, she couldn''t fault Joslyn either.


    The next morning, Eleanor gave Joslyn instructions to watch Evelyn for the morning. She had no idea how Mansfield was doing and needed to check on him herself.


    Halfway to the military hospital, her phone buzzed. Joslyn called: Ian hade and taken Evelyn out.


    Eleanor had more or less expected that. For now, she''d have to letn handle it.


    The military hospital was quiet that morning. After registering at the front desk, Eleanor was shown to the private ward section.


    She pushed open the door to find Mansfield lying in bed, a book open in his hands. Two faint scars were still visible on his forehead.


    It was the first time she''d seen him in a hospital gown. His chest was bandaged, the cor loose, but he looked surprisingly well.


    "How''s the wound healing?" Eleanor set her bag on the sofa and pulled up a chair to examine him.


    "At least it didn''t hit anything vital, so I''m not dead yet." Mansfield arched an eyebrow, trying to make light of it.


    Eleanor noticed his medical chart on the table. She picked it up, flipping through the paperwork, then examined the X-ray film beside it.


    Mansfield couldn''t help but watch her closely. The way she studied his chart with such focus-her longshes, her delicate features-made him almost forget the pain.


    When she finished, Eleanor looked back at his chest. Mansfield obligingly shrugged off the hospital gown, revealing his strong, toned torso.


    Eleanorughed, shaking her head. "You don''t have to take it all off-put your shirt back on, or you''ll catch a cold."


    "No worries. Consider it a free show for you." Mansfield leaned back against his pillow with azy grin-until the movement tugged at his wound and he winced.


    Eleanor pulled the nket up to cover his waist. "Stop moving around. Focus on getting better first."


    "Have you been coughing?" she asked, remembering the slight bruising she''d seen on his X-ray.


    "A little, nothing serious," Mansfield admitted.


    He wished Eleanor could be his attending physician-then he''d get to see her making rounds morning, noon, and night. He''d be the model patient, and boredom would never be an issue.


    Eleanor pressed her hand to his forehead. The touch startled Mansfield. It was only when she withdrew that he remembered to breathe.


    "Your temperature''s normal, but you still need to be careful about infection."


    Mansfield smiled, lips pressed together. Even though she didn''t show it openly, her concern was clear-she looked after him with a quiet, professional tenderness.


    "I saw my dad gave you that award," Mansfield teased, lifting an eyebrow.


    "Yeah," Eleanor nodded. "I was surprised, too."


    Mansfield grinned. "Where''s Evelyn? Didn''t bring her along?"


    "She''d be a handful here, so I left her at home."


    Mansfield already knewn was in Kingston. "Is her father watching her?"


    Eleanor nodded. "Yes, she''s with him."


    Mansfield looked at Eleanor for a long moment, something unreadable in his eyes. Eleanor finally asked, "What are you thinking?"


    He chuckled. "I was just thinking, once I''m a little better, maybe I''ll request to recover in Ashford City."


    "Don''t be ridiculous. The facilities here are excellent. Just focus on healing," Eleanor scolded, thinking his idea was childish.


    Mansfield leaned forward, his gaze intense. "But I want to be closer to—"


    She cut him off with a sharp look. "Don''t joke about your health. You barely escaped death this time-you realize that, right?"


    He was momentarily speechless. For the first time, he found himself unable to argue back.


    At that moment, Eleanor sounded less like a friend and more like an older sister giving a stern lecture.


    Mansfield swallowed, sensing that if he kept pushing, she''d ignore himpletely.


    He finally gave in, shing a gentle smile as he settled into his pillow. "Alright, I''ll do as you say."


    Just then, two nurses came in with his medication and an antibiotic injection. Eleanor''s phone began to ring. She nced at the screen. "I need to take this."


    As Eleanor stepped into the hallway, the head nurse smiled at Mansfield. "Is that your girlfriend? She''s gorgeous."


    The younger nurse grinned, too. "Told you, Mr. Ellington-someone as handsome as you must have a girlfriend."


    Mansfield turned a little red, suddenly bashful. "She—”


    "No need to be shy. You two look perfect together," the head nurse said, preparing the injection.


    Mansfield gave a sheepish smile and decided not to exin further. By the time his shot was done, Eleanor had returned. She caught the nurses giving her a knowing look as they left the room, grinning to themselves.


    Eleanor noticed but didn''t dwell on it. She sat down near the bed, watching as the nurse finished the injection. "I''ll have to leave soon," she said quietly.


    Mansfield understood. She was a single mom with a demanding job-she''d already made time to visit him, and that was more than enough.


    "Of course. Go take care of things. Once I''m feeling better, I''lle find you," Mansfield promised.


    "Not until the doctor says you''re discharged. Don''t even think about sneaking out," Eleanor warned, half-amused, half-exasperated. Sometimes he really was as mischievous as a teenage boy.


    Mansfield could only nod. "Alright. Whatever you say."