Misleading The Marquis

9 - Gina Marie

"it is broken," the old surgeon confirmed with a nod as his muscular fingers probed at Gina Marie's shin.

She sucked in air sharply as his nimble hands drew a line along the swollen skin where the pain was the most severe.

"Broken?" Bane barked from the other side of the examination curtain, for Gina Marie had refused him entrance or the sight of her bare leg.

"Quite so," the doctor confirmed, nodded his nearly bald head. Erratic white hair grew out in tufts over his ears and connected to the white beard that covered his face, while the very crown of his head shone bare.

He was a kind man, or at least Gina Marie had thought so until he'd poked her so hard. "I can set it here, or you can be seen by your family docotor..." he added, glancing at her over the top of his thick glasses to see which she preferred.

"I'd rather just have it done with," Gina Marie began, glancing down at the horrific thing. THis would put her plans all out of order. She'd never be able to survive on her own long enough to find Ben if she was bound by crutches and a ungainly splint.

"NO!" This coming from Bane as he threw back the curtain and barreled into the small space.

Gina Marie jumped, the doctor cowered a bit and Bane's eyes immediately went to her bare calf which was set between all of them like the main course of a feast.

"Bane!" Gina Marie screeched, hurrying to cover herself, irritated and embarassed at once.

"Sir -" the surgeon began, adjusting his glasses awkwardly, but he never got a chance to finish his sentence.

"How many legs have you set?" Bane demanded, Gina Marie's bare leg forgotten as he narrowed in on the doctor.

"Several hundred at last count," the surgeon said easily, with a shrug, as if this was a normal question for patients to ask, "I was a surgeon in the war, and then took a turn at a children's home... they had a very popular climbing tree there."

"Hundreds?" Bane scoffed, but still eyed the man as if he could be persuaded.

Tired of this inquisition, Gina Marie reached out and put her hand on Bane's arm in a soothing motion, almost reflexively.

"I'll be fine, Bane," she told him in a voice She'd used on Ben when he was smaller and been afraid. Odd, Bane didn't seem afraid, but She'd reacted as if he were just the same.

"Fine," her husband muttered darkly, glancing from Gina Marie to the doctor with a sour expression, "How long will it take? When can she travel?"

"should not take me more than an hour, young man," the doctor answered, "And your wife will be free to travel as soon as I am finished... though I suggest you travel by train or airship, not carriage."

"Airship?" Gina Marie echoed, her stomach dropping at the very idea of flying.

"Very well, I'll be back within the hour," Bane blustered before turning to leave again.

"Interesting fellow," the doctor murmured as they each watched him slam the door in his haste to depart.

"I am sorry," Gina Marie said as the only answer she could think of at the moment, "he is a bit... suspicious of doctors," she explained, a wave of compassion coming over her as she watched Bane's back disappear down the street.

"Is that how he came by the limp?" the doctor asked as he began to prepare the workings of a splint for Gina Marie.

"Yes," Gina Marie answered, almost absent mindedly as she considered the doctor's theory. Was Bane actually worried for her? Impossible.