A Victorian Tale Part 18

Chapter 18 (ImFanci) Clark woke up to find himself laying in a bed. Looking around the stark, white room, he surmised that he was in a hospital. The dull ache to his side immediately reminded him that he had been shot. Closing his eyes, he was rubbing his forehead trying to clear his foggy memory when he heard someone enter his hospital room. He did not need to open his eyes to recognize the soft, yet sharp, intake of breath. He stopped what he was doing and opened his eyes again to drink in the sight before him. Diana stood in the doorway with a smile on her face as she looked at the man who had almost died for her. A man she truly fell in love with. She was almost afraid that if she blinked, she would find that she was just imagining that he was finally awake. “Clark…you’re awake,” was all she could manage to say. She walked over to the side of the bed and took his hand. He looked down at her hand clasping his. A small wave of elation went through him as he realized that she cared about him. As much as he wanted his hand to remain where it was, it was inappropriate. He lifted his hand and pointed to the pitcher of water across the room. Clearing his throat, “May I trouble you for some water, please?” “Oh, of course! I should’ve known you’d be thirsty. It’s been two days since we brought you here.” Diana fetched the water pitcher and poured a glass for him. “Thank you.” He took several grateful sips, then handed the almost empty glass back to her. “Two days? Really?” After putting away the pitcher and glass, Diana took a seat in the chair that she had placed by his bed. Unbeknownst to Clark, she had been sitting in that chair for the last two days, except when she had to return home to get some rest, watching over him. “Yes, Bruce made sure you received the best medical attention that the doctors here could provide. You almost died…for me,” she paused for a moment. “I am eternally grateful. Because of you, my life is no longer in danger.” “It was my duty to protect you,” Clark simply replied and tore his eyes away from hers. Diana quirked her head ever so slightly and raised an eyebrow. “You don’t remember what you said to me? After Luthor shot you?” “No.” But he did remember. He remembered exactly what he said. She was still another man’s fiancée and his embarrassment over revealing his feelings for her was something that he did not want her to pursue and he did not want to address. Clark looked back at her and was surprised to see her look of disappointment. “What happened to Luthor?” he asked instead. “He’s dead. The shot you fired killed him,” Diana answered. “Hope is fine, but her sister died. As promised, Captain White did not arrest Hope for her aid in revealing and taking down Lord Luthor. His wounded men were dully arrested. Bruce made sure that everything that happened at the Luthor mansion was recorded in a statement, especially the revelation that PC Olsen was a traitor. There was a funeral this morning for your fallen men. Your captain was very proud of their bravery, and is equally proud of you.” “Yes, my men were indeed the finest I’ve had the honor to work with.” Diana stood up and took a step towards him. “Clark, I…even though we’ve only known each other a week…I feel I must reveal my affections for you...” “Diana, it’s alright,” he interrupted. “Any affection that you may have for me was stemmed by the gratitude you feel from my protection of you. I understand. I can imagine that Lord Wayne, too, is a very happy man now that he doesn’t have to worry about your safety, Miss Prince. I’m sure you are both relieved to continue with your wedding plans.”  “But Bruce and I are…” “Thank you, again, Miss Prince, for visiting me. I wish you and your fiancé much happiness together.” He was rejecting her! She was so certain about his feelings for her. How could she have been so wrong? Feeling as if her heart was breaking into pieces but angry enough not to break down in tears, Diana quietly said, “Thank you, Inspector Kent, for your kind words. I wish you a swift recovery. Good bye.” She turned and walked out of the room. It was only until she entered and sat in her carriage that she allowed the tears to fall. For a long time, Clark just stared at the empty doorway. He kept telling himself it was the right decision to not prolong his torment by sending her away. He wished the torment had ended otherwise - if it goes away at all. ***** The next few days in the hospital were filled with the endless bustle of visitors. Many of his comrades, including Captain White, paid him a visit and congratulated him on solving another case. Lord Jay Garrick and his nephew, Wally, came to visit every day as soon as they heard that Clark was awake. Even Lord Oliver stopped by briefly to commend him. But there was only one visitor he wished to see that he knew was not coming back, and he was the only one to blame for it. Clark was reading some papers when another visitor came into his room. Putting down the papers, he greeted cordially, “Lord Wayne. Do come in.” With his hands clasped behind his back, the still stoic Earl replied, “It is good to see that you are faring very well, Inspector Kent.” “Besides the doctors and nurses, I have you to thank for my care. You have been a generous benefactor for the treatment I have been given.” “Think nothing of it,” Wayne said. “You’re being discharged from the hospital today as I understand it.” “Yes, Dr. Barnes just signed off on the necessary papers to go home, but he won’t release me back to duty for another few weeks.” “So I have been informed.” Lord Wayne regarded him seriously. “I came by to personally thank you for a job well done. And to also thank you for saving Ms. Prince’s life.” “I was merely doing my duty as an officer of the law, Lord Wayne,” Clark simply said. “Any member of the London Metropolitan Police would have done the same thing.” “I highly doubt that any other officer would be willing to sacrifice his own life for another man’s fiancée.” The Earl could plainly see that the Inspector was not comfortable with this subject. He continued, “Don’t worry, I am no longer upset with the turn of events surrounding your feelings towards Ms. Prince, and that of hers towards you.” “I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you. I have respected the appropriate rules of conduct and would never attempt to steal the affections of a woman betrothed to another man. As I said to Ms. Prince, I wish you both much happiness together.” Clark hoped he sounded sincere enough to disparage Wayne from any thoughts of retaliation on his part. Wayne looked at him with astonishment. With a slight uplift on the corner of his mouth and shake of his head, he said, “You don’t know, do you?” “I beg your pardon. What do I not know?” Clark asked. “Miss Prince and I called off our engagement.” The shocked look on Kent’s face confirmed what Wayne just concluded. “Well, that certainly explains things.” Wayne continued to study the warring expressions coming across the Inspector’s face. Calling out for his butler who was standing outside the hospital room, “Alfred, bring in the Inspector’s gift.” Alfred came into the room holding a new suit and a pair of boots. He carefully laid the suit on an empty chair and the boots on the floor, and silently exited the room. “I had my tailor make a suit for you. Actually, I have a trunk full of custom-made suits as an appreciation for your outstanding work. We’re about the same size, except that you have disadvantaged me with being an inch taller, so it was easy for him to get the correct measurements.” Wayne raised his hand as Clark was about to protest. “It is the least I can do. Besides, I don’t think you have anything suitable to wear when you leave the hospital, considering what you wore to arrest Lord Luthor was completely ruined.” “I can’t thank you enough for your generosity, Lord Wayne,” Clark acknowledged. “I will accept the suit you have here, but I cannot accept the other suits. It would be improper to accept to gifts from a patron. The implications could be very damaging.” “Your integrity is quite honorable. It is, however, a bit tiresome. It’s just a gift. I’ve made arrangements for one of my carriages to drive you home or to anywhere you wish. The trunk will be there, whether you accept it or not.” Lord Wayne started towards the door. He stopped at the doorway and turned around. “Diana is leaving this afternoon to return to Greece. Her ship sails in a couple of hours. She is a remarkable woman. You are a good man. Don’t break her heart again.” The Earl left Clark to his conflicting thoughts and emotions. The glimmer of hope for happiness clashed with all the reasons why Diana would not accept him. After several minutes of contemplating all the possibilities, Clark made his decision. Even if she rejected him, the only thing he would lose would be his pride, as his heart was already lost to her.