Page 88 of Dark Voyage Matters of the Mind

Mia must have sensed Frankie thinking about her and drove over to their table. "How is the dress?" she asked.

Frankie had forgotten about it. Suddenly concerned that she'd stained it in her rush to gobble down an entire chicken, she looked down at the shimmery, flowing fabric. "It's perfect. I'll have it dry-cleaned before returning it to you."

"No need." Her friend waved a dismissive hand. "Keep it for the other weddings. I know that you had your heart set on wearing a different gown for each of them, but you can't. They will make you miserable."

"It's okay." Frankie smiled. "I'm more peeved at having to sit while everyone is dancing. You can dance, you know. Toven can easily hold you."

Mia shook her head. "I will dance when my feet are fully regrown. By the way, Margo called me, and as I expected, she's mad at you for not calling her."

Frankie gasped. "I hope you didn't tell her about the injury? I didn't call my family either, and I don't want them to find out from Margo."

Mia gave her a look that spelled 'are you serious.' "Of course, I didn't. I told her that you had a scary run-in with cartel thugs, but our security force scared them off. You were so shaken by it, though, that you had to take a nap to recuperate, and that's why you haven't called her yet."

Frankie let out a breath. "Good save. I'll call her tomorrow. It's too late to call now anyway."

"I don't know how late Lynda's friends stay up and party, but Margo might still be awake."

"I'd rather do it tomorrow. The nap helped, but I am still really tired. I think I should call it a night and get in bed."

"Of course." Mia gave her an understanding look and gently squeezed her hand. "I hope you will wake up feeling much better tomorrow."

Dagor

"Ready to call it a night?" Dagor pushed to his feet.

"I really wanted to dance." Frankie's gaze followed the couples on the dance floor with an expression that conveyed wistfulness thinly veiled in a mask of feigned resignation. She was still playing the part of a convalescing patient, probably for the doctor's benefit.

Bridget was watching her once again, but Dagor couldn't tell whether she was motivated by suspicion or just concern for her patient.

"Before you go, Frankie." The doctor rose to her feet. "I want to remind you that I expect you to be in the clinic tomorrow morning."

Frankie frowned. "Gertrude didn't tell me that I need to come in for a checkup. She said that she would come to my cabin."

The doctor looked surprised. "She must have misunderstood my instructions." Bridget lifted her hand to look at her wristwatch. "Given that it's nearly two in the morning, let's make it ten?"

That wasn't good. Dagor had a feeling that the doctor would be much more resistant to his thrall than the nurse. Her personality type usually was.

Frankie cast him a worried sidelong glance. "I'm so tired that I might oversleep. Dagor will most likely have to reschedule for me." She turned to him. "Do you have Bridget's number?"

"I do. Gertrude programmed it into my phone along with her number and Hildegard's."

He would have to make the doctor see a wound that was no longer there or, even better, thrall her to think that she'd already seen Frankie.

Bridget gave him a stern look. "Call me if Frankie develops a fever, a rash, or any other sign of trouble."

"Of course. I want to thank you again for the exceptional care you've given Frankie. You saved her life."

Bridget's expression softened. "I feel bad about discharging a patient without seeing her first, but sometimes shortcuts are necessary."

"That's okay," Frankie said. "I'm fine, and those poor women needed you more than I did."

The doctor nodded. "I'm glad that you are healing so well. Have a good night." She cast a sidelong glance at Dagor. "Frankie needs a lot of rest. I advise against any strenuous activity."

Dagor bit the inside of his cheek to stop the chuckle that her warning evoked.

"I promise to take good care of Frankie."

With one last nod, Bridget turned on her heel and walked over to the family table where Amanda and Dalhu were taking a break from the dancing.