Theodore Mercer stepped forward until he stood directly in front of Jocelyn Whitmore, exhaustion evident in every line of his weathered face. "Miss Whitmore, since your daughter has been brought back by the young doctor, Mr. Thorne, this old man will take his leave."
Jocelyn maintained the respectful demeanor befitting his station, her voice sincere as she replied, "Doctor Mercer, if it weren't for you, Elara wouldn't have held on this long. I truly don't know how to express my gratitude."
Mr. Mercer waved a dismissive hand, though his expression remained warm. "There's no need for thanks. Given the relationship between your father and myself, what I did was only natural. But from this day forward, the title of miracle doctor should belong to someone else."
He turned and made his way to
