And she wasn’t the least bit certain of what that might mean.
Marcus had never enjoyed reading out loud. He found the effort taxing - it dried out his mouth, took thrice as long, and prevented him from fully immersing himself in the story. And yet, when Lady Linton woke, offering him a natural reprieve, he wasn’t as grateful as he’d expected. Indeed, he regretted having to stop, which rather surprised him, but the truth was he’d taken pleasure in helping Lady Louise pass the time. Lord knew a carriage ride could be long enoughwitha view to enjoy. It had to be truly unbearable without one.
He glanced at her as they sped toward their destination. A dislodged strand of chestnut hair caressed her cheek, instilling in him a burning urge to reach out and tuck it behind her ear. His heart beat erratically, causing him to force his attention away from her and toward the vibrant green landscape beyond the carriage window. Lady Louise wasn’t for him. She couldn’t be. And he was a fool if he started enjoying such fanciful notions.
His gut tightened so he took a deep breath. He simply admired her strength of will and her courage. And as a surgeon specializing in vision, he had an instinctual desire to help her. That was all. Plain and simple.
With a slow exhale, he congratulated himself on settling the matter so there would be no confusion. Whatever his feelings for Lady Louise, they were solely of a professional nature.
“I’ve been meaning to ask,” he said the next time they stopped for the night. “Do you often make a habit of speaking with toads?”
A smile caught her lips, erasing the stiff expression she wore for the most part. “No, but I’ve a good mind to start. As you yourself pointed out, they’re excellent listeners.”
They sat in one of the inn’s supper rooms waiting for Diana, who’d gone to use the necessary. Marcus leaned forward and met Lady Louise’s gaze across the table, even though he knew she wouldn’t be able to see him clearly. “So am I,” he said, without the slightest idea as to where he was going with this or what he hoped to accomplish. “And unlike a toad, I’ll give you sound advice in return.”
“Thank you, Mr. Berkly. I appreciate the offer, especially since I’m sure there’s a benefit to confiding in a stranger.”
“You and I are hardly strangers anymore,” Marcus said. He’d not meant to be harsh, and yet he could hear the clipped tone of annoyance with each word leaving his mouth.
“Perhaps not,” Lady Louise agreed before he was able to form an apology. “But sometimes it’s best to say nothing at all and to simply leave one’s unspoken thoughts as no more than that – thoughts.”
She reached out as if by instinct.
Marcus leapt from his seat and caught her hand just in time – before she knocked her glass of red wine off the table. A startled gasp filled the air and rather than let her go, Marcus froze. His lungs drew tight and for some bizarre reason he struggled to breathe.
“Here,” he murmured while doing his best not to let his brain notice how lovely Lady Louise was to touch. “Allow me to help.” Gently, he guided her hand toward the stem of her glass and helped curl her fingers around it until he was certain she had a good hold. And even then he paused, long enough to question his own sanity – to know that if he let her, Lady Louise would tempt him in ways he could not afford for her to do.
Shaken by the prospect, he snatched his hand away and sat.
“Thank you, Mr. Berkly. I trust you just averted disaster?”
He almost laughed. She’d no idea. “Think nothing of it, my lady. I’m happy to help you in any way I can.”
She was quiet a moment and then she said, “I hate it, you know. I hate needing assistance, of having to rely on others for the most basic things. It will be a relief to have this surgery over and done with so I can become less dependent. Except… I wish I’d be able to do so without ever needing spectacles again.”
“And I wish I could make that possible for you.” He meant it. She was a young, unmarried woman and as such, she deserved a chance to look her best without having to wear something that would remind others of her handicap. “Unfortunately, you will need them in order to see clearly, and if it’s any consolation, I think they suit you.”
A choked sort of laughter escaped through her nose, prompting him to laugh as well. “Mr. Berkly, I may be blind now, but my memory remains intact, which means I recall perfectly well what I look like with and without spectacles. And since I am not the most handsome of women, I hardly need something to make me look worse.”
All traces of humor left him. He clenched his jaw and frowned. “Lady Louise, I—”
“What have I missed?” Lady Linton inquired as she returned to her seat. She tilted her head while studying him, then looked at Lady Louise.
“I almost sent something crashing to the floor,” Lady Louise told her. “Mr. Berkly was good enough to prevent the incident.”
“Oh. Thank you, Mr. Berkly.”
Marcus gave Lady Linton a nod and snatched up his own glass of wine. Somehow, Lady Louise had gotten it into her head that she was ugly, and he had every intention of ridding her of that notion. For although she might not be classically pretty, she had some very appealing features – most notably her wide mouth with its full bottom lip and deep pink hue. If she’d only smile more, as she’d done earlier, he believed she’d improve her appearance considerably.
They arrived at the Winterly home two days later with Louise more confused than ever about her situation. While she’d not much experience with men, save for her brief interactions with Mr. Fairbanks, she was certain there had been a profound moment of awareness between herself and Mr. Berkly a couple of nights earlier.
He’d kept his distance from her since. But when he’d touched her hand…
Well, it had felt wonderful.
There wasn’t any other way to describe it. The sensation had been different when he’d leaned in close to study her eyes in her brother’s parlor. At that time, she’d been able to explain away her reaction due to his pleasant scent, but this had been only about touch.
She shook her head. Obviously she was losing her mind.
