“She’s actually mentioned on the front page.”
Mr. Winterly’s comment caused Marcus to halt. He turned as Lady Louise asked, “What does it say?”
“I’ll read the article for you in its entirety, but the gist of it has to do with your decision to go on holiday and Doctor Pierson suggesting it’s all a ruse created to let you seek help from a different physician.”
“Oh.”
Oh, indeed. Marcus frowned. They’d known this might happen and yet it was still unwelcome news. Her parents must have concocted the holiday story to explain her absence. They would also have had to cancel her appointment with Doctor Pierson, which was something the man apparently viewed as a personal slight.
“You mustn’t worry,” he told her when he saw how serious she suddenly looked. “Your father will follow your brother’s trail north.”
“I hope so,” Lady Louise murmured.
“And if he does arrive here,” Mr. Winterly said, “we’ll make sure he doesn’t intrude on the peace and quiet you require.”
Marcus appreciated the certainty in Mr. Winterly’s voice, but he wasn’t sure he or anyone else would be able to stop a furious Grasmere from storming through every room of the house until he found Lady Louise. And while the earl would likely show the respectable parents of his daughter-in-law some courtesy, he’d reserve none for Marcus. In fact, Marcus very much feared the man might call him out for abducting his daughter and performing an unsanctioned surgery on her that, he reminded himself, might still leave her blind in one eye.
Good God.
Had helping her really been worth risking Grasmere’s wrath?
Marcus watched her a moment, saw the anxious lines bracketing her mouth - a mouth that had been so happy just moments ago. His heart thumped hard as he clenched his hands into fists. Yes. Helping Lady Louise thwart her father so she could be free from the fear she’d been living with most of her life was worth facing the wrath of a thousand Grasmeres.
He squared his shoulders. “You mustn’t worry, my lady. You’re perfectly safe here.”
His words appeared to relax her, instilling in him an abundance of pleasure. “Thank you, Mr. Berkly.” A smile followed before she said, “Bis später.”
“What does that mean?” he asked.
“Until later,” she said.
“Bis später,” Marcus repeated with a grin. Catching a flicker of humor in Mr. Winterly’s eyes, he promptly turned and left the room before the man had a chance to read more into the exchange than what was there.
She’s just helping you learn German because she has nothing better to do. Remember your place. You are just her surgeon. That’s why you massaged her feet - because it’s your job to ensure her comfort. There’s nothing more between you.
If that were true, then why was he starting to wish he could spend every waking moment with her?
Because you’re lying to yourself.
And he would keep doing so. Because the alternative - to admit he might be falling for her - could only lead to heartbreak. He was a man reduced to less than a commoner. To hope he might stand a chance of winning Lady Louise’s hand was beyond pointless. And even if it weren’t, would it be fair of him to try and do so in light of all she’d have to give up in order for them to be together?
Not to mention she hoped to marry Nigel.
Christ, he was a fool and as such he was most likely seeing things that weren’t there. Like the sensual longing with which she’d responded when he’d touched her feet.
It had to stop right now before it got out of hand.
“How is the patient faring?” Mrs. Winterly asked when he strolled into the downstairs parlor.
He’d not really been thinking of where he’d been going. He’d simply been walking while thinking of Lady Louise and as a result, this was where he had ended up.
“Well, I believe.” He cleared his throat, shoved his hands in his pockets, and wondered how he might sneak away without it looking as though he did not wish for Mrs. Winterly’s company. Truth was he wanted to be alone while he pondered the pretty conundrum he’d left upstairs.
“I imagine she was glad to see you?” Mrs. Winterly pulled a needle through the piece of fabric she was embroidering and glanced at Marcus.
“I’ve really no idea.” What else could he say?
A wry smile caught his hostess’s lips. “After your staying away for several days, I believe she was starting to think you’d forgotten about her.”
