She sounded a little befuddled, which made him wonder if he might have had some effect on her. The possibility that he had thrilled him in a way he knew was reckless, though equally impossible to ignore.
Determined to focus on the change in subject, he cleared his throat and said, “I’d like to help you with it. If you’ll permit.”
“Oh. Um… I haven’t really gotten past the idea. That is, I’ve no actual plan in place, no thought on where the school should be located or how it would be funded. I’m sure there must be a lot of logistics and given my current position as an unmarried woman, I’d require my parents’ support, which I’m not at all sure I’ll receive.”
“I know standing up to them will be difficult, my lady, but if this is something you truly want, then you cannot allow them or anyone else to stand in your way. Having reached your majority, you’re old enough to make your own decisions, and with regard to location and funding I daresay Redding will happily offer advice and assistance. So will Mrs. Lowell and Windham, for that matter. In addition, I believe charity events could work as an excellent source of donations.” He smiled at her in an effort to offer more reassurance. “Trust me, Lady Louise. If you choose to pursue this dream of yours in earnest, you’ll have all the help you need, mine included.”
9
Louise wasn’t sure what to say. Well, that wasn’t entirely true, was it? She knew whathadto be said, she just wasn’t ready, because once she told Mr. Berkly the truth, she was fairly sure she’d destroy every faith he had in her and lose his high regard forever.
This awareness vexed her. It made her wish she’d never deceived him in the first place, but what choice did she have at the time? She’d been desperate and he’d been her salvation, though only because he’d believed she was free to do as she pleased - that the law would at least be on her side if it came to that.
When she’d first encountered Mr. Berkly on the Coventry House terrace six weeks ago, she’d thought him handsome. Now, she believed him to be the most wonderful man in the world. Kind, considerate, hardworking, determined, skilled, good natured, and keen to know her opinions. He’d overtaken Mr. Fairbanks in her affections and won her heart. She was without doubt completely and utterly in love with him. And now she would lose him. How could she not?
Taking courage, more courage than she’d required when she’d decided to let him cut her eyes open, she said, “I’m afraid my opening a school for blind children will not be possible.”
He gave an incredulous snort. “Of course it is. I’ve just told you how it can be done and considering the passion with which you’ve spoken on the subject, I don’t believe it’s presumptuous of me to suppose this is what you want most of all in the world.”
“It is,” she agreed even though there was something she wanted much more now; a future with him. “And I appreciate your willingness to make this happen for me. I just—”
“Good lord.” Mr. Berkly stared past her shoulder. “It looks like you may have been found.”
Noting the direction in which he was looking, Louise turned. It was another one of those moments, like the time when she’d tripped at the musicale, where everything seemingly slowed to a halt. A shiver scraped the length of her spine as she watched her father gallop up the drive as if chased by the devil himself. A plume of dust swirled around him as he rode, hatless and with the apparent intention of putting his poor horse into an early grave.
Immobile, Louise stared at the scene with mounting dread, until her father glanced toward her and promptly altered his course, at which point it felt like her heart came to a hard stop and the air seized inside her lungs.
“Don’t worry,” Mr. Berkly murmured while they awaited her father’s imminent arrival. “You’re not alone. I’m here. And I intend to support you to the fullest.”
His words nearly made her cry, for she knew everything was about to change between them forever, and now she’d lost the chance to confess her deception herself.
“I pray you’ll one day forgive me,” she murmured.
It was all she had time to say before her father was upon them, his face a mask of pure fury as he drew his mount to a halt and leapt from the saddle.
Before Louise was ready, her father’s rage crashed over her like thunder. “What the devil do you think you’re playing at, girl? Do you have any idea what you’ve put your mother and me through? My God, Louise. Does your selfishness know no bounds? Forcing me to ride over all creation in order to find you, to lie in order to protect your name and avert a scandal? Have you no shame? No consideration for—”
“That’s enough, my lord,” Mr. Berkly said, his voice hard as steel. “Your daughter has been through enough in recent weeks without having to suffer your inappropriate insults and display of anger. Now, if you’ll calm yourself, I’m sure we can talk this through over tea.”
“Tea?” Papa sputtered while glaring at Mr. Berkly as if he meant to lop off his head. “I’ll bloody well call you out, you good for nothing scoundrel.”
“On what grounds?” Mr. Berkly inquired, facing Grasmere with a remarkable show of confidence.
Louise stepped between the two men, hoping for all she was worth that she might delay what had to be said so she could reveal the truth herself. “Papa. Please. Let’s—”
“For abducting my daughter and operating on her without my consent.”
“She doesn’t need your consent, sir,” Mr. Berkly barked with equal ferocity. “She’s old enough to make her own decisions.”
“Not at twenty years of age, she’s not.”
Louise’s heart crashed to the ground. “Can we please just—”
Mr. Berkly stood as if frozen for a few seconds before he swung his incredulous gaze toward her. “What?”
“I can explain.” When he said nothing, she forced the words from her mouth. “You wouldn’t have helped me if you’d known I needed my parents’ approval, and I couldn’t let Doctor Pierson couch my eyes again. You were my only hope, Mr. Berkly. Please forgive me.”
“You’ll hear from my solicitors the moment we get back to London,” Papa said with lethal precision. “Mark my words, Mr. Berkly. Your career as a surgeon is over.”
