Louise raised her chin. “The medical field has always impressed me.”
Mr. Fairbanks made a noncommittal sound while Mr. Berkly shifted his gaze back to her, prompting her to suck in a breath on account of the fierce intensity she saw there. He tilted his head. “My lady. I trust you are doing well?”
“Yes. Thank you.”
“Are the two of you acquainted?” Mr. Fairbanks asked. “My apologies, Marcus. I wasn’t sure if introductions would be appropriate.”
“Of course,” Mr. Berkly murmured, his gaze still locked with Louise’s until she believed she might drown in his eyes. Lord, how she’d missed him and heavens, how she longed to throw herself into his arms and embrace him.
No. She wanted more than that. She wanted to feel his lips upon hers and beg his forgiveness.
But she could do none of that here. And besides, she doubted he would welcome such a show of affection from her right now. As far as he was concerned, she was a liar who’d taken advantage of him. So she forced herself free from his penetrating gaze and considered the children. “I’d no idea being a surgeon involved flying kites.”
Mr. Berkly’s lips twitched. “It can do. If one is lucky enough.”
“I believe we ought to be moving on,” Mr. Fairbanks said. He gave Louise’s arm a tug. “There are people coming our way.”
Irritation flared up inside Louise so fast she half expected to burst into flames. Gritting her teeth, she dared Mr. Fairbanks to voice the reason this might concern him by sweetly saying, “Why should that matter?”
Mr. Fairbanks studied her as if seeing her in a new light. Eventually he said, “You ought not be seen with him.”
“With Mr. Berkly?” she asked, feigning innocence. “And why is that?”
“He’s right,” Mr. Berkly said. He took a step back and gave them each a stiff nod. “Enjoy the rest of your walk.”
“Come along,” Mr. Fairbanks told her gently. He ushered her away from the man she longed to spend her days with. They walked for several moments in silence before Mr. Fairbanks asked, “How well do you know him, Lady Louise?”
“Not well at all,” she lied since she’d no desire to speak of Mr. Berkly with Mr. Fairbanks.
“If I may give you some advice, you should keep it that way.” Mr. Fairbanks drew her past a lovely display of tulips as they continued toward the Serpentine. “Not that Mr. Berkly isn’t a perfectly fine gentleman. Indeed, I’m of the opinion he may be one of the finest. But appearances matter and being seen with him can only hurt your reputation by association.”
“Does that seem fair to you, Mr. Fairbanks?”
He snorted. “Fairness has no place in Society. Surely you know this.”
Louise did know this and she hated it, hated the people who would judge a skilled surgeon and ostracize him on the basis of his father’s actions. It was a set among whom she’d been raised. This was simply how things worked among theton. She supposed most peers accepted it as the norm. But she refused to. Because there was nothing right or just about hailing men who inherited money, gambled it away, and amounted to nothing more than titles, while snubbing the working class men and women who made something more of themselves.
These were the people who should be rewarded and praised for their efforts. And when it came to Mr. Berkly…
Louise had no doubt he also possessed a sharper brain than Mr. Fairbanks. Or at the very least, chose to use it. And as she considered her own interests, her fondness for learning and the tenacity with which she approached life, she could easily see herself living happily ever after with Mr. Berkly. Not so much, if at all, with Mr. Fairbanks.
And yet, given her own position, Mr. Berkly’s fall from grace was a problem. One she wasn’t at all sure of how to solve.
Until she climbed into bed that evening and all her thoughts settled. She’d address this problem as she addressed every other - by breaking it down into simpler steps. If she was to have any chance of sharing her future with someone she’d wronged, she needed to make amends first.
Satisfied with this decision, she set out with Hannah the following day after breakfast. Half an hour later, she was standing in the foyer of St. Agatha’s hospital waiting for Mr. Berkly to come and greet her.
Instead, the Duke of Redding appeared, his clipped pace as he approached a testament to his busy schedule.
“Lady Louise,” he said once he’d reached her. “I understand you wish to speak with Mr. Berkly?”
“Yes. Is he available?”
“I’m afraid not. Mr. Berkly is with a patient right now, so he asked me to meet with you in his stead and make sure you’re all right.”
“I’m fine,” Louise managed while doing her best not to show her disappointment. “I simply wished to have my eyes examined. Especially the left one.”
“Allow me to do so. It won’t take but a moment and I’m sure it will ease Mr. Berkly’s mind to know I gave you the time you deserve.”
