The Doctor and the Libertine

by Callie Hutton

  Rayne shook her head. “No. I will pay them.”

  “You can’t afford it,” Edwin blurted out and then wanted to pull the words back.

  Time to take his foot out of his mouth. “Pardon me, Dr. Stevens, but since I’ve been working on your books, I am most likely more familiar with your finances than you are.”

  Lady Pamela looked over at Rayne. “Lord Sterling’s been doing your books?” The woman couldn’t look more aghast if Edwin tore off his clothes and began racing around the room throwing daisies. No doubt the others felt the same, and he wished he hadn’t spoken, or hadn’t called attention to himself.

  “Um, yes,” Rayne said. “When he was a patient here, he helped me with a few things.”

  In unison, all four women turned their bodies and looked in his direction. He felt like a fish in a water tank and wondered how foolish it would look if he grabbed his cane—and he had no idea where it was—and hobbled from the room like a scolded child.

  “In any event,” Rayne continued, thankfully taking the attention away from his faux pas, “I will pay your maids for cleaning.”

  “No. You will not.” Mrs. Smith crossed her arms over her chest and glared, which was quite funny because she was far too beautiful to scowl.

  “Ladies, and my lord, dinner is ready.” Lady Berkshire’s cook entered the room, her cheerful face bringing a conclusion to the discourse.

  “Wonderful. I am quite hungry,” Mrs. Westbrooke said.

  “Thank you very much, ladies, however, I will be on my way.” The last thing Edwin wanted to do was sit down to dinner with these women who despised him. It would be awkward for him and them.

  “Are you certain, my lord?” Rayne asked. The fact that she didn’t try to change his mind was both a relief and wounding. But it was for the best.

  “Yes. Thank you again.” He looked around the room. “Does anyone know where my cane got off to?”

  They all looked round and then Rayne found it laying on the floor next to the last patient he’d wrapped bandages on. “Here you are, my lord.”

  “Thank you.” He took it from her hand and bowed. “Good evening, ladies.” He only took two steps when Rayne joined him. “I will walk you out.”

  Once they were beyond the hearing of the women in the infirmary, she said, “I can’t thank you enough for helping and sending for my friends. That was quite kind of you.”

  Kind. Well, it had been a long time since anyone had called him kind.

  “Thank you.” Dear God, was he actually blushing?

  She tilted her head and studied him, frowning. “Why did you come? Had you heard about the accident?”

  It would have been so easy to let her live under that falsehood, or the other one he’d conjured up about checking her books, but he didn’t want to lie to her.

  “No.” He shrugged. “I missed you.”

  Chapter 7

  Rayne stood perfectly still like a marble statue, unable to even breath correctly. “You missed me?” She had no idea how to take that. Certainly, he didn’t mean it in a romantic way? In fact, he looked as surprised as she felt.

  “Yes. I guess being here for so long and helping with your finances—by the way I apologize for blurting out that you can’t afford to pay Mrs. Westbrooke’s maids,” he ended lamely, apparently forgetting his original thought.

  “I accept your apology, but I will pay Lottie’s maids.”

  “You cannot. I will pay them.” Stubborn woman, she had no idea how close she was to poverty.

  “You will not. I will pay them.” Her raised chin reminded him so much of when they’d first met.

  He pinched the bridge of his nose with his finger and thumb. “You cannot afford it, Dr. Stevens. You need someone to take your finances in hand. Not just fix your books to make sure everything due to you is recovered, but to actually look at your spending. As I’ve told you, you’ve been charged too much for your medical supplies. Please don’t take this wrong, but I think it may have something to do with the fact that you are a woman.”

  She huffed. “And if that is so, I suppose you are the person to correct all that?” No one really had to tell her that her finances were a mess. The last time Walter visited the butcher he reminded him of the outstanding bill as he handed over his wrapped package of pork chops. Right now all the income she derived from her medical practice went to pay Walter, and buy supplies, medicines, and books to keep her up with any new developments in the medical field. Now Edwin believed she was being overcharged for those items.

  “Yes, I am the person to do that,” he said, his voice rising. “Even though you think of me as a wastrel, I have an excellent head for numbers. You will be surprised to learn I took first honors in mathematics at Oxford.”

  Yes, she was surprised to hear that, but then again, Sterling’s reputation at the gaming tables was extraordinary, which made sense if he was so very good with numbers. “Very well. I will allow you to resume handling my financial affairs on two conditions.”

  “Ah, now come the demands,” he muttered.

  She ticked off on her fingers. “First you must find a way to pay Mrs. Westbrooke’s maids, and second you must take a fee for yourself for doing it.”

  “Blasted hell, woman, do you wish me to pay the men who sweep the street in front of your home, or the ones who light the gaslights on your street?”

  “Sarcasm and foul language are not necessary, my lord.” Father would never approve of her accepting services without paying for them. In fact, she wasn’t sure he would even approve of her employing a member of the Upper Crust. She could picture his glower when she told him.

  If she told him.

  Edwin dipped his head in acquiescence. “Very well. I will find the money to pay Mrs. Westbrooke, but I draw the line at accepting payment from you. Cannot you just allow this as a favor from a friend?”

  Were they friends? She wasn’t quite sure at this point what they were to each other. Wanting to get back to her friends before they made more out of this tête-à-tête at the door, she agreed. “Yes. But we will revisit this when we have more time.”

  He bowed. “Very well. I will return tomorrow morning to begin my friendly assistance. Good evening Rayne.” Before she could counter his words, he turned toward the door, then stopped and turned back. “One more thing.”

  Her brows rose and the look on his face caused butterflies to forge a battle in her stomach. “What?” Why was her mouth so dry of a sudden?

  Edwin reached out and cupped her face in his large, warm hands. “This.” He lowered his head and covered her mouth with his. His lips were warm, soft, and undemanding. Her surprise at his action turned to something else as she felt herself kissing him back.

  He wrapped his arms around her and drew her flush against his body. This was not her first kiss, but it surely was the most interesting one. Even after the horrible, messy day they had, he still smelled of his bath soap. His day-old beard scratched her skin, increasing her awareness of him. Just as she was settling in for a nice, long adventure, he pulled back.

  She whimpered.

  His smile was one of male satisfaction as he ran his hand down her cheek. “You still have guests waiting for you.”

  For goodness sakes, she forgot all about Lottie, Pamela, and Addie in the other room. She stepped back and stared at him. “Why did you do that?”

  He grinned. “Think about it.” With those confusing words, he turned and left the house.

  What was she doing allowing Edwin to kiss her? And whatever did he mean by ‘think about it’? And why did he slip in her given name after addressing her as Dr. Stevens the entire afternoon?

  As she started to calm down, her mind switched to another issue. Why would she allow him to take on the chore of handling her finances? For it was a chore to her. She struggled with mathematics, and her brain had never been interested in tallying up rows of numbers. Admittedly, she had also never been good asking for money from those who ignored her bills. It might be a good thing
to have someone else doing that so she could concentrate on her patients.

  With those jumbled thoughts, she returned to the infirmary to see Lottie, Addie and Pamela growing quiet and smirking at her. Oh dear God, hopefully they hadn’t witnessed Edwin kissing her? She groaned inwardly, wondering what was coming next.

  “What?” She could feel the flush start in her middle and rise to her face. When they said nothing, she decided on distraction. “There is a bathing room upstairs so we can all clean up before we eat.”

  That statement spurred them into action. Apparently, they were all hungry. As they chatted and climbed the stairs, Rayne knew there were going to be questions about Edwin once they settled in for dinner.

  She must stop thinking of him as Edwin, lest it slip out when speaking and that would only increase their curiosity. ‘Twas bad enough he used her given name at the door. And that kiss! Hopefully, none of the ladies had heard him or worse yet, saw them.

  Addie’s cook had prepared roasted lamb, potatoes with rosemary, three different vegetables, with plenty of hot tea and lemon tarts for dessert. She did not remember Walter purchasing lamb recently, so Addie must have had her cook bring the food with her.

  With Rayne not employing footmen, the food was placed on the sideboard and they all helped themselves. Once they settled into their seats, Addie was the first to attack. “Tell us about Lord Sterling.”

  She groaned inwardly but would remain calm. She would not refer to any connection between them. Because there wasn’t one.

  Ah, but he kissed me. And I enjoyed it.

  “I believe I told Lizbeth when I did her regular checkup a few weeks ago that Lord Sterling had been deposited on my front doorstep.”

  Pamela turned to Lottie. “Lizbeth must have lost her memory along with her growing babe.” She turned to Rayne. “She never told any of us.” She waved at the rest of the ladies at the table.

  Pretending to concentrate on her food as if it was the first meal she’d had in weeks, she shrugged. “Probably because there isn’t anything to tell. Once he arrived at the infirmary, I examined him and found him to have cuts and scrapes, as well as a broken leg, a sprained wrist, and bruised ribs.”

  “What happened?” Lottie asked.

  “He was horse racing, while under the influence of alcohol—”

  “—of course,” Lottie added, her lips pursed.

  “—He was thrown from his horse. Two of his friends—and I use the term lightly—brought him here in a carriage. Dropped him off on my front steps and left.”

  Pamela sucked in a breath and covered her mouth with her hand. “Oh, no. How terrible. They didn’t stay to tell you about his injuries?”

  Rayne shook her head. “No.”

  “Serves him right,” Lottie murmured, her head down.

  Rayne kept her mouth closed. She was reminded that Lottie and her husband Carter had reason to believe that Edwin—Lord Sterling—was the lowest of the low.

  Lottie placed her fork alongside her plate, her expression pensive. “Actually, I said that out of habit. Yes, we had some trouble in the past, but that is in the past. Today, he acted as an honorable man. He sent for Addie, knowing you were overwhelmed. He, himself, did dirty work that few members of the peerage would.”

  “Perhaps he’s changed?” Addie asked. “From what Grayson told me, Lord Sterling was an upright, honorable man until a few years ago. Then, he closed his London house, moved to Bath, and attempted to drink the city dry. He gambled into the wee hours, took mistress after mistress, flouted them even, and engaged in reckless behavior.”

  “I wonder what happened that made him change so much?” Rayne asked. “He hinted at something, but never told me the story.”

  Addie shrugged. “Sterling’s sister died a few months before he left London. That’s the only thing we knew. I wasn’t well acquainted with Lady Lydia myself, but I saw her at various events over the many,” she cringed, “years of my time in Society.”

  “That is quite unfortunate. How did she die?” Rayne asked. She recalled asking him about his family one time when they were discussing her father, but he brushed her off. However, not before she saw the pained expression on his face.

  “She retired from London to their country home without explanation. A few weeks later word spread that she had died from what her brother put out as an undiagnosed illness.”

  “How very strange.” Rayne knew people passed away from such things, but that was mostly the elderly. It was not unheard of, but certainly uncommon in a young woman.

  “In any event, I refused to let him drink while he was here. In fact, I threw two of his friends out and confiscated their flasks of brandy.” She smiled at the memory and gained a few chuckles from the other ladies. “He went through some difficult days at the beginning. Then as he got better, he started helping me with my books.” She sighed. “I am not very good at keeping records straight.”

  “Not good at all if Lord Sterling knew you couldn’t afford to pay my maids,” Lottie said.

  “Nevertheless, I will pay your maids.”

  * * *

  The next morning, the day after the train accident and all the chaos that had followed, Edwin made his way up the steps to the infirmary. He smiled when the door was locked, and then he dropped the knocker.

  Hopefully, Rayne had gotten enough sleep after the difficult day she’d had. He’d spent a good deal of time after he left her remembering the kiss.

  He’d had no intention of doing that while they spoke at the front door as he took his leave, but suddenly he was overcome with the need to taste her. The need to feel those enticing lips next to his. Although he hadn’t yet admitted it to himself, she affected him in a way no other woman ever had.

  Yes, he would love to lure her to his bed, but more than that, he was taken by her intelligent, caring, and witty persona. There was depth and layers to Dr. Rayne Stevens. As much as he’d like to peel the clothing layers from her delectable body, he found peeling away the demeanor she showed to the world and seeing the real Rayne underneath could be quite the adventure.

  She had more pride and courage in her than a lot of men he knew. However, he was determined to employ help for her. If she insisted on paying for it, he would make sure all her debts were collected.

  “Good morning, my lord,” Walter greeted him as he opened the door, obviously dressed to venture outdoors. It was a rainy, drizzly sort of day where staying inside next to a nice warm fire, with a book and a brandy—ah, maybe not—was the best way to spend one’s time.

  “Good morning, Walter. Is Dr. Stevens up and about?” He removed his gloves and hat and handed them off to Walter, who put them and his greatcoat in the closet next to the stairs.

  “Yes. I was up at the crack of dawn and Dr. Stevens was already attending to those in the infirmary.” He shook his head as he buttoned his coat. “She is doing far too much, and I have a suspicion she has not been to bed yet.”

  “Yes. I agree. She does tend to do too much, but I have a plan for that.” He grinned at the man and with his cane firmly in hand, made his way down the corridor to the infirmary.

  “Good morning Dr. Stevens.” He tried his best not to cringe at her appearance as she turned to him. She had no doubt enjoyed very little sleep if any at all. Her hair was in disarray, the tender skin under her eyes dark, and her weariness was evident as she trudged from one patient’s bed to the next.

  “Good morning, my lord. What brings you here so early?” She spoke over her shoulder as she attended to one of her patients.

  “I am here to work on your books as promised. However, I have also arranged with an agency for a cook, an upstairs maid, a scullery maid, and a nursing assistant to arrive sometime this morning.”

  He raised his hand as she began to speak. “You need the help and since I am in charge of your finances, I shall find the money to pay them.” There was absolutely no need to tell her he would be financing the wages for the help until he could collect what was due.

/>   It was apparent to him that she was exhausted when she didn’t argue the point. “As you mentioned, I am quite behind in collecting on my outstanding bills.”

  “Yes. But I intend to work on that today.” Leaning on his cane he walked up to her. “How much sleep did you get?”

  “Some.” She turned and began to speak to a young man who looked almost fit to go home.

  When she finished with him, he asked, “How many of these patients can leave today?”

  Rayne placed her hands at her waist and glanced around the room. She swayed a bit and looked as though she would collapse at any moment. He wanted to take her in his arms and carry her upstairs and put her to bed. Except he couldn’t carry a child right now with a broken leg. And he doubted she would let him anywhere near her bed.

  “Probably two, possibly three,” she answered. “Those are the ones who only need bandages changed and salve applied. The most serious one, a head injury, is no longer a problem because the young man woke up and aside from a bad headache, he’s fine. One of the luckier ones.”

  “If you give me the information on who is able to safely leave, I can send messages out to the families to have them escorted home.”

  “Yes. I will do that.” She covered her mouth with her hand to stifle a yawn.

  The sound of the front door opening and the laughter and chattering of several voices caught their attention. The people the agency sent entered the infirmary.

  Rayne shook her head as if confused. “I have never had this many employees. I don’t know what to tell them to do.”

  Edwin had no doubt that Rayne would know what to do with employees, but she was so tired she couldn’t think straight. As soon as things were settled, he would take care of that situation, too.

  An older woman stepped up. “Dr. Stevens, I am Mrs. Foster, your cook. Why don’t you show me to the kitchen and perhaps the girls,” she waved in the direction of the two young maids, “can get started on their work. I understand your nursing assistant will arrive momentarily.”