Later that afternoon, the Duke, Friedrich, and Candace returned to bid her farewell.
“The doctor should return this evening, but I am afraid I will not be present.
If you need anything at all, please do not hesitate to ask Theodore.
Who knew it would be a blessing that his chamber is just across the hall from yours,” Friedrich said.
She and Candace exchanged knowing glances.
After exchanging air kisses, Candace left.
Only Friedrich remained after his servants wheeled the Duke out of the room.
He looked composed once more, with his long hair slicked backwards and tied with a ribbon that matched the red overcoat he wore over his nude-coloured breeches.
“I have been feeling quite an amount of guilt for all you have suffered since you became a guest at my residence.” His eyes darted, looking at anything but her.
A slow smile touched her lips.
“None of it is your fault.” He stole a glance at her face to see the genuineness of her words before casting his eyes to the window.
“I hope you do not consider me a bad host,” Friedrich said.
“I ought to stay behind and ensure your recovery instead of thrusting you into the hands of my brother and fleeing for Lennox.” If only he knew how convenient this situation actually was… Afraid that his guilt might lead him to change his mind and stay behind, she reached out and squeezed his hand.
“You have to look after your father and be a host to Lady Kent as well.
I perfectly understand your responsibilities, and it would be insensitive of me to ask you to put them aside for me.” His expression lightened and he let out a breath of relief.
Then he looked down at her with tender eyes.
“May I?” He wanted to kiss her?
Everetta turned her cheek so he could peck her.
She saw disappointment flash ever so briefly in his eyes before he leaned down to peck her cheek.
His lips were warm against her skin.
He pressed his lips to her cheeks this time.
Impressed with himself, he gave her a dazzling smile and left.
She could hear neighing horses and scuttering stable boys from below.
Soon.
Soon it would just be him and her.
Not long after, she fell asleep.
When she awakened, there were two men in her room talking over her.
She recognized one all too well.
As they stood by the fireplace, she could see that he was easily more than a head taller than the other man.
“I was only checking the cast on her arm, Sir Theodore.
There is no reason for you to fling such a scandalous accusation at me.” The other stepped closer to him.
His cold eyes narrowed to slits.
“If you must know, I was a doctor’s assistant for a month when I was in the army, and because of that, I am fully aware that the mobility of the arm has nothing to do with a woman’s breasts, Dr.
Rudder.” She had listened quietly up to that point until a gasp escaped her.
This is going too far.
“How dare you trample upon my good name?” The man had flushed red at this time.
Still, neither of them turned to look at her.
“Well, I do not see the good name a lecher can possibly have.
Perhaps, with a letter to the king, your ability to practise will be reconsidered, at the very least.” The man backed towards the door.
Only then did he glance at the bed and realise that she was awake.
Then he turned and fled the room.
Theodore then turned towards her, his face a composed mask once more, except that his eyes were dark with anger.
Everetta swallowed, unable to think of a sensible thing to say.
Thanking him seemed beneath the situation.
“How deep do you sleep?” he finally asked, his lips curled downwards in disdain.
How deep does she sleep?
Her mother always said she could sleep through a fire, but since she arrived at his territory, she had become a light sleeper overnight.
So it had nothing to do with her and a lot to do with the laudanum the doctor had given her for the pain.
“How deep does laudanum make people sleep?” she asked instead.
He gave her a pensive look.
“As you must have heard-” “Thank you, Theodore.
You do not have to repeat the details to me,” she cut him off to say.
Then he retreated to the doorway and stood there.
“Your doctor has been dismissed, Lady Whitmore.
For the time being, I will be your fill-in doctor until another can be found.
So,” He met her gaze.
“Do not hesitate to let me know if you feel any more pain.” Her heart began to rattle at his intense stare.
Of course she felt pain – in her heart…
and on her lips…
and many other places, pain that only he could soothe away.
When she looked closer, she saw his hands were twitching.
Was he angered on her behalf?
Knowing him, it was very uncommon for him to go out of his way for someone he so clearly disliked.
Because unlike Friedrich, he was no gentleman.
“My hand hurts,” she blurted out.
He raised a brow at her.
She could barely feel her arm.
Did he already know that?
Just when she thought he was going to ignore her complaint, he walked towards her.
Everetta dragged in a breath in anticipation of his touch when he crouched beside her.
Instead of being tender like she expected, he jabbed his long-nailed finger into the skin of her arm hidden beneath the cast.
His action took her by surprise, so she could not feign a cry of pain.
Colour flooded her cheeks as she realized she had been caught in her little game of deceit.
“Where else do you feel pain?” he asked, jabbing other parts of her arm and smirking when she did not so much as wince.
“See, Lady Whitmore, you may be used to being spoiled, but you will receive no pampering from me.
Keep that in mind.” He jabbed her one last time and left the room.
Used to being spoiled?
Wait, he thought she was spoiled?
Of course, her parents doted on her because she was an only child, but she was always practical and never asked for unnecessary things.
Is that why he didn’t like her?
Because he thought she was spoiled?
As expected, he left the door of her room wide open.
Everetta watched him walk across the hall to his own room.
Bracing herself for the loud slam of his door, she was surprised when he left it ajar.
Eve craned her neck to get a good view of his room, but all she could see was the wall and a table leaning against it.
The room seemed dark, and the rest of the room was hidden at the other side of his door.
His bed was not at the center of the room like hers was.
His bed…
what did it look like?
More importantly, what did it smell like?
A soft breeze blew in from the window, carrying the salty tang of the sea with it.
Then she saw him set the chair beside the table within her viewing range and sit down to read a book.
Every once in a while, he would glance at her with not-so-kind eyes.
She was unfazed by his semi-glares.
Instead, Everetta was grossly enjoying the view.
She could almost hear the whisper of the papers as he flipped each of them with those slender and dreamy fingers of his.
He didn’t have large hands like most men she knew.
His fingers were long and bony, exactly what her mother called artist’s fingers.
Yet there was nothing feminine about it.
“Could you fetch me a book too?” she asked, trying to put away the image of those very hands cupping her breasts as they had done a thousand times over in her ludicrous dreams.
“What kind of books do you read?” There was a condescending note in his voice, almost as if he didn’t think a woman like her would spend her time reading.
Eve hated the way they were shouting across the distance and sought to put an end to it.
“I believe you should have a copy of Lady Anne’s Rebellious Lover,” she said, half in jest, half serious.
He pushed away from the table.
“You are being utterly ridiculous, Lady Whitmore.” His voice came from within his room.
She could hear the scrape of his stool against the floor as he moved something.
Then he emerged with a copy of a book.
When he got to her door, he held it up for her to see.
It was not the book she had asked for.
It was anything but.
“Only bores read such books,” she said.
He glanced at her window before walking further into the room.
“This is the pride of the regiment.
It is very educative for someone as vain as you.” As vain as her?
He handed the book to her.
She took it from him and struggled to open it.
“Let me,” he said, snatching the book from her hands.
He straightened the pages she had creased and took up the seat beside the bed.
“May I begin?” She nodded quietly.
He began to read, his deep voice reverberating through her as he emphasized each word.
She loved to read, but never had she been so mesmerized by someone else’s voice while reading.
Her eyes were glued to his lips as they moved through each word he spoke.
Everetta had never felt more relaxed than she did at that moment.
She let herself lean back and imagine what it would be like to have those lips pressed against hers.
“I recall the word the captain had spoken earlier…” “Lady Whitmore,” he called, pulling her out of her thoughts.
“Are you even listening?” A light flush crept up her skin as she met his questioning gaze.
He slapped the book shut at her prolonged silence.
“You must be hungry.” He rose from his chair and straightened his clothing.
Without thinking, she found herself asking, “Have you ever kissed a woman before?” CREATORS’ THOUGHTS Maestrofunzi_07 That’s forward…