Jacquie D'Alessandro - [Regency Historical 04] (22 page)

“How lucky that I’m a doctor and can cure you.”

“
You’re
the one who caused the problem by making me drink it.”

“And never let it be said that I don’t fix any affliction I’ve caused.” He set the empty glass aside and soaked a handful of linen strips in the steaming water. “Now, if you’ll cooperate and let me do my job, I shall be most appreciative.”

She eyed him with a sudden combination of suspicion and trepidation. “How appreciative?”

“Appreciative enough to arrange for a dinner tray and a hot, soothing bath in your bedchamber. How does that sound?”

“Lovely. It’s just that…”

He squeezed the water from the linen strips. “What?”

“I don’t much care for doctors.” The words came out in a rush.

He nodded gravely. “Oh, neither do I. Nasty old men with cold hands who jab and prod exactly where it hurts.”

“Precisely!”

“How fortunate for you that I am neither nasty nor old, my hands are never cold, and I would throw myself into the Thames before I would ever hurt you.”

A bit of the tension left her eyes, but she still looked nervous. “I’m not certain how comforting that is, given your obvious predilection for splashing about in the water.”

“Lake water, yes. Thames River water? Absolutely not.” He gently removed her hand from the soiled linen she still pressed to her neck. “What happened to my brave, fierce warrior woman of the forest?”

“Perhaps she’s not as brave as you thought.”

“Nonsense. She is courage personified.” As he spoke, he gently bathed away the dried blood, relieved to see that the bleeding had completely ceased. “And she has my permission to cosh me with the decanter if during the course of my duties I displease her in any way.”

“Agreed.”

“And very quickly agreed, I see. However, no coshing until my duties have been completed. Now tell me your thoughts about the ruffian who absconded with our note.”

“Absconded? I’m not certain that correctly describes what happened. It seemed you gave up the note very willingly.” Her tone sounded faintly accusatory.

“I most certainly did. Seeing as how his knife could have cut through your neck in an instant, I thought it best.” After applying salve to her cut, he turned his attention to her scraped hands.

“I didn’t know you carried the letter with you.”

“I wanted to keep it safe.”

An unladylike snort escaped her. “Clearly you should have picked a different spot.”

He cocked a brow and dabbed at her palms. “Are you upset with me?”

“Do you really want to know?”

“Of course.”

“Well then, yes, I am upset. Or at least disappointed.
You did nothing to stop that man! I thought spies knew all sorts of tricks and maneuvers to disarm and outwit their opponents. Yet you simply did everything he asked and now he has the note and map.”

“And your head is still attached to your shoulders. Which would you think is more important to me?”

She instantly looked chastened. “It’s not that I’m ungrateful. I’m just concerned that he’ll find the jewels before we do.”

“I don’t think so. At least not with the letter and map
he
has.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that the letter and map he possesses will send him on what is fondly referred to in the Official Spy Handbook as ‘The Wild Goose Chase.’” He eased her skirts up to bathe her knees.

“But…but how?”

“I wrote a false letter containing wrong information. Drew a fake map clearly depicting the Isles of Scilly, which lay twenty-eight miles off the coast of Lands End.” He shrugged. “That should keep him far enough away from here until we conclude our investigation using the real note and map, which are perfectly safe, by the way.”

She stared at him, clearly taken aback, then her expression changed to a combination of admiration and pure chagrin.

“Oh,” she said in a small voice. “It would appear I owe you an apology.”

“Well, if you
really
feel it’s necessary—”

“Oh, I do.” Gazing up at him, she said softly, “I’m sorry, Nathan. I should have known you’d be unsurpassedly brilliant.”

“Hmmm. Yes, you should have.” He smiled and lightly massaged the healing ointment into her palm.

“I feel like a complete fool. The reason I tripped was because I was attempting to kick the note out of his reach. I thought that might give you the opportunity to retrieve your knife or somehow subdue him. I didn’t know you had everything under control.”

He barely swallowed the humorless laugh that rose in his throat. Under control? He’d never felt more helpless in his life.

“Of course, you might have
told
me about the fake note in the boot ploy,” she said. “But regardless, you saved my life.” She brought his hand to her lips and kissed his knuckles. “My hero. Thank you.”

He brushed his fingertips lightly over her jaw. “You’re welcome. Glad to know you’re not disappointed I beat the enemy with my brain rather than my brawn. But mark my words, when I see that bastard again, he will pay dearly for touching you. For hurting you.”

A shudder ran through her. “I hope never to see him again. I’ve never been so frightened in my life.”

Never been so frightened? That makes two of us
. He lowered her skirts to cover her knees. “I’m finished with my treatments. How do you feel?”

“Finished? Already?” She flexed her hands, bent her knees, and wiggled her jaw. “I feel very much improved.”

“Excellent.”

Her eyes narrowed, but amusement glittered in her gaze. “You tricked me.”

He adopted an expression of innocent shock. “I?”

“You distracted me from your ministrations by urging me to talk.”

“Did I? It’s been my observation that you seem to require very little encouragement to chatter away.”

“Hmmm. Very clever. And effective. My aunt told me she thought you’d have an excellent bedside manner. I shouldn’t have doubted her, as she has always proven to be uncannily correct in her assessments.”

“Then I thank you both for the compliment,” he said lightly. “As for the rest of your treatment, you’re to allow the salve I applied to soak in for the next two hours, during which time you will remain in bed and eat dinner. Then you shall have your promised warm bath, after which the salve needs to be reapplied. Then it’s off to bed for you. Agreed?”

“Yes, Doctor.”

“Excellent. A docile patient.”

“I’m nothing of the sort. I’m simply pretending to be to repay your kindness.”

“I see.” He put his supplies away, then firmly closed his medical bag. The instant he’d done so, he reached for the brandy decanter.

Victoria shook her head. “Oh, no. Not again. I’m not drinking any more of that foul brew.”

“Not to worry. This one is for me.” He poured himself two fingers and tossed it back in a single gulp. Closing his eyes, he savored the fire heating its way to his belly and allowed his tense muscles to relax. When he opened his eyes, he set aside the glass. Lightly clasping her shoulders, he looked steadily into her eyes.

“Now that my doctor duties have been completed, I want you to know that there is no kindness for you to repay. The fact that you were injured is entirely my fault.”

“It is nothing of the sort—”

“
Entirely
my fault, Victoria. Your father sent you to me to protect. I failed today. But I give you my word I will not fail again.”

Her gaze softened and she pressed her palm against his cheek. “You didn’t fail, Nathan.”

“That you are lying in that bed proves otherwise. Just as this episode proves that someone is desperate to find those jewels. And they’ll do anything to succeed.” He laid his hand atop hers then turned his head to lightly kiss her abraded palm. “Promise me you will not venture anywhere outside the house alone.” He hadn’t meant to sound so harsh, but the scare he’d suffered still lurked within him.

“I promise.”

With a nod, he rose. “I’m going to tell your aunt and my father what happened. Then I’ll send your aunt to you so she can settle you in your bedchamber and help you change clothes.”

Because he couldn’t stop himself, he leaned down and brushed his lips against her brow. Then he quit the room. As he walked down the corridor, his lips pressed into a grim line. He didn’t know who was responsible for this, but unlike three years ago, he wasn’t going to walk away this time. This time he’d have his answers. And the person responsible would pay.

V
ictoria set aside her silver dinner tray, then leaned back against the bed pillows with a satisfied sigh. “That chowder was delicious.” She smiled at her aunt who, after helping her get settled and changed into a fresh linen night rail, had had a dinner tray sent up as well. “Do you suppose the cook would share the recipe?”

“Well, if she won’t give it to us, surely Dr. Oliver could charm it out of her.” She regarded Victoria over the edge of her crystal wine goblet. “I believe if anyone other than he
had brought me the news of your frightful experience, I would have quite fainted away. Dr. Oliver, however, has…a way about him. He’s very confident. And reassuring.”

“Yes, he is.”
And so many other things
. Things that excited and delighted her. Yet confused and unsettled her.

“And so devilishly attractive,” Aunt Delia continued. “And strong. He carried you all the way back to the house!” She made a fanning motion with her napkin. “Clearly he’s most vigorous. And so concerned for you, Victoria.”

Heat crept up Victoria’s face from beneath the neckline of her nightgown. “Naturally he was concerned. He is a doctor. He is concerned for all his patients.”

Aunt Delia set down her teacup with a decided click. “My dear girl, you’ve adroitly sidestepped the subject of Dr. Oliver all through dinner, and it’s time to stop.” Her eyes filled with concern. “Dearest, if you think that his concern is only that of a doctor for his patient, then you are in need of a stronger restorative. Surely you can see he is deeply attracted to you. And a blind person could see that you are attracted to him as well.”

She inwardly winced at her apparent transparency. “Given his good looks, I’m sure most women would find him attractive.”

“Yes. But you are the only one I am worried about.” Aunt Delia rose from her wing chair and resettled herself on the edge of Victoria’s bed. “I can see you are troubled, Victoria. Why don’t you talk to me about what’s distressing you?”

Victoria plucked at the counterpane. The need to share with someone the plethora of conflicted feelings overwhelmed her. But she couldn’t confide to her aunt the sensual nature of those feelings, of her encounters with
Nathan. Couldn’t share the scandalous desires, the heat, the needs he inspired in her. Her poor aunt would swoon from shock. Even worse, such an admission would certainly mean her aunt would no longer allow her any time alone with Nathan. While her inner voice said that was surely for the best, her heart did not agree. Besides, how could she hope to discuss something that she didn’t herself comprehend?

Forcing a smile, she said, “I appreciate your offer, Aunt Delia, but I’m fine.”

“I see. You think that I will wilt from shock, but I assure you such is not the case.” She laid a sympathetic hand over Victoria’s. “I understand completely, my dear. You have always been a planner. Even as a child you planned your tea parties, and as a young girl, your ensembles down to the last detail. Planned the next ten books you intended to read. During the Season, you’ve planned precisely which parties you wanted to attend, which gentlemen you would partner for each dance. You’ve planned exactly the sort of man you should marry and know precisely the sort of wedding you want—plans to be put into action immediately upon your return to London. You came to Cornwall with a definite plan in your mind—to endure this visit your father insisted upon for the shortest amount of time possible, then return to London and decide upon a husband. And now you’re completely out of sorts because the devastatingly attractive Dr. Oliver and the unexpected feelings he inspires have thrown all your fine plans into total disarray.”

Her aunt’s assessment of the situation was so accurate, Victoria could only stare. “How did you know that?”

“Two reasons. First, my intuition is—and I say this with the utmost modesty—formidable. And second, because you and I are very much alike, and that is precisely the
way I would react in your situation. I think you’re learning that the problem with plans is that they lack spontaneity.”

“I don’t like spontaneity.”

“On the contrary, I think you’re discovering, much to your dismay, that you like it very much. You only think you don’t like it because you’ve never known it before. It’s rather like saying that you don’t care for blueberry pie when you’ve never tasted blueberry pie.” Her gaze searched Victoria’s for several heartbeats. “Neither Branripple nor Dravensby affect you this way.”

There was no point in denying it. Indeed, it was a relief to admit it. “No. And I can’t understand
why
. Both are handsome. Certainly I’m much more suited to either of them than I am to Dr. Oliver.”

Aunt Delia’s brows shot upward. “Are you?”

“Of course. Lords Branripple and Dravensby are not only superior matches socially, I have much more in common with them.”

“Really? You don’t find them…boring?”

Dead boring, she realized. However, instead of helping, this conversation confused her even more. “I don’t understand. I would have thought you’d warn me against a man like Dr. Oliver.”

“A warm, handsome man who is clearly besotted with you and who puts that sparkle in your eye?”

“A man who does not possess a title. Who lives in a modest cottage, earns a modest living, and eschews Society.”

“None of which make him
un
suitable, my dear. He may not be the heir, but he is still the son of an earl.”

“But what of securing my future? Marriage to either Branripple or Dravensby would make me a countess. Guarantee my position in Society. The decisions I make now will affect the rest of my life.”

“That is true.” Aunt Delia gently squeezed her hand. “But surely you know your father wouldn’t leave you financially destitute.”

“Father expects me to marry well.”

“Of course he does. But by ‘well’ I’m sure he means that he wants you to be happy.” Her aunt drew a breath, then continued, “What of Lords Sutton and Alwyck? You have a viscount and an earl right here at your fingertips, and ’tis clear from the two evenings we’ve just spent in their company that they both find you attractive. I would be hard pressed to choose who was the handsomer, as they are both extraordinarily comely.”

“Yes, they are.” But neither made her pulse jump or her heart stutter. Neither made her want to be near him just so she wouldn’t miss one of his smiles or a single word he uttered. Neither made her fingers tingle with the overwhelming need to touch him. Nathan did all those things simply by…being. “But both of their estates and lives are here in Cornwall. While this hasn’t proven the dreadful place I’d envisioned, I could never live so far from Town. From civilization. Besides, I barely know either gentleman, whereas I’ve been acquainted with Branripple and Dravensby for years.”

“You haven’t known Dr. Oliver very long, either,” Aunt Delia said softly, “which just goes to show that the length of the acquaintance is not an accurate measure to one’s feelings.” Her gaze shifted toward the fire and her eyes took on a faraway expression. “Sometimes a person we’ve just met can ignite a spark, a desire, a yearning that someone we’ve known for years has never lit.”

She blinked twice, then seemed to recall herself and turned back to Victoria. “I’m certain that either Branripple or Dravensby would make polite, acceptable husbands who would give you little trouble. But search your heart,
Victoria. Life can be staid and boring, or it can be a grand adventure. Life with a staid, boring man will be just that. On the other hand, life with someone who makes your heart soar…” She heaved a dreamy sigh the likes of which Victoria had never heard from her. “That life will be a glorious adventure.”

“Perhaps. But one must
eat
while on this great adventure.”

“True. Though one need not feast on the richest cuisine every day to appease the appetite.”

“It is not enough to be physically attracted to someone. I have nothing in common with Dr. Oliver.”

“Really? His father has told me a great deal about him, and from what he’s said, you share a number of similar interests.”

“Such as?”

“A love of reading. A passion for knowledge. A fondness for fairy tales. You both like animals.”

Victoria looked toward the ceiling. “He does not keep everyday, ordinary animals.”

Her aunt shrugged. “He is not an everyday, ordinary man. You’re both intelligent, and clearly he recognizes that trait in you and admires it. A smart woman would certainly impress a man like Dr. Oliver.”

“Perhaps I don’t want to impress him.”

“
Pshaw
. Any woman who draws breath would want to impress that divine man. Do you want to know what I think?”

Even though she wasn’t sure, Victoria nodded. “Of course.”

“I think you’re afraid to impress him. That you’re trying to keep some distance between you, to keep in place whatever barricades you’ve managed to erect.”

“Surely given our situations, that is for the best. When I return to London, I am going to choose another man to marry. And I am not at all the sort of woman Dr. Oliver wants. He believes me a hothouse flower.”

“He may not
want
to want you, but he most emphatically does want you.” Aunt Delia pursed her lips and studied her for several seconds, then what looked like satisfaction flashed in her eyes. “He’s kissed you.”

Fire scorched Victoria’s cheeks. Before she could reply, her aunt said briskly, “I can see quite clearly that he has. And that he knows how to kiss a woman.”

Bemused at this frank talk from her aunt, Victoria shook her head. “You’re not shocked? Scandalized?”

“My dear, I would be shocked to learn that he hadn’t. And frankly disappointed in him. ’Twould be a shame for a man not to deliver on the promise hinted at by that devilish gleam in his eye.” But then her gaze turned searching. “And now your feminine curiosity has been awakened.”

Victoria bit her bottom lip and nodded, forcing back the image of a wet, naked Nathan from her mind. “Jolted wide-awake, I’m afraid.”

“Has he spoken of his feelings for you?”

“No.”

“As he strikes me as most forthright, ’tis then clear he is as befuddled as you.”

“More likely because there are no feelings to speak of.”

Aunt Delia waved away the words with a flick of her wrist. “He finds himself enamored of a woman I’m certain is nothing like his usual sort.”

An image exploded in Victoria’s mind…of Nathan, naked, aroused, lowering his head to kiss a woman. A woman who wasn’t her. White-hot jealously speared through her.

A slow smile curved Aunt Delia’s lips. “That must vex him dreadfully. And the thought of you marrying another—that would not please him one bit.” Her smile disappeared and she fixed her gaze on Victoria. “The question is, what do you intend to do about this attraction? What is your plan?”

Plan? She had no plan. Her revenge scheme to give Nathan a kiss that would haunt him and then simply walk away now seemed ridiculously naive. Which left her, for the first time since she could remember, without a plan. She was simply a feather adrift on tempest-roiled seas, tossed about with abandon, no destination in sight.

Victoria cleared her throat. “I’m afraid I haven’t yet formed a plan. Indeed I’m…rather at a loss.”

Aunt Delia nodded thoughtfully. “Believe it or not, Victoria, I have found myself in circumstances precisely like this. And you are correct—the decisions you make now will affect the rest of your life. Therefore it is imperative you choose wisely.” She rose. “There is something I have in my bedchamber I must show you. I’ll return in a moment.”

She departed the room. Victoria hadn’t even begun to try to assimilate the stunning turn of this conversation, the unexpected things her aunt had said, when she returned, carrying a maroon satin satchel closed by a tasseled drawstring top.

“What is that?” Victoria asked as her aunt again sat on the edge of the bed.

In answer, her aunt loosened the drawstring ribbon and reached into the bag. She withdrew an ornate gold ring set with diamonds. “My wedding ring.”

Victoria recognized the piece but hadn’t seen it in years. “You don’t wear it anymore.”

“I removed it from my finger the day Geoffrey died, and I’ve never worn it since.”

Sympathy pulled at Victoria at her aunt’s flat tone. Uncle Geoffrey had been a dour, humorless man with a penchant for drinking and, according to rumor, brothels. Aunt Delia rarely mentioned him.

She looked at the ring resting in her aunt’s palm. She supposed some women might have liked it, given its obvious value, but it wasn’t at all to her own taste. “Why do you show it to me?”

“Because I want to explain to you what it represents to me. It is a contradictory symbol, embodying all that I thought I wanted and everything I came to deplore. When I look back, when I realize how utterly naive I was when I married Geoffrey…” She shook her head. “I knew nothing. Nothing of the world. And as it turned out, nothing of myself. I was innocent in every way, and when I agreed to a marriage I believed was in my best interest, I thought that my innocence would serve me well.”

She looked at Victoria, a wealth of experience and sadness in her blue eyes. “It did not serve me at all. When I now reflect upon my marriage, all I can think is, ‘If I knew then what I know now…’”

“What?” Victoria finally asked softly when the silence continued, broken only by the ticking of the mantel clock. She held her breath, afraid to say anything else, afraid she would break the mood, making her aunt reconsider sharing these deeply personal confidences.

Her aunt’s expression turned from bleak to fierce. “I would not have made the same choices, Victoria. I would have known to search my heart, my soul, to determine my
true
desires—not simply those which I just thought I wanted because my plans, my likes, had never been challenged. Then, once I’d determined what I
truly
wanted, what was
truly
important to me and my happiness, then I
would have made my choices based on what
I wanted
. Not on what anyone else expected of me. Based on what would please me—not anyone else. And regardless of what battle I chose to wade into, I would have made certain I was well-armed and knew what to expect. Thomas Gray purported in his poetry that ‘ignorance is bliss,’ to which I can only say the man was a fool. As far as I am concerned, a lack of knowledge does not bring bliss—it is a breeding ground for disaster.” She handed the silk bag to Victoria. “I want you to have this.”