Page 61 of A Potion for Passion

He prayed fervently she’d understand what he wanted.

Flora said, “Yes, of course, I did. But he’s asleep upstairs, after a disturbed night.”

“A pity. I should very much have liked the chance to treat him, as I’ve recently perfected an excellent salve. I’d best take my leave of you, then…unless there’s something else I can help you with?”

“Well…” Flora looked at him doubtfully, then said, “Our maid, Jenny, was complaining about her knees just the other day. And I’m sure Adam wouldn’t mind me waking him up if it meant he could get some pain relief.”

She was doing a laudable job of talking to him as if he were no more than a tradesman, rather than a lover who’d so recently tasted the silken flesh of her breasts.

“I’ll pay you, of course,” she added.

He thrust away the image of the half-naked Flora in his arms. He needed to concentrate.

“I promise not to over-charge,” he said, smiling. “I don’t have any of my nostrums with me but will be happy to advise. As I’m stationed at the Admiral Duncan, it would be no difficulty to fetch them, if needed. I can walk Mrs. Daniell home, since my route goes past the vicarage.”

“I’m perfectly capable of getting myself home,” the woman said frostily. There was a twinge of fear in her voice he tried not to worry about. He knew by now how gentlefolk viewed his kind. It was as much as he could do not to throw a curse at her as she swept past him and out the door.

What a ghastly woman! No wonder Flora wanted to escape so badly. A milliner’s shop in East Town was by no means far enough. America would be, though, if she came with him.

But he’d already established he had no need of a wife, and Flora would never agree to go trundling around in a wagon here in England, let alone in America.

The fact that—even for a second—he’d considered asking it of her, shook him to the core.

Well, I never,he thought to himself as he closed the door on the parson’s wife. Could it be that Dr. L. E. Campaign was finally falling in love?