AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He shrugged out of his coat, removed his hat, and placed the items on a chair in front of her desk, and gently lowered himself into the other one. “No luck in finding family for the girl?”
“Family? From what we saw when she arrived here whatever family she had is not worth looking for. What puzzles me more than anything is her lack of requests to return to whatever people she’d been living with.”
“Have you asked her about that?”
“I tried. But every time I bring it up, her little body stiffens, and she finds an excuse to leave the room. We saw the bruises on the poor girl’s body. Even if there is family out there, I doubt I would turn her over to them. In fact, I’m quite sure she is terrified that we might return her.”
Edwin studied her for a minute. “Does the law allow for that? Will you get into any sort of trouble if you keep her?”
“I don’t know. But I can’t help but think the authorities wouldn’t care about a small child of the streets and would be more than happy to know she is now well-fed, safe, and looked after.” At least that had been the theory of which she’d convinced herself. As a doctor she’d recorded all the signs of neglect and abuse the girl presented when she arrived in the arms of the man who thought enough of the girl to at least take her to the infirmary.
“It might not be a bad idea to consult with a solicitor. Do you have one? If not, I can recommend mine.”
“Actually, Carter Westbrooke is a solicitor.” She noticed how Edwin’s entire manner became uneasy any time Carter or Lottie were mentioned.
Perhaps it was time to address that issue with Edwin since with their growing friendship he was bound to run into the Westbrookes occasionally.
“You really should approach Mr. and Mrs. Westbrooke and make your peace with them. They are lovely people and I know they would forgive you.” She shuffled the papers she’d been working on and placed them into the middle drawer of her desk, ready to check on her patients and administer necessary medicines.
Edwin leaned back in the chair and studied her.
’Twas a good thing that he felt guilt at what he’d done. Maybe her faith in him wasn’t misplaced and he truly did want to repent his ways.
“I must admit that was the all-time low of my life when Westbrooke came to my house to discuss Mrs. Westbrooke, who was his betrothed at the time. It was the morning after a rather rowdy party and I’m sure his impression of me only dropped further from the very low point he’d already had.”
Noting his discomfort and obvious regret, she decided it was as good a time as any to change subjects. “I received a summons from my father today.”
Raised eyebrows was his only response. Probably relief as well to have the focus on him put aside.
“He summoned me to attend him tomorrow at three o’clock.” Gad, that sounded stiff and formal.
Of course, it was stiff and formal.
“Indeed? I assume it has something to do with your betrothed?” He stumbled over the last word. Since they’d both been busy the last couple of days, they hadn’t discussed Mr. Faulkner-Jones. Or his visit.
Frankly, she wasn’t ready to discuss it at all.
“May I ask a question?” He shifted in his seat and attempted to arrange his features in a relaxed manner but didn’t quite make it.
Well, it appeared her desire to not discuss it just disappeared. “Yes?”
“I know it is not my business—to some degree, but why did you never mention you were engaged to be married?”
She couldn’t help but notice the slight bit of disappointment in his voice? Most likely that had to do with the kiss. Remembering that kiss had her face flushing and her middle doing a vigorous country dance.
It had been quite nice, well actually more than quite nice. For a very first real kiss, it was superb, leaving her wondering if all his kisses would affect her that way. She certainly had become enthusiastic once their lips had met. Now he must think she was some sort of a jezebel, engaged to one man and kissing another.
“As I mentioned at the time, the engagement had slipped my mind.”
“While I have a hard time allowing for that, since most young women look forward to a betrothal and all the hysteria that surrounds a wedding, can you at least explain how it came about? You said something about it being years.”
Rayne sighed and rubbed her forehead. “My father and Mr. Faulkner-Jones made the arrangement sometime before I left for medical training. Father told me of the betrothal before I left to study medicine at St. Bartholomew’s. I was so excited about my training that I dismissed the engagement from my mind.
“I think we met once or twice. He didn’t speak much but kept studying me as if I were a bug under a glass. He was polite, very formal. Almost cold, one might say. As you noted, I barely recognized him when he arrived a few days ago.”
Edwin snorted and crossed his arms over his chest. “It appears the man did not make a suitable impression on you if you hardly recognized him.”
Two birds flew past the window, screeching at each other. Must be a married couple, she thought. “Perhaps. I must admit he didn’t make my heartbeat jump each time we met, but being so focused on my own studies, I really didn’t care. Also, he is a scholar or something like that who travels the world looking for things.”
