Page 75 of Seduced by an Irresistible Lady
“I had to serve as a labourer at construction sites around the college. Those were unpalatable times, but they do add to my history,” Dr Frederick said.
He rubbed his eyes, pressing his lids in with two of the fingers on his right hand. His voice sounded far deeper when he spoke again. Helena could tell he was struggling to control his emotions.
“My father got ill during that time, and the little he made was spent on him. I had to depend on what my hands could provide and the occasional monetary gift from Dr Terry. This is why I chose to remain under Dr Terry even after finishing my medical education,” Dr Frederick said.
His eyes shone with a watery gleam. He couldn’t meet Helena’s gaze. Helena raised her head from his chest and placed her hands by the side of his face. She felt the sharp bristles of young hair follicles under her palm. When Dr Frederick managed to look down into her eyes, Helena saw so much pain she felt an intimate hurt inside. Her gaze fell to the fullness of his lips and their fine edges. Helena drew her mouth to his and kissed him again.
The kiss wasn’t hot or wanting. It wasn’t an attempt to take over the other person’s oral orifice. The kiss was a channel of shared emotions. Helena felt his hand fall to her side and pull her even closer to him. His mouth shifted to the side, allowing her more ease to anchor her tongue to his. Helena could feel the steady beat of his heart, matching hers. His breath became her breath. Only the poke from his resurrected member could shake her from the trance she was in, and it did. Helena broke the kiss, but her eyes could not leave Dr Frederick’s swollen lips. There was, in them, hunger unabated.
“My greatest want would be that you’d be suddenly unencumbered the day Miss Morgana’s ball holds. I wish you would allow me to chaperone you,” Dr Frederick said.
Helena remembered Lord Jeffrey as Dr Frederick said that. A great conflict struck her. It looked mighty sure that Lord Jeffrey would ask her to marry him. And she was going to say yes. So what was she doing here with Dr Frederick? Where would this lead? She was tempted to look at him but kept her gaze down.
Yes, my heart wants for him. My body is a blacksmith’s kiln when he’s near. But duty calls.
Helena bit down on her lip. She had to end this.
“I think it is about time we returned. Your statement about the ball was a saving grace. It revived my sleeping mind that I do have some accounting to finish on father’s behalf,” Helena said.
Dr Frederick’s expression was plain. Nothing could be read. He stood up and aided Helena up. Saying nothing, Helena led him back to the courtyard from the extreme parts of the Baron’s garden that they were in. When they got to the courtyard, Dr Frederick signalled to a steward to bring his horse. Miss Justina appeared at the top of the stairs. Helena could not tell from where.
“Thank you, Miss Helena, for an unforgettable day,” Dr Frederick said rapidly and at lowered tones so no one else heard.
Helena looked into his eyes and noted steel that was totally absent in the garden. She wondered what Dr Frederick could be thinking to make him so disturbed.
“Thank you, Doctor,” Helena replied as Miss Justina was already within earshot.
The steward brought the horse to Dr Frederick who mounted and with a rearing up, rode the horse off at a pace incredible for the beginning of a ride.
It wasn’t a steely look, it was anger. What could be the source for his whimsical change?
“How’s your foot?” Miss Justina asked.
“I wish my foot was the problem,” Helena said, watching the doctor ride off with his black box bouncing by the horse’s side.
Chapter 16
Morgana’s Ball
Dr Frederick looked at his image once again in the mirror. He placed his hand on the golden edges of his grey shirt. He had lost count of how many times he had unbuttoned the shirt only to have it buttoned again. He was as confused as he had ever been in a long while. It was rude and out of place to reply that one would attend a private ball and then miss it without a cogent reason, but Dr Frederick had lost the drive to attend. At the back of his mind lay Miss Helena when he asked Mister Frank to send a reply accepting the invitation. And now that she was not going to be attending, Dr Frederick had lost all impetus to attend the ball. He shook the doubt away with a shake of his head and picked up the black jacket on the bed behind him.
One can never tell the next moment. I could very well meet another lady just as endearing as Miss Helena.
Dr Frederick thought about what he would do if he stayed. His research had come to a halt for the past two weeks. He had tried the extract on the hearts of two dogs without getting the desired response.
They still died, without a fight.
He had been unable to detect the same hormone in the human body also, after weeks of intensive experimentation.
“Sometimes, the closer you are, the less you see,” Dr Terry Agar used to say.
So he decided to ease off the research for a while.
I am probably too close to properly see.
His door opened gently, and Mister Frank stuck in his head.
“Sir, the coach is now ready,” Mister Frank said.
