The Doctor and the Libertine - Callie Hutton Page 0,11

to be gone sooner.”

Look at it as a way for me to be gone sooner.

Now why did that thought not make her as happy as it should?

Chapter 4

It had been six days since Lord Sterling had been dumped on her front steps, and Rayne was in such a muddle most times she couldn’t think straight.

He had passed the worst part of his addiction withdrawal, but the day before he seemed to suffer withdrawal again. The little bit of research she was able to do mentioned that days five to seven after stopping alcohol could be as bad as the beginning.

His injuries, however, especially his leg and ribs, prevented her from sending him home. When he’d developed a fever and was in and out of delirium the past two days, she worried that he had added an infection to his list of ailments and was constantly checking and changing his bandages.

Had he been any other patient, she would tend to him and go about her business, and her days would be fine. Normal.

Instead, she found herself at his bedside several times a day, sometimes just to study him as he slept. While awake, he was always polite, with a kind remark to make, or a bit of flirtation when he wasn’t burning up with fever.

She needed to stop the nonsense as quickly as possible. She certainly didn’t need to visit his bed as often as she did but found herself inexplicably drawn to him. Two other patients had joined him in the infirmary, both older women. Mrs. Wilson had fallen and knocked herself out, so Rayne needed to observe her closely.

The other woman, Miss Roberts, was in the final stages of cancer and her family no longer wanted to take care of her.

Rayne had put a screen between the women and Lord Sterling. In addition to her in-house patients, she had her normal round of calls to make with notes she received every day requesting her services, as well as expectant mothers and those who were not sick enough to stay in the infirmary, but still needed care.

Lord Sterling was interrupting her well organized routine. He was a dissipated scoundrel. She should treat his injuries and dismiss him from her life.

As she descended the stairs from her bedroom, she gave herself the usual talk about what she needed to do that day. Her first stop at the infirmary assured her that Mrs. Wilson was still bright-eyed. Most likely Rayne would send a note around to her daughter, who Mrs. Wilson lived with, and advise her that her mother could return home.

Poor Miss Roberts informed her that she had passed a difficult night. Rayne considered giving the woman morphine to ease her pain since the laudanum didn’t seem to be helping her anymore. In her opinion Miss Roberts was not long for this earth. As horrible as it sounded, Rayne prayed daily that the woman pass away peacefully in her sleep, and not suffer any longer.

Her next stop at Lord Sterling’s bed had her heartbeat speeding up and her palms sweating. “Good morning, my lord. Did you get enough rest? You appear to be doing better.”

“Good morning, Dr. Stevens.” He grinned and she fisted her hands at her sides waiting for his wanton remark. “My rest was interrupted by dreams of you.”

She shook her head and took his wrist, placing two fingers at his pulse, checking his heartbeat. “I doubt that.”

“You wound me, dear doctor. Do you doubt your charm?”

She huffed. Never having the normal social life of most young ladies, she had as much charm as an inkwell.

“Ah, I see you don’t believe me. What shall I do to convince you?” He smirked, eyelids drooping. The man was a master.

She pulled away. “Stop this!” She cringed when she realized both Miss Roberts and Mrs. Wilson were right on the other side of the screen.

Rayne took a deep breath. “I must check your injuries today.” She shook out her thermometer and placed it into his mouth. “I will be back. Keep that in place.”

He winked at her.

Sterling’s behavior would not be so bad if she could continue to act as a professional and ignore him. However, she had a hard time dismissing his comments which only proved the man’s wicked nature. No one had ever affected her that way. And she had gone through years of medical training with all men!

But then, she had never been the sort to attract male attention, anyway. Always studying, always with her hair pulled back into