The Doctor and the Libertine - Callie Hutton Page 0,16

of help, she didn’t show it, which made Edwin feel good. Over the past few days, they had worked together, and he never felt so useful in his life.

Before the disaster with his sister in London, he hadn’t done much of anything to fill his days, just keeping track of his investment, which is man of business handled for him. Since then all he’d done was drink, gamble and wench. It felt good to be doing something for others, not himself.

He remembered shaking his head when he looked over Dr. Steven’s books. They were a mess. She might be a brilliant doctor—which he believed she was—but she was no businessman.

“If you will just stay by her side while I gather the things I need to treat her that would be quite helpful.” She ran her finger down the girl’s cheek and then moved away.

Edwin stared down at the child. She was lovely, undernourished and neglected as well as abused. She could be no more than five years and she was out in the streets selling matchsticks.

The girl should be better fed, better clothed and in school. Life was hard for so many and yet there were those who had much more than they need.

Me.

He shook off the guilt as Dr. Stevens arrived at his side. “She is a beautiful child, isn’t she?”

“Yes. But even ugly children should not be treated like this.”

Dr. Stevens looked at him, her brows raised. “I agree.” She dipped a linen cloth into a pan of warm, soapy water and began to wash the girl off.

Edwin reached out and took the cloth from her. “Here, let me do that while you begin to treat her injuries.”

What the devil was he doing? Here he was member of the ton, a peer, and he was washing the filthy body of a street urchin? My how the mighty have fallen. The Bible verse popped into his head. Bibles, church, and living a good, respectable life was far behind him. Too far to return.

But was it?

“You have a gentle touch, my lord.” Dr. Stevens smiled at him as she proceeded to wash the child’s cuts and scrapes.

“May I suggest that since we are standing here together, working on a small, abused child that we do away with the ‘my lord?’ My given name is Edwin.”

If she had felt insulted by his suggestion, she did not show it. In fact, she surprised him. Without taking her eyes off her work, she said, “And you may call me Rayne.”

“An unusual name.” For an unusual woman, he thought, but didn’t add.

“Yes. I believe my father named me in anticipation that he would not father any sons and wanted at least one of his children to follow in his footsteps.” She wrung out the cloth and dipped it into the bowl of clean water. “You see, he believed with my name I might be confused for a male and be able to trick my way into medical school.”

“Ah. And I’m assuming it worked?”

She laughed. He loved the sound of her laughter, especially because it was so seldom that she let loose. From what he’d seen, hers was a very staid, serious life. She needed to enjoy life more.

And I need to enjoy it less.

“Yes. Since I am a doctor, you can assume it worked. However, it wasn’t easy. The people in charge of the school were not happy to find they had admitted a woman. They tried to withdraw the acceptance, but they had no grounds except that I was female.

“Then my professors and classmates tried their best to subvert my efforts. I studied more, spent more hours taking notes at clinicals, did more extra credit work, but still I was considered second class.” She shook her head. “It was frustrating. I look forward to the day when women can be accepted as smart, confident, able people.” She looked over at him. “We are more than our female parts, you know.”

He coughed to cover his laugh. “Yes. You are more than your female parts. But don’t dismiss those so easily, either. You don’t have to be one or the other. You could be both.”

They continued in silence as they both worked on the young patient. Once Edwin had removed all the dirt and filth from her small body, more and more signs of beatings appeared. He grew so angry he wanted to punch someone.

“How serious are her injuries?” He dried her newly washed feet and tossed the linens into the bucket Rayne kept in