Chapter 48

One of Dr. Hamilton's dark gold brows arched in question, as if asking what Marietta had done to earn the gift of a handmade quilt. She smiled at him.
"I know you were with Lara through the crisis of her illness," she said. "Didn't you wonder where the other four children were?"
"Mrs. Denslow said they were with a neighbor...ah." He smiled again. "It seems we have more in common than we thought, Mrs. James."
She shrugged, though she was sure her own lips twitched with amusement. "Ella is a widow with five children. I am a widow with none. She occasionally allows me to borrow hers."
"Of course." Now his grin was downright conspiratorial, as if he knew she only phrased it that way so Ella didn't think she was imposing when Marietta minded her children. "So tell me, what were you doing out in such weather?"
"I teach three days a week at a school for orphaned girls," she admitted. "As you said, if one has the resources to help, one should do so. My skills are not as grand as yours, but it is rewarding to teach girls how to read and cipher so they can get jobs in shops rather than..."
"Than on their backs," he said bluntly. He raised his teacup in salute. "And I think that is a grand thing to do, as well."
"Thank you," She couldn't believe she'd told him so much.
"I'm familiar with the school - I've treated a few of the students from time to time. It's a good place."
Of course he had - he was the only physician in the vicinity. "I'm sure they all appreciate your time, Doctor."
"Adam," he said unexpectedly. "My name is Adam."
"Oh." She blinked, unsure how to respond. Then she saw his smile again and returned it. "Marietta."
"Such a pretty name," he said.
Marietta laughed. "Which is usually followed by 'for such a plain brown wren'. But thank you...Adam."
"Plain? You? Clearly they need their eyes examined. There's nothing plain about you at all."
His outraged glare was so convincing, Marietta felt warmed all the way through. Though it could have been from the soup, the rational part of her brain argued. "You're a true gentleman. Thank you." At that, another damp strand of hair fell loose from its pins and dropped across her cheek. The texture of it was so fine she often had trouble getting it to stay in place.
"Are you warm yet?" He gathered their empty plates and loaded them back onto the tray.
"Yes." Marietta moved to assist him, only to have him shake his head at her.
"Stay where you are. I'll be back in a moment to see to your hands."
He whisked the dishes off then she heard bottles clink in his surgery before he returned with a fresh basin of water, a clean cloth and a bottle of iodine. He inspected her scrapes, daubed them with the antiseptic then gently blew on them to ease the sting.
"I told you they were nothing," she said with a tremor in her voice that had nothing to do with the pain and everything to do with his nearness.
"Hush," he reproved. "We both know they hurt. Now I know it may sound scandalous, but I really should see your hip."
She felt her face flame. "That isn't necessary, Doctor. I promise 'tis only a bruise." It was hard to get the words past lips gone suddenly dry.
"Unless you've recently taken a medical degree, I ought to examine it. Over here on the settee. It is too cold in the surgery." He helped her stand then unwrapped the blanket from her waist and legs.
Marietta allowed him to lay her on her side on the brocade-covered settee. With the blanket over her legs, she carefully tugged the dressing gown up until there was a three-inch gap, revealing the bruise. She squeezed her eyes shut as his gentle fingers probed the tender skin. She winced when he touched her hipbone, but she didn't shriek.
"It's a deep bruise, but I don't believe anything is broken," he said finally. His deep voice had gone husky and soft, leading Marietta to believe he might be feeling some of the same jumbled emotions she was suffering. He slid his hand slowly down the length of her leg as he covered it back up. "You might want to rest it for a day or two."
"I don't think I'll be running any races tomorrow." She shifted to sit upright on the settee, taking in the fine view of Adam Hamilton in his shirtsleeves by firelight. "But I should be getting home, I suppose." Being this close to the doctor was causing her head to spin and making it hard to breathe.
"The storm has only worsened," Adam said softly. This time his hand reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "You should stay. And though I should be horsewhipped for what I'm thinking right now, I promise you'll be safe."
He wanted her. Her heart beat a delighted tattoo in her chest. It had been a long time but she still recognized desire, both when she felt it and in the eyes of the man looking at her so intently. Yearning throbbed low in her belly as she gazed back at him.
Could she? She'd never once been tempted to cross the boundaries society placed on unmarried women. But now, here with Adam, the temptation was more than she could bear. Surely just this once she was entitled to remember how it felt to be a woman, wanted by and wanting a man.
She knew she would regret this impulse later, but it had been so long and she'd been so alone. Gathering all her courage and throwing caution and reason aside, she smiled at him. "And what if I'm not concerned about safety? I'm not an innocent, Adam. And I'm not your patient."
"But you're not..." He continued to cup her cheek with his hand and she ached with her need to feel those strong fingers all over her body.
"Not what? Loose? No. There's been no one since Jack - my husband - died. But that was eight years ago." And he'd been abroad for the last year and a half of their brief marriage, so it had really been more than nine.
"Eight years? Did you marry at twelve?"
"Sixteen. Thank you though. I'm twenty-six. And you?"
"Thirty-two. And never married, if that matters."
"Being not married now matters." When had she grown so bold? Suddenly nervous, she looked down at her iodine-covered hands.
"Marietta, will it insult you if I ask you to stay?" He carefully removed the remaining pins from her disheveled coiffure "I should like very much to do so."
She swallowed hard then looked up to meet his eyes. "I should like that too."