Chapter Fifteen

T he next day, Nick needed a walk to clear his mind. He'd lost his appetite and didn't want to take Chromius on the usual walk around Marylebone. Nick didn't feel as though he deserved even the fox terrier's affection nor a walk in such a lovely neighborhood.

He'd kissed the daughter of a duke. Nick pinched his eyes shut and stopped walking. His heart dropped to his knees and his feet grew heavy as anchors as he thought of all the ways his transgression could be punished. He was a commoner and had compromised a lady; if anyone of the Ton found out and shared the gossip, the practice would be ruined. Everyone at 87 Harley Street would lose credibility with their patients and business would dwindle while gossip would soar, there was no doubt. And then what would become of Wendy? She'd have no prospects and nobody to look after her besides him. Especially if the word spread that one of the doctors at 87 Harley Street had kissed the daughter of a duke, the Ton would ensure that none of them could ever practice in England again. Felix might return to Vienna and Andre to Florence. For that not to happen, Nick needed a miracle. It would take a flock of cherubs from the Renaissance oil paintings to make Andre forgive Nick for losing control, but Alfie never would. He finally had his apothecary in London and Nick's actions could be the reason he'd lost it all. Nick swallowed the bile rising to his throat; he'd failed them all. For that, he was ashamed.

And yet, he didn't regret the kiss itself. It had been a moment of passion and he shouldn't have let himself steal it from Pippa, but then why did it feel so good? No, "good" wasn't enough of a description. It had been fantastic. If ever there'd been an earth-shattering kiss, that was it. When his lips had touched hers, the earth had split open, the clouds had parted, and the heavens had sent a beam of light to the spot in the orangery. She'd sparkled with her beautiful smile and her eyes had held a glimmer of hope that channeled the light not merely through a lens but straight as a beam to his heart. He'd given her spectacles and a new vision, but she'd given him such a bright smile that the light finally returned to his heart, the kind of light he hadn't felt since his parents died, Lance lost his vision, and he'd grown entangled in his responsibilities toward Wendy and the others at the practice. And even though he chastised himself in his mind, his heart longed for another kiss from Pippa.

Chromius pulled at the lead, and Nick resumed a slow walk, absentmindedly following his furry friend, his head hung low.

They walked and walked, until Nick glimpsed the park surrounding the orangery where his fate had been sealed less than a day ago. Or rather, he thought it might be sealed though he wasn't sure exactly how it had been sealed, or what his future held now that he'd crossed the unseen but still so evident line between his class and hers Either way, the aristocratic beauty, the one who was completely off limits, lived nearby.

"Let's go the other way, old boy," Nick told Chromius, but the dog didn't listen.

Nick twirled his hand around the lead some more as Chromius pulled. The little terrier had a way to tense his body until he looked like an arrow. He strained and tugged, coughing as his collar tightened around his neck; suddenly, the lead snapped and Chromius darted off.

"Chromius, no!" Nick shouted as he ran after his dog. "Stop!"

Chromius ignored him and continued running, a piece of the lead dragging on the ground behind him. "Chromius!" Nick wrapped what was left of the leather lead around his hand and ran as fast as he could. Along the path and around the corner, past the bushes. "Chromius! Stop!"

The pebbles of the path creaked, and twigs snapped under his feet. Nick continued to run—until he crashed into a paperboy. "Oomph. I beg your pardon—wait—Chromius!"

As if his furry friend had been stung by a wasp, he continued running off in a straight line, barking at something in the distance. Nick ran as fast as he could, one hand on his hat so it wouldn't blow away in the wind. He didn't mind running, he quite liked it, except not in his wool coat and not while calling after his dog in the park near Pippa's estate where he'd rather remain away, if not that, then at least, unnoticed. But what did they always say? Nick always remembered his Latin from university, not that it would serve for the trouble he'd gotten himself into. " Recidivus ad locum sceleris ," he mumbled to himself. Criminals always return to the scene of their wrongdoing .

In the eyes of the Ton, Nick wouldn't be more than a petty criminal, transgressing to steal a kiss from a lady of their ranks, and if Chromium didn't stop now, Nick would be caught and tried—or at least judged by everyone in the Ton—for his crime of compromising a duke's daughter. Oh Pippa, what have you done to me?

When Nick stopped for a moment, out of breath, he looked up and saw Chromius wagging his tail and jumping up and down near a delicate female figure. Heaving for air, Nick blinked. It was Pippa.

Nick approached them until he was within earshot. His terrier ignored him still. Instead, he expressed joy to see Pippa more openly that Nick would ever dare. By the time he'd reached the two of them, Chromius lay on his back in the grass and Pippa was kneeling and rubbing his belly. He couldn't blame the dog, he'd lie in the grass and let her do anything to him she'd want, too.

"Dr. Folsham!" She looked up and blinked at him, pushing her eyeglasses up the bridge of her sweet little nose. Nick's body tensed at the sight of her in a bright blue dress the color of forget-me-nots with white lace sticking out from her… he shouldn't look, but from his vantage point, Pippa had a breathtaking cleavage. No healthy man of twenty-six would deliberately miss the spectacular view. Fortunately, Chromius chose that moment to roll to his feet and begin sniffing about. Pippa got to her feet, too, and Nick was happy she hadn't caught him staring at her like a green boy. He cleared his throat.

"Lady Pippa, what a delight to see you."

"And you, Dr. Folsham. Even though I saw Chromius first."

"He pulled and broke his lead and I… ahem…" Nick unwrapped the leather strap from his hand. "I've been chasing him. He came here on his own…" Nick didn't admit that his feet had taken him close to the park to begin with; the dog hadn't run to see her on his own. It was Nick's fault they'd been close enough for Chromius to remember he had a friend to visit and snapped the leash to get there.

"You cannot walk him all the way back to Marylebone with a torn lead, Dr. Folsham. Would you like to come back to the orangery with me? I'm sure I have something suitable, a rope or a bit of twine that I'd use to tie up a vine, perhaps—"

"Pippa!" A female voice came from the distance. " P-iii-paaa !" A young lady about Pippa's age and wearing a silky green gown walked straight toward them. Nick recognized her as the same woman who'd opened the door to the orangery for him only yesterday. "There you are!" She blinked prettily as she peered at Nick, a flirtatious smile playing on her lips.

If Nick didn't know any better, he'd say that Pippa slumped the moment the other woman reached her side. Although she was about Pippa's age and height, her hair was lighter, and her posture was so straight that it was imposing.

Pippa didn't get up and continued to rub Chromius's ears. Without looking at Nick, she said, "Dr. Folsham, this is Lady Beatrix Weatherby, my cousin. Bea, this is Dr. Folsham."

When her cousin examined him with such a thorough gaze, Nick wished he could wrap himself in a blanket to prevent her from seeing him. He felt exposed, analyzed, and then it was over. She'd dropped him like a hot bun, as if she'd come to some conclusion that he wasn't permitted to be privy to.

"So, you are the eye doctor," Bea said with her chin raised as her eyes traveled over Chromius and finally sank into Pippa's with a meaningful stare.

Pippa rose but shameless, Chromius stood up on his hind legs and put his head against Pippa's leg, begging her to rub him more. She cast him a warm smile that warmed Nick's heart, then bent sideways letting her hand find the dog's ears again.

"My sincere apologies if Chromius frightened you, Lady Pippa." Nick bowed to her and then to her cousin. "Lady Beatrix, it's a pleasure to have made your acquaintance, but I must be off," Nick said as he clutched his hat to his chest ready to take his leave.

"But the lead, Dr. Folsham. I thought you wanted to come back to the orangery with me," Pippa said. Then she winced as her cousin took a clumsy step—or so it appeared—to stomp on her foot and reached to tug on her arm. Nick knew what she was doing and why, and he couldn't say that he blamed her even though he wished it didn't have to be so. Now, Bea gave him a forced smile that was closer to a grimace.

"Pippa, a word in the orangery?" Bea turned to give Pippa a stern look, one Pippa returned. A secret and wordless conversation had just occurred between the two ladies, but he might as well have been able to hear what was silently being communicated. His visit would be fodder for scandal. No need to remind Nick that he mustn't be found alone with Lady Pippa, the daughter of the Duke of Sussex. He tried to remind himself, but his heart thundered, Pip-pa, Pip-pa .

When Pippa shook her head slightly "no," her cousin gasped, but Pippa remained steadfast.

"I'm sure the doctor has patients to look after, Pippa. He won't wish to join you—" but before she could speak the whole sentence through her clenched teeth, Nick interrupted her.

"I'm afraid I don't have any engagements this afternoon, which is why I thought Chromius would enjoy an extended walk." Nick searched Pippa's eyes for a sign of understanding and hoped she knew how hard this was for him as it was for her. Their hearts yearned for one another, but to allow anything else to happen was foolhardy. It could destroy both of them. "It was a pleasure to see you, Lady Pippa, and nice to make your acquaintance, Lady Beatrix. You know where to find me if you need the spectacles adjusted." Nick spoke to gain time because any second longer in Pippa's presence was worth his weight in gold.

"Wait! But your lead is torn." Her eyes were cast down, but she gave a mischievous smirk at Chromius, intentionally giving her cousin the cold shoulder. She shifted from one leg to the other and then lifted her head to blink at Nick with her mesmerizing eyes, batting her long lashes behind the glass of her spectacles. The world escaped him, and he nearly lost his knees when realization dawned on him. He couldn't leave. Not unless he carried his dog, something he could do. It would save Pippa from unwanted gossip, and it would save his practice as well. But she persevered.

"I have another one, Dr. Folsham. Follow me, please." Pippa gave Chromius a gentle nudge and he followed her. Nick was astonished, for the mutt never walked by his heel as Chromius was doing with Pippa. Even more astonished was Pippa's cousin, for she stood back, agog. Pippa gave her a look over her shoulder, raised her chin as if to say, "he's mine" and then pivoted as if she'd brought home a trophy. Nick's chest burst with pride as he sensed the trophy was him.

Whatever had just occurred between the two ladies, he didn't understand, but it was momentous because Pippa's mood had instantly lifted, and she had a lightness to her stride that made Nick chuckle. Her enthusiasm infectious and captivating, instantly lifted Nick's mood. And she had a plan that he was part of. His heart leapt and they walked over the pebbled path and left it for the grassy area leading to a patch of dense trees. Nick made large strides, but Pippa had lifted her skirts to step over the uneven terrain, Chromius trotting behind.

Whoops!

Her glasses slid off the end her nose.

"Got them!" Nick reached to stop them from falling and he'd touched her in the process. "Oh, I am sorry, it's a habit."

She blinked at him, standing still.

"It's just that, this happens sometimes. You ought to fully push the bridge of the spectacles up your nose." He did it for her and she blinked through the lenses as if she'd just had an epiphany.

"Come with me," she said as she grabbed his hand. She lingered for a moment, hesitating. Did she think he wouldn't come along? Nick interlaced his fingers with hers, willing his chest to stop pounding as if he were a green boy, and let her pull him along.

They reached an old stone wall, and she pulled him out of the park at Cope Castle. He supposed she knew a shortcut.

Nick followed her willingly, with Chromius at their heels.

"Where are we going?" Nick asked when the orangery came into view and behind it, the castle walls. Pippa's home. Nick reminded himself that she was a lady, an aristocrat. She lived in that castle surrounded by a battlement dating back to the Middle Ages, while he lived in a room with an old creaking bed that was probably just as old but not in a good way.

And he was nothing but an oculist. He had to work for his money, hard work for little money, and he could never offer her what she was used to. He mustn't give in to his body and heart's desire.

No. She was precious, he had no place in her life. He had to step aside and let her find a man worthy of her. A duke. Or a prince. Didn't Wendy always say that every girl dreamed of being swept off her feet by a charming prince? No girl wanted a studious oculist, and yet here he was. Intrigued. Aroused. Doomed.

Certainly, he was no prince, but he was unworthy to sweep this gorgeous lady anywhere, so she'd have to do the sweeping—of him, of course. Not that a lady of her station would. But even if she did, or would, he'd have to stop her. For her own good, of course.

She stopped walking under a copse of trees where there was a little pond.

Chromius walked on, and he drank from it.

The wall extended higher here; that and the cover of the trees gave them a sense of isolation with a wall of green on one side and of stone on the other. Even though the bustling London streets were not far off, and Cloverdale House was within view, it was as though they had their own little corner of the world here. Pippa's cousin, London, and seemingly all of the reasons to stay away from each other had been left behind. All that was left was Nick and Pippa, a man and woman with an undeniable attraction.

Pippa pressed her back against the wall. She blinked at Nick and gave him a look just like she had in the orangery.

This was bad. So very bad. But his resolve crumbled as soon as she licked her lips. He was unable to stop himself from reaching for her. And this time, he wouldn't let her wait.