Far Beyond Scandalous by Bethany Sefchick Read Free Book Online Page B

less-skilled
physician."   That was, perhaps, an
understatement, but she was struggling to find the appropriate words for this
situation.
    The carriage ride through London
had been long and almost painfully silent, Amy doing little more than listening
for the sound of her mother's breathing.   She had been terrified of it stopping as her brother's had so many times
before when he had been ill.   Thoughts
of what would happen should her mother die had been swirling through Amy's mind
repeatedly, knotting her stomach in fear and making a bad situation even worse.   The only reason she hadn't completely fallen
apart was Gibson.   He had been beside
her the entire ride, holding her hand and lending his quiet support.   Even if he hadn't said a word.
    In some ways, it was as if the
months separating them since that fateful day in August had vanished, and the
closeness between them had returned in an instant.   Each time Gibson squeezed her hand, Amy didn't feel quite as
alone.   Yet she was also acutely aware
that things were not precisely the same, either.   Still, he was here with her, and, at present, that was the only
thing that mattered.
    Upon reaching Cheltenham House,
Gibson had immediately taken charge of the situation, and, thankfully, no one
had questioned him or his right to do so.   He had seen to it that the countess had been made comfortable, and,
while he examined her, had instructed Towson, the butler, to make Amy
comfortable as well, perhaps with some tea and biscuits if there were any still
left in the house at that hour of the night.  
    Amy had been beyond grateful for
Gibson's strength and guidance.   Now he
was finished with his initial examination and treatment of the countess, and he
was here with her.   Precisely where she
wanted him to be.   Given the way he was
looking at her, this was exactly where he wished to be as well.   In fact, he was looking as if he wanted to
kiss her, though she knew he would not allow himself to be so improper.  
    Truthfully, Amy understood there
was still much that needed to be said between them before there was any hope of
a simple touch, let alone a kiss.   Not
to mention that this was hardly the appropriate time for amorous intentions, no
matter that her body clearly thought otherwise.
    She also believed that Gibson felt
the same given the way he shifted restlessly in his chair before rising to take
the tea tray from the maid the moment she arrived at the drawing room door,
silver service in hand.
    Then, he moved to close the
hand-carved pocket doors a bit more, leaving them open far enough to maintain
some semblance of propriety while limiting the amount of information a nosy servant
might overhear.   He clearly did not want
to add a fresh round of gossip concerning the Cheltenhams.  
    Placing the tray on a nearby table,
Gibson seated himself beside Amy on the settee - close but not quite
touching.   Then he cleared his throat,
as if a little uneasy with the entire situation.   "You cannot know how thankful I am that I was in attendance
this evening.   I did not want to go to
that infernal ball from the very moment the invitation arrived.   I had even considered canceling, even though
I knew it would be frowned upon from many quarters."
    "I am thankful as well,
Gibson."   That rather went without
saying, Amy thought, using his Christian name, even though she knew that she
shouldn't.   Still, given everything that
had passed between them, it would be foolish to do otherwise, and, in truth,
she could not bring herself to place that formal barrier between them once
more.
    Without thinking, he reached out
and grasped her hand, startling a bit when he realized that neither of them
wore gloves any longer.   "Lady
Fairhill wanted my presence to give the ball the appearance of being for the
medical society, but I think we all know that her only goal was to promote her
own social standing.   Still, I thank God
that I was there.   I do not wish to
consider