Free Ecstasy Wears Emeralds by Renee Bernard

insist she memorize before next Sunday. She’ll quit or she’ll die of exhaustion. Either way, I’ll have the harpy out of my hair in a matter of days.”
    â€œHmm. That doesn’t sound very Hippocratic of you. Didn’t you swear to never do harm in that oath?”
    â€œSurprisingly, no. Not specifically, although there is a bit about refraining from giving people poison.”
    â€œWell, that’s something.” Ashe gave him a wry smile. “I think I like you better surly and a bit menacing like this, Dr. West. Caroline will be astonished when I tell her you stopped by to growl over a woman.”
    â€œI did not—” Rowan caught himself before he took the bait completely. “Are you in Town for the winter?”
    â€œNo, we’ll go to Bellewood and see my grandfather again just after Michaelmas. Caroline has insisted on it, and for once, I think I’m going to enjoy spending time in the country. If only to watch the old monster melt and fawn all over my darling girl. To this day, I don’t think she realizes what pawns we were in that old man’s game, but I have no complaints.”
    â€œHe was quite the matchmaker.”
    Ashe nodded. “Too bad you don’t need his services. I could have asked him to make arrangements for you, but since you’re well on your way to bliss, we wouldn’t want to interfere.”
    â€œDamn it, Ashe! You’re worse than a housebound widow with this nonsense! I’ll have Miss Renshaw off my hands in a week, and you, sir, will owe me an apology!” Rowan left the room, grabbing his coat out of Godwin’s waiting hands in the foyer, anger making it a bit more energetic of a departure than he would have liked.
    He’d wrenched open the front door only to surprise the lady of the house on the other side. Caroline stood on the doorstep with her ladies’ maid, Daisy, both of them flushed and happy from their outing to the shops.
    â€œIs everything all right with Ashe?” Caroline asked quickly.
    â€œI was here for purely social reasons, Mrs. Blackwell.”
    â€œThen why do you look like a man with a porcupine in his pocket?” she asked, setting her boxes aside.
    Rowan smiled. Ashe’s American wife had a refreshing candor that made him glad for his friend. Life would never be boring for Ashe Blackwell with a woman like Caroline to contend with. “Madam, you do have a unique way with words. I just had . . . news to share with your husband.”
    â€œGood news, I hope.”
    â€œI’ve taken on an assistant.” It came out clipped, and he almost winced at his confessionlike tone, but her cheerful reply made him groan aloud.
    â€œThank heavens! You need three!”

    Misery.
    She’d been an absolute harridan to the man, and after he’d stormed out, she’d wasted an hour facedown sobbing on her bed. What was it about him that made her want to spit and claw like a cat? He’d said nothing to counter her horrible accusations, and once again, she was left with the paradox of those sad, beautiful eyes looking back at her, his rugged countenance sober and furious at the sting of the charges she’d thrown in his face. He looked like a man offended and not like a man indifferent to his sins.
    He’s like that handsome Iago in Othello , with all the appearance of a gentleman and trusted man, but if I forget what I know to be true, I’m lost.
    I’m tired and already, every time I see him, it’s a struggle to remember any of it. Standish Crossing is a million miles away and none of it feels real.
    What had Aunt Jane said? It was clearly spoken and I wasn’t imagining it! She said that Charlotte would be alive today if she hadn’t met Dr. Rowan West and fallen under his spell. She’d said that he was as responsible for the death of her daughter as if he’d been there to strangle her. And that he’d confessed as much and then