Page 4 of Doctor Hardy and the Hysteria Machine (The Doctor’s Pleasure #1)
Chapter Three
B eatrice’s eyes snapped open at the opening of the door. Then, they widened at the sight of the most striking man.
Doctor Richard Hardy was decidedly not the fair-haired young Lord of her daydreams merely seconds ago.
Standing well over six feet tall, Doctor Hardy towered over the dainty assistant trailing behind. In addition to his impressive height, he was absurdly muscular and athletic for a man of medicine.
His square-jawed, masculine face held a dark and magnetic appeal. Black hair, burnished by firelight, shone like onyx. Beneath a pair of thick, manly eyebrows were sapphire-blue eyes set off by his embroidered navy vest.
“Lady Beatrice,” greeted the dashing doctor as he entered the examination room, his baritone voice deep and smooth.
A rush of desire coursed through her veins, and her pulse quickened. The doctor walked towards her in a deliberate, controlled manner that reminded her of a great feline predator. For such a tall and robust man, his steps were light and silent.
He bent to whisper something to Agnes, who nodded and left, before drawing up a chair to sit by Beatrice’s prostrate form.
At this proximity, she could smell the herbs and musk on his shirt collar. So different from the light, woody scent of her Eric, she noted with a pang.
Doctor Hardy laid a palm on her forehead, and Beatrice felt almost lightheaded at the simple touch. He had the long, graceful fingers of a musician. Fingers that were about to examine her most intimate womanhood.
This would be the ideal place for one of her fainting spells, she thought dryly. Right on the doctor’s examination couch.
“When was your last cycle?” The doctor asked without preamble, withdrawing his hand.
She sputtered. “Last week. No, two weeks ago.”
He sat back in the chair and crossed his legs, tailored black trousers outlining his sinewy muscles. Doctor Hardy’s direct gaze—although Beatrice was well aware that it held nothing but a professional interest—burned right through her.
“Agnes has introduced the unconventional nature of my methods to you,” he explained. “Simply put, I am not a believer in treating each separate symptom for what it is: a tincture for nerves, a teaspoon of whiskey for insomnia, smelling salt for a fainting spell… If you believe in that sort of thing.”
“Here,” he continued, gesturing around, “we believe there is but one true cure for all hysteria symptoms, which are merely different manifestations of the same disease—the many heads of Medusa, if you will— pleasure withheld .”
Beatrice gulped. “Pleasure, Doctor?”
“Yes. Joys of the flesh.” The way he enunciated each word sent a tremor down her spine, and she was grateful for the cover of her white sheet. “For your symptoms, I would prescribe a full course of pleasure treatment over three weeks, if that is amenable to you.”
“It is,” she hurried to say. “Well, I don’t know how much Lady Alice had explained in her letter. The thing is… I am anxious to see improvement, Doctor, before I see Eric again.”
Doctor Hardy nodded in understanding. “Yes, I am aware of your misadventure in the rose garden.”
She lowered her lashes. Shame welled up in her eyes and threatened to fall. How unladylike to cry before your new doctor , she cringed, almost naked and lying under a sheet.
The man pulled out a handkerchief and, with a gentleness that belied his impressive physique, dabbed away her tears before they could roll down her cheeks.
“Hush,” he lifted her chin and made her meet his eyes. Her face felt impossibly hot against his cool fingers. “Listen to me, Beatrice. It’s perfectly natural for a maiden to react the way you did. There is nothing to be ashamed of—do you understand?”
She was still ashamed, but could not find it within herself to disagree with the handsome man and his earnest, searching eyes.
“Yes, Doctor. But I hate that I was so weak.”
“Well, it’s your doctor’s job to nurse you back to health then,” he said with a good-natured wink, drawing from Beatrice a tiny, wet smile.
“Thank you, Doctor. I’m ready for my first treatment.”