Page 17 of Seduced by an Irresistible Lady

“What is it, Frank?” he said.

“Someone is here to see you, Sir. He says he’s from the Duke of Somerset,” Mister Frank said.

“I am coming.”

He was done anyway, at least for today. He removed his gloves and disposed them in the bin. Then he went to the sink at the corner of his laboratory. He used a small bowl to take some water from the bucket beside the sink and poured water on his other hand, washing away the blood and chemical stains on his left hand. He did the same to his right hand. Then he picked up a napkin on a table beside the sink and dried his hands.

When he was done, he walked towards the door. At the door he eased the lab coat he wore off and hung it on the wall. He walked into the first room in his chamber before entering his sitting room. A middle-aged man was waiting for him. From the man’s dressing, he could tell he was sent by a peer.

“Good afternoon,” Dr Frederick said.

“Good afternoon, Doctor,” the man answered.

He made to stretch his hand for a handshake then retracted it halfway. He looked at the doctor’s eyes as if asking if it was safe to shake him after whatever he was doing inside. Dr Frederick chuckled but didn’t raise his hand for a handshake. The man looked relieved and grateful.

“So to what do I owe the honour of your visit, sir?” Dr Frederick asked.

“I am not here on my behalf. I am here speaking on behalf of the Duke of Somerset. The Duke’s wife is ill. She has been ill for some time and is being seen by the family physician.” The man stopped midsentence to look back to Mister Frank who was arranging some books at the other side of the room. Dr Frederick waited for the man to return his gaze back to him.

“So …”

The man brought himself back to where he stopped, raising a finger as if to aid him to remember his last few words.

“So … the Duke would like to know if it is possible for you to check her too, just to get another expert opinion,” the man said, before pausing shortly.

“We know there might rules between you physicians, but we just need you for a short while. I was asked to remind you that you will be properly compensated,” the man continued.

Dr Frederick had no problems checking on the wife of the Duke. He knew of no such professional rule that disallowed him from treating someone that had a doctor; in fact, there were none. He wasn’t going to allow the Duke to know that, though. It seemed that was his most powerful negotiating angle.

“I can only be there for a short while. I wouldn’t like to spend too much time on another physician’s patient,” Dr Frederick said.

“No problem sir.”

“Where is she, the Duchess?”

“She’s in the house, sir, at Somerset.”

“What are her symptoms?” Dr Frederick asked.

“She’s always tired sir, always in bed. And her feet get all swollen,” the man answered.

Dr Frederick nodded his head. He opened his mouth to ask another question but decided to keep it in till he got there. The questions would be more aptly answered by the Duke or the patient herself.

“Tell the Duke I am on my way,” Dr Frederick told the man.

The man smiled. It was a small pleasant widening of his cheek that reddened the side of his face. Dr Frederick decided it had to be a smile, what did the man have to blush about?

“I was given direct orders to bring you along with me, sir. I can wait for you to clear up whatever you were formerly doing,” he said.

Dr Frederick was surprised. He pointed at the sofa so the man could take his seat.

“I will be back very soon, sir,” Dr Frederick said before returning to his chamber.

He went to his oven and opened its small door. A few of his tools were still inside, lying side by side in order of use. He had learnt working under Dr Terry that contagion was the greatest problem doctors had. He placed his tools in an oven he bought solely for that purpose. Every day after his rounds, he heated them up to baking temperature.

Well, Frank did it today.

He touched one briskly, trying to gauge if it was still hot. It wasn’t, so he slowly put all the required tools in his black box. He doubted he would need surgery tools, but he took them anyway.