Secrets of the Heart Read Online Free PDF Page A

he’d thought her fascinating: the way her rich brown locks smelled of jasmine on a warm summer breeze, the way her hair loosened from its confines and tumbled across her proud shoulders, the way she leaned against him during their ride to Richfield.
    The closeness of the ride with a high-spirited female ensconced between his arms had caused him to rein in thoughts of a nature he hadn’t seriously considered for a very long time. Even now he yearned to bury his face in those silken tresses and feel their softness against his cheek.
    “Madeline,” Devlin whispered as though someone might hear the soft caress of her name on his lips. “Maddie,” he breathed into the night, enjoying the intimate sound. He tried to shake off the unexpected and tender emotions. He must tame these feelings. He tried to push thoughts of her from his mind. Dr. Langford would show no mercy if he came unprepared for class because an enticing female had cast a spell over him.
    Finally, he stood in the shadow of the Blue Swan Inn, where he rented a room. This had caused much gossip, but he didn’t care; it suited his needs. The inn was close to the hospital, yet, if necessary, near enough to his estate to travel home in a day’s ride. He’d established an arrangement with the stable boy. Whenever he returned late, there would be an additional coin for him if he’d take very good care of Hippocrates. Devlin smiled as he climbed the stairs to his room. The boy had waited up for him.
    He lit a lamp and illuminated the sparsely furnished space: a couple of chairs, a table, a bed, and a wardrobe. He chose to live simply here in York. Devlin then lit the fire in the hearth and rubbed his hands together above the slow growing flames to ward off the chill that had settled in his bones.
    Gathering his books and papers, Devlin tried to focus on the urgent task of study. He stared absentmindedly into the fire watching the flames dance. His elbow slipped off the edge of the table, rudely jolting him out of his reverie. He fought off fatigue and intrusive thoughts of a lady who clearly disliked him.
    Ignoring his bed and a deep need for sleep, he pored over the medical books spread out on the rickety wooden table. But the image of a woman with brown silky hair continued to distract him. The scent of jasmine lingering on his clothes forced his mind further from his studies. He could understand why she blamed him. When someone died in a hospital, family members usually blamed the physician in attendance or God or both. He wondered if he could convince her otherwise.

     
    Devlin woke with a start and squinted at the clock. “Confound it!” He shot out of his seat, every muscle in his body screaming in protest, his shoulder blades cracking aloud from too long a period hunched over his desk. “Sleeping in a chair all night… not very intelligent,” he grumbled, closing his books and piling them one on top of the other.
    “Langford is going to dissect me. This is just the kind of opportunity he’s been waiting for.”
    He quickly changed his clothes, transforming himself from earl to student physician. The required cravat was coarse, not silk, the black coat simply cut and not nearly as elegant or fashionable as his usual tailor-made attire. The dark breeches were nearly worn out, and the boots remained spattered with dry blood from previous surgeries.
    Devlin raced down the stairs and out the door, yearning for his landlady’s cooking: fresh bread, bacon, and coffee. The aroma made his stomach growl, his mouth water, and conjured tempting images that made him want to ignore his responsibilities this one morning. Oh, for a swallow of hot brewed coffee . He forced the temptation from his mind and focused on what lay ahead.
    Hurrying through the cobblestone streets to the Guardian Gate Hospital, he tore through the front door and then purposely slowed his steps to a respectable pace as he came to the reception area. He glanced at William, the clerk, who