Someone to Watch Over Me Read Online Free PDF Page A

disgruntlement at being monopolized by the fashionable women of the ton instead of being allowed the time he desired to take on more serious cases.
    The two men shook hands briefly. They had a genuine liking for each other, both of them professional men who regularly saw the best and worst that people were capable of.
    “Well, Morgan,” Linley said pleasantly, “this had better be worth dragging me away from a mug of brandied coffee at Tom’s. What is the matter? You seem well enough to me.”
    “I have a guest who requires your attention,” Grant replied, opening the door and showing him into the bedroom. “She was pulled from the Thames about an hour ago. I brought her here, andshe regained consciousness for a period of almost ten minutes. The odd thing is, she claims to have no memory. She couldn’t tell me her own name. Is such a thing possible?”
    Linley’s gray eyes narrowed thoughtfully. “Yes, of course. Memory loss is more common than you think. It’s often caused by aging, or excessive amounts of alcohol—”
    “What about a blow to the head and a near drowning?”
    The doctor’s lips puckered in a silent whistle. “Poor lady,” he murmured. “Yes, I once saw a case of amnesia that was caused by a head injury. The man had been wounded in a shipyard accident—a falling beam struck him on the crown, and he was unconscious for three days. When he awoke, he was beset by extreme confusion. The habits of walking, writing, and reading were easy for him, but he didn’t recognize a single member of his family, and could recall nothing of his past.”
    “Did his memory return?”
    “In five or six months. But I’ve heard of another case in which the memory came back in a matter of days. There’s no way of predicting how long it might take. Or if it will happen at all.” Brushing past Grant, Linley approached the bed and set his doctors case on the chair. As he bent over the sleeping patient, the doctor gave a startled murmur that barely reached Grant’s ears. “Miss Duvall!”
    “You’ve attended her before?”
    Linley nodded, looking troubled. Something about the doctor’s expression alerted Grant to thefact that Vivien’s visit had been for an ailment far more serious than a headache.
    “What for?” Grant asked.
    “You know I can’t divulge that.”
    “She can’t remember anything—it won’t make a damned bit of difference to her if you tell me or not.”
    Linley wasn’t swayed by the argument. “Would you care to leave the room, Morgan, while I examine my patient?”
    Before Grant could reply, Vivien stirred and moaned. She rubbed her eyes, squinting at the doctor’s unfamiliar face. Strangely attuned to her moods, Grant sensed the exact moment she began to panic. He reached the bedside in three strides and took her trembling hand. The strength of his grip seemed to calm her. “Grant,” she croaked, her gaze lifting to his face.
    “The doctor’s here,” he murmured. “I’m going to wait outside the door while he has a look at you. Is that all right?”
    A long moment passed before she gave a tiny nod and released his hand.
    “Good girl.” Grant gently tucked a lock of her hair behind her small ear.
    “You two seem to have become fast friends,” Linley remarked.
    “It’s my way with women,” Grant said. “They can’t resist my charm.”
    Linley’s mouth quirked. “Charm? I’ve never suspected you of having any.”
    They were both surprised to hear Vivien’s feeblescratch of voice join in the conversation. “That’s because…you’re not a woman.”
    Grant stared at her with an unwilling smile. Half dead, she might be, but the instinct to flirt had not left her. And God help him, he was far from immune. “Rallying to my defense, are you?” He reached down to stroke the curve of her cheek with his fingertip. “I’ll have to thank you later.” A slow tide of pink crept over Vivien’s face. Grant didn’t realize his tone was unconsciously seductive until the