A Lady's Guide to Skirting Scandal by Kelly Bowen

Author:Kelly Bowen [Bowen, Kelly]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Goodreads: 25873107
Publisher: Forever Yours
Published: 2014-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 5

The tirade started with a threat to lock her in her cabin for the remainder of the voyage.

When Viola had returned from the surgery, leaving Robbie resting peacefully, Bart and the Post had dragged her into their cabin, and she’d been subjected to a lecture regarding the impropriety of her being in Mr. Shaw’s company, in the presence of a half-naked man she did not know, the unacceptable tasks that she had undertaken at Mr. Shaw’s request—namely those involving suturing and blood—her unwillingness to answer to and obey Bart, and last but not least, the unforgivable sin of ruining her blue gown.

How, Bart demanded, was she going to explain to the Earl of Boden the bloodstains across the bodice and skirts of his sister’s gown? Idly, Viola wondered how her brother would ever know, or why he would ever care about a blue dress he would never see.

Because it really didn’t matter.

It was a dress. That could be washed. Or replaced, if necessary. Though with some amazement, she found that she really didn’t care.

What she cared about was what she had done that afternoon. Nate had done the bulk of the work, but he had explained everything that he was doing as he treated Robbie’s hand, trying his best to make sure that man would have use of it once it was healed. He hadn’t treated her like a child or like a delicate creature who could not comprehend what he was speaking of. He encouraged her to ask questions, and gave her detailed answers when she did.

And then, under his careful and steady guidance, he had allowed her to perform the last sutures.

It wasn’t much, but to Viola, that opportunity had been like nothing she had ever experienced. Someone had needed her. Someone had trusted her. Someone had believed in her, given her a purpose, and it was for a far greater cause than anything she had ever imagined. She had helped do something truly important. Something that would make a difference—a real difference—in someone else’s life.

And for now, she was holding on to that tiny kernel of accomplishment, holding it tight within her like a treasured jewel.

“Are you even listening?” Bart demanded, snapping Viola out of her thoughts.

“Of course,” she lied.

“This cannot be allowed to happen again,” the Post chimed in. “It will not happen again.”

“It?” Viola asked distractedly. Really, if they would just say whatever they needed to say and be done with it.

“You weren’t listening,” Bart accused, sniffing loudly.

Viola gazed at her impassively, not bothering to argue the truth.

“I was referring to your overfamiliarity with Mr. Shaw. He is a mere surgeon, my lady. Not someone you should be overfamiliar with unless you are in grave danger of dying.” Her jowls shook in righteous indignation. “He is not good enough for you, my lady.”

“Mr. Shaw is a better man than any I have ever met,” Viola snapped. It was one thing for these two to insult her own person. It was something else entirely for them to turn their disparaging remarks on Nathaniel.

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