A Suitor for the Princess - Chapter 55

       Well, his heart had won over the sane advice of his orderly brain. But he had another problem on his hands too! Martha had confessed to being in love with John. He’d have to find some means of weaning her off John. Now that wouldn’t be easy. He knew enough about the working of the female mind which would resolutely resist any attempts at keeping her away from the love of her life! Probably this was where his profession would help.

       Though he hated to admit that he would go to any length to get Martha, the fact remained that his mind had already settled itself in favor of his unethical decision. He had been lonely for far too long to let Martha, sweet Martha go so easily, without giving the relationship all the means at his disposal. Everything is fair in love and war, he thought gleefully. He waited impatiently for his love to wake up. Easy Benny, easy, he reminded himself. He couldn’t afford to frighten her away by professing his love for her so soon. Right then, she’d only think that he was trying to take advantage of her vulnerability. So he’d not tell her that he loved her. First things first! First he’d cure her then he’d woo her.

         When he tapped lightly on her door at 8 a.m. after restlessly waiting for her to wake up and emerge from her room, he was very happy. Only a few hours of being under the same roof with her had made him a lover-boy! He had forgotten that he was nearly 50. He could’ve easily been 18! So this was the stuff that made up love. Till now he had only read about it and fantasized about it in private. He had advised his lovelorn patients with sagacity. His intuitiveness had given him an edge then, but whom could he turn to now? He had only himself to rely on. He could only hope that he was doing the right thing. He also knew that one small mistake could run his entire career. He had to be very, very careful. He decided that he wouldn’t give even the tiniest inkling to Martha about his love for her.

        But he immediately felt his resolve flying out of the nearest window when he saw Martha who absent-mindedly opened the door, clad only in sexy black undergarments, covering a yawn on her beautiful mouth. As he gawked at her awkwardly, Martha realized her faux pas and quickly shut the door on his face. Her heart was thudding and she could feel the blood creeping up from her neck and covering her entire face in a deep flush. To say that she was embarrassed would’ve been the understatement of the year!

        She was nearly nude and had rudely closed the door right on her host’s face. He who was also her Doctor! How could she ever face him again? She cringed and rushed into the bathroom in a flood of tears. What was wrong with her? Couldn’t she have dressed up before opening that stupid door? But even as she berated herself, she realized that she was still half in her sleep and couldn’t have been blamed for her faux pas. But still, how would she face Dr. Benedict Hussey? After a quick shower, she dressed in her clothes again, skipped her make-up, brushed her hair and closed her eyes tightly; asking God to forgive her and give her courage to face the Doctor who was probably laughing at her right then!

      Anxiously, she emerged from her safe haven and walked reluctantly to the living room. A welcome sight greeted her eyes. A breakfast fit for a King sat on the large centre table. The Doctor was reading that day’s newspaper. He wished her “Good Morning Martha” without taking his eyes off the newspaper. Martha knew that he was probably as embarrassed as her. “I’m sorry Doctor,” she apologized, feeling foolish. What was she apologizing for? Opening the door in a state of undress? If it would’ve been the scene of a movie, she’d have laughed her guts out. But here the joke was on her and it wasn’t one bit funny!

       “Have your breakfast Martha. I was feeling hungry, so ate mine early. I’m sorry I couldn’t wait for you. But you see, I have to be in the clinic by 9.30 a.m. My clients will be waiting for me.” He said all this without glancing up from his refuge, the newspaper. His heart still thudded violently at the thought of that mind-blowing picture that Martha had presented when she had unwittingly opened her room’s door. Come hither dear, her pose had suggested.

      Yes, he knew that his feverish mind was working overtime, but he just couldn’t help reviewing that delicious scene again and again in his mind’s eye. Hence he couldn’t face Martha at all. Not so soon in any case. That made two of their kind. Martha was grateful for his help. Even she was reluctant to face him. She silently buttered her scones and started munching them. She kept eating till he muttered that he was leaving for his clinic. Without looking at her, he escaped from the house telling her loudly with his back turned, “Please could you drop the key at my neighbor’s? See you then. You may go home if you feel better.”

      She almost suppressed a giggle. She was the one who should’ve been awkward, but she had made him awkward too. Gosh, how would they ever face each other again! Her cheeks felt hot at that memory. She groaned and finished her huge breakfast. With dismay she realized that she hadn’t even thanked the kind Doctor for all his help and that lip-smacking breakfast. Had he prepared it himself or did he have outside help? she couldn’t help wondering.

     She decided to skip visiting him again and head for the safety of her cozy cottage where she could gather her thoughts again. She handed her keys to the Doctor’s neighbor who just arched her eyebrows on seeing her, wondering who that gorgeous lady was, whom the Doctor had got home for the night and grinned meaningfully, much to Martha’s embarrassment. “Thanks,” Martha muttered and fled. She stopped the car next to her cottage, two hours later and realized that all along the way, she had been replaying that morning’s ‘scene out of a movie’. She had driven like a zombie. Thank God, she had safely landed outside her home and not somewhere else! 

To be continued.... 

The copyright of this novel is with Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.

A Suitor for the Princess - Chapter 54

        She looked as fragile as bone-china and was undoubtedly even more precious! Wisely he maintained a carefully cultivated demeanor and brushed off her thanks with a slight shrug. He was saved from commenting on her statement by the arrival of the dessert. He watched as her eyes lit up on seeing the butterscotch ice-cream liberally covered with nuts and raisins. She was just like a cute doll.

        Now he knew the reason for her being plump! She was obviously a woman who adored her food and had a healthy appetite, unlike all those anorexic ladies who starved themselves in the name of fashion. He had quite a few of those types visiting his clinic with severe body-image issues and extremely low self-worth. Martha was blessed to have a normal appetite and healthy outlook towards her life. He admired her for being so comfortable with her appearance. In fact, it made her stand out in the crowd. She had poise and elegance, both of which, he admired in a lady. She was an acclaimed writer too. She could have had the world at her feet, if it wasn’t for her current ailment. The thought made him slightly uneasy. But that was his responsibility now. He had to ensure that she became well soon. He would do everything in his power to do just that!

         They talked about things in general, even as Martha had a vague feeling that he was deliberately keeping the conversation light. She played along and said finally that she had had a wonderful time. “Thank you so much Doctor. The treat will be on me the next time,” she said as he paid the bill. He surprised her by softly saying, “Now that we aren’t in the clinic, could you please call me Benedict?” Seeing her look of disbelief, he added, “I’ll soon forget my name if everyone addresses me only as Doctor, for the rest of my life!” “But,” she protested. He stopped her by requesting, “Please Martha. I’ll feel better.” She didn’t say anything but he felt as if she was making up her mind to do as he requested.

        Hesitantly she asked, “Benedict is too long a name. Can I call you Benny?” Astonished, yet pleased, he immediately agreed. Though he wouldn’t have allowed anyone in the world to call him Benny that was dangerously close to Bunny, he made an exception for Martha. This woman never failed to surprise him. He made her promise to call him Benny only outside the clinic. He couldn’t risk all his patients referring to him so familiarly. He always kept a distance between his patients and himself. But Martha was a special one!

        They both went to his house. The apartment was a spacious one on the fourth floor of the building. The floor was cool white marble and the walls were decorated with expensive paintings of renowned painters. She recognized a Dali and a Rembrandt, even one by an Indian painter, M.F.Hussain! She was charmed by the manner in which the curios were placed around the house, without making the house look cluttered, as he proudly led her on a house-tour. He was obviously proud of his house. He informed her that he had decorated the entire house himself, after a lot of planning and research. Well, she wasn’t surprised. He had an eye for detail. He was meticulous and tidy. His methodical nature had stood him in good stead here.

       She could almost imagine him picking up artifacts and placing them at vantage points in the rooms after careful deliberation. Not a thing looked out of place or over the top! She was ridiculously pleased as she compared his tidiness with her own. She had yet to come across such an orderly male abode. Not that she had seen many! She couldn’t remember Norman’s house where she had reportedly stayed with him for a while. As she felt unsettling thoughts crowding in her mind, she firmly pushed them away.

      Benny led her to her room for the night, the guest-room. She was pleased as she had mentally noted its pleasant décor on her house visit and secretly hoped that it would be hers for that night. As he turned to go, she realized with horror that she didn’t have anything to change into, for the night. She didn’t want to sleep in her tightly fitting skirt and she couldn’t bring herself to ask the Doctor for night-clothes. She decided to undress and sleep in her inner wear after she closed the door. She hadn’t ever done that but everything had a first time in life, didn’t it?

     As they said “Good night” to each other, she felt strange that she should feel so comfortable in an alien house. She almost didn’t miss her cottage!

        Dr. Hussey jumped from his sleep when he heard moans coming from the next room where his guest was sleeping. He didn’t want to disturb her as he realized that she was having nightmares, but when the soft moans turned into louder ones he decided to get up and investigate. He tapped on her door lightly then urgently, as he got no response. He wondered what to do. He had the keys to the room but considered it inappropriate to barge into a lady’s room. He hovered near her door for a long time and then went back after silence prevailed in the room. His patient had evidently drifted off to sleep. He realized that the word ‘patient’ had replaced the word ‘guest’ in his mind and realized the reason. All was not well with Martha.

      He kept pacing his room for a long time as sleep eluded him. He was racking his brains for a solution to Martha’s dilemma. Towards dawn, he hit upon a plausible one and decided to try it as soon as he could. He was desperate for his patient to get well soon. Only then could he think about his next course of action. He didn’t want to admit even to himself that that would be proposing to her! He was hopelessly in love with her. He had succeeded in doing the unthinkable! He had fallen head over heels in love with a patient. That had been absolutely taboo for all his professional life. Why then, was he making an exception now?

To be continued.... 

The copyright of this novel is with Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.