Courting Constance (Fountain of Love) by Kirsten Osbourne Page A
Authors: Kirsten Osbourne
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“Do you need help down from there?”
Lily looked around her. She climbed this tree all the time. She didn’t need help. But he looked so strong, and willing. Maybe she should let him help her down. Her nanny was always telling her that gentlemen liked ladies who were helpless. “Yes, please.”
She scooted across the branch to the trunk, and wrapped her arms around it like usual. She put her foot on the knot and scurried down. She was beside him before she remembered she was supposed to let him help her.
She gave him a perplexed look. “I’m sorry. I forgot to let you help. I can climb it again, so you can help me down!”
He laughed. “Nahh. It looks like you’ve got it figured out.” He started walking deeper into the woods. “How come you’re not up in the nursery? Are you supposed to be out here?”
She shook her head. “Papa would be very disappointed in me if he knew I was here. He thinks ladies should practice embroidery and always look perfect.” She looked down at her bare feet. “And always wear shoes.”
“Well, I don’t think you’re any less a lady than you would be with shoes on,” he said courteously.
“Thank you!” She knew then she loved him. She wanted to marry him. Of course, she’d have to wait until she was older. Wait, could she marry a man whose name she didn’t know? How could she tell Papa which man she wanted? “You never told me your name.”
“Christopher. My brothers call me Kit.” He liked the nickname, but his father wouldn’t use it. Of course, Father wasn’t very interested in him anyway. His oldest brother, Jack, was the heir. His brother Harold was the spare. He was the spare’s spare, and no one needed a spare for their spare.
“May I call you Kit?”
“I’d like that.” She was a funny little thing. She spoke as if she were already grown. Her red hair was braided and hung down her back. Her eyes were what really enchanted him, though. They were the same shade of green as the leaves.
“How many brothers do you have? I have two. They’re at Eton now.” She jabbered on as they walked.
“Two. The oldest, Jack, is at Cambridge. My other brother, Hal, is at Eton. I go to Eton next year,” he added importantly.
“I don’t get to go away to school. I hate being a girl sometimes.” She kicked a rock out of her way as they wandered along.
He caught her arm. “You’d look awful funny in that dress if you were a boy,” he told her. When she grinned up at him, he knew it had been the right thing to say. “We’d better turn around and go back. My father won’t like it if he can’t find me when it’s time to go.”
“I’m glad I met you.” Was that a good way to tell him to come back when she was old enough to get married?
They walked silently for a while. Finally the house was within sight through the trees. “I have to go find my shoes and sneak back to the nursery before Nanny wakes up from her nap.”
He grinned. “Is that how you got out?”
“That’s how I get out every day.” She held out her hand. “It was a pleasure meeting you.” The words had been pounded into her head so many times she could never forget to say them.
He bowed over her hand, kissing her knuckles. “I hope to see you again, my lady.”
She giggled softly. “I hope so too, Kit.” She turned and ran in the direction of the servant’s entrance. It was the only way to get in without being noticed. She sat on the floor and pulled her shoes on, running up the stairs.
She was sitting on her bed, playing with a porcelain doll she’d gotten for her birthday when Nanny woke up to check on her. Nanny didn’t mention the dirt on her dress as she changed her. Just as she knew that Lily wouldn’t mention her nap to her father.
Chapter One
June 1811
Lily sat through the long process of having her hair fixed just right.
Lily looked around her. She climbed this tree all the time. She didn’t need help. But he looked so strong, and willing. Maybe she should let him help her down. Her nanny was always telling her that gentlemen liked ladies who were helpless. “Yes, please.”
She scooted across the branch to the trunk, and wrapped her arms around it like usual. She put her foot on the knot and scurried down. She was beside him before she remembered she was supposed to let him help her.
She gave him a perplexed look. “I’m sorry. I forgot to let you help. I can climb it again, so you can help me down!”
He laughed. “Nahh. It looks like you’ve got it figured out.” He started walking deeper into the woods. “How come you’re not up in the nursery? Are you supposed to be out here?”
She shook her head. “Papa would be very disappointed in me if he knew I was here. He thinks ladies should practice embroidery and always look perfect.” She looked down at her bare feet. “And always wear shoes.”
“Well, I don’t think you’re any less a lady than you would be with shoes on,” he said courteously.
“Thank you!” She knew then she loved him. She wanted to marry him. Of course, she’d have to wait until she was older. Wait, could she marry a man whose name she didn’t know? How could she tell Papa which man she wanted? “You never told me your name.”
“Christopher. My brothers call me Kit.” He liked the nickname, but his father wouldn’t use it. Of course, Father wasn’t very interested in him anyway. His oldest brother, Jack, was the heir. His brother Harold was the spare. He was the spare’s spare, and no one needed a spare for their spare.
“May I call you Kit?”
“I’d like that.” She was a funny little thing. She spoke as if she were already grown. Her red hair was braided and hung down her back. Her eyes were what really enchanted him, though. They were the same shade of green as the leaves.
“How many brothers do you have? I have two. They’re at Eton now.” She jabbered on as they walked.
“Two. The oldest, Jack, is at Cambridge. My other brother, Hal, is at Eton. I go to Eton next year,” he added importantly.
“I don’t get to go away to school. I hate being a girl sometimes.” She kicked a rock out of her way as they wandered along.
He caught her arm. “You’d look awful funny in that dress if you were a boy,” he told her. When she grinned up at him, he knew it had been the right thing to say. “We’d better turn around and go back. My father won’t like it if he can’t find me when it’s time to go.”
“I’m glad I met you.” Was that a good way to tell him to come back when she was old enough to get married?
They walked silently for a while. Finally the house was within sight through the trees. “I have to go find my shoes and sneak back to the nursery before Nanny wakes up from her nap.”
He grinned. “Is that how you got out?”
“That’s how I get out every day.” She held out her hand. “It was a pleasure meeting you.” The words had been pounded into her head so many times she could never forget to say them.
He bowed over her hand, kissing her knuckles. “I hope to see you again, my lady.”
She giggled softly. “I hope so too, Kit.” She turned and ran in the direction of the servant’s entrance. It was the only way to get in without being noticed. She sat on the floor and pulled her shoes on, running up the stairs.
She was sitting on her bed, playing with a porcelain doll she’d gotten for her birthday when Nanny woke up to check on her. Nanny didn’t mention the dirt on her dress as she changed her. Just as she knew that Lily wouldn’t mention her nap to her father.
Chapter One
June 1811
Lily sat through the long process of having her hair fixed just right.
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