party.”
Aye, that she had, from what he’d seen. Suppressing a sigh, Hugh nodded. It didn’t seem he could prolong the lesson. “Well, then, I suppose—”
“I often say the wrong thing!” blurted Lady Caroline.
“Beg pardon?” Hugh leveled her in his stare. “How can ye say the wrong thing?”
“I-I go on about inanities.” She stood and gestured at the geese rippling the water in the reflecting pool as they cut a V across the surface. “Things like the migrating habits of the greylag goose. D-did you know he should have departed more than a month gone? Yet he chose to stay. One of his wings hangs a bit awkward, so I think perhaps he cannot fly.” She shrugged. “Those… sorts of wrong… things.”
Once again, Hugh found himself marveling that she apparently saw so little value in herself, when in reality she was of more worth than all of the peerage put together. Would her intended understand that? Likely not. He smiled against the heaviness in his heart. “I’m afraid I cannot assist you with conversation. The topics I choose are usually more suited to the things one might say to a horse.”
The soft trill of her laughter set tiny fires in his blood. “Perhaps we should practice anyway. I could teach you a bit.”
Hugh studied the ground. To what purpose? He’d never be joining Lady Caroline or her family in the drawing room. Still, if it would help her achieve her dream… And it would prolong their time together. Those torturous hours during which he found he needed to constantly remind himself of the boundaries between commoner and noble. Those glorious moments when she laughed at his silliness or met his eyes and smiled… only for him. Shaking his head, he forced the thoughts from his mind.
“I suppose we shall meet on the morrow then,” he murmured, offering his elbow. “Come, I’ll escort ye to the bend in the path.”
As self-torment went, it wasn’t the worst abuse he’d ever committed.
* * * *
The newest footman held the door and Kitty marched through, sending him a smile. The sense of giddiness that set her blood to thrumming erratically in her veins had proven impossible to restrain.
Some of her merriment collapsed when she bumped full tilt into her father as he exited his study. “There you are. Where have you been?”
Her heart began pounding in her throat for a completely different reason. “Father! How… that is, you were looking for me?”
“I was, actually. Why don’t you join your mother and myself in the drawing room in a half hour.” He gave a crisp nod, turned, and entered his study again, almost as though he’d forgotten which way he’d been going in the first place.
Kitty’s heart sank as she trudged across the foyer and began to descend the staircase. Had they discovered what she’d been up to? Hugh! Surely, her father would punish him if he knew they’d become friends. She paused with her hand on the cool brass side rail. Should she send word? No, she should wait and see what her father was after, she realized, tossing her head. But Hugh must be protected at all costs. He’d done nothing.
Well, next to nothing, whispered her heart. There was that one little thing he did just by breathing. He made her feel things she’d never known a woman could feel. If only—
The door to her rooms was flung open before she touched the latch. Jenny stood on the other side, eyeing her with suspicion. “And where have you been?”
Kitty staggered back a step. Had everyone been searching for her? What if they’d found her?
“I went for a stroll.”
Jenny narrowed her eyes. “Outside? In the cold and damp air?”
“You sound like Mother,” grumbled Kitty, untying her hat and lifting it from her head then setting it on her dressing table. “I like the cool weather. I’m looking forward to when it gets cold enough to ice skate on the reflecting pool.” Her hands faltered at the fasteners on her cloak. Oh, dear! She should have kept that thought to
Aye, that she had, from what he’d seen. Suppressing a sigh, Hugh nodded. It didn’t seem he could prolong the lesson. “Well, then, I suppose—”
“I often say the wrong thing!” blurted Lady Caroline.
“Beg pardon?” Hugh leveled her in his stare. “How can ye say the wrong thing?”
“I-I go on about inanities.” She stood and gestured at the geese rippling the water in the reflecting pool as they cut a V across the surface. “Things like the migrating habits of the greylag goose. D-did you know he should have departed more than a month gone? Yet he chose to stay. One of his wings hangs a bit awkward, so I think perhaps he cannot fly.” She shrugged. “Those… sorts of wrong… things.”
Once again, Hugh found himself marveling that she apparently saw so little value in herself, when in reality she was of more worth than all of the peerage put together. Would her intended understand that? Likely not. He smiled against the heaviness in his heart. “I’m afraid I cannot assist you with conversation. The topics I choose are usually more suited to the things one might say to a horse.”
The soft trill of her laughter set tiny fires in his blood. “Perhaps we should practice anyway. I could teach you a bit.”
Hugh studied the ground. To what purpose? He’d never be joining Lady Caroline or her family in the drawing room. Still, if it would help her achieve her dream… And it would prolong their time together. Those torturous hours during which he found he needed to constantly remind himself of the boundaries between commoner and noble. Those glorious moments when she laughed at his silliness or met his eyes and smiled… only for him. Shaking his head, he forced the thoughts from his mind.
“I suppose we shall meet on the morrow then,” he murmured, offering his elbow. “Come, I’ll escort ye to the bend in the path.”
As self-torment went, it wasn’t the worst abuse he’d ever committed.
* * * *
The newest footman held the door and Kitty marched through, sending him a smile. The sense of giddiness that set her blood to thrumming erratically in her veins had proven impossible to restrain.
Some of her merriment collapsed when she bumped full tilt into her father as he exited his study. “There you are. Where have you been?”
Her heart began pounding in her throat for a completely different reason. “Father! How… that is, you were looking for me?”
“I was, actually. Why don’t you join your mother and myself in the drawing room in a half hour.” He gave a crisp nod, turned, and entered his study again, almost as though he’d forgotten which way he’d been going in the first place.
Kitty’s heart sank as she trudged across the foyer and began to descend the staircase. Had they discovered what she’d been up to? Hugh! Surely, her father would punish him if he knew they’d become friends. She paused with her hand on the cool brass side rail. Should she send word? No, she should wait and see what her father was after, she realized, tossing her head. But Hugh must be protected at all costs. He’d done nothing.
Well, next to nothing, whispered her heart. There was that one little thing he did just by breathing. He made her feel things she’d never known a woman could feel. If only—
The door to her rooms was flung open before she touched the latch. Jenny stood on the other side, eyeing her with suspicion. “And where have you been?”
Kitty staggered back a step. Had everyone been searching for her? What if they’d found her?
“I went for a stroll.”
Jenny narrowed her eyes. “Outside? In the cold and damp air?”
“You sound like Mother,” grumbled Kitty, untying her hat and lifting it from her head then setting it on her dressing table. “I like the cool weather. I’m looking forward to when it gets cold enough to ice skate on the reflecting pool.” Her hands faltered at the fasteners on her cloak. Oh, dear! She should have kept that thought to
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