Now I'm
offended," he muttered.
Katherine just laughed at him.
The Duke of Sommesby had never spent such a day in his life, and didn't
quite know what to make of what had transpired. On rare occasions he had been
induced to take one or other of his mistresses picnicking, but even with the
complete license they granted him, he had not felt what he had experienced by
sharing one afternoon, and one kiss, with Katherine Ralston. Just when he thought
he was winning the battle she changed the rules, and he had no idea what to do
with her.
Over the past few weeks it had finally begun to occur to him that
perhaps his own reputation did matter, and not simply for his own sake. If he
saw Katherine again it would begin to reflect on her. And he did want to see
her again, with an urge so strong he felt powerless to resist. His mind and his
heart had begun behaving like two different entities, leaving him dazed and
befuddled with so many conflicting emotions he was halfway to believing he had
gone mad and might as well sit back and enjoy the ride.
He stopped the phaeton outside Hampton House and came around to hand
Katherine down. With a word to Jack to keep the horses standing, he followed
her to the door. As though sensing their presence, Rawlins swung the door open,
but Kate stopped on the top step. "I wanted to thank you," she
murmured, and touched his sleeve. "I had a splendid time."
He took her hand and raised it to his lips. "As did I," he
answered with what was likely a rather addlepated smile.
She looked up at him for a long moment, her blue eyes twinkling, and
then stepped inside. With a deep sigh and a silent curse at all diligent
grooms, he followed. He watched her go upstairs, then found Neville in his
office.
"Nick." the baron said in acknowledgment, but the duke thought
the greeting sounded cool.
He could guess why, and he had his own reasons for being annoyed with
Clarey in return. "Neville," he replied, shutting the office door and
taking a seat.
"Did you have a pleasant time?" Nicholas nodded. "Yes.
Thank you."
The baron stood, walked around the office, then sat down again.
"She's like a daughter to me, you know," he burst out.
"I know," Nicholas answered, making what he deemed an admirable
effort at keeping his temper. "I'm glad she had somewhere to go when she
left Crestley."
Clarey started and looked up at him. "Nick―" Sommesby
stood. "I don't know what's going on," he said with a growl,
"but consider me out of it." He turned for the door.
"Sommesby, it's not what you think. I would never hurt Kate."
Nicholas stopped with his hand on the door. "Then why am I buying
her estate out from under her? She has no idea, Neville."
"I know. It's her damned uncle. The man's never done an honest
day's work in his life, but he was named Kate's guardian. The first thing the
bastard did was to send Kate here, then put Crestley up for sale as soon as she
was out the door." Neville looked at him. "Or so I assume."
Somewhat reassured by the baron's obvious indignation, Nicholas released
the door handle and turned around. "You're right. It came on the
market."
"You see now why I couldn't become involved, why I needed―"
"A rakehell with a bad enough reputation that Kate's uncle would
believe I would willingly cheat her out of her inheritance?" He shook his
head, trying to curb his anger at himself, Neville, and, mostly, Kate's dear uncle.
"Some things are too dastardly even for me."
"Nick, I don't know what else to do. Simon Ralston would bum
Crestley to the ground before he'd walk away from it."
Nicholas closed his eyes for a moment, then jabbed a finger at the
baron. "You tell Katherine about this. She loves Crestley. She deserves to
know." Besides, he thought, she'd likely kill him if she suspected he was
hiding something from her; also, although he thrived on upsetting and
annoying people, hurting her was the last thing he wanted to do.
"I'll tell her."
"All right." He nodded and took a deep
offended," he muttered.
Katherine just laughed at him.
The Duke of Sommesby had never spent such a day in his life, and didn't
quite know what to make of what had transpired. On rare occasions he had been
induced to take one or other of his mistresses picnicking, but even with the
complete license they granted him, he had not felt what he had experienced by
sharing one afternoon, and one kiss, with Katherine Ralston. Just when he thought
he was winning the battle she changed the rules, and he had no idea what to do
with her.
Over the past few weeks it had finally begun to occur to him that
perhaps his own reputation did matter, and not simply for his own sake. If he
saw Katherine again it would begin to reflect on her. And he did want to see
her again, with an urge so strong he felt powerless to resist. His mind and his
heart had begun behaving like two different entities, leaving him dazed and
befuddled with so many conflicting emotions he was halfway to believing he had
gone mad and might as well sit back and enjoy the ride.
He stopped the phaeton outside Hampton House and came around to hand
Katherine down. With a word to Jack to keep the horses standing, he followed
her to the door. As though sensing their presence, Rawlins swung the door open,
but Kate stopped on the top step. "I wanted to thank you," she
murmured, and touched his sleeve. "I had a splendid time."
He took her hand and raised it to his lips. "As did I," he
answered with what was likely a rather addlepated smile.
She looked up at him for a long moment, her blue eyes twinkling, and
then stepped inside. With a deep sigh and a silent curse at all diligent
grooms, he followed. He watched her go upstairs, then found Neville in his
office.
"Nick." the baron said in acknowledgment, but the duke thought
the greeting sounded cool.
He could guess why, and he had his own reasons for being annoyed with
Clarey in return. "Neville," he replied, shutting the office door and
taking a seat.
"Did you have a pleasant time?" Nicholas nodded. "Yes.
Thank you."
The baron stood, walked around the office, then sat down again.
"She's like a daughter to me, you know," he burst out.
"I know," Nicholas answered, making what he deemed an admirable
effort at keeping his temper. "I'm glad she had somewhere to go when she
left Crestley."
Clarey started and looked up at him. "Nick―" Sommesby
stood. "I don't know what's going on," he said with a growl,
"but consider me out of it." He turned for the door.
"Sommesby, it's not what you think. I would never hurt Kate."
Nicholas stopped with his hand on the door. "Then why am I buying
her estate out from under her? She has no idea, Neville."
"I know. It's her damned uncle. The man's never done an honest
day's work in his life, but he was named Kate's guardian. The first thing the
bastard did was to send Kate here, then put Crestley up for sale as soon as she
was out the door." Neville looked at him. "Or so I assume."
Somewhat reassured by the baron's obvious indignation, Nicholas released
the door handle and turned around. "You're right. It came on the
market."
"You see now why I couldn't become involved, why I needed―"
"A rakehell with a bad enough reputation that Kate's uncle would
believe I would willingly cheat her out of her inheritance?" He shook his
head, trying to curb his anger at himself, Neville, and, mostly, Kate's dear uncle.
"Some things are too dastardly even for me."
"Nick, I don't know what else to do. Simon Ralston would bum
Crestley to the ground before he'd walk away from it."
Nicholas closed his eyes for a moment, then jabbed a finger at the
baron. "You tell Katherine about this. She loves Crestley. She deserves to
know." Besides, he thought, she'd likely kill him if she suspected he was
hiding something from her; also, although he thrived on upsetting and
annoying people, hurting her was the last thing he wanted to do.
"I'll tell her."
"All right." He nodded and took a deep
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