Lord Merton quickly placed a stool covered by an embroidered cushion next to his mother. Dotty, Louisa, and Charlotte, took places on the floor in front of her ladyship. Merton sat in a chair near his mother.
Dotty opened the sack, expecting the animals to crawl out on their own. Instead, the first one gazed up at her with round yellow eyes. She reached in and, one by one, pulled out four small gray cats.
“Oh, aren’t they beautiful!” Charlotte reached for one and handed Louisa another.
Lady Merton motioned for a kitten to be given to her as well. It chirped. “My, my, how unusual. Ladies, I believe you have rescued a litter of Chartreux. See their yellow eyes, and feel how thick and soft the fur is? When I was a girl, we visited cousins in France. The daughter had a cat like this. It followed her everywhere.” She addressed the kitten. “I do not know how you ended up here, but I suspect you have quite the pedigree.”
Dotty glanced at Merton who warily watched one of the kittens scramble over his boot. “I thought they could make their living in the kitchen and storage rooms.”
Lady Merton placed the kitten on the floor next to the bowl of cream that had arrived. “Hmm, they are known to be great hunters. However they also bond with one person, much like a dog does.”
“I’m going to ask Grace if I can have one.” Charlotte held the kitten close to her.
“I shall as well,” Louisa said. “Dotty, it is too bad you made that promise to your papa not to bring animals to Stanwood House.”
“Yes.” She would have loved to have a kitten. “But one must keep one’s word.”
Charlotte and Louisa rose, each holding a kitten. “We will see you back at Stanwood House,” Charlotte said.
Lady Merton smiled kindly. “Miss Stern, you may visit the remaining two anytime you wish. Simply send a note around.”
“Thank you, my lady.” It was a lovely offer, but Dotty knew her ladyship was just being kind. She glanced at Merton whose brow was furrowed as he watched the cats eat the bits of meat. Did he regret his decision?
When he stood, his face was a mask. “We must not keep the horses standing. Miss Stern, I shall take you home now.”
“Yes, of course.” Dotty took the hand he held out and rose. Once she was back in his curricle, she settled her skirts. “I’m sorry if I caused you a problem.”
He glanced at her, the mask was gone, and his eyes twinkled with humor. “It’s no difficulty for me at all. My mother and staff will care for the remaining animals.”
“Of course.” How silly of her to thinkhewould actually take care of them. Yet, what had made him appear so pensive?
One of the footmen held the door open as she entered the hall. Childish screeches of delight emanated from the back of the house, then a command for them to be quiet stopped the noise. After giving her hat, parasol, and gloves to the footman, she strolled to the morning room and stood next to the wall. All the children were present as well as their governess and tutor. Daisy, the younger Great Dane, was stretched out on the floor gently nosing one kitten.
Charlotte held the other one up to Grace. “Isn’t she precious?”
Grace took the kitten. “She is. We have never had house cats before; I suppose it’s time.”
“I knew you would say yes.” Charlotte clapped her hands.
Dotty gave a small sigh of relief. She had managed to rescue the kittens and keep her promise to her father.
Stroking the small bundle of fur, Grace grinned. “Where did you find them?”
“Dotty and Merton saved them from being killed.”
“Merton?” Matt strode to Grace. “That’s hard to believe.”
“I know, but it’s true.” Louisa took her kitten from Daisy and gave it to Mary, at age five, the youngest of Grace’s sisters. “Be gentle with her.” Mary nodded. Louisa glanced at Matt. “Dotty saw some boys with a sack, and Merton made them give her the cats. We brought home two, he and his mother kept the other two.”
“Harrumph.” Matt rubbed his chin. “He may have been helpful today, but a man doesn’t change overnight.” He glanced at Dotty, but Grace laid her hand on his arm and shook her head.
As much as she was beginning to like Merton, she knew that he must have done more than lord it over Matt for him to dislike his cousin so much. Maybe Grace would tell Dotty the whole story.
* * *
After Dom had returned from taking Miss Stern to Stanwood House, he made his way to his study, across the corridor from the morning room. As he was about to close the door, a gray streak flew by him, stopped, and stared up with wide eyes.
“What are you doing here?”
