‘It’s past eight o’clock.’ He brushed his fingertips gently across her cheek. ‘I have appointments this morning.’
‘Of course.’ She was already reaching to pull on her nightrobe. ‘You lead a busy life.’ She smiled up at him. ‘You had better make haste, I think.’
His practical, adorable Miss Summerby. He sat on the bed beside her and said, ‘Kate. Last night, you told me you weredetermined to live your life independently, with no dreams of a fairytale romance.’
‘I did.’ Her voice was steady.
‘You also told me that you didn’t want the magic to end, not just yet. So listen, I have a proposition for you. We are enjoying each other’s company, aren’t we?’
Briefly she laid her head against his shoulder then looked up at him with sparkling eyes. ‘Whatever gives you that impression, Lord Rivington?’
My heart,he wanted to say. Instead, he laughed and kissed her forehead. ‘Kate. This is what I want to say. Shall we defy the gossips and continue to see one another?’
For a moment she didn’t speak and he could hardly bear it. But then she smiled that gorgeous smile of hers and said, ‘Yes. I would enjoy that, very much.’
After leaving her he walked back through the woods, where the grassy path still sparkled with morning dew and the birds were singing their hearts out. Later, after he’d had breakfast and dealt with some of his business mail, he went down to the town to meet friends and discuss the forthcoming Brighton races, but no one seemed very interested in the races. Instead, the news was everywhere that last night he had left the Prince’s party early, with Kate.
People were careful what they said, of course. Most contented themselves with remarks such as, ‘Miss Summerby is remarkably pretty. Have you known her long, Rivington?’
‘Our properties border one another,’ was his usual bland reply. ‘So we meet from time to time, and doubtless will do so again.’
But he guessed they could hear the lies in his words.
For the rest of the day, he remembered the tenderness in Kate’s eyes and her steadfast belief in him. He felt as if hehad been entrusted with something—someone—who was truly precious, and he was afraid he was not worthy of that trust.
In the afternoon, Harriet returned from Tilly and Joseph’s cottage with the good news that the couple’s small grandchildren were well on the way to recovery after their minor illness. ‘But Kate!’ she cried. ‘I was forgetting. You have to tell me all about the Prince’s party. Was the Pavilion very grand?’
‘Unbelievably so.’ Kate began to describe the ornate rooms and Harriet frowned.
‘It sounds extremely odd.’ Then she peered at Kate more closely. ‘What about the Earl? Did you enjoy his company?’
‘Yes, of course. He was extremely polite.’
Harriet looked disappointed. ‘That doesn’t sound very romantic.’
‘The evening wasn’t meant to be romantic,’ said Kate, adjusting her spectacles as she pretended to be absorbed in a copy ofThe Brighton Herald.
‘But will you be seeing him again?’
Kate put the newssheet aside. ‘Harriet! How many questions are you going to ask? Yes, it’s possible I’ll see him again. But I have no idea where or when.’
She soon found out though, because a sealed message arrived from the Earl the very next day.
Miss Summerby
I am hoping you will be free to accompany me to the Brighton races in three days’ time. Unless I hear from you to the contrary, I shall collect you in my carriage at two o’clock.
Harriet was watching, so Kate had to tell her what it said and Harriet clapped her hands in glee. ‘The races! Everyone will be there. How exciting!’
‘It will be enjoyable indeed, if this fine weather holds.’
She locked the letter away in the bureau. An enjoyable afternoon? Maybe. But her heart was beating fast, because she was daring to hope that maybe, just maybe, dreams could come true after all.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
On the day of the Brighton races, Kate scoured her wardrobe for something summery while Harriet fussed and fluttered over the clothes already laid out on the bed. ‘His Lordship will be here soon, Kate. Please make up your mind!’
What did people wear to the races? Kate had no idea, but in the end, she put on a yellow muslin gown and blue pelisse, then added a straw sun bonnet and a pair of dainty lace gloves. Before she went downstairs she took one last look around her bedchamber, remembering Dan’s lovemaking three nights ago and his words to her just before he left.We are enjoying each other’s company, aren’t we?
