Page 27 of A Daring Desire

“I don’t know why you want to be here at all. I never have,” he snapped, folding his arms. “Did you do it to repay your father for some slight? Did you not get a pony for your birthday? Or were you forbidden some treat that you desperately wanted?”

Cat laughed at the idea. “You don’t believe that, and you know very well I’ve been indulged and cosseted all my life.”

“Not by me,” he retorted.

“No,” she agreed. “But you never loved me, so I did not expect you to.”

He shot a glance at her, curiosity in his eyes. “What did you expect?”

She shrugged, aware she was treading on eggshells and choosing her words with care. “I don’t know exactly, but… I suppose I just wanted to be your friend, at least that anyway. You seemed to me to be badly in need of one. I always wondered if anyone had ever been on your side, had stood up for you instead of blaming you. I wanted the chance to do that.”

He stared at her, incomprehension writ large upon his face. “Why?” he demanded.

Cat reached out and laid her hand against his cheek. “Because I liked you, because I sensed a kindred spirit, and because I didn’t want you to be alone anymore.”

He closed his eyes, an expression close to pain flickering over his hard features, but then he pushed her hand away.

“I’m tired,” he said, turning his face from her.

“Yes,” she said softly. “I can see that. Get some rest, my lord. I have some errands to run this afternoon, but I shall come back after dinner.”

“There’s no need.”

“I know, but I would like to.”

Cat got to her feet, staring down at the unhappy figure on the bed, and her heart went out to him. She was so certain he needed her, he just did not know how to allow her to care for him. Patience, she told herself, and left him alone to sleep.

Kilbane woke later in the afternoon to find his valet peering down at him and jolted to discover himself being so closely scrutinised. “Ah, awake, are you?”

“Well, I am now,” Kilbane muttered. “What do you want?”

“Nothing, only there’s some young woman downstairs wishful to see you. A Lady Adolphus. Reckons she’s your sister.” Jones’ sandy eyebrows rose, as if he was uncertain whether to believe this information.

“That’s because she is my sister, you dolt.”

“Well, how am I supposed to keep up with them all, I ask you? How many does that make now?”

“Never you mind, you impertinent jackanapes. Send her up.”

“That I shall, but not until your hair is brushed. You look like you slept in a bush, and that I cannot have. I’ve my pride to think of.”

Wielding a hairbrush, he stepped closer and began rearranging Kilbane’s thick dark hair until his lordship lost all patience.

“Damn your pride! Stop fussing over me, man. Get my sister!”

“Very good, my lord. Will there be anything else?”

Kilbane considered this. “You’d best offer her tea.”

Jones nodded and went out, and a few moments later, Lady Agatha Adolphus entered the room. She thanked Mr Jones and moved to stand beside Kilbane’s bed.

“Well,” she said frankly, wrinkling her nose as she looked him over. “You look awful.”

He almost laughed but stamped on the urge. “Thank you so much. Is that all you’ve come to say?”

An uneasy sensation stirring in his gut as he remembered how much he owed this woman.

She gave an amused snort and sat down. “Lord, no. Though when I asked you to come back to England, I didn’t expect you to kill yourself doing it.”