Page 65 of A Daring Desire

Cat nodded. “Yes, that’s right.”

He frowned, staring down into his coffee. “If you’re going that way, will you not visit your parents?”

Cat shrugged. “I don’t know. Perhaps. I’m not sure I’m ready to see my father again just yet. It might be politic to wait a bit longer.”

“Like a decade?” he suggested wryly.

She pulled a face at him and raised a piece of the crumpet in his direction. “You haven’t eaten anything.”

“I never eat breakfast,” he replied, eyeing the morsel with amusement.

“To please me,” she said, smiling.

He sighed and leaned towards her, taking the piece of crumpet from her fingers with his teeth. Cat’s breath hitched as she watched him chew and swallow and saw his eyes glint with a devilish light. He caught her wrist and drew each butter-slick finger into his mouth, sucking gently until they were clean. Everything feminine in her quivered, and a blush rose to her cheeks. Cat darted a look around, but either her footmen were busy arranging the chaffing dishes on the buffet and occupied with ensuring the water was hot in the urn, or they were well trained enough to appear as though they were. Her husband chuckled and returned to sipping his coffee.

“Will you stay overnight?” he asked, with every appearance of nonchalance, though she thought there was a regretful note in his voice.

“I’d rather come home to you,” she said, reaching for his hand.

He took it, twining their fingers together. “It’s a long day for you.”

“Not so long if I take the train. You could come with me.”

He considered this, but seemed as though he would refuse, albeit with regret, when his eye fell upon the letters. Cat had left the one addressed to him on top and sipped her tea as he reached for it. He inspected the sender’s address, frowned, and tucked the letter into his coat pocket.

“Anything interesting?” she asked him, watching his face.

“I doubt it,” he replied, adding suddenly. “I will come with you. I don’t dare let you loose upon the populace of Sussex without someone to supervise you. Anything could happen.”

She pulled a face at him, making him laugh. “I shan’t take you up for such an unhandsome comment, for I am too glad of your company.”

“Yes, well, you may visit your friends alone. I doubt the good reverend will be pleased to receive me, and I have some business to attend to.”

“I’m sure Harry would not be so unchristian. Besides, wouldn’t you like to visit Pirate?” she said, knowing how fond he had been of the big black horse he had returned to Harry’s care.

Regret flickered in his eyes, but he shrugged. “Another time.”

“Very well,” she said easily. “I had better make haste, then. I believe the train to Headcorn leaves at ten.”

Popping the last piece of crumpet into her mouth, she blew him a kiss and hurried from the room.

Kilbane waited until his wife had gone and reached for the letter, breaking the seal and reading the contents. Muttering a curse, he scanned the short note and folded it up, tucking it away. He would have to visit Louisa. Of course, he ought to have done before he’d gone to France, but he hadn’t wanted to go. He still didn’t. She was a reminder of days he wished to forget and visiting her always left him in low spirits. It couldn’t be helped though. He knew, of course, what it was she held in her possession. It occurred to him to wonder if she meant to blackmail him, but he set that aside. In the first place, if she meant to do so, she would have said in the letter. Louisa was never one for beating about the bush. In the second, she would not do that to him.

Irritated that what might have been a pleasant day was already spoiled, he went to ready himself to go out.

Cat enjoyed the journey to Holbrook. Sharing such a simple, everyday activity with the man who had been absent from her life for so long was a pleasure she did not take for granted. Yet he was preoccupied. It was not immediately apparent, for he too seemed to enjoy travelling in her company and was solicitous of her comfort, taking pains to ensure she was not jostled on the crowded platform and laughing at her jokes when she tried to entertain him. But there was a shadow in his eyes, a reserve that she had thought she’d banished over the past days.

Though she counselled herself to keep her nose from his affairs, she could not help but wonder who the woman was who had written to him. Was she a mistress he had abandoned when he’d left England? If that was the case, it would be natural for him to want to visit her, perhaps to tie up any loose ends. Another less charitable voice suggested he might not wish to tie up loose ends but to take up where he’d left off, but she silenced it. She had given him her trust, she had told him she held nothing against him for things that had happened before he’d returned to England, but she did not think she could forgive him if he betrayed her now.

She believed he understood that, and he had told her she made him happy. Cat did not take such words lightly. She knew happiness was something he’d had little of in his life, and she did not believe he would risk it to take a mistress. The days and nights they had just shared together had been wonderful, special, and she felt certain it had been the same for him. He had felt it too, how right they were together. No. He would not betray her, but she wished he would confide in her all the same.

When they got to Headcorn, Ciarán hired a post chaise to take her to the vicarage and a hack for himself. As they waited for the postilion to bring the carriage around, he turned to her, tucking her cloak more securely around her as a chill wind buffeted them about.

“So, I’ll meet you in the village at four. That gives us plenty of time to catch the last train.”

Cat nodded, standing close to him and wishing there were not so many people about. “If you’re sure you won’t come to the vicarage?”

“No. It will only make things awkward for you, and I don’t wish to spoil your visit,” he said, smiling down at her.