Page 8 of A Countess Never Tells

This visit would help him decide if Miss Tate truly was a woman worth his pursuit. He needed to marry, and quickly, but that did not mean he wished to saddle himself with a woman he would end up loathing for the rest of his life. Might as well marry Maria Fitzhugh and be done with it. No, he could take enough time to be certain he and the lady would suit. Hence, he would take her to Vauxhall and become still better acquainted with her. If, of course, she consented.

“You do realize I would be chaperoned by both my brother and sister-in-law, my lord?”

Speechless, Ash nodded. For once, the presence of chaperones would have no effect on his activities during the evening. He was, however, astounded that she would consider attending the party, with or without her chaperones. Astounded and most pleased. Miss Tate’s undercurrent of excitement acted as a potent aphrodisiac to him, which seemed encouraging if one was contemplating marriage to the lady.

With great effort, he pushed his lust to the background and found his voice. “I do understand, Miss Tate. I will leave the chaperones to their duty.” A less strenuous responsibility now, perhaps, than previously. “That is splendid news, indeed. I shall look forward to tomorrow night with great pleasure.” He couldn’t help emphasizing the last word, just to see if he could get her to blush.

He could.

“Who shall I tell them is inviting me?”

“Kitty.” Lord Haxby appeared quite suddenly, stopping Ash in the middle of a step. “I beg your pardon, my lord, but my wife has been taken ill. We must leave at once.” He turned to Ash again. “Please excuse us, Lord Ashbrook. Come, Kitty.” Lord Haxby turned on his heel and strode toward the ballroom door.

“I am so sorry, Miss Tate. I pray your sister-in-law is well soon.” Ash escorted her off the dance floor. “Especially as she will be needed to chaperone you tomorrow night. Until then, Miss Tate.” He bowed, and when he straightened, the expression on her face fought between concern for Lady Haxby and hope for the Vauxhall party. At least that was what he supposed that odd look meant.

Either way, he had a fighting chance she’d attend tomorrow night and bring him one step closer to his ultimate goal—finding a wife he wanted who would have him.

Chapter 4

After assuring herself Judith was in no immediate danger of ill health, Kitty had spent the rest of the ride home silent and gleeful she’d accepted Lord Ashwood’s invitation to attend his party at the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens. Pleasure Gardens. What better place for a man of his reputation to try to kiss her?

Of course, she didn’t believe for a moment that outrageous lie that he was a reformed rake looking for a wife. If it were true, he wouldn’t have given her the wrong name. It was probably some sort of ploy to put her off guard…but there was no chance of that. She might wish for a slight dalliance with Lord Ashwood, but that was all. He was undeniably charming, but scarcely husband material.

Perhaps that was why his allusion to her dancing with elderly partners had rankled her, especially his comments about Lord Quatford. Although if she were to be honest, he’d been right. All the gentlemen she’d danced with or conversed with or played cards with this Season had either been much older or younger than she. Lord Quatford was more than twenty years her senior, and the number of people who seemed to think he’d be an excellent husband for her was beginning to irk her. Why shouldn’t she be able to marry a man closer to her own age?

That she was older than most ladies having their first Season wasn’t her fault, but it didn’t change the fact that most gentlemen would consider her too old. They wanted a wife young enough to ensure she’d be increasing within a year of the wedding. She couldn’t blame them if they doubted she could, but it was a bleak fact indeed.

Even bleaker, she had to face the stark reality that before the summer was out, she would very likely be Lady Quatford, simply from a lack of options. Yes, she should be grateful to have the prospect of a husband at all, but the expectation of this husband did not instill happiness in her heart. Truth be told, it scarcely introduced a scrap of contentment.

In the face of that reality, her flirtations with Lord Ashwood, improper though they might be, infused Kitty not only with happiness but a wild giddiness and downright glee. Even if he only wished to dally with her, at least he was young and attractive. Why not enjoy his company? Because, if she was honest with herself, she had.

Quite apart from his handsome face and wicked smile, he had danced beautifully, always an appealing quality for her. Moreover, he’d been very witty, something few of her partners had managed during the Season. If truth be told, the more they’d spoken, the more she’d begun to look forward to an outing at Vauxhall with a man who certainly must know how to kiss a woman. And as long as she managed to keep Lord Ashwood’s amorous ambitions to mere kisses, she shouldn’t come to grief. Of course, that meant she’d have to continue with the fiction of Lord Ashbrook so John wouldn’t forbid it…but just for tomorrow night.

“Did you enjoy yourself tonight, Kitty?” Judith broke in on her thoughts. “I am sorry to have taken you away prematurely, but I hope the evening was a success before that.”

“Oh, yes, it was quite successful.” She’d managed to dance every set until they had to leave and had twice stood up with a rake, unscathed and unremarked by anyone. Who wouldn’t call that successful?

“You and Lord Ashbrook danced well together, I thought. Didn’t you, John?” Her sister-in-law smiled at her brooding husband. “You can stop worrying now. I am much better.”

“I am not convinced, my dear.” John’s brows seemed knitted in a perpetual frown. “I’m sorry, Kitty, but I’m afraid I was paying more attention to my wife. I didn’t notice you and Lord Ashbrook until I came to fetch you.”

“Well, I noticed you, Kitty.” Judith scowled at her husband. “I thought you danced extremely well together.” She smiled at Kitty.

“I do think he danced well.” As Kitty loved dancing so very much, she’d always been willing to forgive gentlemen much if they performed well and gave her true pleasure in their dances. Lord Ashwood had certainly done that, and she’d wager the dance floor wasn’t the only place he wished to give her pleasure.

“And so handsome, too.”

“He is.” It was always more difficult to deny a pretty lord than a plain one.

Judith sent her a mischievous look. “No young lady would be able to resist those blue eyes if he looked at her soulfully.” She cocked her head coquettishly. “Were you able to resist him, Kitty? What a shame if you did. A stolen kiss is much sweeter if the gentleman is handsome.” She gazed up at her husband, a secret smile on her lips.

“For God’s sake, don’t encourage her to misbehave, Judith.” John crossed his arms over his chest and glared at his wife.

Her brother was about to find out just how badly she could misbehave, for the more she thought about flirting and dallying with Lord Ashwood, the more determined she was to do it.

The carriage had at last arrived at their townhouse, and John handed Judith and Kitty down.

“Again, please accept my apology, Kitty. I am so sorry to have taken you away from Lord Ashbrook.” Judith did look saddened at the prospect of having ruined Kitty’s evening.