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Ree eyed her and said, “Indeed, we shall see.”
“You could stay with me. I have discovered that the earl can be quite … accommodatingly kind at times. I think he won’t forbid me a houseguest. He isn’t the ogre I first thought him.”
“I am very pleased to hear that,” a male and familiar voice said at their backs.
Both girls twisted around to see the earl walking towards them, and not ten feet away. Kitty immediately wondered just how much of their conversation he had heard.
“My lord,” Kitty said and wondered why whenever he first entered her space she lost the ability to breathe. “I did not hear you …”
“Obviously,” he said, tongue in cheek, his eyes bright.
Kitty laughed out loud. “Well, this is a poor beginning, but do please allow me to make known to you my dear friend, Miss Henrietta Harkins.” She peeped at her friend and then back at the earl. “The Earl of Halloway.”
The two exchanged a moment’s polite conversation before Kitty eyed the earl curiously to inquire, “Out for an afternoon’s stroll by the water, my lord?” It crossed her mind as she spoke that his shoulders were so very broad, and in his rugged leather short coat he looked extremely sensual. What was wrong with her?
“Not exactly,” he said. “I thought that you might like to know that I have made up an impromptu dinner for your entertainment this evening. I have invited your gentlemen friends, young Harry Brentley and the other … what was his name? Ah yes, Sir Clayton Bickwerth.” The earl eyed Henrietta. “I thought it might be pleasant for Kitty to have an evening with her friends before we depart for London. Please, Miss Harkins, forgive me for the lateness of the invitation, but I am remiss, as I am not yet acquainted with all of Kitty’s intimates, do join us.”
“Oh … oh …” said Henrietta, frowning.
“Why … my lord, how very thoughtful and kind,” Kitty said, unthinkingly getting up and taking his hands to squeeze them. She turned to her friend. “You must come … my farewell dinner, Ree—you must.”
“Yes, very well then.” Henrietta smiled. “I’m sure my parents won’t object.”
Once again, Kitty turned a look of sheer gratitude to the earl before hugging her friend and falling into chatter about gowns and such.
The earl stood back and marveled at what he felt, because what he felt was a huge degree of pleasure—but why? He knew why. He had made the little sassy madcap happy.
In truth, he had acted on impulse when he put together the dinner party with Cook. It had been a sudden, quirky notion that had taken hold. It excited him to think she might enjoy such a thing. Why should he bother trying to please her? That wasn’t his jo
b.
All he needed to do was hand her over to his grandmother and hope she got an offer she could accept … and be done.
Kitty looked radiant, and it was because of his actions.
Absurdly, this pleased him.
She was in many ways such a complete innocent … so innocent that it was most charming. There were no guiles about the girl, none whatsoever, and he found that he liked her a great deal.
He saw she had donned her britches again, and even this made him smile. She was a singular creature, and since the moment they had called a truce, he’d found himself—ah, bah, it was all nonsense. The sooner he got her to London and saw her established, the sooner he could get on with his life.
“Wait!” Kitty screamed, making both the earl and Henrietta jump. “I have one!” She scrambled for her fishing rod, which she had wedged into the earth.
The earl ran over to help her, for the rod was bending in a serious arch, and together they pulled in a very large trout.
Henrietta began clapping her hands, and both the earl and Kitty glowed with the excitement of the catch.
Kitty released the fish from the hook and began to throw the trout back into the water. The earl frowned and stayed her hand. “What are you doing?”
“Well, we aren’t going to have him for dinner, are we? So back he goes until we do.” Kitty put the fish back in the stream, and the earl, feeling like a boy, began to laugh, heartily laugh.
“Kitty—Kitty …” he managed to say and continued to laugh.
~ Sixteen ~
KITTY’S BEDROOM DOOR opened wide, and Henrietta glided within, saying excitedly though unnecessarily, “I’m here.”
Kitty laughed. “So you are. Oh and, Ree, you have ever such a good eye. That soft shade of green suits you. Oh, but you are beautiful.”
