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She was a kind-hearted, unselfish creature. He knew she’d wanted a ride first thing this morning, but when Nanny patted a place beside her, she didn’t give one sign of disappointment but climbed right into his barouche and immediately began chattering away and setting the shy Mrs. Diddles at ease about their journey.
Ah, yes, he liked Kitty Kingsley … too much to hurt her with a passionate dalliance. Could he hurt her? She probably wasn’t even attracted to him after their initial encounter.
Their dinner party had opened his eyes the other night. Clayton Bickwerth wanted Kitty. That much was obvious, but the young man had also been sending lures out to Henrietta. No doubt the man’s pockets were to let and he had to marry well. Sad that. He felt for both parties in a marriage of convenience. Awful arrangements. He wondered at Clayton, though. Was Henrietta’s inheritance so much greater than Kitty’s?
He watched Kitty flit about and saw that was all she did. Indeed, she flirted during her jesting with their guests, but any dolt could see she was not romantically interested in either Clayton or Harry.
He liked Harry, a great deal, and Harry he found to be a perfect gentleman who divided his attention between Henrietta and Kitty equally. Even so, the earl was aware of a certain expression that came over Harry’s face when his gaze rested on Henrietta’s face. Interesting.
He shook his head at himself. Since when did he ever become involved or intrigued by the romantic affairs of others? This was all so new to him. Odd. So very odd.
* * *
“Hallo!” Kitty called as she spotted the earl atop his horse and managing a sedate pace. She thought, indeed, he too, was concerned for his horse’s welfare. Oh, but he was getting harder and harder to dislike. She couldn’t even remember why she had disliked him at all.
She saw the earl spin round, astonishment on his face, and realized she had disturbed him from his reverie. “Would you mind some company?”
“Very prettily said,” he answered. “How could any man say no?”
She laughed. “A compliment, my lord? Oh, but I am enjoying our truce.”
He laughed. “I should lecture you on the hazards of a young, unattended woman riding the open road alone, but seeing that you are now in my company, I shall leave that lecture for another day.”
She beamed and saw his eyes flash. Was that interest? Why should she care? She did, though. He looked … oh, she didn’t know what that look was. She shouldn’t place too much importance on such things. She was just a green girl, not quite up to snuff. “Nanny fell asleep,” she told him. “So I thought I would just take a little bit of a ride. I honestly did not mean to be—”
He chuckled as he cut her off. “No harm, child … no harm.”
She smiled and then peeped a look at his handsome face. “I am not a child, though. You should remember that. After all, am I not to be paraded for all the eligible bucks to ogle?”
He frowned. “Well, I wouldn’t put it that way.”
“How would you put it?”
His eyes glittered. “I suppose you have a point. It is the way of our world, though … for young ladies to attend functions where young gentlemen may be introduced to them.”
“Indeed, that should be fun, actually, though I am not certain … if I find them attractive, do I let them kiss me?” She eyed him naughtily. What had gotten into her? She knew she was being outrageous, but something about him made her want to pursue this.
He was momentarily shocked and spluttered out an unintelligible sound before he said, “Certainly not.”
“Why not? Men go about kissing women all the time. How am I supposed to know who is good at kissing and who is not? After all, I wouldn’t want to marry someone who was not very good … at the sport, so I think a young woman should sample as many men as she likes.” Kitty couldn’t keep a straight face at this and burst out laughing.
He visibly relaxed and said, “Ah, so you were making a May game of me, were you? Price to pay for that.”
“Oh, but it wasn’t all just a tease. I think I would like to be kissed … by someone who knows how to do it well.”
“Kitty, you can’t go about saying things like that.”
“Oh, I know, but I am not saying them to a stranger, but to you. You have a world of experience, so I am told, and I would like to know a few things—”
He cut her off. “Kitty! The fact is you are a beautiful woman—stunning actually—and I must tell you a great many men will want to kiss you. I think you should be on guard against this, not looking for it.” He shook his head. “In fact, don’t go around kissing anyone unless your heart is in it.”
“Oh, stuff and nonsense,” she answered on a laugh. “Kissing should be for fun. At any rate, how is one to know if one’s heart is in it? I have been kissed, and all I knew was that it was very exciting, though both young men were not very good at it—I don’t think.”
He looked astonished but finally said on a rueful smile, “Don’t go about telling people that you have been kissed.” He eyed her. “How many times—two times, did you say?”
“Oh, I said by two men, but I didn’t say how many kisses I allowed each,” she bantered and giggled. “I don’t think I should tell you that, quite yet. And, yes, I quite see that I shouldn’t go about telling people I have been kissed, but you and I, well, I think we are about to become very close. In fact, I have revised my first impression of you considerably.”
“Have you? Was my first impression so very bad?”
