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“Fine. Then you must not be an ungrateful child,” the dowager teased. “This is a gown that must have had you in mind … look at this white silk against your lovely skin.” She put the dress up against Kitty and said, “Oh yes, this is a must!”
Kitty eyed the fabric of sheer white sprinkled throughout with gold dust. “It is lovely,” she agreed.
The dowager selected slippers to match and chattered on about some hairdresser who would come to clip her hair into a style that would be the envy of every woman in London.
“Cut my hair?” Kitty said worriedly.
“But not so much cut as snip here and there to get the best effect,” the dowager returned, smiling happily. “You have so many thick blond curls—it will be glorious.” She picked up a black velvet cloak with a blue silk lining and said, “We’ll take this as well.”
Kitty shook her head and closed her eyes. Where was she? Someone had woven a fairytale and stuck her right in the middle of it. She couldn’t believe all of this was happening, and once again she thought of the earl. Would he be impressed with her in her new clothes?
She gazed out the window for a respite, and a gasp traveled up her throat.
The earl … just outside her window, not ten feet away. He stood with a lovely red-haired woman in a chip bonnet and a tight-fitted dark blue walking ensemble. She felt a wave of jealousy as the woman raised her gloved hand and touched his cheek. The redhead touched his cheek. Was she one of his lovers? The question made a deep divide in her heart.
She couldn’t quite hear what they were saying, but the woman pursed her lips for a kiss and, when she did not immediately receive one, said loudly enough for any passerby to hear, “Brandon, darling … what is it?”
The earl did not kiss her lips, but he took her fingers and bent low. Kitty saw the devilish look he gave the redhead and heard him say, “I cannot think of anything I could want more—”
“Kitty!” the dowager called out. “What are you doing? You must not be seen at the window.” So saying she peeked out herself and exclaimed, “Eh, my grandson, is it? Making a spectacle of himself with Mrs. Saltash. Humph!”
“Is she a special sort of friend of the earl’s?” Kitty asked in a small voice.
“Ha! Special friend indeed. Well, never mind,” the dowager replied and pulled her away from the window. “Madame is ready for you, and we must hurry if we are to get to the milliners. For you shall need bonnets—many bonnets.”
* * *
The earl watched Felicia Saltash sway as she moved down the avenue. A very desirable piece of fluff, but a dangerous one. She was ton, perhaps not the pink of ton, but, nevertheless, toying with a widow of his own class could end with him standing at the altar. Damn. The very notion of being tied forever to Felicia ruined any desire he might have had. He was well out of her clutches, but something else had made him withdraw from her intimate invitation. He frowned over it, but he had imagined Kitty seeing him beside Saltash and was immediately disgusted with himself and the widow.
He turned, found Alex bearing down on him, and rolled his eyes.
“Brandon, you devil!” Alex hailed him with a wide smile.
“Ah, Alex, head any better?”
“Egad, no, how could it be after all the brandy you plied me with?”
The earl laughed. “I ply you? My dear, Alex, whenever have I had to persuade you to drink?”
“Didn’t see it at the time, but I have no doubt you meant to cut me out from continuing the journey with you and my ki
tten.” He grinned amiably, “Truth is, would have done the same to you had the situation been reversed. No harm.” He shrugged and gave the earl a wink. “We have an entire Season ahead of us, don’t we?”
Though Magdalen’s words were said sweetly, the earl had no doubt about their meaning. He said, narrowing his gaze but looking his friend in the eye, “The thing is, Alex, the emphasis, you must keep in mind, is on the word ‘we’. Wither thou goest, my buck, and so on and so on …” The earl drawled his words for emphasis.
“Pity. Your delicious ward does make my heart throb, you know, but I have no wish to step on a friend’s toes. Since you seem to be thrusting said toes in my way, I bow to our friendship and stand aside. Besides, I like Kitty, you know. Wouldn’t dream of hurting her—and added to that is the fact that she knows me too well to be taken in.”
“I have never thought you, unwise, Alex.” Halloway grinned, well pleased with this. “Shall I find you later tonight at White’s?”
“No, no … tonight I am opera-bound with friends.” He smiled rakishly. “Where I mean to steal the pretty Felicia Saltash right out from under you, because, my buck, she is fair game.” He winked as he moved off. “Compensation, my boy, compensation.”
The earl laughed and put a finger to his hat, allowing the hit. He was very well satisfied with the outcome of their conversation.
~ Twenty-Three ~
KITTY MADE HER way downstairs in search of the kitchen. She couldn’t sleep. What she needed was a cup of warm milk.
She held the ivory silk wrapper in place, not bothering to tie it closed over the matching nightdress beneath. The hour was late, and no one was awake, let alone about.
