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She eyed him and said, “Yes?”
“What can you mean, yes?”
“Brandon, you look like that cat who swallowed the canary but finds he wants to spit it out,” she said and laughed.
He grinned ruefully. “Do I?”
“Indeed, and I believe I know what it is,” she answered knowingly.
“Do you? Why then, don’t you tell me.” He raised an eyebrow with his dare.
“You can’t abide the thought that Kitty will soon have offers from gentlemen who are more than worthy—”
“No one is worthy of Kitty,” he said, cutting off his grandmother. “No gentleman knows just how to let her be who she is.”
“Only you?” she answered.
“Indeed, even I am not worthy of Kitty Kingsley, but I mean to have her just the same, and she will thrive with me, because I know her and love her just as she is.”
His grandmother beamed, and he realized ruefully that she looked as though she had swallowed said canary. “Brandon … perhaps you should wait for her ball next week.”
“Wait? Wait for her ball? Damn if I will. I mean to wed my Kitty and want the world to know.”
Instead of arguing, the dowager got to her feet and went to put her arms around him. “Oh my boy, oh my dear boy … how I have been waiting for this moment.”
~ Twenty-Eight ~
CLAY MADE A FUSS over Kitty, marveling over her hair, her grown-up style, and Kitty got the impression that he was calculating the cost of her clothes. She was beginning to dislike Clayton Bickwerth.
On the alert, she watched him as he flirted outrageously with her friend. Ree was only slightly flattered, which meant she did have Clayton’s measure. Why then allow him so much license?
It was obvious to her that Clay’s heart was not in his courtship. This was all about the money.
Kitty was not naïve about such things. In her class, titles and money were often the reason for marriages, and a marriage of convenience was an accepted solution to some of the aristocracy’s problems. Titles and wealth were often joined where love had naught to do with it.
Well, she wouldn’t have that for Henrietta. She was going to have to do something about this,
but why, why was Henrietta spurning Harry? She had been certain that Ree’s feelings about Harry had always been … warm.
“Do you join us, Kitty?” Clay interrupted her thoughts to ask.
“Join you?”
“Oh Clay, I am sorry,” Ree stuck in immediately. “I know I did say I might take a stroll with you this morning by the Serpentine, but although Mother is resting, I expect she will be getting up shortly, and I am promised to her for the day.”
Clay took this happily enough, Kitty thought.
She took her friend’s hand and said, “Very well then, tomorrow you and I shall go view the Elgin Marbles. And boring as that may seem, and it does, at least we will be bored together.”
Ree joined Kitty in a giggle and said, “Oh Kitty, no. I am persuaded it shall be more than boring—must we?”
Kitty leaned in and said, “That isn’t really where we shall go.”
Ree’s eyes opened wide, and a small gasp escaped her. “Kitty, you will never change.” She hugged her then, all while Clay frowned and pulled at his bottom lip under Kitty’s eye.
“Ah, we are whispering,” Kitty said, “How rude of us, Clay … but it is only missy stuff and nonsense.”
“I thought as much,” he said and smiled.
