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Surprisingly, her opportunity came earlier than expected, and immediately following her dance with Mr Marwick who’d held her thrillingly close. The unexpectedly soft brush of that magnificent moustache of his upon her jawline as he’d turned his head to point out something to her had caused her to jerk up her chin. His assessing gaze and the quirk of his lips told her he’d done it on purpose.
She couldn’t help herself, but her mouth turned up in secret acknowledgement and her heart seemed to leap about as he increased the pressure of his hand around her waist.
“Your mama is nowhere to be seen, and I can’t possibly leave you here alone,” he remarked, glancing at the supper table on the other side of the room, then leading her in that direction but hesitating as they approached. He scanned the room quickly, then said under his voice, “If you glide through that knot of people, there’s a door into the passageway beneath the Holbein and you won’t be noticed though it’s a public door, leading to the ladies sewing room.”
Katherine glanced down at her gown and he laughed. “Nothing torn. Everything in perfect order, in fact. But if slip into the passage, I’ll join you there in the shadows so we might…discuss our evening. We’ll only be gone thirty seconds, and your mama won’t even notice.”
Katherine wasn’t going to let this opportunity pass her by. She agreed with a quick n
od, and within less than a minute, she was in the dark passage and in Mr Marwick’s arms, the pair of them tucked behind an imposing coat of armour, while Mr Marwick kissed her with haste and enthusiasm.
Katherine sighed with pleasure. She’d enjoyed kissing Jack, and this experience was an interesting contrast. Her body was doing all the same things: her heartbeat was growing more rapid, her skin felt heated, and there was an urgency all about her. But the moment he withdrew to take a breath, she wasn’t visited by the urge to throw her arms about his neck once more and drag his mouth back to hers. He was a very adept kisser, and the experience was definitely worthwhile, but she certainly had some more research to do before she decided on her future husband.
It was he who hurried her back into the throng once more, saying words that suggested he was as concerned for his own reputation as for hers.
But before he had the opportunity to remark upon their quick kissing tryst—which he was clearly about to do for his eyes kindled as he lowered his head to hers—Katherine was nearly startled out of her wits by a familiar hand upon her upper arm followed by a slight tug. Raising an indignant chin, she found Jack nodding at Mr Marwick and thanking him for his attendance to Katherine on the dance floor. His manner indicated clear dismissal.
Not that the older man was going to be fobbed off by such a greenhorn—at least, that’s the impression Katherine gained as the two regarded each other.
“And who might you be?” Mr Marwick asked, quite rudely, Katherine thought, wondering how Jack would describe himself.
“Mr Jack Patmore, Miss Fenton’s proxy cousin. My family accompanied hers to London and assigned me the duty of ensuring she was properly attended.”
Katherine liked that assessment. Yes, Jack was like a proxy cousin: stalwart and dependable and there to see to her interests. She wasn’t at all disappointed when Mr Marwick bowed in dismissal and left, she discovered.
“What have you been up to, Miss Fenton?” Jack asked with mock severity. “Tell me, or I shall have to report to your mama that you’ve lost one of the pearl earrings she lent you for this evening.”
Katherine put her hand to her earlobe with a gasp and grabbed Jack’s hand. “It’s in the passage just beyond. I have to fetch it. Come with me, Jack. Hurry!”
She was panting with terror when she reached the door beyond. Jack stopped in the passageway when she dashed behind the coat of arms.
“What were you doing with Mr Marwick all the way up here, alone?”
Katherine stepped back into view and met his censure with defiance, though the truth was she felt a little embarrassed having to admit the truth. “Really, Jack, it doesn’t concern you, but since I’ve nothing to be ashamed of, I kissed him. Or rather, he kissed me. Just like you did.”
She glanced nervously up the passage to where the door was quite likely to admit any visitor heading to the mending room.
He gave her a considering look. “And?”
“And what?” Katherine fanned herself, returning to his side for the earring was not where she’d hoped to find it. “It was very nice, actually. I liked the feel of his moustache. If he’s going to be my husband, I’ll want to know that I like it.”
Jack looked startled. “But you only just met him.”
“Clearly the reason he’s in London is the same reason I am.” She pushed back her shoulders. “I’ve decided I need to kiss every man I think might be my husband. Naturally, I have to compare.”
Jack nodded, stroking his chin. Then he stared at the floor and took a few steps away.
“What are you doing?”
“Looking for your earring, of course.”
“Aren’t you going to ask if I liked kissing Mr Marwick as much as I liked kissing you?”
“I’m not sure I want to.”
“I liked kissing you very much.”
He straightened, his bright smile suddenly taking on a decisively sly cast. “Do you not think that in order to make a truly considered assessment you ought to kiss me one more time?”
