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“You have the entire rest of the season before you need to suffer any sleepless nights,” her mother told her from the door after she’d tucked Katherine in, just as she used to when Katherine was a little girl. She was just leaving when, on second thoughts, she stepped back into the room saying, “Oh, and my pearl earring. Where did you say you’d put it, Katherine? I plan to wear those earrings with my dove-grey tomorrow night.”
Katherine was glad of the dark to hide her guilty jerk. Adopting a sleepy tone, she said, “They’re somewhere in my jewellery box, Mama. I’ll give them to you tomorrow.”
After waiting a good five minutes to ensure her mama was definitely well away from the wing that housed Katherine’s bedroom, Katherine leapt out of bed, threw a shawl over her nightgown, and slipped into the passage.
She was quite confident Jack wouldn’t fail her, but she needed her earrings now if she was to sleep a wink.
When there was no answer to her knock, she opened the door and slipped into Jack’s room. It was empty and there was nothing under his pillow, so she raised her candle for a quick search, running her gaze over the tallboy and washstand without luck.
Disappointed, she went back to her own room again where she remained awake until, about half an hour later, she heard Jack and George in the passage on their way to their respective bedchambers.
When all was silent again, Katherine slipped out of bed and crept into the passageway, shielding her candle until she reached Jack’s room.
For the second time that night, she knocked quietly but, receiving no response, she flung open the door and hurried inside, closing it behind her, before looking up with a gasp.
“Good God, Katherine, don’t you ever knock?” Jack exclaimed, reaching for a strip of linen to cover his nakedness.
“I did but there was no answer.” Katherine blinked, curious rather than shocked.
“That was probably because I was washing my face and didn’t hear you.”
She took a few steps forward and put the candle down on the washstand. She’d never seen a man without his clothes and, without embarrassment, she stared at Jack’s feet, long and broad, before her gaze travelled up his legs, past his flanks which he’d modestly covered, to his chest, lightly dusted with sandy hair. It was a nice chest, she decided, whether or not it was covered in a well-cut coat. Katherine had enjoyed being pressed against his chest and breathing in the scent of him.
“What are you looking at?”
“You, of course. I don’t have any brothers, so I’ve never seen a man like this.” She bit her lip as she seated herself on the edge of his bed. “You look very nice.”
“Nice?” He frowned, poised by the wash stand, as if he wasn’t sure how to respond.
“Why, Jack. You’re not embarrassed are you?” she laughed. “You’re never embarrassed about anything. It’s only me, you know.”
“Yes, and that makes it worse.” He glanced away, tossing his wet face cloth onto the stab of marble then taking a few steps into the centre of the room. Away from her. “I don’t want you to judge and find me wanting.”
“Really?” She liked the fact that he was concerned about her opinion. “I certainly don’t find you wanting. I really enjoyed it when you kissed me the other day, in case you didn’t know it.” She straightened. The dim light in the room, combined with the fact he looked so vulnerable and appealing, suddenly made the idea of kissing him again even more desirable.
“Katherine, what are you doing?”
Even Katherine wasn’t sure what she was doing. She just knew she wanted to wrap her arms about his waist and press her cheek against his chest.
Which was what she was doing.
“You said you’d get me Mama’s pearl earring.” She was fascinated by the sound of his heart beating loudly in his chest as she burrowed her face into his warm skin.
“And I was true to my word. I have it in the pocket of my coat.” He sounded slightly strangled as he tried to push her away with just a touch of pressure.
But to no avail. Katherine wasn’t about to relinquish what she was enjoying too much. “That’s good. That’s why I’m here, of course. But Jack.” She tipped her head up to look at him. His expression was anxious, one light brown curl flopped over his brow, and he appeared, to her mind, quite adorable.
“What? Katherine, you really should leave.”
“Can’t I stay and chat awhile? We used to talk all the time when we were children.”
“But we’re not children anymore. And being together like this…might be misconstrued.”
“Misconstrued? You mean, if someone thought we were together…kissing…for example?” she asked. She wanted to kiss him again. In fact, the urge to do so was almost overwhelming. She tipped her face, closed her eyes and offered him her lips, expecting to feel the tender brush of his against hers like the last time.
When nothing happened, she opened her eyes and found to her indignation that he was looking with a great deal of desperation at the door.
