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He had seen Lucille saying good night to Charles the evening before. After the man left, Lucas, from the shadows of the parlor, saw the girl reach up and touch her cheek. He instantly knew that regardless of how innocent Edward thought the girl was, she had obviously just been kissed. He shook his head, fearing that he was falling further and further away from her mind. He was surprised when he found himself thinking about what was best for the girl. Was he simply trying to win her because he hated to lose? Would she be better off with Charles?
Lost in thought, Lucas’ reverie was interrupted by the faint and distant sound of feminine giggles. He glanced behind him, but saw nothing. He looked all about, but again didn’t see anything that could have produced the very delicate, nearly imperceptible laughter. Then it came again, and realizing that it was off the path, he stepped down a level to another terrace, and walked softly toward the appealing voices. About to skirt around a huge weeping willow tree, recognition suddenly stopped him. It wasn’t only the pink flowers from Louisa’s tapestry that he recognized, it was Lucy’s voice that he heard coming from behind the branches of the tree right in front of him.
“He kissed me,” he heard Lucille confess, and he froze in place.
“Who kissed you?” Louisa asked.
“Louisa!” Lucille said sounding as if she were shocked. “Charles, of course, who else might have cause to kiss me?”
Louisa’s soft laughter preceded her response. “Our Lord Huntington? Can’t you see that both men are battling for your attentions?”
“Don’t be a silly goose,” Lucy said with a huff that had Lucas experiencing a feeling that was quite alien to him. Recognizing it as rejection, he could only grit his teeth.
“Well, I might be silly, but you have to be blind…”
When he heard nothing more, Lucas chanced taking another step closer to the concealed bower to assure he didn’t miss a single word.
“You’ve been avoiding him, haven’t you?” Louisa asked and Lucas found himself nodding as that was exactly what Lucy had been doing.
“I have not,” Lucy denied and he felt his fingers twitch as his eyes lifted to look at a branch hanging a mere yard away. Little ladies who told blatant lies were apt to find their legs well striped for their deceit.
“Do you want to hear about the kiss or not?” Lucy continued and Lucas set aside the urge to snip a branch at least for the time being.
“Of course I do,” Louisa confirmed. “What was it like? Did it make your tummy tingle?”
Outside their secret place, Lucas felt his own gut clench as he awaited Lucy’s response.
“It was nice, I suppose,” Lucy said.
“Oh,” Louisa said, sounding as concerned as Lucas felt. He heard Edward’s wife continue, “The first time Edward kissed me, my tummy was all aflutter and I felt as if I would simply burst into flames.”
Lifting an imaginary glass in a toast to his friend, Lucas heard a sigh and was grateful it sounded far more like one given in discontent rather than one of satisfaction for a stirring kiss.
“It was only on the cheek, Louisa,” Lucy defended herself. “I wasn’t expecting it. I’m sure it will be better if he does it again. I… I certainly didn’t tingle.”
Lucas almost laughed. If this was her reaction to her first kiss by a man who was constantly calling on her, then he felt hope bloom again. However, he reminded himself that Charles was still the only one of them who was kissing the lovely little minx regardless of how inadequate those kisses were. The gloves were coming off, he decided. He would no longer stand in the background. It was past time for him to step up and teach the little kitten how she could be made to purr. Not even realizing that he had answered his earlier questions, Lucas decided he was the better man for a certain little tiger. With a plan in mind, he slipped away, leaving the girls to their private hideaway.
* * *
The next day,Lucy was sitting in the library reading a book when Lucas put his plan into action. “Don’t fail me,” he said, giving his first soldier a gentle shove earning him a high-pitched cry of protest.
The sound caused him to step back further as it had Lucy’s head lifting from the pages of her book. Lucas saw her look of surprise as she jumped up from her chair, dropping her novel on the chair’s cushion.
“Oh, you are precious,” she cried, as she ran to the small white bit of fluff wobbling into the library. She soon had the small kitten scooped up in her hands and was pressing her nose into the soft, white fur. “Where did you come from?” she asked the kitten, as she looked around. She stiffened slightly as Lucas walked into the room, his smile bright only to see her smile narrow.
“You always look like you could use a good cuddle,” he said, and watched her face color.
Lucy looked at the kitten she was stroking and he knew she was considering putting it down and ignoring him, however, the small animal gave a soft meow and then licked her finger with its tiny pink tongue. Her entire face lit as if the sun had risen inside her and Lucas wished he had thought of licking her finger. He felt himself becoming aroused and quickly brought himself under control. He was saved from speaking when Louisa joined them and immediately squealed her delight. The girls were soon seated on the settee, the small bundle between them as they stroked the kitten.
“Oh, Lucy, it is so cute,” Louisa said, and looked at Lucas. He again knew why Edward had picked the young woman. Her face was shining with joy, all over the presence of a tiny cat and her sister’s obvious happiness.
“I thought Lucy might enjoy a kitten and be willing to call a truce,” Lucas admitted. Louisa smiled.
“It is such a sweet offering, sir,” Louisa said, as if totally unaware that his words had caused her sister to stiffen. “Have you picked a name, Lucy?” she asked. Lucy shook her head, glancing over at him as if still trying to decide if she was happy with his gift or angry at him for using an innocent little creature to further his cause.
Not about to concede the first battle, Lucas walked to the settee and crouched down, reaching out to stroke the kitten’s white fur with his finger. “Yes, Lucy, what name have you chosen, little one?” He was rather pleased to note that her eyes widened a fraction and a pretty blush rose to color her cheeks at his nearness.
“How about Charles?” Lucy said, looking at Lucas with a fake smile on her face.
