by Joyce Alec
Thankfully, he released her mouth from his, though he kept his forehead against hers. “If you have ever thought of me as a friend, please stay here,” he whispered, sounding more desperate than she had ever heard him. “Please, I beg of you. You will be quite safe. They will not be able to see your face.”
Catherine wanted nothing more than to kick him in the shins, hard, and push him away, but knew from the oncoming voices that she might very easily be caught in a compromising position should she do so. Therefore, she had very little alternative other than to remain where she was, her body going rigid with anger.
The sound of footsteps caught her ears, followed by a few mutters and embarrassed exclamations on finding a couple so caught up with one another, and after a minute had passed, Catherine found herself released from Lord Linton’s grip. She glared up at him, wanting to slap him hard for putting her in such a position. She knew, however, that the sound would carry throughout the quiet bookshop.
“How dare you!” she seethed, her voice barely louder than a whisper. “You are never to use me in such a way again!”
“Did you not find even the smallest amount of enjoyment in it?” Lord Linton replied, immediately at ease as he threw her a wink. “Come now, Catherine! Twas not all bad. You did me a very great favor, you know. I appreciate it more than I can say.”
Fury burst through Catherine’s veins, and she made to rage at him, only for Alice to reappear around the corner with a concerned look on her face.
“What stopped you?” she asked, ignoring Lord Linton completely. “I could not return to you since there were three gentlemen approaching, but then they departed rather quickly.”
Catherine, who did not want to explain even to Alice what had occurred, simply shook her head, mute with ire.
“Come,” Alice continued, looping her hand through Catherine’s arm. “I think perhaps we should find another bookshop. This one has something of a stale odor, I think. Good day, Lord Linton.”
Without bidding farewell to Lord Linton, Catherine strode from the shop, practically dragging Alice beside her. Her cheeks burned with fire, her face a mask of anger. She could not believe what he had done—using her in such an improper way! She was quite right to consider even his acquaintance a damaging connection. From now on, she would not even greet him unless absolutely necessary.
“I can hardly believe you used to be friends with that man,” Alice whispered as they walked away from the bookshop. “He cannot always have been such a selfish, thoughtless creature, surely!”
“No,” Catherine murmured, her face still red. “He was not. He used to be kind and gentle when we were children. Unfortunately, it seems he has strayed from the morals of his youth.”
“It is an unfortunate connection,” Alice sighed, shaking her head.
“You need have no concern in that regard!” Catherine firmly stated. “I intend to sever that connection here and now. I shall actively avoid him, for after such a display of behavior today, I cannot think of any good reason to maintain our friendship.”
Alice nodded sagely. “Very wise, my dear Catherine. Very wise indeed.”
3
Catherine found her resolution to avoid Lord Linton more than a little difficult, given that he appeared to be at almost every social event that she attended. She had no other choice but to greet him on occasion, though she made sure to keep the conversation as short as she could manage. Alice, having been informed of what Lord Linton had done in the bookshop, was horrified at the situation and duly stuck by Catherine’s side whenever she could.
However, Catherine was more than certain that Lord Linton was not about to do such a thing again, for he certainly did not have any true feelings for her—he had simply used her to get out of whatever situation he had managed to land himself in. Although, she did not have any inclination to know what that particular situation was either.
Shuddering slightly, Catherine tried her best to push Lord Linton from her mind and, instead, concentrate on the ball going on around her. It was a wonderful evening thus far, even though she had been forced to greet Lord Linton a few hours earlier. Thankfully, she had managed to extricate herself before he had requested a dance from her.
“Ah, my dear Miss Hewson!”
Catherine turned at once, her cheeks warming immediately as she saw the handsome face of Lord Kerr smiling at her. She managed a brief curtsy, wishing she could fan her hot face as she lifted her head.
“Lord Kerr,” she greeted him, smiling back at him. “How good it is to see you again.”
“I do hope you have some spaces on your dance card for me,” he said at once, though his eyes were not on the card tied to her wrist. “I have not seen you in an age and would very much like to continue our acquaintance.”
A tingling heat rippled up Catherine’s spine as she handed her dance card to him, finding that her mouth appeared to be refusing to work. He signed his name in not one, but two of her three remaining spaces, his eyes fixating on her once more.
“I would sign my name to all three if I could, but I believe that would cause something of a scandal,” Lord Kerr murmured, catching her hand in his and bending to press a light kiss to the back of her glove. “I very much look forward to our dances together.”
Finding that she still could not speak—such was the astonishment that filled her—Catherine could only smile and watch him walk away, hardly able to believe what he had just said. Her heart slammed into her chest as she tried to catch her breath, her entire body buzzing with excitement.
I would sign my name to all three if I could.
The words ran around her mind over and over until she was forced to believe them. Lord Kerr had just made his partiality for her more than obvious, even though she had never expected such a thing. Since the last time they had danced together, she had not seen him at all. But now, it seemed he had thought of her whilst he had been absent from society, to the point that he was willing to state the depth of his affections to her.
Catherine danced the next few dances in something of a daze, her mind fixed only on Lord Kerr. When the time came for their dance, he found her immediately, as though he wished not to waste a single moment of their dance together.
“I do hope you do not mind the waltz,” he murmured as Catherine took his arm and walked with him onto the dance floor. “I have heard that some ladies refuse to dance it.”
“I am not one of those ladies,” Catherine replied, a little breathlessly. “In fact, I must admit I find the waltz quite enjoyable.”
Lord Kerr chuckled, placing one hand on her waist and taking her hand with the other. “I am glad to hear it,” he murmured as the music began.
Catherine did as she had been taught and gave him the lead, finding him, once again, to be a prolific dancer. Lord Kerr twirled her around the floor, never once interrupting another couple’s steps and always ensuring that he did not trod on her toes. They danced in silence, although Catherine braved a look into his eyes now and again, noticing he was always regarding her in an almost careful study. She could never look into his eyes for long, finding herself a little overcome by the intensity of his gaze.
When the music began to slow, a wave of disappointment rushed over Catherine, as if she had been doused with icy water. She kept her smile fixed as Lord Kerr bowed, ready to lead her back to her seat.
“Might you like to take some air?” he asked, abruptly taking her hand and placing it back on his arm. “It is a little stuffy in here, is it not?”
Catherine was about to answer that she should not, given that she was next due to dance with Lord Gregory, but she simply could not form the correct words. She did not want to dance with Lord Gregory, for he did not incite these feelings deep within her soul.
“Indeed, it is a little stuffy,” she managed to say, looking up at him. “A few minutes of fresh air would be most welcome.”
Lord Kerr grinned, and Catherine felt her heart practically spin in her chest. He was devilishly handsome, and she c
ould not help but be drawn to him.
“Wonderful,” she heard him say under his breath, and they walked towards the open French doors at the back of the ballroom. “Quite wonderful.”
The evening air was cool and damp, and Catherine’s skin prickled almost immediately.
“You are cold,” Lord Kerr stated, shaking his head. “Perhaps I should not have brought you outside after all.”
“No, please,” Catherine protested at once, growing even more chilled at the thought of him leaving her so abruptly. “I am quite at ease, I assure you.”
He paused for a moment before smiling. “Very well, then. Just a few minutes, perhaps.”
Catherine smiled back, relieved at his desire to stay with her. “It is very warm in there, is it not?”
“It is.”
The silence grew between them for a few minutes, and Catherine began to feel a little uncomfortable. Other couples were present in the gardens, of course, and as they walked, Catherine was delighted to see the small lanterns lighting their path. It gave the grounds an almost magical appearance to them.
Lord Kerr cleared his throat.
“Miss Hewson,” he began, “I confess that I have missed your company this last while.”
“That is because you have been entirely absent from all the wonderful events,” Catherine said, laughing. “Wherever did you go, Lord Kerr?”
In the lantern light, she could not quite make out his expression, but she saw that he looked away from her, a slight flicker of unease running through his features. He evidently did not want to answer her, and Catherine felt embarrassed for asking such a question, even though it was not meant to be impertinent.
“What I mean to say,” she continued hastily, “is that I have also noticed your absence.”
“Oh,” he replied, his breath coming out in a rush, as though he had been holding it. “I see. Well, that is… that is good.”
Seeing how disconcerted Lord Kerr was, unease swept through Catherine. She had thought he meant to speak to her privately, but mayhap she had been mistaken. It was possible he had asked her to get some fresh air just to be polite, not because he wanted to spend more time with her. Embarrassed beyond words at how quickly she had come to that conclusion, Catherine hung her head and inwardly railed at herself for being so ridiculous.
“And do you intend to be at any more balls?” Lord Kerr asked, hesitantly. Before Catherine could respond, he spoke again. “Forgive me, that came out quite incorrectly. What I meant to say was, your parents have no intention of leaving town soon, I hope?”
“Leaving town?” Catherine replied, surprised. “No, indeed. Why should you think so?”
“I had not thought that they would,” he answered, coming to a standstill and looking as though he wanted to just take back what he had said. “What I mean is—oh, dear, I am making something of a hash of this.”
Was… was this Catherine’s doing? Did she make Lord Kerr nervous? A spark of excitement suddenly raced up Catherine’s spine, her skin tingling all over as she paused in her steps, looking up at him. How was it possible that a man could make her lose her ability to speak so frequently?
“What I mean to say, in a very roundabout way, Miss Hewson,” Lord Kerr eventually said, is that I would very much like to see you again. I would like to call on you, if I may?”
The hopeful expression on his face made Catherine want to laugh aloud, but instead, she simply clasped her hands together and smiled up at him. “Oh, Lord Kerr, I cannot tell you how agreeable I would be to such a thing,” she answered, her heart almost skipping a beat as he stepped forward and caught her hand in his. “In fact, I would be delighted.”
“Wonderful,” he said, pressing her hand between his two. “I am sorry I got my words so terribly confused; it is not like me.” His eyes warmed, his smile softening. “Perhaps it is your loveliness that has me struggling for air, my thoughts flung into such confusion that I know not what to say.”
The air seemed to spark around her, and for a very brief moment, Catherine wondered if Lord Kerr might kiss her. He was so close, and his gaze was so soft yet so intense upon her. But then he dropped her hand, offered his arm, and walked back along the path in order to re-enter the ballroom.
“Our second dance shall be along very soon,” he murmured as they entered the room once more. “I shall look forward to it now, with a much greater pleasure than before.”
Catherine happily sighed to herself as Lord Kerr lifted her hand to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss to the back of it before finally taking his farewell. Catherine could not help but allow her eyes to follow him as he walked towards another group of gentlemen, finding Alice at her side almost immediately.
“Well?”
“Well,” Catherine laughed, hearing the interest in Alice’s voice. “I think Lord Kerr has come up to scratch after all!”
Alice drew in a sharp breath. “He intends to court you?”
“He intends to call upon me,” Catherine answered, finally managing to drag her eyes away from him. “But yes, I have great hopes that we may show a particular partiality for one another, given time.”
There was a short silence whilst Alice looked into Catherine’s face, her eyes studying her carefully. Catherine grew a little uncomfortable at this, wondering why Alice had not yet replied to her words.
“If you believe he is a good man and the right kind of gentleman for you, then I will be vastly happy for you, my dear,” Alice finally said, looping her arm through Catherine’s. “I am glad that you are going to further your acquaintance with him first, however. That is always wise.”
Catherine could not help but laugh. “Come now, Alice! It is not as though we are engaged already, nor are we likely to be any time soon. You need not look so severe. I shall continue to get to know him, and in time, I am quite sure my heart will make up its own mind about him.”
“Good,” Alice said, finally breaking into a smile. “He seems to be quite wonderful, and I am sure all will work out exactly as it is meant to.”
Catherine nodded her head. She hoped her friend was right.
4
Catherine tried not to blush as Lord Kerr pressed a small bouquet of roses into her hands.
“You are too kind,” she murmured, pressing her nose into the fragrant blooms for a moment. “Thank you for calling on me.”
He smiled, bowed, and took a seat, clearing his throat whilst Lady Hewson began to chatter amicably with him. Catherine chose to sit quietly for a few minutes, simply watching the two of them talk.
This was now the third time Lord Kerr had called on her, and each time, he had stayed an appropriate length of time, engaged her in interesting conversation, and then taken his leave. They had never been allowed a moment together, given that Catherine’s mother was something of a chatterbox. She had glowed on seeing her daughter so frequently visited by Lord Kerr, but had seemed completely unaware that, mayhap, they might like to talk together uninterrupted.
“Forgive me, Lady Hewson,” Lord Kerr interjected. “But I do hope you might permit me to take your daughter out for a short stroll this afternoon?”
Catherine’s eyes widened as Lord Kerr interrupted her mother mid flow—not that she could blame him, given that it was difficult to get a word in edgeways.
“A stroll?” her mother repeated, sounding quite breathless. “Well, now, I am not quite sure. The weather is a little chilly, and I—”
“I shall dress warmly, Mama,” Catherine said quickly, rising to her feet as butterflies immediately began to flutter in her belly. She turned to Lord Kerr with a warm smile, watching him stand up from his seat.
“I shall meet you at the front door, shall I?” she asked, making her way towards the door. “I just need to make sure I am appropriately wrapped up.”
Lord Kerr bowed, and even though Lady Hewson began to speak, Catherine excused herself and left the room at once.
Within a few minutes, Catherine and Lord Kerr were walking along the streets of Londo
n, not quite sure in which direction they were headed, but enjoying themselves nonetheless. Catherine’s maid trailed discreetly behind them, and Lord Kerr seemed to be a great deal more at ease now that they were away from her mother’s company.
“Shall we perhaps get an ice at Gunter’s?” he asked, smiling at her. “I know it is a trifle cold, and your mama did seem concerned over the chill in the air, even though it is a summers day, but—”
“I think that is a wonderful idea,” Catherine declared, laughing. “I would very much enjoy an ice, I think. And if it is too cold to stand outside, then mayhap we could sit down indoors?”
Lord Kerr smiled in delight, his eyes lighting. “Wonderful,” he replied, offering her his arm. “I confess that it has been difficult for me to find time to converse with you as much as I would like.”
Catherine took his arm immediately, delighted at his manners. “You are quite right, Lord Kerr. You are too polite to say so, but my mother does delight in talking so. She is more enamored with you than I, if that were possible.”
He looked down at her, pausing in his steps for a moment. Catherine, glancing up at him, realized what she had just said and felt her cheeks burn with heat.
“What I mean to say,” she murmured, suddenly not sure where to look, “is… I am very pleased with your company. You have been very attentive.”
“That is because I am quite enamored with you,” came Lord Kerr’s quiet reply. He stopped walking so that he could turn to her. “If I may be so bold, Miss Hewson, I have found your company more important to me than any other. I have thought of nothing other than spending time with you.”
Catherine’s heart squeezed with delight, her entire body humming with happiness. “I confess that I feel the same way, Lord Kerr. You are a most kind man, and I have very much enjoyed spending time with you. Although I will say that I wish Mama would allow us to talk at length without interrupting so very much.”
