“Anne will be married to Ingrum soon, with no time to concern herself with my affairs. As for Mama …” Rebeccah shrugged. “I suspect she is already half resigned to my becoming an old maid. And after Windsor, she must suspect that I feel for you what Queen Anne feels for Aunt Sarah - she will not forbid me your friendship.”
“What I feel for you is more than friendship!” protested Kate.
“Indeed I hope so. … But it might be more circumspect to leave Mama her illusions.”
Kate squeezed Rebeccah’s waist. “You continue to surprise me, my dear.” She considered her next words. “One of the daydreams that has kept me going of late has been of you and me.”
“Yes? What are we doing?”
“Aside from the obvious?” Rebeccah’s cheeks pinked prettily and Kate chuckled. “Living together. In a little cottage with a garden.”
“We have set up home together?”
Kate nodded. “It was but an idle daydream,” she said. “But now …” She trailed off.
“But now?”
Get on with it, fool. “It has crossed my mind,” said Kate, pretending diffidence, “that we might indeed set up house together. But of course, if you are averse to the idea ….” She held her breath.
“Indeed I am not,” said the younger woman at once. Then she frowned. “But would it not be considered scandalous?”
Kate resumed breathing. “We could keep separate rooms for appearances’ sake. But when our visitors are gone, and the curtains are drawn, we would be snug together in one bed.” She tried to gauge the other woman’s reaction.
“I confess,” said Rebeccah, looking at her through lowered eyelashes, “that I am becoming more and more curious as to what goes on between two women in private.”
“Are you, my dear?” Kate laughed. “I will be only too glad to enlighten you. You have but to say the word.”
Rebeccah’s brows drew together. “But what about the servants …”
“In our cottage?”
“She nodded.
“That should pose no great difficulty. For Mary could come with us. And she already knows about us and does not disapprove, if I do not miss my guess.”
“Her speaking glances are very eloquent,” agreed Rebeccah, with a laugh. “Ooh!” Her smile grew wider. “Set up house together. Oh, Kate, I like the sound of that.”
Her reaction was everything Kate had hoped for. “We could find a place not far from my mother’s perhaps.”
“Your mother! … Faith, but I hope she likes me, Kate -” Rebeccah caught sight of the clock on the chimneypiece and stopped abruptly. “Oh no! We must go down and join the others for we have stayed too long. Look at the time.”
“Must we?” Kate bounced Rebeccah on her knee.
“Yes. Or they will send a servant to fetch us for supper.” With a flattering show of reluctance, she untangled herself from Kate and stood up.
“Pox on it!” Kate grabbed for her once more.
“Ah ah!” Rebeccah danced out of reach. “We have much to discuss with Mama and Anne. And the sooner we get started persuading them to fund our dreams, the soon they will become a reality.”
Kate groaned but gave in to the inevitable. “You have convinced me. After all I can always ravish you tomorrow.” Ignoring Rebeccah’s amused exclamation, she rose creakily to her feet and crossed to where the young woman stood waiting for her by the bedchamber door. “Blue-Eyed Nick stands unmasked before you.” She gave a jaunty bow. “Command me.”
Rebeccah caressed Kate’s cheek. “Then come with me, my bold highwayman,” she said, green eyes sparkling, “for I have need of you to rescue me one last time.”
“From whom?” asked a puzzled Kate.
“Why, from my own family, of course.”
Kate chuckled and reached for the door handle. “Lead on.”
THE END
Table of Contents
Part 1
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Part 2
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Rebeccah and the Highwayman Page 25
