by Lucy Langton
Kitty had been out in society for three years and thoroughly enjoyed attending social gatherings. She could dance all night at a ball or spend the evening enjoying a good opera. And a part of her didn’t want to give up her freedom of doing as she chose. Since her brother was abroad, she was left with her aunt who needed more care than she could give. Therefore, Kitty had been able to make a lot of her own choices. It was a freedom that Kitty wouldn’t give up so easily when marrying.
Chapter 2
It was the late afternoon by the time Hugh felt like himself again. After watching Kitty storm out of his house, he’d made his way up the stairs to his bedchamber. And after getting a few hours of rest and consuming several cups of strong Earl Grey tea, he felt like he was finally ready to pay Kitty a visit and apologise for his earlier behaviour. He shouldn’t have dismissed her concern for him so easily or assume that she’d only pay him a visit if he’d died. After all, she’d come rushing over that morning without the escort of her aunt which showed him how much Kitty still thought of him.
Most of the time, Hugh rarely saw any sign of his childhood friend. Though her brother was an earl and gave Kitty all the rank and status that she deserved, Hugh had a completely different reputation. Where Kitty was the most eligible debutant of society, he was titled a womaniser, scoundrel, and all-around unlikeable person.
Though Hugh sometimes enjoyed being a dandy and really showing off his wealth, he’d never been with a woman who didn’t want the same things as he did. In fact, despite his reputation, there was something about him that women just loved. It was probably his dark nature that enticed women, but he’d never been with a young lady who hadn’t already lost her virginity.
For as brief as it had been, it had been nice to see Kitty again. She resembled everything that was pure and light in the world. Anymore, Hugh rarely saw anything like that in his life. He smirked as his valet assisted him in dressing for the ball that evening. Hugh knew that he’d only been invited because he was a duke, but he’d hoped that by dressing early, he could pay Kitty a visit and perhaps right the morning wrong.
“Thank you, Vincent,” Hugh said as he viewed his reflection in the tall looking glass. “Your sense of fashion always keeps me looking my best.”
“You’re most welcome, Your Grace,” Vincent replied as he bowed and then left the bedchamber. Hugh always enjoyed wearing fitting clothing to show off his good form and broad shoulders. The huge part of Hugh’s pride resided in the fact that he knew that he looked handsome. It was only his reputation that kept eligible young ladies and their parents far away from him. Hugh didn’t think he was ready for any sort of commitment and therefore continued to enjoy the finer things in life while he was still young enough to enjoy them.
“The carriage is ready for you, Your Grace,” came Portlock’s voice as the butler came into the room.
“Very good, Portlock,” Hugh said as he turned from the looking glass. “I shall return something this evening.” Portlock only nodded his head as he followed the Duke out of the room. But as they neared the front door, the butler finally spoke up.
“Your Grace, please remember to be friendly this evening,” Portlock advised. “The Blackmore line can’t continue if you never marry and sire an heir.” Hugh chuckled as he turned to the butler.
“I’d say you’re more interested in tending to children and simply want to see them in the house once more,” Hugh teased.
“Your Grace, I already feel like I tend to a child in this house,” Portlock deadpanned. “It would be nice to see you happy, is all.” Hugh didn’t respond as he observed his butler. He wanted to argue that he was happy, but with time not on his side, he knew that he should get going.
“I’ll return later tonight,” Hugh said in parting. As Portlock opened the door for him, Hugh walked down the stairs and across the walkway to the waiting carriage and four. Once he was settled, he knocked on the side of the carriage, signalling that they should be off. And as the carriage travelled across town, to the more popular neighbourhood, Hugh couldn’t help thinking about Portlock’s words.
It seemed that more regularly Portlock kept bringing up the topic of him marrying and producing an heir. The butler had been with his family for three generations, having seen the death of his grandfather and father. Unfortunately, his parents had both died from tuberculosis almost six years ago now, leaving him with a large wealth at such a young age. If it wasn’t for Portlock’s earlier guidance, he wouldn’t be where he was today. But once Hugh had become used to managing his dukedom, he’d let his wild side show more and more.
Perhaps Hugh was simply lonely now that he had no more family members left, or that he was mostly bored and loved being the centre of attention. But deep down inside, Hugh knew that marrying would be his best bet, if only he could convince a decent young lady to accept his offer.
Hugh put that all out of his mind as the carriage came to a halt in front of Kitty’s townhouse. With her brother, the Earl of Valcourt, travelling abroad, it had only been her and Aunt Matilde, the ageing widow, left in the townhouse. Hugh smirked as he got out of the carriage and approached the house.
After her debut into society, Kitty had really made an impression on society. She had a voice that was very captivating, and often requested, and her beauty was far superior to most young ladies. But what made Hugh smirk about all of it was that he remembered when Miss Worthington was just Kitty, the tomboy from down the lane that was always willing to do whatever Hugh was doing that day.
Hugh took the steps up to the townhouse quickly, wanting to surprise Kitty with an invitation to join him at the ball. He already knew that she’d been asked to sing a few numbers tonight, and he thought it would be a good sign of friendship if they went together. He was nervous that she’d reject him because of his reputation, but he had a counterattack if she did bring that up.
Hugh pulled the cord at the front door, the house chimes sounding to announce his arrival. When the butler opened the door, a middle-aged man with grey at his temples, the man looked surprised to see him.
“Good afternoon, Your Grace,” the butler said as he bowed. “How may I help you?”
“I’ve come to ask an audience with Lady Winthrop and Miss Worthington,” Hugh explained. He didn’t like the look on the butler’s face as he looked down at his boots nervously.
“I’m so sorry, Your Grace. But the ladies of the house have just departed for the Marquess’ ball,” the butler explained.
“Well, that is no trouble. I shall simply meet them there,” Hugh said as he took a step away from the house. He was displeased that he’d missed them already and was curious to know why they’d left early.
“They left with Lord Harding,” the butler quickly added, their eyes meeting then. Hugh clenched his firsts, the very name of that man causing his blood to boil.
“I appreciate that information,” Hugh said as he fished a few coins from his pocket and gave it to the butler. The man smiled and dipped his head as he took the money and then closed the front door. Hugh sighed heavily as he made his way back to the waiting carriage. If Kitty had left with Lord Harding, then that meant the earl was interested in her. And as Hugh thought about the man, he figured that most saw him as a charming gentleman with all the means available to him. But Hugh really knew what type of man Lord Harding was.
As Hugh got back into the waiting carriage, he gave quick orders to the driver, and the moment Hugh knocked on the side of the carriage, it was off at a great speed. Hugh was now anxious to get to the ball to intervene between Kitty and Lord Harding. Out of all the people in Town that she could attract, the last person he wanted to see his dear friend with was a complete scoundrel. After this morning’s incident, he knew that Kitty wouldn’t be pleased to see him again, let alone be willing to talk to him. But as he made his way towards the dance hall, he was determined to seek an audience with her and hopefully secure a dance with no doubt the belle of the ball.
~*~
Kitty was e
njoying all the attention after her performance at the ball. She’d been practicing a new song she’d learned from an Italian songwriter and had enjoyed performing that evening. Her voice had filled the hall with the Italian words and melody, and by the time she’d finished, applause rang throughout.
Now, Kitty stood amongst all the young ladies that wanted to give her their praise, as well as a few gentlemen. Even as Lord Harding stood to the right of her, many dared speak to her simply to give her their compliments. To her left sat Aunt Matilda in a plush chair. The woman couldn’t stand for long hours anymore, and Kitty was always ever concerned about her even when she was speaking with the crowd.
Very few things gave Kitty more pleasure than being able to sing for others. She was grateful to have been blessed with a beautiful singing voice, and when she’d been young, her mother had insisted on singing lessons. At first, she hated the idea of them. But now, she was thankful for the earlier lessons. With both her parents deceased, she was glad to be able to remember them every time she sang.
And because of her beautiful singing voice, Kitty was often invited to every major social function in Town. With this ball kicking off the Season, she knew that there would be many more like it in the coming weeks. Yet for tonight, she simply enjoyed the praise from her many admirers and looked forward to the dancing portion of the ball. Already her dance card had been almost filled, and Kitty was excited about enjoying her evening.
“Who would have thought you’d receive so much attention,” Lord Harding said softly next to her. Kitty turned her eyes towards the Earl, his bright blue eyes looking down at hers. His light hair had been combed to the side in the latest fashion, and his clothes tailored to enhance his already tall stature. To every woman in the room, he was the most eligible and handsome gentleman. She was pleased to have received an invitation to join him for the evening and wondered if this man would one day be her husband.
“It can be quite overwhelming when you experience it for the first time,” Kitty replied. “But it’s a feeling that I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of.”
“Seems to me like you enjoy being the centre of attention,” Lord Harding said with a chuckle.
“We all have our vices,” Kitty said in an innocent voice. “I enjoy social outings and singing. I think compared to some things, my vices are quite harmless.”
“Unless you start attracting the wrong attention,” Lord Harding said as he pointed to the gentleman that had just entered the dance hall. On the outskirts of the crowd, Kitty could easily spot Hugh. His black hair and dark green eyes always gave him a striking appearance. He was very muscular with broad shoulders, and Kitty could see that Hugh used his features to his advantage. His clothing was made from top quality fabrics that his black dinner coat almost shimmered in the candlelight.
“I am not concerned with Lord Blackmore,” Kitty said as she turned her attention to the young ladies around her. She smiled at them as they all complimented Kitty on her song. They were dying to hear where she’d ever learned such a pleasant-sounding song, and Kitty was eager to share with them her secret.
As the night continued, and Kitty enjoyed dancing with Lord Harding and a few other gentlemen, she returned to her aunt’s side to make sure she was enjoying herself as well when she came upon Hugh already tending to her dear aunt. From a short distance, she watched as Aunt Matilda laughed at something Hugh had just said, and Kitty couldn’t help smiling. She always appreciated when Hugh could make her ageing aunt still laugh.
“Oh Hugh, you’ve always been such a rascal,” Aunt Matilda said. “I remember the time when you let all the pigs out of their pen over on Smith’s farm. All the men in the land had to help Smith put them back, and you’d covered them in cooking oil.” The two laughed together at the memory, and as Kitty came near, she couldn’t help joining them.
“I’d never seen your father so upset,” Kitty said to Hugh. His eyes turned on hers, and she could have sworn that they were twinkling with mirth.
“He was. He soundly punished me in front of Smith, but we had a good laugh together behind closed doors,” Hugh admitted.
“Oh, Lord Blackmore was such a dotting father,” Aunt Matilde stated. “I do miss the days when the three of them used to be together.” Kitty knew that her aunt was referring to her husband, Kitty’s father, and Hugh’s father. All three men had been rather close, and their passing one by one had really dampened the hearts of the others.
“As do I,” Hugh said in such a melancholy voice that it made Kitty wonder if that sadness was the root of all his evil doings.
“Now Kitty,” Aunt Matilda spoke up then. “This fine gentleman has requested a dance with you. I told him he’d have to ask you personally since I don’t have your dance card.”
“My goodness, Aunt Matilda. What ever convinced you to call this man a gentleman, lest a good one,” Kitty said with a giggle. Hugh scoffed at her, but she could tell that he didn’t mean it.
“Kitty, I’ve known this man since he was a babe,” Aunt Matilda said in a stern voice, though there was a smile on her face. “Though he doesn’t have the best reputation in town.” She paused and gave Hugh a particular look that only made him chuckle. “I do think he’s still worth dancing with.”
Kitty sighed, knowing she would never want to do anything to displease her aunt. Though, she wasn’t thrilled with the idea of dancing with the fool after the scare he’d given her earlier that day.
“Very well, Hugh,” Kitty relented. “I’m sure one dance won’t completely ruin me.” Hugh smiled at her, such a look that often caused her skin to feel warmer than it should.
“It would be my pleasure,” he replied as he held out his hand towards her. Kitty was thankful that her hands were gloved as he took his. He placed her hand on his arm and then led her back to where the next set was being prepared. They parted as they took up their positions in the line and waited patiently for the music to begin.
As the dance commenced, Kitty was reminded of how good a dancer Hugh was. Like most things, Hugh excelled at whatever he placed his mind to. She’d seen him do this with his studies, and other troublesome adventures whenever a new idea came to mind.
When they had been little, Kitty had even joined Hugh on some of his adventures. It wasn’t until her mother started to press Kitty to be more ladylike that Kitty stopped following Hugh into the forest or onto the lake to enjoy the rowboat his father had commissioned for him for his tenth birthday. As she moved through the dance with him, she couldn’t help remembering much of their past only to compare it with the present.
It was hard to believe that the scoundrel she was dancing with now used to be the happy and fun-loving Hugh of her past. It was hard to see him now as a womaniser and gambler. Though he’d never acted quite so around her, she couldn’t deny the rumours and articles in the papers when there were so many of them.
“You’re a wonderful dance partner,” Hugh spoke up. His words pulled her from her thoughts, and she smiled at him.
“As are you,” Kitty complimented. “A part of me wonders if adequate dancing is the only suitable quality you have.” Hugh laughed at her comment as he led her through the line, his hand resting on hers and the other on the small of her back. His touch seemed to send a fire through her.
“You know I have other amiable qualities, Kitty,” Hugh said in a soft tone.
“I like to think that you do, Hugh,” Kitty replied in the same tone. “Sometimes I like to think that you would be the perfect match for me.” She could tell that her words surprised Hugh by the look on his face. He’d gone stiff for a moment, and it was evident in his next steps in the dance. But he seemed to recover well enough as the dance continued.
“Are you considering marrying?” Hugh asked, his voice uncertain.
“Shouldn’t I?” Kitty responded with. “I won’t be young forever, and I think my increased popularity in society would give me an advantage.” Hugh seemed to be thinking about her words as they followed the line away from
each other before coming back again as the dancers looped around.
“And what qualities do I have that would make me almost the perfect match for you, as you say?” Hugh asked once they were close to one another again.
