A Gentleman's Kiss

by Kimberley Comeaux

  She finally backed away, and Cameron glanced up to see that, though the carriage had stopped, its occupants had remained in the vehicle.

  Drawing in a calming breath he looked back at Aurora and saw she was whimpering, but in fact no tears were falling from her eyes. He wondered why she was burdening him with this whole engagement fiasco. Then again hadn’t she always run to him whenever she was in trouble?

  And he had always bailed her out and saved the day. Now if he could just find her a husband, then he could handle her instead of Cameron.

  The problem was, finding a husband for Aurora seemed to be a nearly impossible task.

  “Aurora, I have spoken to five good gentlemen who were willing to take you as a wife. I don’t understand why you have rejected every one of them.” Cameron tried to hurry the conversation along so he wouldn’t keep Claudia waiting.

  “Don’t you understand, Cam?” she said with another sniff. “My father’s estate has dwindled terribly, along with my dowry, because of some bad investments. I didn’t reject those gentlemen. They rejected me when I told them I was practically penniless.”

  Cameron resisted the urge to groan with frustration. The fact that she was wealthy was the only reason his acquaintances were willing to overlook all her bad qualities. Aurora had a reputation for being selfish, vain, and unconcerned about anyone’s problems but her own. Without a dowry he didn’t know many men who would be willing to take her for a wife.

  “Aurora, I’m sure we can figure out something. I—”

  “Why don’t we just become engaged, Cam?” she interrupted with a pleading pout to her lips. “We can go to my father today, and I won’t have this worry to contend with anymore.”

  He noticed North glancing at his pocket watch and sent him a look of apology. “Aurora, I don’t want to become engaged to you. I’ve told you this. Now my friends are waiting for me, so—”

  “Yes, I’ve heard about Lady Claudia. The ton is all abuzz about your night at the theatre,” she said with a sneer. “Don’t forget your promise to me, Cam. You may not want to become engaged to me now, but you promised you would if I cannot find someone else to marry me.”

  “I haven’t forgotten, Aurora. Just please try to settle for someone else, for both our sakes.” He waved at North to drive up closer. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have an appointment to keep.”

  He walked around her and climbed in the carriage then sat by Claudia.

  “I’m sorry for the delay. Her visit was not a scheduled one,” he apologized as simply as he could without going into detail.

  North and Helen told him it was fine and waved away his concern, but Claudia remained quiet beside him. He glanced her way and started to explain more as to why Aurora was there, but she abruptly leaned forward and tapped Helen on the shoulder.

  “Helen, I just remembered where I’ve seen the actor from last night’s play. He was at a dinner party thrown by my third cousin Howard, and. . .” Claudia chattered on about the play for several minutes until he could take no more of her ignoring him.

  “Claudia, will you please cease your chatter for a moment?” he almost shouted. He hadn’t realized how forceful he had sounded until all three occupants of the carriage turned and frowned at him.

  ❧

  Claudia, startled into silence, stared at Cameron with surprise and confusion over his unusual lack of composure. She had known he’d wanted to explain as she chattered on inanely, but she hadn’t wanted him to think she’d been affected by the friendly display on his doorstep.

  “I apologize for shouting. It’s just that I’ve been trying to explain about what you three saw when you drove up.” He glanced between all of them but spoke mainly to Claudia.

  “There’s no need to explain.” Claudia forced herself to smile. “It’s none of our business whom you keep company with.” Even as she spoke it, she wished she could take it back. She could hear the hurt in her own voice.

  She ventured a peek at Cameron, and apparently he could hear it also. “I see,” he said slowly. “But are you sure it’s not your business?” he directed to her ears only.

  Perhaps she should have given him the benefit of the doubt, but she was so confused as to why he had not declared his feelings to her. “Quite sure, since we are not betrothed or attached in any way.” It was the worst sort of hint to pass to a gentleman, but Claudia was too upset and bewildered to care at this point.

  When Cameron didn’t comment, she glanced at him again to see his reaction to her words. Finally he sat back on his seat and stared straight ahead. “You’re right, of course,” he said stiffly.

  Claudia looked away to hide her pain. Why couldn’t he tell her how he felt? What was stopping him from making known his intentions toward her? Usually, if a gentleman spent even half the time he had with her, it would be understood a betrothal would soon follow. And now, with the ton speculating about them, it puzzled her as to why he would not make a move.

  Unless Aurora did have some sort of hold on him. Was the story of her father making a marriage demand on her true? Was Cameron helping her find a match, or did he plan to marry Aurora himself?

  These questions and many more about Cameron were plaguing her as they arrived at the shelter and she went to her classroom.

  The whole morning Claudia kept expecting Cameron to glance in and say hello to her, but he did not. She spied him walking past the open door many times, but he never once looked in.

  Fortunately the children were such a joy to teach. She was able for a little while at least to take her mind off Cameron and focus it on something worthwhile.

  At last the lunch bell rang out, and both teachers lined up the children and escorted them out into the main room. She glanced around, and, though she saw North and Helen, Cameron was nowhere to be found.

  Throughout the noon hour she barely touched her stew. It didn’t make sense, though, that she should feel so bad when it was he who was caught with another woman in front of his entire neighborhood.

  Why was he evading her presence when she had done nothing but tell him the truth? While it was true her attitude had not been exactly civil, he should still be a gentleman about the whole thing and quit hiding like a child.

  Fueled by her ire she stood up from the table. “Mrs. Owen, if you’ll excuse me for a moment, I have something to take care of.”

  Mrs. Owen smiled and waved her off. She had to walk by Helen on the way to Cameron’s office, and just as she’d feared her friend called out to her.

  “Claudia! Where are you going?” Helen asked, her eyes keenly scanning Claudia’s expression.

  “I’ll be right back,” Claudia answered evasively, continuing on and ignoring Helen’s request for her to return.

  Helen had to know something must be done. She didn’t want to work at the shelter while he ignored her day in and day out.

  Before she could touch the door handle, Cameron’s door swung open. Cameron walked out in front of her, nearly knocking her over.

  “I do apologize. . . ,” he began, grabbing hold of her shoulders, but his words drifted off when he realized it was Claudia. His hands jerked away from her as if she were suddenly on fire, and he stumbled back a step. “If you’ll excuse me,” he told her, avoiding her gaze, then hurried away from her.

  Stunned, she watched him disappear into the main room. Was he running from her?

  Perhaps he was, she thought. Why couldn’t he even look at her? Had his feelings changed from last night when he’d kissed her hand so gently? It must have to do with his visit with Aurora, but what?

  “Excuse me, my lady,” she heard a man say to her in a brisk tone. She then noticed her grandfather scooting around her and hurrying into his own office.

  She flinched at the sound of his door slamming behind him. He hadn’t looked at her either.

  What
was wrong with the men in her life? Why did they have to drive her to madness as these two seemed to do?

  Enough was enough, she thought with renewed determination. She marched up to her grandfather’s door and opened it without knocking.

  The older man looked up, his eyes wide, a frown creasing his brows. But Claudia didn’t care. With a thrust of her chin and a fortified breath, she walked over to his desk.

  “Hello, Grandfather,” she said as if it were the most natural thing in the world to say. She watched his expression go from disbelief to surprise then to something indiscernible before he turned his head.

  “I’m very busy now, so if you could please—”

  “Leave?” she supplied for him, her heart aching with every word he spoke. “No. I will not leave until you look me in the eyes and tell me why you don’t want to know me.” She was thankful her voice didn’t break since tears were beginning to sting the backs of her lids.

  She thought he was going to ignore her request, but then he turned and looked at her. She could scarcely believe it when she saw tears swimming in the older man’s eyes.

  Claudia couldn’t help herself. She ran around the desk and threw her arms around him. “I knew you had to love me!” Tears of joy fell onto her cheeks and spilled over onto his coat.

  “Of course I do, child. That was never the problem.” He hugged her to him.

  She stepped back to look up into his eyes. “Whatever the problem is, Grandfather, we can deal with it. You are as much my family as Grandfather Moreland is.”

  His eyes had a sadness about them. “But you will one day be the Marchioness of Moreland and—”

  “And you’ll still be my grandfather!” she interrupted. “I don’t care what the ton thinks of it. I need you in my life, and I think you need me, too.”

  She looked up at him with eyes full of hope and was thrilled when he reached out and patted her head affectionately. “You are as stubborn as your mother, do you know that?”

  She grinned. “I’ve been told this on many occasions.”

  He hesitated then asked, “How is my daughter? Is she well?”

  Claudia gladly filled him in on how her mother and father were doing in Louisiana. She also told him about her little sister, Josie.

  They spoke several more minutes about her mother, and then he changed the subject. “I suppose you and my employer will soon be making an announcement. But it might make things awkward with me as his butler.”

  Hope rose like spring flowers when she heard his words. “Grandfather, he has made no promises to me. Has he said anything to you that would lead you to believe he means to make an offer for my hand?”

  Her grandfather seemed taken aback. “I don’t understand, Claudia. I assumed by the time you have spent together that he had made known his intentions.” He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Has he said anything to you about Aurora?”

  Claudia sighed, weary of hearing her name. “She was with him this morning when we arrived to pick him up. They seem very close,” she told him.

  “Lord Kinclary has always spent a lot of time with her, but I was under the impression he thought of her as a sister. She appears to depend on him more than she should, and for some reason he feels he must help her.”

  Claudia nodded, feeling a little better by his assurance. “I will confess, Grandfather George, I do love him and wish he would give me some sort of sign that he feels the same.” She wanted him to know the true nature of her feelings.

  Her grandfather nodded. “By the way he looks at you, Claudia, I do not doubt you will hear that proposal sooner than later.”

  Claudia smiled at him, then left him to finish her work.

  But after she went back to the dining area, she noticed Cameron look her way, then stand. Her heart raced when she thought he was going to come over to her, but she was mistaken.

  Cameron merely put away his plate and walked out the front door of the shelter.

  Thirteen

  The two weeks that followed her reunion with her grandfather George were the happiest Claudia had experienced since she’d arrived in England. Though it had been difficult at first to get him to speak easily with her, he grew more and more comfortable every day. He’d even insisted she call him Grandpapa because it was more casual than what she called the marquis.

  The rift between her and Cameron had been mended also. It had lasted a couple of days until she swallowed her pride and apologized for snapping at him after seeing him with Aurora. He in turn asked for her forgiveness concerning his own behavior. He went on to explain about Aurora’s dilemma with her father and that he was helping her find a husband.

  He’d seemed nonchalant about the whole ordeal, but Claudia had the feeling he wasn’t telling her everything. And in the days that followed the feeling remained.

  It was only compounded by the fact that Cameron still had not stated his intentions toward her.

  She had also noticed a reserve about him whenever they were alone together. There were no more kisses, no overt flirting, and even no tucking the strands of her hair back as he’d done before. He was the picture of a perfect gentleman.

  What was wrong with him? she wondered with exasperation.

  It was almost as if he were biding his time, waiting for something.

  But what?

  She shouldn’t complain, she reminded herself nearly every day. Claudia was the one with whom he talked about his expansion plans for the shelter, and he always said “we” as if he were expecting her to be with him forever. They went to the theatre, walked through the park, and attended church with one another. Every few days the paper would comment on where they were seen and when they would set the wedding date.

  Claudia was sure Cameron read the newspaper, but he never remarked on what they wrote.

  The only answer she could come up with was that Aurora must have something to do with his seeming reluctance. The rumor about the ton was that she was actively looking for a husband, but any who seemed interested were turned away.

  Could she be hoping Cameron would marry her? Was Cameron waiting for Aurora to become engaged before he would make an offer for Claudia’s hand? If so, why would he do that—why would it matter?

  What hold did Aurora Wyndham have over the man Claudia loved?

  “Claudia! Are you going to stare at those flowers all day or give them to Ella to thread through my hair?” Helen asked, snapping Claudia out of her perplexing thoughts. Claudia looked down and realized she’d picked at least ten more flowers from the garden than they could possibly need.

  Shading her eyes with her hand, she looked up at Helen, who was leaning out of her window. “Sorry. I got a bit melancholy out here surrounded by all these pink roses,” she admitted with a sheepish grin, then made her way to the door.

  “Why is this not surprising?” Helen called after her. Claudia ran into the house then and up the stairs to Helen’s room.

  In the last two weeks Claudia and Helen had worked tirelessly to prepare for the ball. There were flower arrangements to order, silverware and dishware to decide upon, and invitations to post. Then they had to decide on the orchestra and what desserts the prince regent expected to be available.

  All very tedious indeed. Yet, as they dressed for the awaited event, Claudia felt a sense of accomplishment and hoped the night would go as anticipated.

  The whole Northingshire household, of course, was aflutter with nervous activity. Christina, their friend and now the Countess of Kenswick, had come to help them, and all three were now putting on the last touches of their evening attire.

  This was why she’d been down gathering roses for their hair.

  “Claudia, you must put on your gown!” Christina scolded the moment she walked into the room. “What were you doing in the garden so long?”

  Claudia sighed as she h
anded over the roses to the maid. “Well, I—”

  “She was daydreaming about Cameron again—this you can be sure of,” Helen cut in teasingly while her maid began styling her hair.

  “I want to know why the man is taking so long in declaring his feelings to you, Claudia,” Christina said, studying herself critically in the mirror.

  Christina was the most vivacious and talkative noblewoman Claudia had come across since she’d been in England. She stood tall, with red, curly hair, and loved to recount her stories of how she met her husband while climbing a tree. She also told tales of the many animals she had doctored and kept as pets, much to her husband’s dismay.

  Christina was one to come right out and speak whatever was on her mind—as she was at this moment.

  “If I were you, I would step up to him and demand he tell me what his intentions are. There would be no more mystery, and you could finally go on with your life.”

  Helen started to laugh, while Claudia looked at her with unbelief. “I couldn’t do that!” she gasped. And then she thought about it. “Could I?”

  “No, you could not. Christina, tell her you are only teasing,” Helen admonished.

  Christina grinned, glancing over her shoulder as her own maid adjusted the bows on her dark green gown. “All right, but it would certainly put him on the spot, wouldn’t it?”

  Claudia groaned as she held up her arms and allowed her maid to pull her dress over her. “What of Aurora? Have you heard anything about her in connection with Cameron?”

  Christina shook her head. “I’m afraid not. She hasn’t been seen at any of the balls I’ve attended, and some have speculated she may have retired to her father’s country home in Devon.”

  There was a knock at the door, which prevented Claudia from speaking her next sentence. Since Christina was the only one fully dressed, she went to answer the door.

  She spoke quietly to the servant, then turned back to the room with a note in her hand. With a smile of expectancy she waved the note toward Claudia. “It’s for you.”