by Heather Boyd
When he turned away from one set of friends, she left hers at that precise moment. He altered his course slightly to make it seem they met by chance. “Good evening, Lady Forbes.”
“Your grace, how happy I am that our paths have crossed tonight.”
“Why is that?”
“I, ah. Well,” she said, casting a quick glance around them. “My brother bid me give you a message. He wanted to thank you again for the generous offer of a winter spent in the country.”
Kitty had made that up on the spur of the moment just for an excuse to talk to him he suspected. He played along, hiding a grin. “Does he indeed?”
“He truly does. It might have had something to do with his daughter asking to go at least a hundred times each day until he relented.”
“I knew she could be depended upon to secure his agreement. I had already sent word home, and my housekeeper should remember your family well. I am sure the servants are hard at work preparing the accommodations I told her about. She is undoubtedly looking forward to your return, too, though I hope you do not mind that your chambers will be in Grafton Park manor, and not the cottage.”
Her eyes narrowed slightly. “My own plans are less pleasant, I am afraid.”
“I trust nothing is wrong?”
“I am not sure. I have had word from home of an accident involving my property. A fire. Although my brother-in-law assures me that he has the situation in hand, the cost he suggests to bring the house to order again is very high. I would prefer more than a vague assessment of the work to be done. I am sure you would do the same in my position. I may need to travel home sooner than I’d anticipated.”
“You are quite right to want to oversee any restoration work with a careful eye,” he said, wondering if she had concerns about her brother-in-law’s capabilities or his honesty in quoting the cost. The problem was always money. Someone always wanted what others had. “You fear a swindle underway?”
“Perhaps I do. But at the moment, I have no plans to return to Kinsale immediately, and nothing may come of it in the end. I am waiting on another letter my brother-in-law promised me, outlining the full extent of repairs to be carried out, before I make a decision.”
Sinclair would like to offer to help her, suggest he could pay to have the repairs done, too, but this was not the place to make such an offer and people were probably looking at them again. Their tête-à-tête was already going on for far too long. “I hope all goes well.”
“I do, too.”
“May I secure a dance with you this evening, Lady Forbes?”
“It would be a pleasure,” she promised, adding his name to her card.
He bowed and continued on his way, his mind in a whirl. He did not want her to go away yet, but what could he do to stop her?
It was an hour before he saw her again, and by then he was almost in dread that it could be their last night together. Everything depended on the letter from her family and what it said about the repairs.
The moment Sinclair took Kitty to the dance floor, he knew he could never go back to the way things had been. He was too aware of her movements. The curve of her lips as their hands met briefly. As their bodies shifted closer and away again, his desire for her only increased. He doubted he could keep his interest in her hidden forever.
But he would not have his time with Kitty spoiled by scandalous gossip.
They turned from each other to dance with another partner in the set, and he almost glanced back over his shoulders to check Kitty had not disappeared. He had not felt this aware of another person in a very long time. Only with her.
He met her again, and he fell into the warmth of her eyes, became mesmerized by the reflected interest in him.
Surely this affair was never meant to end.
It was not too late for them to marry, but what if she were right that they could not have a child together? Would he really regret it like she’d suggested he might? The worry of never being a father had been with him a long time. He had grown used to it because of Teddy’s existence. But the thought of never seeing Kitty, of her living so far away again, caused so much pain that it nearly buckled his knees.
He could not give her up.
Not for anything.
Not for a son that would not be theirs.
There had to be a way to have it all.
He caught sight of Teddy standing at the back of the crowd, watching him dance with Kitty. He had mistakenly thought Teddy would have gotten used to his future as the next Duke of Exeter. But what if he never did? What if he ran away again and Sinclair could not find him?
He had to keep them both happy. Yet, spending the rest of his life apart from Kitty, pretending not to have a person to inherit his title and fortune, was not how he wanted to live out his remaining days.
Sinclair blinked and forced his attention to his partner, but his smile dimmed as their dance ended. He thanked Kitty from the bottom of his heart for loving him despite everything. Now he knew what had plagued his life all along, he understood.
Other people had gotten in his way.
No more.
This duke’s heart was already claimed. Love could not be traded for a son.
The solution to his problem had been staring him in the face all his life—he’d simply had too much of the wrong thing in his life.
And he suddenly knew what he must do to take care of the two people he loved most of all.
He guided Kitty back to her friend Lady Darrow, mind racing a dozen different directions at once, and thanked her for the dance again.
There was a way to arrange his wealth so that he could follow Kitty almost immediately and still keep Teddy’s secret, too. But he would need to begin preparations as soon as possible.
He would have to leave the ball early. But only after he had met Kitty on the balcony as they’d already arranged and shared a kiss tonight.
He circled the ballroom and arrived at the appointed place on the balcony before she did, unobserved. He made a list in his head while he waited in the shadows. There was much to do if he was to have his way.
He heard her step before he saw her. He waited a beat to be sure she was alone, and then pulled her into his arms. They kissed, Sinclair relishing the thrill of desire she so easily provoked, and then he set her back from him a little, resting his head against hers. “I need to leave the ball, but I could not go without kissing you one more time.”
She blinked up at him, eyes clouding with confusion. “Is there anything the matter?”
“Not now,” he promised. He had so many plans to set in motion and no time to waste. “But I won’t be able to call on you later tonight.”
She nodded slowly, but there was disappointment in her eyes. She did not understand yet, but she would soon.
“I am very sorry,” he whispered. “I hope you can enjoy the rest of the evening without me.”
“I will do my best,” she promised. “Call on me when you are at liberty again.”
“I promise I will,” he whispered as he kissed her cheek. “Nothing will keep me away soon.”
She slipped away, back into the ballroom, fluttering her fan. Sinclair circled back the way he had come. He had reached the hall when Teddy caught up to him. The man looked confused. “Where did you go?”
Sinclair ignored the question. “I need my carriage.”
The world tilted a little at the giddy rush of excitement that filled his soul. He considered dancing a jig, but there would be too many witnesses for that. There was a way to be with Kitty and keep Teddy close.
How foolish to have assumed everything rested upon his shoulders?
He was pleased when Lady Fenwick’s butler was prompt in presenting Sinclair’s hat and cane. He made good use of it as he stumbled down the stairs, nearly tripping over his own feet in his haste to cross the pavement to the slowly opening carriage door. It seemed a very long way to travel, although it really was only a few steps.
He stumbled inside and set a hand to his ches
t. His heart was beating so fast he almost worried he might collapse.
Teddy grabbed him. “Is it your heart?”
“Yes.”
“I will send for a physician.”
“No. A physician will do me no good now.”
“But you must be seen to. You must be helped!”
A startled laugh left his lips. Teddy completely misunderstood. “I can manage without sending for him, but perhaps tomorrow I will invite him round.”
Sinclair looked over Teddy carefully. He would resist if he revealed his plan too soon. Better to leave him in the dark until the last moment.
He put his hand to Teddy’s shoulder and squeezed. “You will be an excellent duke one day but only if you learn to take new developments in your stride. I am quite well, I assure you. I have just had the most remarkable idea.”
One that benefited everyone, and especially him, too.
Chapter 18
“They say he took a turn and had to be carried out of the ball,” Willa whispered.
“Nonsense,” Kitty declared as she threw out a pair of cards she did not want. “He walked out on his own two feet. I saw him go with my own eyes. Your turn, Felicity.”
Felicity was new to cards and gambling and struggled with the game they were playing. She’d yet to win a hand and kept lowering her cards so they could be seen. Thankfully there was no money involved, they were only playing for buttons, and Kitty toyed with her little pile while she waited for her niece to make her decision.
“There have been three physicians in to see him,” Willa whispered again.
“Who says that?” Kitty scattered her buttons across the table at that news.
“Lady Kittridge and Lady Baxter. Their houses stand directly opposite his. They told me in the strictest confidence that they feared for his health indeed.”
Kitty worried at her lip again. “Do they say what is wrong with him?”
“None gave a straight answer upon leaving. But one tapped a leg when asked that question, another rubbed his brow.” Willa looked worried. “All we know is something is going on, and no one will breathe a word of it. You know what happens when Sinclair dies?”
My heart will break and will never be the same again.
Kitty had not seen Sinclair for a few days and, like everyone else, she was starting to worry about him. Sinclair had sent one note round after the ball but none others since. Sinclair had given her the impression that he had matters of business to take care of. He’d not mentioned it would take so many days and nights, though. He was most definitely up to something, and she could not bear the thought of him ill and almost alone in that great house.
Lady Hallam had already left the capital.
It tested her patience to wait to hear from him, listening to the most extreme speculation about his imminent demise.
If they were married, she’d never leave his bedside if it were true.
“And the third fellow cursed everyone because he was questioned,” the Duke of Baxter added when Felicity finally made her decision, giving him his turn. He looked at his cards sourly then placed them face down. “Fold. All anyone at the club is talking about is the Duke of Exeter dying and the fate of his estate. No one likes the idea of a title becoming extinct.”
Felicity, who’d been worrying her lip all through the game, looked up. “He could not really be that ill, could he? He’s probably just hiding from everyone. Papa said he hid a lot as a boy.”
Willa glanced at Kitty, grinning a little. “Is that true? Did Exeter cling to the shadows and skulk about?”
“He might have hidden once or twice,” Kitty murmured, remembering that the boys had played complicated games she was not allowed to join. “But I am sure he did not skulk.”
“He was so nice, and I was so looking forward to visiting his estate with Papa, too.” Felicity was starting to look genuinely worried. “Do you believe the gossip, Aunt?”
Last week, Kitty would have said Sinclair was strong, invincible. She had lain with her head on his chest, counting the steady beats of his heart so many nights. “I do not believe a word of it. I thought him in excellent health the last time I saw him. We danced, and he was not fatigued afterward.”
“Well, there you go,” Baxter declared, giving Kitty a reassuring smile. “I am sure it will amount to nothing.”
“Baxter, how can you be so calm?” Willa complained. “Can you not see Kitty is positively beside herself with worry?”
“She always worried unnecessarily about Exeter, if anyone bothers to ask me,” Percy complained, folding the paper he’d been reading and standing up. Kitty had almost forgotten her brother was in the room today. He’d been sitting directly behind Baxter while they played and only now he had something to contribute. He’d insisted on staying but had sat over there reading the paper rather than joining in.
He moved to stand behind his daughter and ruffled her hair. He looked closely at her cards and smiled. “You are getting the hang of it, at last, I see.”
“Do you think so?” She turned to her father, allowing Kitty to see every card she held. A winning hand.
She sighed heavily. “My dear, you must learn to ignore distractions. You would have won had you not shown me your cards.”
They all groaned and tossed their cards away. “Perhaps its time for something else,” Willa suggested. “Felicity, would you play for us?”
Although Felicity winced, she dutifully went to the instrument. Baxter begged to be excused and said his goodbyes. Willa then left the table to help Felicity choose music, leaving Kitty and Percy alone to straighten the table.
Percy appeared to have become reconciled with Kitty providing his daughter instruction, and for that, she was grateful. He still never said much, though, and it was just like old times, before her marriage. “Will you stay for dinner tonight?”
“I will not, but Felicity can.” He scratched his jaw ,and then sat down in his daughter’s recently vacated chair. “I thought I might take a trip on my own to Grosvenor Square.”
Kitty’s eyes flew to his. “You promised me not to endanger the duke again.”
“I am going to discover if our old friend is really at death’s door,” he said quietly.
“That is very considerate of you. I am sure it’s nothing.”
“But you are worried anyway.” He pulled all the buttons toward him and started sorting them into little piles. “Do you know these little things are worth a fortune to a poor family?”
“I do know that, brother,” she promised, leveling him a hard stare. She had forgotten nothing of how the poor struggled. They had been poor when she was a girl. She’d married a man of means, and her brother had also somehow increased his wealth, given what she’d seen of his life.
“You were always meant for an extraordinary life,” he murmured, glancing her way with a smile. He returned all the buttons to the glass jar. “You cannot go, of course. It would not do for Lady Forbes to pester the housekeeper of the Duke of Exeter’s home for information like you used to do at Grafton Park. I will check on him for you instead. Is there a message?”
Kitty nearly could not breathe. She had believed her brother unaware of her involvement in the duke both in the past and now. Did he know? And more importantly, what did he think of her and Sinclair together?
She chose her words carefully. “No message other than wishing him a speedy recovery, if he is as ill as everyone claims.”
“I will give him your love, too.” He stood abruptly, went to his daughter, and bid her remain while he went off on an errand.
Kitty sat in stunned silence as her brother hurried out without a backward glance.
He knew.
Dear God, he knew she was in love with Sinclair.
When Felicity started to play, Willa returned to Kitty’s side. “Now we may talk without worry.”
Kitty stared forward, her mind racing. “He knows.”
“Who does?”
“Percy knows about Sinclair and me.”
Willa gaped. “What did he say? You look about to faint. Was he rude?”
“No, not at all. Percy has gone to call on the duke to see if the rumors were true for my sake.” She pressed her lips together hard as her eyes stung. “He said I always worry. I think he must have known about us before my marriage, too.”
Willa put her arm around Kitty’s back and hugged her. “If he’s said nothing against it, I would consider it quite a boon.”
“I thought I had been so careful keeping my love hidden,” she whispered. “Do you think Felicity has any idea about us?”
“I hardly think so. Your niece is too wrapped up in the excitement of being with you to notice anything or anyone else,” Willa promised. “I have meant to ask. Did you receive that letter from home you were waiting on?”
“Yes, just today, and I am truly torn about it now. I need to go home to Kinsale, but I find that I do not want to leave. What if Sinclair is ill?”
“Percy will find out if he is or not. I hope I do not have to say how badly I want you to stay, but if you must go…”
“I must,” she admitted. “I cannot leave the repair of my property to someone else.”
Willa’s face fell. “When will you leave?”
“I have to speak to Sinclair about it. I owe him fair warning,” she admitted. “I need to know he understands.”
Felicity finished her piece and rushed over, smiling. “Was that any better?”
“Yes, my dear.” Kitty grasped the girl’s hand and pulled her down to sit at her side. She had fallen in love with this girl and hated the idea of leaving her, too.
“You were delightful, Miss Felicity,” Willa promised the girl. “I think you have great promise, but you must continue to practice each day. You are welcome to return here each afternoon to use my instrument if your father will bring you.”
The girl brightened. “I would like that very much, my lady.”
“I think you must call me Willa, like your aunt does,” Willa declared. “We are going to be very good friends, I think.”