I Wish for Your Kiss

by Cynthia Moore

  “To the contrary, you have greatly piqued my interest.”

  Her hand dropped away from his arm. She sighed. “I’m very glad to hear that. Even though it is not to my taste, you might find the tale enjoyable.”

  “I intend to discover if that is so at my first opportunity. Excuse me; I must retrieve something from my room. I will see you both at dinner.”

  Chapter Two

  “There, they should sleep for a couple of hours.” Mary tucked the blanket around her sleeping son and smoothed back a lock of tousled hair from his forehead. She turned to do the same for her daughter and then motioned for Catherine to follow her. “You can keep me company while I feed the baby.”

  Silently, Catherine walked behind her friend into a cozy room off the nursery. A fire was burning merrily in the hearth. Two overstuffed Queen Anne chairs flanked the fireplace. Catherine waited for Mary to settle herself with the infant tucked at her breast, suckling noisily before she perched herself on the edge of the other chair.

  “Are you feeling well, Catherine?”

  Mary’s sudden question startled her. She sat up straight against the cushions and faced her friend. “Yes, of course. Why do you ask?”

  “There have been a few times I’ve said something to you and you haven’t answered me. It happened last night after dinner as well as this morning. You appear to be miles away.”

  “I…I hadn’t realized. I’m sorry.”

  “Are you worried about something? Have you heard from Lord Greer?”

  “Yes. The plans have been made and a date is set…I don’t wish to speak of it, Mary.”

  “Very well. I simply wanted to offer the assurance that Edward and I would attend if you feel you need our support.”

  “Thank you both very much for the kind offer. Lord Greer and I have agreed to attend to the matter with a minimum of fuss and fanfare.” She paused and cleared her throat. “I wanted to ask you; what do you know of Lord Rockton?”

  “Lord…Justin? What do you wish to know?”

  “I have heard rumors of his aversion to marriage. I was wondering if the stories were true.”

  Mary didn’t seem surprised by her query. “Of course, I haven’t known him nearly as long as Edward has. I met him just before our marriage. I do remember wondering aloud one day at Justin’s ongoing single state. Edward just shrugged his shoulders and told me he thought Justin preferred to show his interest in women in a slow, deliberate, less obvious manner. I’m not certain if Edward was entirely serious, but he also said he believed by the time Justin decides he has found his special lady, she will already be betrothed or married to someone else.”

  “Do you think Lord Rockton isn’t against marriage? He is simply taking his time finding the right woman to be part of his life?”

  “As unusual as this might sound for a peer in his position, I’m not sure if he is truly searching for a wife. We have met him at several social functions in London, but I got the impression he was merely making requisite appearances. I noticed he would leave the gathering as soon as it was polite to do so. He never made an attempt to single out a woman or even to have a lengthy discussion with a lady in my recollection.”

  Catherine frowned as she tried to make sense of what Mary had told her. “Perhaps he doesn’t want to be saddled with a wife. From your observations, it sounds as if he is avoiding female company altogether.”

  “I wouldn’t go so far as to say that, my dear. I am reminded of one evening when Justin admitted to Edward in my presence that he had narrowly avoided participating in a duel after another man accused him of making untoward advances to his betrothed. However, when Edward cautioned him and spoke of his duties to his family name and properties, Justin boasted that he would have absolutely no qualms handing over the running of his estate to his heir if anything should happen to him.”

  “Could it be that he prefers to dally with women who are already married or spoken for? It sounds as if he does have an aversion to marriage.”

  Mary moved the baby to her other side and adjusted the tiny head in the crook of her arm. “No! I could never think that Justin would deliberately trifle with a lady. Perhaps he had a bad experience with someone who broke his heart. I do wish a special woman who could love and care for him would come into his life. I’m certain that he must capture the ladies’ interests at any public event he attends. You must admit he is a very handsome man.”

  Catherine pictured Justin’s long golden-hued hair that he wore tied back with a thin leather strap to fall in a silken mass across his broad shoulders. Fine, sandy colored brows, pronounced cheekbones and large green eyes. A classic, aristocratic nose that was slightly bent at the bridge hovered over firm lips and a strong chin. A sense of contained strength radiated from him as well; a confirmation in Catherine’s mind that he didn’t shy away from challenging, physical activity. “I agree. I’m sure he receives a great deal of attention from women wherever he goes.”

  “Then there shouldn’t be a lack of opportunity for him to eventually meet the right woman to love.”

  ****

  Justin paced across the brick floor of the orangery. The heat from the furnace tucked inside the north-facing stone wall of the building kept the interior of the room comfortably warm even on this cold winter day. Filtered sunlight peeped through the clouds; radiating across the large windows lining the south side of the structure illuminating the bright green, yellow and orange fruits hanging on several lime, lemon and orange trees inside the space.

  Justin paid no attention to his surroundings. He was in a quandary. His opportune discussion with Catherine yesterday had not gone as planned. He had never encountered a woman like her. Her intelligent, thoughtful replies to his questions left him perplexed and bewildered. So much so that last evening at dinner he had barely been able to converse; only offering short, terse replies whenever he was addressed. Edward had noticed his preoccupation and asked if he was feeling quite the thing after the ladies had left the table. He had managed to assure his friend that he was fine by coming up with a story about his crops and his concern over their low output the previous summer.

  Now he frowned down at the bricks covering the floor of the hothouse and spoke his frustration aloud. “Damn! What have I started?”

  “Sorry? Oh, excuse me, Lor…Justin. I didn’t mean to disturb you.”

  He spun around at the sound of Catherine’s voice to discover the object of his chagrin standing near the sitting area close to the heated wall. She was warmly bundled in a cherry-red, fur-lined pelisse with shiny, black leather boots covering her feet. She turned and walked away from him heading toward the doorway. He called out to her. “Wait. Don’t go.”

  She stopped and faced him. “I don’t wish to intrude.”

  “You’re not intruding. It would be a pleasure to have your company. Please sit down.”

  She retraced her steps, lowered herself onto the edge of a cushioned chair and clasped her hands in her lap. “Mary…Mary will join us in a minute. She is making sure the children are settled. This…This is a lovely room.”

  Her hesitant speech after hearing his untimely outburst caused Justin to realize Catherine probably sensed his frustration. He must soothe her ruffled composure and make an attempt to set her at her ease. However, with Mary’s impending arrival, he needed to quickly strike up a conversation with her. He sat on the overstuffed sofa across from Catherine and forced himself to speak in a casual manner. “It is wonderful to enjoy a bit of the outdoors inside a warm room on a chilly winter day such as this.”

  “I couldn’t agree more. Do…Do you have an orangery on your estate?” She spoke softly, keeping her gaze lowered and fixed upon her hands.

  “Yes, I do. It is quite similar in shape and size to this one.” He answered her, making certain his voice sounded composed and relaxed.

  She raised her head to look directly at him. “Where is your estate located? Is it large?”

  “Not far from London; just outside of Newbury. I own
about fifty acres of land. Tell me, have you always lived in London?” He was relieved to see she appeared to be disregarding his earlier regrettable outburst. She kept her gaze aimed at his face.

  “When my parents were alive we had a small estate in Bath. That was our principle residence. My mother and I would travel to London and stay there with my father when Parliament was in session. On occasion, we would also rent lodgings in Brighton and reside there for a few weeks during the summer months.” She settled herself back against the cushions on the chair.

  “Do you prefer Bath to Brighton or vice versa?” He pressed on with his queries, eager to hear her replies.

  “As you know, Bath is a refined, genteel town known for its restorative waters. Brighton in the summer time is a happy, carefree place to enjoy the ocean breezes and the seashore. They are each special places in very different ways,” she finished in a vague manner.

  Was she trying to avoid giving him a detailed answer to his question? He must press her for more. “If you had to live in one city only, which would you choose? Give me your reasons.”

  She stared at the ground, frowning. “If I was forced to pick one…I suppose it must be Bath. A seaside town such as Brighton is fine for a short visit when the weather is nice, but the city lacks other essential things that I deem important for daily living.”

  “What would those things be?”

  She smiled at him and Justin was momentarily dazzled. He made himself concentrate on what she was saying. “As you probably have deduced, I enjoy reading.”

  “Bath has several circulating libraries and reading rooms to choose from. My mother and I made a point to visit one every week when we were in town. We also enjoyed going to the Upper Assembly Rooms. Brighton doesn’t have a building as elegant and so specially intended for dancing and musical entertainment.”

  “What of the Prince George’s penchant for Brighton? I take it you don’t share in his enthusiasm for the city?”

  Her cheeks flushed pink. “He simply found it convenient to take his paramour there. He hid her away in a cottage.”

  “Whose paramour?” Mary strode into the room and sat down next to Justin on the sofa.

  Catherine’s tinkling laugh rang out in the room before she answered. “We were discussing Prince George and his fondness for Brighton. I believe he goes to the city simply because he can hide there with Mrs. Fitzherbert.”

  Mary giggled as well. “I don’t believe the prince can avoid public notice for long wherever he might go.”

  “I don’t think he will escape notoriety in this instance either. It is rumored he has begun discussions with Mr. John Nash to create a grand pavilion in Brighton.”

  Catherine leaned forward in her chair and gasped. “After what happened when the prince hired Henry Holland to design and build Carlton House? You can’t believe our government will countenance another exorbitant project such as that?”

  Justin managed to hide his surprise when Catherine was able to identify another architect with one of his projects; no matter how famous they both were. There were no young ladies in his acquaintance who could speak with any knowledge at all on building styles or their designers. “I’m betting Prinny will have his way.”

  Mary sighed. “I’m not one to condone speaking harshly about our monarch but I fear the King was overly harsh with him as a boy. Now that the prince is older, it seems he will stop at nothing to get what he wants.”

  “Nor does he concern himself with how much something costs.”

  Edward strolled into the room. “Of whom do you speak, Catherine?”

  Mary turned and held her hand out to her husband across the back of the sofa. “We were lamenting the excessive spending habits of Prince George, my dear.”

  Edward picked up his wife’s hand and kissed it. “Too much rein as a child. Now that he is allowed to roam free, no one can catch him.”

  “Just as I said before you joined us.” Mary smiled at him. “Come sit down.”

  Edward chuckled. “Perhaps later, my love; I came to challenge Justin to a game of billiards.”

  Justin stood up; acknowledging the brief opportunity to speak with Catherine alone was over. He bowed to both of the ladies. “I enjoyed conversing with you both.”

  “Justin, I wanted to remind you,” Mary called out as he turned away to follow Edward. “Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. We are going to take the carriage out to collect greenery to decorate the house after breakfast. Do you wish to join us?”

  “Please come.” Catherine grinned at him. “We need an extra pair of strong arms.”

  “We intend to bring the children as well. We can’t stay out in the cold too long, and there won’t be much room in the carriage.” Edward spoke from the doorway. “Why don’t you and Catherine take the horse cart, Justin? The old mare Betty is reliable, and the cart is sturdy. You two should be able to gather enough greenery to decorate the entire dining room at the very least.”

  Justin struggled to remain composed as he was handed a rare opportunity to spend some time alone with Catherine. “Of course I will help. I wouldn’t miss such a chance.”

  “Wonderful.” Catherine clapped her hands together and laughed. “However, I must warn you that I probably won’t be able to offer you much assistance other than to point out the most favorable bushes and plants to collect cuttings. Miss Wicker is certain to insist I bundle up against the cold from the top of my head to the bottom of my toes.”

  Justin grinned back at her, he could think of no circumstance that could ruin such an opportune occasion for him. “Don’t concern yourself. I will rely on you to spot the choicest shrubbery. We will assemble a grand pile of greenery for the dining room together.”

  Chapter Three

  They all met in the dining room a few hours later. Catherine noted with appreciation the large, sparkling chandelier centered over gleaming white plates framed by highly-polished silverware and glassware as she took her seat at the table. When everyone had made their way to their own chairs, Grayson poured red wine into each of their glasses while two other servants brought in the first course.

  “I hope you enjoy the parsnip soup.” Mary picked up the serviette next to her plate and put it on her lap. “It is one of my favorites. Cook mixes in some of the juices from the roasted beef to give the broth a special flavor. I ask her to make it every year at this time.”

  Catherine picked up her spoon and took a sip from her bowl. “It’s delicious. I never thought of mixing meat juices in a vegetable soup. The taste is very unique.”

  “We are lucky to have such prolific crops even in winter. My wife never lacks for a variety of vegetables to bring to our table.” Edward took a sip of his wine. “What of your land, Justin? I’m sorry to hear your crop production has suffered.”

  Catherine looked up from her soup. “Is there a problem? Perhaps I could help.”

  Justin stared at her from his seat on the other side of the table. “What do you know of farming?”

  Catherine could feel her checks flushing. Perhaps she had spoken out of turn. She lowered her spoon to the tablecloth next to her bowl, clearing her throat before speaking. “I…I mentioned to you that I was an only child. I also told you my family had a small estate near Bath.”

  Justin didn’t flinch. “Yes you did. What do those things have to do with giving me farming advice?”

  Catherine had a sense he believed she was wasting his time. It was common to think that a woman should never show an interest in something that was clearly a gentleman’s concern. She spoke up quickly, anxious to prove she knew what she was talking about. “Even though we owned a small estate with a modest amount of open land for crops, my father was continually looking for ways to increase our harvest outputs. He discovered a few books that offered sound ideas. I spent many evenings with him in his library discussing possible planting alternatives.”

  Justin lowered his brows. She could see tiny wrinkles crisscrossing his forehead. “Your father had no help? No estate manager t
o speak to?”

  “He had a man who was there when he inherited the estate, a Mr. Bender. He was hired as a boy by my grandfather to work in the gardens. When my father began his research, Mr. Bender was elderly and set in his ways. He wasn’t interested in trying new things and refused to talk about alternatives. I believe I served as an attentive audience. Our discussions eventually helped my father to clarify and choose the proper scheme that doubled the output of our crops in two years’ time.”

  “That is certainly remarkable. I, for one, would be very interested to hear what your father decided to do.” Edward raised his wine glass toward Justin. “Come now, old man, it can’t hurt to listen, and you might discover what has caused your problems as well.”

  “I am eager to hear what Catherine has to say.” Justin turned away from her to address his friend. “I simply find it hard to believe that her father discovered a magic remedy to increase crop production that presumably very few people know about or are privy to.”

  The door to the dining room opened. Servants brought in plates containing slices of roasted beef, boiled potatoes, and carrots. Catherine waited to speak again until everyone had been served.

  “As a matter of fact, the method we choose is far from a closely-guarded secret. It was started by a man who had a farm in Hungerford, Berkshire. I believe that isn’t very far from your estate in Newbury. He passed away in seventeen forty-one. Have you heard of Mr. Tull and his writings?”

  Justin was cutting a piece of his beef when she spoke. His knife slipped from his fingers and clattered onto the edge of his plate. “Is he the one who invented the seed drill?”

  “Yes, the very man!” Catherine answered, delighted he knew something of what she was speaking of.

  “I was told the cost of the drill was exorbitant,” Justin replied in a dismissive manner.

  She wasn’t about to allow him to cast off the subject of their discussion in such a way. “It was expensive, but when my father used the hoeing methods described in Tull’s book along with his seed drill, we were able to double the crop yield. It was well worth the extra money.”