I Wish for Your Kiss

by Cynthia Moore

  “What is the title of this book?” Mary took a roll from a basket that was placed in front of her by one of the servants.”

  “It is quite long; The New Horse-houghing Husbandry: or An Essay on the Principles of Tillage and Vegetation.” Catherine took a deep breath and speared a piece of carrot with her fork. Hopefully, just the fact that she could recite such a title from memory would be proof enough to Justin that she was very familiar with the book and its contents.

  “I will ask my estate manager to obtain a copy as soon as possible.” Edward made a signal to Grayson. He stepped forward from his post in the corner and refilled everyone’s glasses.

  “What do you believe actually made the difference in your father’s crop yields?”

  Catherine thought over Justin’s question for a moment before answering. “The book explained that frequent hoeing of the soil allows important gases and moisture in the atmosphere to more easily penetrate down to the roots of the crop. Once the soil was properly conditioned using the horse-drawn hoe method, and the seeds were dropped at equal distances at a correct depth into the ground using the seed drill, better crop output was almost certain to occur.”

  “Assuming you had adequate rain storms throughout the year as well?” Justin pushed his plate away. One of the servants came to the table to collect it.

  “Of course, my father made a point to gather as much rain water as possible to use to irrigate the crops when storms were infrequent. We also had a fairly large stream that ran through our property.”

  Justin took a drink of wine. “I will discuss what you have suggested with my estate manager when I return.”

  “I’m glad. I sincerely hope the knowledge I gained from my father’s research will help you.” Catherine turned to Mary who had stayed quiet through most of their discussion. “I’m sorry, dear. I didn’t intend to monopolize the conversation. Will Peter and Beatrice be joining us for Christmas Eve dinner tomorrow night?”

  “Oh yes, they wouldn’t miss their chance to pretend to be all grown up. It only happens a few times a year.” Mary looked pensive for a moment and then smiled at her. “You know, when we were little, I remember feeling sorry for you because you were an only child. But now that I hear of your talks with your father about his crops and I think of the many times I joined you and your mother for tea to listen to you both debate about your favorite books and poetry, I realize how close you were to both of them. I’m certain it didn’t matter to you that you were on your own.”

  Catherine took a deep breath, staring blankly at the tablecloth. How much she missed her father and mother! She roused herself to answer, “You’re right, Mary. I was never lonely while my parents were alive.”

  ****

  Justin strode down the front steps and walked toward the groom who was standing in the drive next to a rustic, wooden cart.

  “Tell me the name of this worthy beast?” he asked as the groom handed him the reins attached to the head of an elderly horse at the front of the equipage.

  “She be called Betty, my lord. The stable master says she’s a sure bet. Maybe not so fast any longer but fixed and steady. She’ll get you where you be wantin’ to go and back.”

  Justin studied the mare. The animal made no movement to acknowledge him. She faced forward, staring toward the stable area. Justin imagined the horse was already pinning away for a carrot and her bed of warm hay. “That is very comforting to hear.”

  “What’s wrong, Justin? Betty’s a great old beast. She might be slow, but she’s reliable.”

  Justin turned around to see Edward and Mary coming toward him. Edward had Peter and Beatrice’s hands clasped in his own. Mary clutched the baby in her arms. All were dressed warmly. “Your groom has just informed me of those facts, Edward.”

  “She’s quite gentle, Justin. Peter and Beatrice have both taken turns at the reins with no mishap.” Mary smiled reassuringly at him.

  A clatter of hooves could be heard over their voices, and the family’s crested traveling carriage came around the corner of the house to come to a stop near the cart.

  “Miss Simms, promise me you’ll keep yourself covered!”

  Justin turned at the sound of Miss Wicker’s agitated voice.

  “I promise! Don’t worry so. I’ll be fine.” Catherine’s slightly muffled, tinkling laugh rang out as walked down the stairs and joined them. “I’m so sorry for coming late. As you can see, Miss Wicker did insist I bundle up.”

  Justin studied her attire. She wore the same red, fur-lined pelisse from the day before. Additionally, a matching red cap was pulled down over her ears, quite effectively covering most of her hair; a thick, woolen scarf was wrapped around her neck, pulled up over her chin, mouth, and nose. Her gloved hands were thrust inside a furry muff. Only her eyes were visible, twinkling merrily from out of the edge of the coverings. “I can’t imagine you’ll feel anything other than warmth dressed as you are.”

  “I did warn you. But there is no reason for concern. My costume won’t hamper my greenery-spotting abilities in the least.”

  With her scarf covering most of her face, Justin couldn’t see Catherine’s expression, but he imagined she was smiling at him. He intended to fully enjoy the time he had been given to spend alone with his companion. “I’ll have to keep a watch on that hat. You won’t be much help to me if it should fall down over your eyes.”

  She reached up to push the hat back off of her forehead. “Don’t worry. As soon as we are out of sight of the house, I’m going to take it off.”

  “Are you certain? Your ears will get cold, and I’ll have to face Miss Wicker’s wrath.” Justin shivered inwardly as he imagined what would happen if he was to somehow displease her formidable companion.

  “I’ll answer to her if she should find out. I have had to deal with her displeasure many times in the past,” Catherine replied nonchalantly.

  “Do you purposely ignore her wishes?” Justin helped Catherine step into the cart.

  She settled herself on the thick blanket the groom had thoughtfully placed across the wooden seat. “No, not at all. It’s very hard to disregard Miss Wicker’s whims, especially as they almost always pertain to her opinions on the best methods to keep warm. Obviously, we live in a place where it is rarely hot, even in the summer. I simply don the extra shawls, caps, and gloves under her watchful eyes and then remove most of the bits and pieces when she is no longer in the vicinity.”

  Justin walked around to the other side of the cart and climbed in. The groom handed him the reins.

  “My lord, take these for your hands.” Grayson appeared at his elbow holding out a pair of worn gloves.

  “You don’t want to ruin yours on the prickly holly bushes.” Edward called as he climbed into the carriage. “I had my man get you an old pair from the stables. There is also some gardening scissors inside the front compartment to cut the thicker branches with.”

  “Follow us,” Mary added from her seat as she handed the baby to her husband. “We’ll stop at a spot where it’s easier for the children to reach the greenery. The place where you two should collect is just beyond.”

  “I understand.” Justin took the old gloves from Grayson and looked for a place to put them. There wasn’t much extra room inside the tiny vehicle. He was aware of a soothing, warm sensation inside his chest he guessed was caused by the heat radiating from Catherine’s body just inches from his side.

  “I’ll take them.”

  Catherine reached across, and their gloved fingers tangled together for a brief second. Justin heard her muffled gasp as she swiftly moved her hand away and dropped the gloves in her lap.

  “We’re off.” A sudden thrill of pleasure went through him as he noticed Catherine’s reaction. Could it be she was affected by their close proximity as well? It should prove to make their outing a very interesting one if that was the case. He flicked the reins and urged the horse forward to follow behind the carriage.

  As soon as they rounded a corner and moved away from t
he house, Catherine yanked the hat off of her head and pulled the scarf down from her nose and mouth. “There. That is so much more comfortable.”

  Out of the corner of his eye, Justin saw her straighten her glossy curls with a gloved hand. He had a sudden image of his own fingers stroking the silky strands. His heart pounded erratically, and he took a deep breath in an effort to calm himself. “Promise… promise me that you will cover up again if you get cold.”

  “Of course, I promise. But I’m certain there will be no need.” Her joyous laugh rang out. “Oh, it’s so nice to be outdoors in the fresh air. Look, there is not a cloud in the sky!”

  As he urged the mare forward, Justin realized that anyone would be hard-pressed to stay gloomy in her company for long. Not only was she obviously a happy person, she was intelligent and a lively conversationalist. It was a joy to be around her.

  “We’ll pull over here.” Edward called out as the carriage moved to the side of the track and stopped. “The better spot for you is just around the corner.”

  “We’ll do our best to fill up the cart,” Justin replied as they drew up alongside.

  “See that you do!” Mary emerged from the carriage and with the help of a groom, guided Peter and Beatrice down the steps. “I want my dining table to glow with an abundance of Christmas cheer this evening.”

  Catherine waved at them as their horse ambled by. “Such dear children. They have very happy lives. Edward and Mary are obviously devoted parents.”

  “Your mother and father sound as if they were loving, caring people as well. They certainly included you in most aspects of their lives.”

  “Yes, they…they were quite wonderful.” She became silent, staring down at her hands.

  Justin guided the mare around a bend in the road and maneuvered the cart to the edge of the road. He dropped the reins in his lap and turned to face Catherine, putting his hand on her arm. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you sad. I shouldn’t have mentioned them.”

  She raised her head and looked at him; a few tears glistened in her brown eyes. They fell, cascading in tiny, liquid rows down her cheeks. “There is no need for you to apologize. I adored them. I always have happy memories when I discuss my parents. But sometimes, when I think of them, I feel a deep, throbbing pain in my chest and it makes me cry. I miss them so much.”

  “Do you want to talk about them now?”

  She smiled at him with trembling lips as she reached up to wipe the moisture from her face with one gloved hand. “I’m sure you’re wondering… “

  “You don’t have to tell me.”

  “I want to. It…it was a carriage accident. They had gone to visit friends on the other side of Bath. A fierce storm came out of nowhere as they headed home; dark, pitch-black sky, screaming wind, thunder and lightning. I was watching for them at the window hoping they hadn’t ventured out. Their horses bolted, the carriage veered off the road and tipped over. They…they were thrown out…it was over in minutes.”

  Justin rubbed Catherine’s arm. He could feel her pain. In the short time he had known her, it was obvious how close she had been to her parents. It was hard for him to imagine recovering from such a sudden, painful loss. “I’m so sorry.”

  She didn’t say anything for several moments. “Thank…thank you. I’m glad you know what happened. But enough of this now. It’s Christmas Eve, and we have a job to do.” She turned in her seat and gave him a lopsided grin.

  He studied her face as he slowly removed his hand from her arm. “If you’re certain you feel up to it?”

  “Oh yes. I have been looking forward to this outing since Mary mentioned it to me yesterday morning. There!” She pointed at the trees bordering the meadow. “I see a prime specimen. It’s very green and full of red berries. You will have no trouble reaching the branches. Where are the scissors?”

  “They should be in the front compartment.”

  Catherine pulled the latch open and reached for the tool. She handed it to him. “Here. Cut as much as you can.”

  Justin gave her the reins before jumping out. He snipped all the greenery he could reach off of the holly bush and stacked the limbs in a pile before picking up the pieces and throwing them into the back of the cart. “That should cover most of the table.”

  “There is another shrub on the other side. Get a few specimens from there and then go to the pine tree to the left of that bush. We should have enough to decorate the entire dining room.”

  He cut several branches off of both plants, gathered the stacks, and loaded the greenery. Several pieces of holly dangled off to one side of the cart. He adjusted the pile, making certain all the branches were secure. “Should we look for any more?”

  Catherine studied their collected treasure for a moment. “I can’t imagine where we would put just one extra branch. It would certainly fall to the ground. Mary will be more than satisfied with what we have gathered.”

  “Our task was accomplished in record time. Do you want to take the cart a little further down the path or should we return to the house?”

  “I need to get back. Miss Wicker will be frantic with worry. She probably imagines me with frostbite at this point.”

  Justin hoped she couldn’t sense his disappointment. It was as if a dark cloud had suddenly covered up the sun. He slowly climbed into his seat and took the reins from her. He must do as she requested even though he wanted to have her to himself for as long as possible. “You exaggerate. The pile of coverings Miss Wicker had upon your person wouldn’t allow any amount of chilly air to penetrate.”

  “I agree, but no matter how much she bundles me up, she is still apprehensive about the cold and the possibility of me becoming ill.”

  “Her concern for your well-being is admirable.”

  “She can be exasperating at times, but she means well.”

  Justin guided the horse into the front drive. He pulled back on the reins, waiting to speak until the horse had ambled to a stop. “I’m very glad she takes such good care of you.”

  Catherine looked at him with a bewildered expression on her face. “Why, thank you for saying something so nice, Justin.”

  A footman descended the front steps to help Catherine out of the cart. She gave the man her hand and stepped to the ground.

  “I have no intention of merely being nice. I’m serious. The thought of you prostrate upon your bed with a fever brings grave thoughts to my mind and thunderous palpitations to my heart.” He waved his gloved hand to her as she stood to one side staring at him. The old mare suddenly pulled the cart forward, making a run for the stables, obviously anticipating the food and shelter to be found there.

  ****

  Justin took a deep breath of the cold air that surrounded him. He was back at his favored spot in the garden sitting on the bench. It was peaceful and quiet here. He could be alone with his confused and disordered thoughts. Today was Christmas. The days had rolled past in unhurried, relaxed succession. A majority of his free time had been spent in Catherine’s company. They had discussed many interesting subjects and enjoyed numerous happy moments as well. He had initially been attracted by her beauty and vivaciousness. Now he was also impressed by the wealth of knowledge she possessed on many varied subjects as well as a practical and sensible outlook on life. Indeed, the deep understanding she had on the methods for increasing crop production would certainly help him to improve the output on his own estate. He was smitten. He should just admit the fact to himself and get on with the wooing process. But it was hard for him. After all the years of boasting that he was perfectly happy without a woman in his life, now it seemed he couldn’t function properly without knowing this lady would be at his side for all time.

  “Come, Peter. We won’t walk too much farther. My arms will get tired holding your sister. It’s good to get some fresh air.”

  Justin stood the moment he heard her sweet voice and laughter. She faced away from him and walked backward carrying Beatrice as she cajoled a reluctant Peter forward a few more s
teps. It was then that he noticed the patch of ice covering the pathway where an unsuspecting Miss Simms would place her booted foot in the next moment and most certainly slip and fall. He sprinted toward her, vaulting over the frozen strip on the ground.

  “Allow me.” He reached around, gathering her and the child close to his chest. “You didn’t see the ice on the path. I was afraid you would harm yourself.”

  “Oh.” She stopped mid-laugh, her breath coming out in short gasps. “Thank…thank you. That was very foolish of me.”

  He stared down at her full, red lips. They were trembling, perhaps because of shock and surprise at his sudden appearance. He couldn’t help himself. He bent his head and kissed her.

  She pulled away from him, clutching the child in her arms. “No!”

  “No? What is wrong? I thought you enjoyed my company.”

  “I can’t.”

  “You can’t? Why?” He glared down at her as a sense of great frustration threatened to overwhelm him. “Are you promised to another? Betrothed?”

  “As a matter of fact, I am.”

  He sucked in air through suddenly painful lungs. “I can’t have misunderstood your interest in me.”

  She bounced Beatrice in her arms, never taking her gaze off of his face. “I thoroughly enjoyed our discussions, and of course I was attracted to you. You are a handsome, intelligent man. But your reputation precedes you. Lord Rockton, the peer who has sworn never to marry. Yes, I am promised to another. It’s a long standing agreement between our deceased fathers. I never, ever imagined that you would form an attachment to me after all of your declarations against love and marriage.”

  “Miss Simms, I’m cold.” Peter’s teeth were chattering.

  “I must go inside.” She reached down to grasp the child’s hand then turned and walked toward the house without looking back.

  Chapter Four

  Two years later