A Gentleman's Kiss

by Kimberley Comeaux

  “The right tone for what?” Claudia asked, peeking over Helen’s shoulder. The blue dress wasn’t one of her favorites either.

  “Hmm?” She glanced back. “Oh! The theatre, dear. North has a box at Covent Gardens.” She pulled out a beautiful cream-colored silk with a lace overlay. It had a matching pelisse dyed one shade darker in a sort of beige hue. “Perfect!” she exclaimed, admiring the seed pearls sewn in the trim of the neckline and cap sleeves.

  “The theatre? I thought we were planning a ball?” Claudia figured she must have been cooped up in the classroom too long, for she was having trouble following Helen’s plans.

  Helen pulled the dress from the wardrobe and laid it out on Claudia’s bed. She then pulled the cord, which called Claudia’s lady’s maid, Cummings. “Well, since Lord Moreland seemed so agreeable about the ball, I thought I’d see if he would let you attend the theatre with us tonight. He readily agreed, much to my surprise, citing that it might be an excellent opportunity for the eligible young men of London to see you.”

  Claudia groaned, pressing her hand to her forehead. “Does he think of nothing else?”

  Helen laughed. “Does any father or grandfather of the ton?”

  At that moment Cummings came in, and Helen instructed her to pack her dress and have it sent to Northingshire Manor. Then, after Claudia dressed to leave the house, they made their way down to Helen’s waiting carriage.

  “What is playing at the theatre by the way?” Claudia asked as they climbed in and got settled comfortably.

  Helen shrugged with a giggle. “I don’t know. They all seem the same to me. An opera in which the characters sing their conversations instead of speaking them and then someone usually dies at the end.”

  Claudia laughed then lapsed into silence trying to think of a casual way to bring up the subject of Cameron.

  “So,” she began, trying to appear blasé as she examined her nails, “how are the women and children at the shelter?”

  Helen studied her. “Well, two new women came in, and one had a set of twins who were very cute. And let’s see. . .” She paused and tapped on her chin. “Oh, yes! Young Johnny Smith lost one of his front teeth. It was quite a gruesome sight since he pulled it out himself while standing in front of me. But I managed to bring him to his mother before I lost the contents of my stomach. Then. . .” She paused again, and Claudia could take no more.

  “Could you please just tell me how Cameron is, and has he asked about me?” she demanded, throwing her hands up in exasperation.

  Helen’s eyes widened. “But you didn’t ask about Cameron. You asked about the wom—”

  “I know what I asked, Helen! And I know you’re teasing me horribly.” She narrowed her eyes, and Helen giggled.

  “All right! If you must know, Lord Kinclary has been asking constantly about you, prying information from me at every opportunity. He now knows your entire life story—at least all I’m aware of. Unfortunately most of my information came from your little sister, so it’s not completely accurate.”

  Claudia covered her cheeks and groaned. “I’m almost afraid to ask what Josie told you. Did he. . .uh. . .give any hint of his feelings toward me?”

  Helen’s eyes widened. “You must be joking! The man mentions you in every conversation. And though he hasn’t come right out and declared his intentions toward you, it’s apparent to all that he thinks fondly of you.”

  Claudia clasped her hands to her chest and sighed. “I can’t wait to see him. Do you think we might have time to go to the shelter tomorrow? I know we must plan the ball, but surely we have an hour or two to spare.”

  Helen nodded. “I’m sure it can be arranged.” She paused as the carriage rattled to a stop. “Oh, here we are! Now let’s go and get you ready for tonight.”

  Claudia frowned and, scampering out of the carriage, ran to keep up with her. “Now? It’s only noon.”

  “Come on! It takes a lot of time to make ourselves beautiful for a night out.”

  Claudia could think of a hundred things more fun to do than spend time beautifying herself. She wasn’t much in the mood to go to the theatre, but she knew Helen was trying to cheer her up.

  And she did feel better once she, Helen, and North finally arrived and were taken to their private box. Claudia still didn’t understand why Helen had taken such pains to dress her.

  All afternoon she had been bathed and powdered while Helen fussed with her lady’s maid over every detail of Claudia’s dress. Then, in what usually took less than an hour to accomplish, Helen had her maid style Claudia’s straight hair into an array of curls, which were pinned loosely at the crown and fell in a bunch over her shoulder. She prayed she wouldn’t find the whole lot of her hair singed from spending so much time twisted in the curling tongs.

  “Why don’t you sit in the front seat, and North and I will sit behind you?” Helen waved her hand toward the velvet chair in the box.

  Feeling slightly like the unwanted third in their party, Claudia sighed and took her seat then began to skim over the small program booklet they’d been handed upon their arrival. She recognized a few names on the actors’ list and was trying to place what other play a certain actor had been in when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

  “Helen,” she said, without glancing back, “I can’t place where I’ve heard this person’s name before. Do you know—”

  She looked up then and was shocked to see Cameron slipping into the chair next to her. Now Helen’s odd behavior was finally making sense.

  She turned around in her chair, with her back to Cameron, and sent her friend a brilliant smile. Her face was serene and calm, though, when she turned back to the handsome man beside her and greeted him.

  ❧

  Claudia’s soft smile sent a jolt straight to his heart while he gazed at her in the dim light of the theatre. Her dark hair framed her creamy skin and dusty pink cheeks, and her eyes seemed to glisten like the sea. He’d missed her so much in those last two days that one might think they’d been separated a year, the way his palms were sweating and his heart beating so madly.

  He sat down and watched her hesitate. But before he could say anything she took a breath. . .and said his name.

  “Good evening, Cameron,” her voice whispered in what sounded like a caress. Did he imagine it, or was there much feeling in the way she spoke his name?

  He knew certain gossipers would be watching them as much as they watched the stage, so he wanted to be above reproach from their speculative stares.

  But he didn’t realize how much his love for her had flourished in such a short time and how hearing his name uttered by her sweet lips would affect him.

  It was the most natural thing in the world to reach for her gloved hand and press a kiss to it. “How very lovely you are tonight, Claudia.” His voice sounded hoarse even to his own ears.

  “Lord Kinclary.” Helen’s fretful tone caused them both to turn to her. “We do not want to bring attention to ourselves!”

  Cameron winced as he skimmed the patrons’ faces below them and caught furtive glances being thrown their way.

  “We shall be the talk of all London tomorrow.” Claudia moaned and scrambled to untie her fan, which was attached to her purse, and snap it out to partly cover her face.

  Cameron couldn’t help but grin at the pointless effort. “I don’t think that will help, Claude. Everyone here knows who you are.”

  He heard a strange sound behind him, and when he looked back, he saw that it was North doing a poor job of holding back a chuckle. Helen sighed and nudged him with her elbow.

  “Yes, thanks to you and your inability to not kiss me every time we meet.” She stopped and frowned, lowering the fan to her lap. “Did you just call me Claude?”

  Cameron grinned. “Yes, it slipped out, but now that it’s out there I believe it sui
ts you.”

  He watched her shake her head and take another glimpse at the audience below. “Well, I don’t like it. Call me something else!”

  He peeked down with her and was glad to see many had lost interest in them. “Such as what? Darling? Sweetheart?”

  She glared at him. “You are behaving very badly tonight. If you keep smiling at me like that, people might get the wrong idea.”

  Or they might get the right one, Cameron thought but decided against speaking it aloud.

  “As entertaining as both of you are, perhaps we should direct our attention to the stage so the actors won’t get their feelings hurt when they find everyone watching you instead of them!” North whispered, his voice full of mirth.

  Cameron looked at the stage and saw that, indeed, the curtains were open and the music had just begun.

  He glanced at Claudia, and they both exchanged sheepish grins before turning their attention to the play.

  Cameron could not have told anyone what the play was about, for he spent most of his time either thinking about Claudia and their relationship or observing her face. He loved how her emotions would change with the play from happy to sad and even to tears.

  He loved many things about Claudia. The obvious ones—her kindness, her sense of humor, her cheerfulness, and, most of all, her love for God. But he also liked the little things—the way she was so quick to catch him when he teased her, the way she would lift her finely arched brow whenever she was trying hard not to laugh, and so many more.

  He loved her—plain and simple.

  In fact, if it hadn’t been for his rash promise to Aurora, he’d have already declared himself and spoken with Claudia’s grandfather about marriage.

  But the promise was there, hanging like an albatross around his neck. Cameron knew he must resolve the issue before he could ask Claudia to marry him. He didn’t want there to be any obstacles standing in their path while they prepared to start their lives together.

  As the curtain finally fell, he heard sniffles and looked to see both Claudia and Helen drying their tears.

  “Weren’t the music and the characters so moving?” Claudia asked him.

  Cameron took a moment to study her dewy eyes and tear-stained cheeks. She was even beautiful when she cried. “I know I was moved,” he answered, giving Claudia a loving, caressing smile.

  He heard the same noise he’d heard earlier from North and glanced back in time to see Helen nudging him again. North ignored the nudge. “What character moved you the most, Kinclary?” he asked, his voice slightly choked.

  “No, please, North. I insist you give us your assessment first,” his wife countered with her arms folded.

  “You three are acting very strange,” Claudia chimed in, glancing back and forth between the three of them.

  Cameron thought this might be a good time to change the subject. “Shall we go?”

  “Capital idea!” North seconded, tucking his wife’s arm into his and directing her out of the box.

  Cameron held out his arm to Claudia and smiled as he suddenly remembered a name he’d heard from the play. “Roger!”

  She shook her head. “I beg your pardon?”

  “Roger,” he said again. “I believe the character Roger was the most memorable of the play.”

  He knew he had said the wrong thing when she looked at him in astonishment. “Do you mean Roderick?”

  Cameron swallowed. “Oh! Ah. . .yes. That’s it. Sorry.” He picked up her hand and folded it into his arm. “You know, we’d better hurry and catch up with them. We could lose them in the crowd.”

  He pulled her out of the box and into the hallway. “So what did you like about Roderick?” she persisted, much to his dismay, as they walked down the stairway.

  Where was a good diversion when he needed one? “Hmm. Let’s see,” he said thoughtfully. Finally he settled on a safe answer. “He was a likeable character.”

  Apparently it wasn’t the safe answer he needed, for she sent him an incredulous stare. “You must be joking. Roderick was the murderer!”

  Cameron managed to smile at her, while he hoped this conversation would soon be over. “Of course I’m joking, Claude. Now let’s make haste and find Helen and North.”

  “My name is not Claude!”

  Cameron only smiled as he finally spotted their friends and started walking toward them.

  Twelve

  The next morning, Claudia awoke with a jolt when she felt her bed shift from under her. Disoriented, she quickly scrambled to push the hair from her face, only to find Helen bouncing on the side of the bed and grinning at her. “Claudia! Get up, sleepyhead! I’ve been waiting for an hour to hear the details of what happened with the two of you last night and will simply perish with curiosity if you do not tell me.”

  Claudia groaned, then slowly sat up in bed. She looked about, confused by her surroundings, until she remembered she’d spent the night at Helen’s home. “You are much too cheerful in the morning.” She rubbed her eyes and yawned. She saw Helen was dressed in a lilac gown, which made her blue eyes seem almost violet. Her shiny black hair was pinned up with violets scattered throughout.

  “And you are a grouch!” She climbed off the bed and crossed the room to a table where a tea service had been laid out.

  Claudia wearily pulled her legs over the side of the bed and sat on the edge. “What hour is it?”

  Helen handed Claudia a cup of tea then fetched her own. “It is nine in the morning, and you must hurry and dress because we are to be at Kinclary’s house at ten.”

  Claudia’s eyes brightened, and suddenly she had more energy. “Cameron? He sent a note?”

  Helen glanced at Claudia over her teacup. “Yes, he did, and I must say it’s amazing how the man’s name can transform your entire mood.” Claudia frowned at her, and Helen giggled. “He was inquiring as to whether he could ride to the shelter with us this morning since one of the wheels on his conveyance is being repaired. North sent him word that we’d come around for him at ten.”

  Claudia was feeling a little more awake, and memories of the previous night began to flood her mind. “I never thanked you for inviting Cameron to the theatre last night. What a lovely surprise it was.”

  Helen put her hand to her chest. “When he kissed your hand, I sat mesmerized at the way he was looking at you with such feeling.”

  Claudia cringed. “You along with everyone else. Do you think people are still talking about it?”

  “I’m afraid even those who weren’t there will be talking about it,” Helen told her hesitantly. “It was remarked upon in the Times this morning.”

  Claudia’s cup hit the saucer with a clang. “What did they write?” she asked weakly, setting the cup and saucer on her night table.

  “Something about wedding bells might be ringing for Lord K and Lady C since they are making no effort to hide their affection for one another in public.”

  Claudia covered her face. What would the repercussions be when her grandfather read the paper? “This is horrible! Grandfather will get his hopes up that I’ve finally made a match,” she cried. “What will Cameron think? Will he believe I planned such a thing to happen so he’d have to propose?”

  Helen put her own cup down and took Claudia’s hands. “He kissed you—remember? If he feels any pressure, then it’s his own fault. Besides, the man is quite taken with you, Claudia. He watched you more than he did the play.” She smiled. “Which is why he couldn’t remember any of the characters!”

  Claudia smiled. “I did catch him looking at me a few times. And he didn’t seem too upset when he realized everyone had been watching him kiss my hand.”

  “He’s smitten with you, dear friend. That I am sure of.”

  Claudia felt a surge of energy go through her at that thought, and she suddenly couldn’t wa
it to see Cameron again. Jumping up, she pulled Helen along with her. “Let’s not waste a minute more then. Help me dress!”

  Helen called her maid, and in no time at all they were ready, and the three of them were on their way to Cameron’s townhouse.

  Claudia’s stomach was fluttering with excitement as they turned on Cameron’s street. It was such a beautiful day to ride in the open carriage, and Claudia was looking forward to sharing the morning with Cameron, sitting close to him, with the fresh spring wind blowing through their hair.

  As they drew closer she noticed two people standing in front of his residence. “It looks as if he may have visitors,” Claudia observed.

  North squinted in the glaring sun and nodded. “I believe one of them is Cameron, from the size of him, and the other is a lady.”

  Claudia frowned. “Can you tell who it is? Is it his sister?”

  “No,” replied Helen, “I believe it’s—” She stopped before she named the person. Claudia glanced at her.

  “What’s wrong, Helen?” She looked back at the couple. They were closer now, and Claudia recognized the woman. She could feel her heart sinking. “Oh. . .”

  Aurora Wyndham.

  “I’m sure it’s nothing,” Helen assured her.

  Claudia thought back to the night before and how loving Cameron was to her. “I’m sure you are right.”

  But they were standing very close to one another, and Claudia saw that Aurora was holding on to Cameron’s arm as if it were the most natural thing to do.

  ❧

  “Aurora, I’ve no time to speak of this matter again with you.” Cameron told her for the second time. He raised his eyes and noticed North’s carriage coming toward them. Then he saw Claudia.

  And she was looking at him from the carriage with hurt, stricken eyes.

  Cameron jerked his gaze back to Aurora and realized how their close stance could be misconstrued. Cameron pulled his arm away and stepped back from her. “Aurora!” he snapped when she tried to grab his arm again. “Please worry me no more today on this issue and be on your way.”