“She is the daughter of a woman my uncle once loved very deeply. Enough that when the man she choose to be with instead of my uncle left them, my uncle stepped in to care for that woman and his child.” He could see Kit putting the pieces together. Meredith wasn’t even Uncle Ben’s illegitimate child, but another man’s.
“Ahh…Well, then my next question is, will you be respecting the rules of mourning?” Kit inquired.
Mourning…blast and damn. He hadn’t even thought of that. What the devil was wrong with him? But to lose a whole year in mourning? That would not help with his task of finding her a husband. He glanced at Meredith, who seemed to be glowing with joy talking to Suzannah despite her exhaustion.
“No, my uncle wouldn’t wish for that. He always despised the custom. And it will slow down my ability to introduce Meredith to society.” Darius met Kit’s gaze. “You do not mind that she and Suzannah might form a friendship, then?”
Kit gave him a baffled look. “Why would I mind?”
“Because of the circumstances surrounding her birth.”
Kit chuckled as he understood. “I served seven years in Australia’s penal colony. I’m hardly one to pass judgement on others..”
“You forgot to mention that you were wrongfully convicted,” Darius added.
Kit flexed his arms slightly. “That doesn’t change my past.”
There was a flash of pain in his friend’s eyes. If Darius could have some stopped Kit from being transported to Australia seven years ago, he would have. He had fought like the devil to free his friend, but the three men who had set Kit up to take the fall for stealing goods from his own shipping company had laid their trap perfectly. Not even Darius or his father had had enough influence to keep him from transportation.
Kit deftly changed the subject away from his past. “I’m sure Suzannah will be happy to help you find a companion for Miss Montague.”
“Companion?” Darius was confused by what he meant.
“Yes. As she is not your wife or any direct relation, she will need a companion to live with you. Someone to act as a chaperone, will she not? It would leave you and Miss Montague free of gossip and strengthen her chances of a good match.”
Darius had not even given that a thought, either. Where had his thoughts been? Oh yes, on Meredith’s lips, her spectacular bosom, her eyes.
“You’re right. I will gladly accept Suzannah’s help if she offers it.”
By now, the crowd had taken their seats, and as the red curtains on the stage were pulled back, a hush settled over everyone. Darius and Kit took their seats behind the ladies.
Darius leaned forward and passed her the second orange.
“You may eat your orange now, and mine too,” he whispered in her ear.
“Thank you, Your Grace.” Her breathless reply was so sweet, so soft and husky, it hit him with a powerful bolt of lust. He was glad for the dim theater atmosphere to hide his face as he sat back in his chair.
Kit was grinning at Darius like a jackal, damn him. The bastard knew he was attracted to Meredith.
Darius turned his focus to the stage and away from the woman who had literally stumbled into his life an hour ago.
3
The oranges were an unexpected treat, and Meredith enjoyed the first one immensely. She’d only had them a few times while living in Yorkshire, being a rare delicacy in that part of England. She hesitated when it came to eating the second, which Darius had so thoughtfully given to her. It was his, after all, and she’d already had the one. She turned back to offer him the second orange.
“Please eat,” Darius whispered as he leaned in again to speak to her from behind. “I bought it for you.” His voice in her ear and his warm breath against her neck in the dark were intoxicating. Thrilling. It sent a shiver down her spine and filled her with a languid heat in her lower belly.
After a brief hesitation, she ate the second orange, delicately peeling it upon the handkerchief in her lap and enjoying the slices one by one.
The play went on, the audience laughing and cheering in all the right places. Meredith had never been to a proper play before. She’d attended a house party in Burton Agnes once where the hosting family had performed a silly little comedy which had amused everyone immensely. But she’d never seen anything quite like this.
The lamps at the edge of the stage lit up the actors, who danced about the sets and played their parts. The heavy fall of the bright red curtains accented the marvelous sets. The rich colors, the vibrant and life-like rooms and outdoor scenery made it feel as though she was glimpsing a dozen new places each time the sets changed and the painted backdrops were pushed out onto stage. Meredith gasped and laughed along with the crowd as everyone reacted to the dialogue. And then there was the music, the swells of exquisite sound that filled Meredith with an unspeakable joy. She felt alive in a way she never had before. She had loved her quiet life in Yorkshire, with its rolling sea and the quiet beach, as well as Uncle Ben’s beautiful gardens and fields, and his vast library. But this taste of London life was something else entirely.
When the play paused for intermission, Lord Kentwell placed a hand on his wife’s shoulder.
“Your backdrops look marvelous, my darling,” he said, causing her to blush.
“His Grace mentioned that you painted the backgrounds. Did you paint all of them?” Meredith inquired. The countess nodded, her face reddening further.
