It was completely logical, but what sort of person did such a thing?
“I would prefer to wait.”
“For what?”
“For Lord and Lady Cateril’s blessing! If I write as you suggest, to marry before they even receive the letter would make any hint of consulting them hollow.”
His lids lowered slightly, just maybe because she’dtrumped his ace. She was hard put not to grin. She might be falling in with his plans, but she’d relish preventing him having it all his own sleek and dauntless way.
If there had been annoyance, it was masked. “Then will it suit you to marry in a week?”
Kitty would prefer a month, but she could find no reasonable objection. Over a week she’d get to know him better and be able to truly settle her mind. There would still be the possibility of retreat.
“It will, my lord.”
He bowed, she curtsied, and then he left.
Ruth rushed in. “Well?”
“Perhaps.” Kitty sat on the sofa before her legs failed her.
“Why only perhaps?”
“Anything could happen in a week.”
“You’re to marry in a week?” Ruth said, delighted. “What a tease you are!”
“Not so fast.” Kitty explained about the letter to Lady Cateril. “I’m not sure what I’ll do if she responds with anguish or fury.”
It was a lie. Her doubts were internal. Until the vows were said, she could still back out and she might very well want to.
Ruth sat beside her. “You can’t return to Cateril Manor, Kitty. You can’t let Lady Cateril chain you in that way.”
“That’s what he said. Is he always so impenetrable?”
“Do you not like him?” Ruth asked, dismayed. “If so, you mustn’t marry him.”
“I don’t know how I feel toward him. As you put it, he’s unobjectionable. I can’t express any reasonable objection, but...”
“You have doubts?”
A legion of them, but Ruth was clearly close to tears at the thought of the plan falling through.
“I’ll write the letter,” Kitty said.
“This is a very odd way to go about a marriage.”
“This marriage has been odd from the start.”
Ruth patted her hand. “A week will give you time to get to know him better.”
“Exactly my thought.”
Kitty went to her room, trying to assemble the right words. She didn’t want to wound Marcus’s mother any more than she already had, but she rebelled at any notion of asking permission. She sat and took out a sheet of paper, suddenly seeing the way. She needed her clothing and possessions sent here. The reason, the marriage, would be almost incidental information.
She uncapped the inkwell, dipped her pen, and began careful sentences. When it was finished, she read it over, then folded and sealed it.There. Committed.
She looked up and through the window saw Lord Dauntry talking to Andrew near the stables. His simple clothing did indeed look Town fine next to Andrew’s cheerfully rumpled style.
