“No.”
“There you are, then.”
“There we are,” he agreed. “Is everything settled?”
Except my nerves.“The time,” Kitty said. “Will ten o’clock suit?”
“Perfectly.”
After this discussion she had no reason to fear hisnot being at the church, but she still didn’t relish arriving in doubt. “We could walk there together,” she said.
He made no difficulty. “I’ll present myself here at ten minutes to,” he said, and took his leave.
To the very second, I’m sure.
After he was gone, she considered the ring. Had he known the dowager and Isabella would try such a ploy? That suggested almost supernatural powers, but then she remembered his surprise. It was good to know he could be ruffled.
How would that go in bed?
Had she imagined the passions weaving around them, or the way he’d looked at her in that hot moment? In the past when men had looked at her like that, it had been a warning—to be cool, to be careful. Never to respond or encourage. Tomorrow it would be her duty to respond. And her pleasure...
Ruth came in and then stared. “My goodness!”
“Armor against the dowager.” Kitty held out her hand so Ruth could inspect the stone more closely.
“You’re supposed to attack her with it?”
Kitty chuckled. “Only impress on her that our resolution is diamond hard.”
“Are you more at ease now? I know you’ve had doubts.”
“It’s settled.”
Kitty wanted to mention the marriage bed, get Ruth’s opinion. On what, though? It was a simple enough matter. Only it didn’t feel simple.
“He’ll make you a good husband?” Ruth asked, looking worried again.
“I think so,” Kitty said, because it was expected.
What would Ruth think if she’d said,Something happened here, and it changes everything. But it shouldn’t, because that’s what marriage involves.Yet in all her mental tussles over this decision, she’d neglected to consider thephysical. Perhaps she’d assumed their coolly arranged marriage would be platonic, at least for a while. And she’d not even known that his name was Plato.
She’d put that part of herself away since Marcus’s death. In fact, since a year or more before his death, when all desire had left him. But at Dauntry’s touch—his first touch, and the light kiss on her hand—all parts of her had remembered.
Tomorrow she would be in a marriage bed again, with a man’s hot body joined to hers in sweaty pleasure.
But a different man.
Would it be different altogether?
Would she satisfy him?
“Come!” Ruth said. “We must settle the final details for your wedding day.”
Kitty went, telling herself that swiving was a straightforward business. Becoming a viscountess was likely to be much more challenging, and that was her destiny for the rest of her life.
Chapter 12
The next morning, Miss Henrietta Oldswick—short, sturdy, gray haired, and bright eyed—arrived at the parsonage.
