The boy bobbed a shy bow, but his eyes were bright. He was delightful.
“Come in, come in,” Ruth said. “You’ll be ready for some tea.”
“I must thank my attendants first.”
Kitty walked back to where a parsonage serving man was taking her trunk out of the boot, with Mr. Jones observing. Tessa was still in the coach. Kitty thanked them both and waved them on their return journey. The coach would come back for her when she wrote to ask, but she hoped that was never. Seeing Ruth again, even for just a moment, had only increased her desire that this plan work.
She joined Ruth in the entrance hall. It was much more modest than the one at Cateril, but Kitty instantly preferred it. It was wainscoted in dark wood, but the upper walls and ceiling were painted a pleasant eggshell blue and hung with watercolors that were probably Ruth’s work. Potpourri and polish scented the air.
“You have a lovely home,” Kitty said.
“We’re blessed,” Ruth agreed.
“I detect your clever hand as well as God’s,” Kitty teased, taking off her gloves. “Now, tell me more about Lord Dauntry.”
“In a while,” Ruth said, glancing down. “Little pitchers....”
Little pitchers have big ears.Kitty knew from her niece and nephew that children could repeat things heard, sometimes at unfortunate moments.
She crouched down to introduce Sillikin to the boy. “I’ll keep her with me for now, but I’m sure she’ll like to play once she’s become used to a new place.”
“This isn’t new,” he protested.
“It is to her. Stroke her ears. She likes that.” As the boy did, she added, “I understand you have cats?”
He nodded.
“We’ll hope they’ll be friends.”
She rose, keeping the dog in her arms just to be safe. Ruth called for a maid to take care of Arthur, and they went upstairs.
“Here we are,” Ruth said, opening the door into a bedroom.
The room wasn’t as large as the one Kitty had in Cateril Manor and was much plainer, but as with the hall, she liked it better. Ruth had stenciled a rose design in places on the pale pink wall to simulate wallpaper. The bed had no posts or hangings, but a pink and white coverlet matched the curtains at the window, and a lively fire burned in the hearth.
“Perfect,” she said, putting Sillikin down to explore. “Thank you.”
“I hope you’ll enjoy it. But not for long,” Ruth added with meaning.
Kitty untied her bonnet and put it aside. “The prospect hardly seems believable.”
“It is, Kitty. Completely. As long as you’ll be practical.”
“Practical?”
“You can act so impulsively. Kindly, but... Never mind. I’m sure you’ll find Lord Dauntry unobjectionable.”
Kitty considered her as she unfastened her pelisse. “That sounds grudging.”
“I don’t mean it that way. I don’t know,” Ruth said helplessly. “I can’t know if you’ll suit. It’s a long time since we were schoolgirls together.”
“I suppose so, but it doesn’t feel like that now.”
“It doesn’t, does it? Oh, let me hug you again!”
Kitty happily complied, but then asked the important question. “When will I meet him?”
“We’re to send a message when you arrive, and he’ll call the next day.”
