Sophie peered up at him. “How come?”
All the reasons had to do with him. But this wasn’t about him. He thought for a minute. “Mother would throw a fit.”
She shrugged. “Yes, but not as much of one if Kat was with you.”
That was true. He pinched the bridge of his nose.
They watched and waited. Finally, Jamie walked away. Kat closed the door to her room.
Interesting. Perhaps Kat was playing hard to get as his mother had suggested. Or perhaps she wasn’t interested in the marquess. Gill hoped the latter.
Sophie’s shoulders slumped. “No invite inside. No kiss goodbye.”
No present in a small bag given like the one Gill had received. His chest puffed up. “It’s almost dinnertime, not bedtime.”
His sister groaned. “What is it going to take to get those two together?”
He had no idea, but Sophie’s words told him nothing had happened between Kat and Jamie yet.
And that made Gill very happy.
*
The next morning,Kat heard yelling. Female voices. Two of them. Neither was American.
That could only mean one thing—Sophie and her mother were arguing.
Kat slipped on her shoes and hurried out of her room.
Gill stood in the hallway. He wore gray trousers. His belt was undone, and his shirt unbuttoned so she could see his chest. Smooth and muscular.
Oh, my…
She gulped. Heart pounding in her ears, she forced her gaze up to his face.
He shook his head. “Sounds like the cannons are about to be fired.”
Not trusting her voice, she cleared her throat. “I’ll go so you can, um, finish dressing.”
Don’t look.
She took a quick peek.
So sexy.
She rushed down the staircase, as much to get away from Gill as to help Sophie. Kat headed along the hallway to the ballroom.
Queen Louise’s voice carried like she was using a bullhorn. The woman intimidated Kat worse than Professor Hinkleworth, whose main goal in life seemed to be failing veterinary students. One visit to his office had left Kat shaking and in tears, positive she would be the next one to drop his course, one that was mandatory for graduation.
“You cannot sit Countess Maria Therese next to any of the royal family members from Christonia,” the queen yelled. “The countess was banished from her homeland by her own sister. You don’t want to cause an incident that will quickly become tabloid fodder.”
“This is a wedding. My wedding.” The words poured from Sophie’s mouth like water from a fire hose. “Guests need to put their personal differences aside for the evening.”
Sophie’s voice trembled toward the end.
Uh-oh. Kat recognized that tone. Sophie had sounded that way once before—after she’d been sent home from the reality TV show.
Kat ran to the ballroom.
