It was a shame Henry Rathban had died because of it. None of this would have happened if not for that duel. And she hadn’t just lost her husband and eldest daughter because of that duel, she’d had to give up her social life in London, which she loved so much! Even though no one knew of Henry’s blackmail and the ensuing duel because Albert Rathban had let it be known that his brother died in an accident, Kathleen had stopped going to London. Constantly being asked when William would return and having to make up so many lies to explain why he was still away had become intolerable.
The twins were directing the servants to take the trunks to Vanessa’s old room and excitedly talking about Vanessa’s being home in time to have her Season with them. But Kathleen was worried it might be too late—a year too late.
She hurried to her study. She had to write a letter to find out if the bargain she’d agreed to was still on the table.
Chapter Thirteen
AFTER ONE NIGHT OFsleeping in the blanket Donnan had tossed her, with the MacCabe brothers on either side of her and one of them snoring most of the night, Vanessa was wishing she could sleep in a bed again. She found out that Charley was, too, when he pulled her aside to join him for a walk, which seemed to have become part of his daily routine. She was surprised to see him wearing the luxurious fur cloak she’d seen him in the day she’d met him and Monty.
“Arlo isn’t usually such a worrier,” Charley said, “but he actually agrees with Monty that I should try to blend in better, and he was quite emphatic about it yesterday. Do you think you could teach me how to be a commoner?”
“Does insulting people come naturally to you?” she rejoined.
“No, I didn’t mean to imply you are a commoner when it’s obvious from your clothes that you come from money and possibly rank. And I make this request for two reasons. I want to improve my ability to disguise myself not only for security purposes but so we can go back to sleeping at inns. I can’t bear the indignity and discomfort of sleeping in the coach! I just thought you might have had more dealings with the common man than I have had, and you could impart some needed advice.” Then in a whisper, “Monty wants me to play a role I have no knowledge of.”
She realized the boy must like the older man if he trusted his advice and wanted to please him by “being an actor in training,” as she’d overheard Monty counsel him, so she relented to say, “Just as you made assumptions about my background from the clothes I wear, people do the same to you, Charley. But it’s also your expression. You seem to have the habit of looking down a very long nose at others. And why are you wearing that fur cloak again? What happened to the brown woolen one with the hood that Arlo bought you the other day?”
Charley sniffed disdainfully. “I find wool too scratchy for my delicate skin. Besides, I needed fur to stay warm when I was sleeping in the coach.”
Vanessa pointed out, “But if people see you wearing a cloak that fancy, they will think you’re wealthy, a nobleman, maybe even a royal.”
She added the last to see if he would try to convince her that he was a king, just as she’d overheard him doing with Monty. And he did smile as if she had guessed right, but then he frowned, apparently having remembered that he wasn’t supposed to announce any grand credentials.
So she continued. “As for the rest of your person, you really ought to cover up your beautiful hair, or at least tie it back—better yet, cut it.” He looked so shocked she amended, “Or you could borrow a cap from Arlo if you don’t want to wear a hood, as well as some of Arlo’s less grand attire.”
“He’s taller than I, if you didn’t notice,” he replied.
“Wearing clothes that don’t fit you properly would actually be a good touch because people will think you can’t afford better. But if you’d rather not, at least get rid of the cravat and the fancy cloak, maybe scuff up your shoes, and take off the jacket if weather permits.”
“So the less I wear the better?”
She grinned. “I think what Monty is really concerned about is your air of superiority, but yes, clothes still do make the man as you pointed out. Perhaps if you change your clothes and your snobbish attitude we can both broach the subject with your guardian and he’ll agree we’ve removed the risks involved in stopping at inns. You may need to promise not to say a word when strangers are near, but your new appearance will prove you’ve taken to heart his warning about not drawing attention to yourself.”
Monty agreed rather quickly to using inns again, making her wonder if he wasn’t just as pampered and used to comforts as his ward. But the group got into the routine of traveling hard during the day and sleeping comfortably at night with Vanessa staying in a room next to the one her guards occupied. And finally, with complete privacy, she was able to bathe again!
She figured she still had two or three days left with her amusing, although mysterious, traveling companions, unless Arlo turned off the main road before she needed to. She asked Arlo where they were going, since he had the map marked with the location, but he turned terse and merely mumbled something about secrecy. She asked Monty, too, but he countered by asking where she was going, which made her laugh because they were both still keeping secrets and making no bones about it. So she decided to just enjoy what little time she had left with them and possibly test her feminine wiles, if she got a chance, while traveling with such a handsome man.
Monty hadn’t taken advantage of the knowledge that she was female other than to behave a little more courteously to her. Charley hadn’t remarked on it at all, might not even have noticed, he was so self-absorbed. But with the weather warming up she’d started taking off her hooded cloak when they stopped for lunch. One day she even stretched a little after tossing the cloak on the picnic blanket, aware that she was drawing attention to her figure and Monty was watching her.
But gazing at the long meadow beside the road that looked like so many others they’d passed, she realized she wasn’t sure where they were because she hadn’t paid attention to which town they’d entered yesterday at dusk to spend the night in. Monty probably knew. The MacCabe brothers, who were having their lunch across the road, must know, because Donnan had told her he’d gotten directions to the town of Dawton from an innkeeper. But she was feeling a little playful, enjoying her last few days of freedom, so she didn’t bother to ask. She came up with a more amusing way of figuring out if a town or natural landmark she might recognize lay ahead.
“I don’t know where we are, but I bet I can spot the next town from that tree,” she said.
Monty looked in the direction of the tall black poplar she was pointing to. It wasn’t as thickly leafed as the oak nearby, so it would afford her a better view from up high. She started to run toward it before Monty could tell her exactly where they were, which would deprive her of an excuse to get a little exercise—and tempt him to follow.
She heard him yell for her to wait, but she didn’t. Her plan was working. She knew he was running after her because she clearly heard him right behind her. “You’re not climbing that tree, Nessi. If you really want to know what lies ahead, I’ll climb it for you.”
“Want to bet!” she yelled back with a laugh.
She was almost there, too, racing hard, trying to stay in front of him, but also imagining him pulling her off the tree and right into his arms . . .
She tripped on an old fallen branch hidden in the grass, gasping as she fell, but then she started laughing at herself for too much imagining and not enough paying attention—until she felt Monty fall nearly on top of her. He’d been so close he’d ended up tripping over her, which just made her start laughing again, especially when she heard him laughing, too, over their clumsiness. She leaned up on her elbows and was startled when her back rubbed against his chest.
She turned over to face him and saw just how close he was to her, his green eyes looking down into hers. He had a knee over her legs, a hand braced on one side of her, an elbow braced on the other, leaving his chest half-pressed to hers. They both stopped laughing when they suddenly became all too aware of each other.
Vanessa saw the hot flicker of desire in Monty’s eyes before his mouth covered hers and he kissed her passionately as if it were long overdue, and maybe it was. She couldn’t deny she’d thought about kissing him more than once. She’d thought about his arms around her, feeling his body pressed to hers. Not something a woman of her station should be thinking, and yet she didn’t doubt any proper lady would do the same thing when she crossed paths with a man like Monty. Attraction like this was just too strong to resist and led to all sorts of improper thoughts and feelings. . . .
She ran her fingers through his auburn hair, releasing his queue. He slipped his arm under her neck to brace her head when he lowered his chest fully to hers. The closeness was exquisite, stirring all sorts of urgent new feelings in her. And the kiss got even more exciting when he explored with his tongue, sucked on hers when she tried to do the same. A moan escaped her. She luxuriated in the amazing sensations that overwhelmed her as she lay on the grass in the sunshine and this handsome man kissed her so exquisitely. He seemed as strongly attracted to her as she was to him. This was all too thrilling, her first taste of passion, him, touching him, a whirl of sensations inside her making her weak and yet wanting more . . . What the devil was she doing?!
