“Kit? Are you up?” Elisabeth knocked on the door, then was startled to have it open so quickly. “Oh, I see you are.”
“Of course I am. The question is, what are you doing up this early?”
“I thought we might go out together this morning, riding, or shopping, you know, as we used to.”
Katherine headed down the hallway, her sister beside her. “That would be nice, but I really have too much—”
“Oh, come on, Kit. I only have these two days to visit while William is away on business. As it is, he thought it was silly of me to spend the weekend here, when our townhouse is just a few blocks away.”
“So it is,” Katherine agreed, smiling.
“Nonsense. I just wanted it to be like old times once more, before you…that is…”
“Before I what?”
“Oh, you know.”
“Beth,” Katherine said warningly.
“Oh, before you get married too, or something like that, and—”
“I’m not getting married, Beth, and what the devil made you think I was?”
“Now don’t get all huffy. What was I supposed to think? It’s no secret, you know, what’s been going on here. Your servants are absolutely thrilled about it, it’s so romantic, and they of course told my maid everything. You have the most handsome man in the world beating on your door twice a day, sending you gifts and flowers and letters—”
“Who said he’s handsome?”
Elisabeth laughed. “Honestly, Kit, why are you so defensive? I have seen him of course. A Russian prince is naturally a curiosity.” They had reached the dining room, where the Earl was having breakfast, but Elisabeth didn’t end the conversation. “He was pointed out to me several weeks ago, and I just couldn’t believe that you actually know him. And then I heard how persistent he has been in trying to see you. It’s so exciting! How did you meet him? Please, Kit, you must tell me everything.”
Katherine sat down, ignoring the look her father gave her. He too was waiting to hear her answer, but she was firm in keeping the truth to herself.
“There is nothing to tell,” she said nonchalantly. “I simply met him in Russia.”
“Nothing to tell!” George St. John snorted. “He’s the one, isn’t he?”
“No, he is not,” Katherine repeated, having answered that same question a half-dozen times in the last three weeks.
“You mean Alek’s father?” Elisabeth gasped.
“Oh, do be quiet, Beth. It makes no difference who he is. I don’t want anything to do with him.”
“But why?”
Katherine stood up, giving first her sister and then her father a look that said she had had quite enough. “I’m taking Alek to the park. When I get back, I don’t want to hear that man mentioned to me again. I am quite old enough to make my own decisions, and I have decided I never want to see him again. That’s all there is to it.”
When she left, Elisabeth glanced at her father, whose look said he was suffering from his own bout of exasperation. “What do you suppose he did to make her so angry with him?”
“Angry? Do you think that’s all it is?”
“Of course. Why else would she not even want to talk about him? Haveyoutalked to him?”
“I’m never here when he comes around,” George admitted. “But I suppose I should pay him a visit. If he is Alek’s father—”
“Oh, no, you wouldn’t force them to marry, would you? She’d never forgive you for that, unless of course she makes up with him. But how can she do that if she won’t see him?”
Katherine strolled along the edge of the trees, keeping in the shade. She also kept her eye on Alek cavorting on his blanket in the sun, even though his nurse, Alice, sat beside him. It was the middle of September, but after spending an entire winter in Russia, England’s sun even at this time of year made Katherine uncomfortable if she stayed out in it too long. But Alek loved it and loved watching the autumn leaves blowing past him.
At four and a half months, he was becoming much more active and was much more of a handful. His present joy, now that he had discovered it, was rocking back and forth on his hands and knees. The next stage, according to his nurse, would be crawling. Katherine wished she knew more about babies. But she was learning, and delighting in each new phase of Alek’s learning process too.
