They could have hurt her. They wanted to run her off.
She was letting them know she was unafraid.
Her last words hung in the air, fading into a proud silence.
There was a thunderclap of applause.
Even the most boorish rustic in the crowd knew they had witnessed an uncommon talent. Kate had swept them away. She had captured their imaginations, and changed them from within.
She fell into a deep curtsey, acknowledging their praise, and they clapped louder, stomping their feet.
Mars spoke beside Bran. “She is magnificent.”
She was. The Aphrodite of London had risen again.
And there wasn’t a man around who didn’t agree with him. Even Montcreiffe and the Reverend Summerall were applauding enthusiastically.
Taking charge, Kate signaled for quiet. She ordered her actors to their places, and finished out her play. It was brilliant. Her performance as Juno was no less riveting than her presentation of Portia’s soliloquy. Shedidbelong on the London stage.
Afterward there was a surge toward her. She was surrounded not only by male admirers, all wanting to be closer to her, but also female ones, including the matrons. Mrs. Warbler in her bad wig acted as if she had not instigated the assault on Kate. She oozed compliments.
Even Lucy praised Kate’s performance. Her lips tightened at the sight of her son standing so close to the actress, and yet she kept her peace.
Mars and Winderton both flanked her protectively. The young duke understood that he had to stake his claim. He frowned at Mars, then sent a glance at Bran as if ordering his uncle to grab the earl by the scruff and toss him away from Kate.
Which was something Bran was tempted to do, except he wanted Winderton gone as well.
And just that simply, history was repeating itself.
He remembered those evenings of waiting for Kate and having her attention claimed by other men. The bite of jealousy was just as mean now as it had been then—especially when he realized he had no right to feel it—
“You are the one Kate spoke to last night, are you not, sir?” a man’s voice said close to Bran’s elbow. He turned to see he was being addressed by Aesop. The actor was a good head and a half shorter.
“Last night?” Bran decided to play ignorant.
“Out in the woods.”
Bran could have sworn. He had hoped that his nocturnal visit had not been noticed.
“You sent the wagon this morning as well,” Aesop said. “You made her angry.”
“That was not my intent.”
“Oh, you knew what you were doing.” The man held out his hand. “My name is Silas Leonard. I have been with Kate for all of fourteen years.”
Wary, Bran took the man’s hand. Silas had a firm grip and he held Bran’s hand fast so that to free it would be a bit of a struggle. They stood close to each other.
“I want to warn you away from Kate, sir. I don’t know all that happened last night, but I love that woman as I would my own daughter. I’ll not let the likes of you after her any more than I would the likes of Nestor.”
“I don’t know who Nestor is.” Bran kept his face expressionless.
“You don’t need to, sir. What you need to do is heed my words.”
“What of Winderton?”
Leonard made a dismissive sound. “I’ve no fears.”
“And what makes you thinkI’mthe danger to Kate?”
