Kate opened it.
Miss Summerby, I meant what I said this afternoon. I would very much like to escort you to the Prince’s party at the Pavilion tomorrow evening. Please wear your emerald green dress because you look adorable in it.
‘The groom is still waiting,’ Harriet urged. ‘You’ll have to reply!’
‘Yes,’ Kate said to Harriet at last. She couldn’t help herself from feeling a little bubble of excitement. ‘Tell him that my answer is “yes”.’
Dan was in a furious mood as he rode home from Brighton beach. Her awful sister, and that brother-in-law who kept glancing lecherously at her—how had Kate put up with them for so long? No wonder she had seized the chance of living at Clematis Villa.
When he got home, he shut himself in his study. He would never forget the image of Kate wandering along the beach searching for shells, utterly unaware of how exquisite she looked in her muslin frock and yellow-ribboned sun hat. He realised that even the slightly halting way that she walked tore at his heart. She was so free of vanity. So brave, and she was funny too; she had laughingly compared herself to a stranded fish. Buthe hadn’t laughed, because she actually looked like some fairy creature who had cast a spell over him that he could not escape.
He hadn’t intended to go as far as he did in that disused cabin, but her response to his kiss had set his body aflame. She had tasted of honey and warm spices, and afterwards everything that followed had been inevitable. She had opened herself to his caresses like a flower opening to the sun, and he had been driven by the desire to give her fulfilment.
He would never forget, either, how afterwards her wide green eyes were a little bemused, as if she was overwhelmed by what had happened. With her lips still swollen from his kisses and her cheeks slightly flushed, she was the picture of mingled innocence and trust—and he knew then that he must not betray that trust. His own pent-up need had been an agony, and the women he usually chose as his partners would have known exactly what to do. But he didn’t want to alarm Kate with the power of his ardour. He didn’t want her to feel that he had used her, in any way at all.
What did he want from her?
He knew one thing for certain. This afternoon he had stepped over the line he had drawn for himself, by letting his emotions become involved. He had always been sure that when he married, he needed a woman who had been brought up in a household like his, where the boys were sent to boarding school as early as possible and the daughters often saw more of their governess than they did their mother. His rank obliged him to pick a bride who was a skilled Society hostess capable of ruling a large household, and hopefully there would be sexual compatibility and even affection. But romantic, flowery love? To him, the very notion of it had always seemed slightly foolish, and his disastrous engagement to Cecily had confirmed it.
Kate Summerby deserved something—someone—far better. She deserved a good man who was devoted to her, not a manlike him, who had become more and more cynical as he’d seen how often so-called love could deceive and destroy people. He was glad, though, that he had silenced Kate’s sister and her revolting husband by mentioning the Prince’s party. He had smiled inside at the way Kate’s eyebrows had lifted, as if to sayyou’re overdoing it rather, aren’t you, my lord?But then she had joined in the game, no doubt as delighted as he was by the shock on her jealous sister’s face.
Eventually Dan roused himself to write to Kate confirming his invitation to tomorrow’s party, then he left his study and went to soothe poor Hamley, who was inspecting the salt water stains on his riding boots with acute dismay.
‘My lord,’ Hamley said sorrowfully. ‘Have you actually been paddling in the sea?’
Dan peered more closely at the offending footwear. ‘Ah, yes. I was on the beach and a wave must have caught me. My apologies, Hamley.’
‘I shall have to concoct my special boot polish in order to remove those marks, my lord.’
‘Of course. You’re a good man. I know you can do it. Incidentally, Hamley, I told you, didn’t I, that I’m going to the Prince’s party tomorrow night? I shall have to wear something special. Something that stands out.’
Hamley winced. ‘Should you not choose something a little more discreet for such a formal occasion, my lord?’
‘Why? The Prince would be shocked out of his wits if I turned up in black or grey. See that my red velvet coat is ready for tomorrow, will you?’
‘But you will wear a cravat, won’t you?’ Hamley spoke rather desperately now. ‘Not one of your coloured neckties, my lord, I implore you!’
‘Very well. But I’m wearing breeches and top boots, since I don’t intend to dance.’
‘The ladies will be disappointed. I’ve heard that they consider you an exceptionally desirable partner.’
Dan wondered if his valet realised that this utterance could be interpreted in a variety of ways, but he doubted it, since the man was a pillar of respectability. ‘The ladies will cope, Hamley,’ he said at last. ‘You’ll see to everything, won’t you?’
He patted his valet on the shoulder and went down to eat his evening meal with Oliver. Normally they talked of the day’s news and each other’s plans for tomorrow, but this time, as soon as the footmen had departed, Oliver launched a broadside.
‘I’ve heard,’ he said, ‘that you’ve asked Miss Summerby to accompany you to the Prince’s party tomorrow.’
Dear God, how quickly news spread—probably from the groom he’d sent to Clematis Villa. ‘I did,’ he said calmly. ‘Her sister and her family have come to visit and I happened to meet them today. I saw exactly why Miss Summerby fled London because they were abominable to her, so I decided to ask her if she would care to accompany me to the event.’
Oliver nodded. ‘I’ve heard her sister is an unpleasant creature. But what exactly are your motives, brother? Because that’s the kind of question people are going to ask.’
Dan met his brother’s steady gaze. ‘You know very well that I offered to be her companion in order to help her establish herself in town.’
‘Right, but from what I’ve gathered, you’ve already achieved that, haven’t you? Don’t you think that perhaps now is the time to stop?’
Oliver saw too much. Far too much. Dan shrugged and said, ‘I’m only taking her to a party. Besides, Miss Summerby is both sensible and realistic.’
Oliver made a sound of disbelief. ‘Well, she might be sensible, brother, but you’re not. Tongues are wagging everywhere and ifyou carry on seeing her like this, you’re in danger of harming her just as much as that wretched family of hers.’
