Page 16 of A Countess Never Tells

“Judith, for God’s sake, speak to her, please.” John snorted and threw himself back in his seat, arms crossed violently over his chest.

“Kitty.” Her sister-in-law searched her face, her gaze piercing as it darted to her eyes and remained there. Did she believe something even more untoward than a kiss had happened out there in the Druid’s Walk?

“I’m sorry, Judith, but I do like him. I will continue to dance with him and, if he requests my company for a ride, I will accept him for that as well.” Summoning all her courage, Kitty forced herself to continue with her demands. “You cannot mean to forbid me to see the one gentleman I’ve found interesting during the whole of the Season? Do you know how many months it’s been?”

“If anyone knows how long it’s been, I do, Kitty.” Judith shot a look at her husband, and he opened his mouth.

But before he could speak, Lord Ashwood appeared beside them, towering over them. “Lord Haxby, Lady Haxby, Miss Tate, the fireworks are about to begin.”

“Ha.” Kitty couldn’t contain the snort. The fireworks had begun the moment they’d returned to the supper-box. As if Lord Ashwood didn’t know that.

“Come this way, or we may lose the best spot for viewing them.” Lord Ashwood indicated the way, and the three of them rose and headed for the exit.

Ashwood hung back until Kitty followed Judith then fell in line behind her. “Did you have an interesting conversation with your brother?”

“You could call it that.” Surprised he’d remained behind to walk with her, Kitty boldly grasped his arm. If John saw it and objected, John could go hang. “I would call it a curtain lecture if he was a woman.” They continued to follow the others in silence, until Kitty couldn’t stand it any longer. “You could have helped me defend myself.”

“There was nothing I could have said that your brother would not have tried to use against me. That is why I busied myself with Miss Fitzhugh.” He gazed down at her, admiration in his eyes. “You seemed to defend your actions rather well.”

“You were listening?”

“Of course, I was.” He laughed softly. “I can act attentive to a young lady and still be aware of every conversation in the room.” His gaze darkened. “Especially if you are the one speaking, Miss Tate.”

Kitty stared at him, remembering her conversation. Lord, then he knew exactly what she wanted from him, how she felt about him. That could either work in her favor or be a dreadful mistake. And she had no idea which was true. “Then you know they are disturbed that I neglected to inform them of your real identity as soon as I knew it.”

“Protective, as any doting brother should be. You should not fault him for that. I get so many fathers and brothers bent on guarding their daughters or sisters against me, I thought I would give myself a fighting chance to meet you, Miss Tate.” He leaned his head toward hers. “I’m devilishly glad I did.”

“Because of that kiss, my lord?” Kitty gave him an arch look. He really mustn’t think her a fool. “I hope you savored it, for I doubt we will be given another such opportunity.”

“Would you like another opportunity to kiss me, Miss Tate?” The roguish look on his face made her laugh.

“That would be telling, my lord.” She smiled her best secret smile. Lord Ashwood was more fun than she’d had in a long while. Conversing with him kept her on her mettle constantly, something that didn’t happen often. She was certainly having the best evening of her Season yet.

“And countesses never tell.”

“I’m not a countess, my lord.”

“Perhaps you are a countess in training then.” He patted her hand, sending warm tingles up her arm. “One cannot learn how to keep secrets too soon.”

“You presuppose I will marry an earl then, my lord. Perhaps I will prefer to marry a plain gentleman, from whom I will not need to keep secrets.” Oh, but he was such fun.

“A lady always needs to keep secrets, Miss Tate. Whether a countess, a duchess, or a plain Miss Smith, she will find occasion to keep something from someone else. A brother, a husband.” He squeezed her hand again. “A lover.”

Sudden heat scorched her arm where it linked with his. Kitty wanted very badly to whip out her fan and ply them both with cool air. “You do have a rogue’s perception of how a couple should go on, Lord Ashwood.” She cocked her head and raised a brow. “Would you expect your wife to keep secrets from you, then?”

“I hope my wife will help me keep our secrets.” His gaze burned into Kitty, making her stomach clench so that she stumbled and leaned heavily against him.

“Careful. You don’t want to sprain your ankle.”

“That would be the scandal of the Season, wouldn’t it?” Kitty couldn’t keep the slyness out of her voice. To sprain one’s ankle meant, in the vulgar tongue, to be with child. “How nice of you to warn me.”

“That wasn’t what I meant, Miss Tate.”

Of course, it wasn’t. But his answer about his future countess had disturbed her. She wasn’t looking to marry a rake. All she wanted from him was a chance flirtation, nothing more. “Wasn’t it, my lord?”

Lord Ashwood stopped just behind Judith and John and turned to face her. “Are you quite all right?”

“I am perfectly well, my lord.” The words came out rather clipped, but Kitty didn’t care. She dropped his arm and stepped to the side, the crowd around them swelling miraculously with each passing second. It was becoming quite suffocating. Despite her wariness, she shrank back beside Lord Ashwood. “So many people assembling.”