Page 71 of A Countess Never Tells

She didn’t want him to be changed. Not in himself, and not toward her. A sob caught in her throat. All these weeks, as she’d tried to sort out her feelings toward Ash, she’d truly tried hard to let him go. Tried to resurrect the devastating pain he’d caused that night in his chamber. But with time had come the realization that unless she believed Lord Baltimore had had nothing to do with the incident—and there was simply too much evidence to the contrary for anyone to believe that—then she should have forgiven Ash, put that ghastly episode behind them, and moved onward toward marriage and a happy, passionate life together. Apparently, that realization had come too late.

“You are more than kind, Kitty.” His eyes crinkled at the ends. “You always were.”

She had to say something, anything so they could move past this awkwardness. “What brings you to Yorkshire?”

“A newspaper.”

Kitty blinked. Had she misheard him? “I beg your pardon?”

“I’ve brought you a copy of The Daily Post as I doubted you get this particular newspaper all the way up here.” Ash went to a valise sitting beside John’s desk and withdrew a folded newspaper. “I’d like you to read this section just here.” He pointed to a part of the first column about halfway down. “Read it aloud so your brother can hear as well.”

Kitty frowned, but now her curiosity was aroused. “Thursday last, Lord B., having previously been noticed receiving the cut-direct from several matrons of Society, including Lady C., Mrs. F-S., and Lady R, following his scandalous behavior at his house in London, was seen boarding the good ship Gloriana, sailing for Italy post haste. Lord B. was said to be in the company of three sumptuous and buxom ladies, all of whom were featured in this newspaper as being part of Lord B.’s harem, in the Oriental fashion of having more than one wife. It is unknown when Lord B. will make his return to England’s shores.” She looked up at Ash, astounded. “He’s truly gone?”

“This time, it would seem so. He reappeared in London shortly after we put it about that we were not to wed, looking inordinately smug at White’s, or so I was told. So his leaving the first time was a subterfuge. That paper, however, was printed on Friday, which means with fair tides, he should have reached sunny Italy already.” Ash’s grin grew broader. “I may have made better time than he did.”

As though a stone she hadn’t been aware she’d been carrying had rolled off her shoulders, Kitty suddenly felt free. “But how? What happened to make him truly leave?”

Ash came to stand beside her. “The little trick he played on us gave me an idea about how to get even with him. So I hired three ‘high-flyers’ to pay Lord Baltimore a visit all at the same time. Then I gave that same information to the gentleman who writes for The Daily Post. As soon as he published that Baltimore had consorted with three women at once and mentioned the term ‘harem’ in connection with them, the ton became outraged. One by one, they shunned Baltimore until some of the high sticklers started giving him the cut-direct.” Ash shrugged. “Soon he was no longer welcome in any decent house in London, until finally, last week, he decided a southern clime would be more hospitable to him.”

Heat had crept into Kitty’s cheeks at the mention of the “high-flyers.” Although she didn’t recognize the word, she could guess the meaning.

“I do not believe Baltimore will have time to pursue us anymore, nor should he connect the arrival of the “ladies” with me. By the time they entered his establishment, I had long quit London.” Ash turned to John. “Thank you for suggesting the name of the third-party who arranged the matter. I would not have thought a man of his position would allow himself to be involved with something so…questionably legal, shall we say?”

“Matthews is a good man.” John rose and sauntered to the sideboard. “A man who believes in justice and isn’t above bending the letter of the law to get it.” He raised the decanter. “Another?”

“I’d best not. I have business to take care of, if you recall.” Ash looked pointedly at John, who downed his brandy in a gulp.

“So you do.” To Kitty’s astonishment, her brother then turned and left, shutting the door, and leaving her and Ash quite alone.

Wishing she had a swallow of brandy, but not quite bold enough to go and pour herself one, Kitty settled for frankness. “Am I the business you’ve come to take care of?”

“You are.” Ash pulled the other club chair opposite her and sat, facing her.

Kitty didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Because she didn’t have an idea what he wanted to speak to her about. Try as she might, she could tell nothing from his face or the way he sat, calmly staring at her. Was he about to take his leave forever, or drop to one knee and declare himself? Not knowing was killing her inch by inch. “We are alone, Ash.” She breathed deeply. “What do you wish to say?”

He took her hand in his, large and incredibly warm. “That I love you, Kitty. My feelings for you have not changed since the very first day I asked your brother’s permission to marry you.” His head dipped. “I know I hurt you deeply when we last saw one another. I would do anything to erase that from both our memories, but that’s not possible.” His fingers played over her knuckles, sending familiar tingles up her arm. “What I hope is possible is that you can forgive me. That you can believe you can trust me, from this day forward, to be faithful only to you, for as long as we both live.”

Overcome by happy tears, her throat wouldn’t work. So she squeezed his hand, and swallowed hard. “I can, Ash,” she managed at last. “I can, and I do trust you. I love you.”

Then she was in his arms, his mouth on hers, hers on his, as she melted into him. Never did she want this moment to end. She thrust her tongue into his mouth, reveling in the feeling of coming home. Long before she was ready to stop, he broke the kiss, panting.

“Not yet, my love.” She sought his lips once more, but he shook his head.

“We have other business to attend to.” He stood, bringing her up with him.

“What is that?” Kitty didn’t want to let go of him for one minute. She wound her arms around him. “Why can’t we stay like this for just a while longer? It’s been so long since we were together.”

“Because it has been too long, and I want more of you than mere kisses, my love.” He took her arm and steered her toward the door.

“What do you want to do, Ash?” Not that she’d complain at all, but even under the circumstances… “I don’t think John will go so far as to allow us to spend the night together under his roof.”

“Oh, I think he will.” He opened the door and ushered her out.

“Why would he do that?” She feared Ash was being overly optimistic about her straitlaced brother.

He reached into his jacket and removed a piece of parchment, holding it up like a victory flag. “Because I have a special license and, on my way here, I stopped at St. Mary’s and told the vicar I hoped we’d be coming this afternoon to be married.”

“Oh, Ash!” She hugged his arm as they hurried out through the foyer to a waiting carriage containing John, Judith, and Anna. “You truly have thought of everything.”