Chapter 17

Kathryn

"Miss Martin does not feel well and did not want to risk passing her cold to any of us," Katie said when Phoebe asked why their mother's companion was not in the drawing room before dinner. "And mother is not here because she still suffers from her migraine," she added.

Phoebe frowned. "I will go and check on them both."

"No, you needn't," Katie said hurriedly, before her sister could heave herself to her feet. "Mama's maid said she does not want to be disturbed. And Miss Martin looked so ill that I sent Dora to sit with her."

"That was very thoughtful of you," Phoebe said, smiling at her.

Katie returned her smile with one that was rather forced. If only her sister knew…

"Do you think I should send for Doctor Murray?" Phoebe asked.

"I already offered. Miss Martin was most emphatic that we do not."

"Very well. So, we are down three for dinner, then."

"Who is the third?" Katie asked, although she knew that, too.

"Shelton left a note saying he was going to see a horse and would probably be away a few days," the Duke of Chatham said, a perplexed frown on his face. "He mentioned nothing about going to see a horse this morning. It is most unusual for him to leave without saying anything."

"He left my aunt's house with my sister and never said anything," Hy observed with a faint twist of her lips.

The duke smiled, but it looked a bit strained.

Before he could speak, Hy said in a low voice, "I'm sorry, Chatham. I should not have said that. It was…insensitive."

Katie's eyebrows shot up. She loved her sister, but Hy was not exactly known for her sensitivity.

The duke said something to his wife that was too quiet for Katie to hear, and her sister chuckled. "I will remind you of that later…Your Grace."

That was another new thing about Hy—her laughter. Katie could count on one hand the number of times she'd heard her older sister laugh before she married the duke.

Of course, there hadn't been much for Hy to laugh about growing up. Their mother wasn't warm toward any of her children, but she loathed Hy and never bothered to hide it.

After what had occurred at Aunt Agnes's house this past summer, Katie suspected that she had taken Hy's place as her mother's most loathed child .

Regardless of how much the countess disliked her, she was still insistent that Katie accompany her to Bath after Christmas rather than go to London.

"You will not continue to live in the same house as that—that cad Shelton. You will just have to wait for your Season until next year, when I can offer you proper chaperonage. After what occurred at my sister's house it is clear nobody else can manage you. So, I will be forced to do so."

The argument that followed had not been pleasant. Neither had it resolved anything. But Katie was not done fighting for her future, and she had several other weapons remaining in her arsenal. By hook or by crook she would not be going to Bath.

Her mother just didn't know that yet.

Without the countess to dampen the atmosphere at the dinner table the meal seemed to fly by and conversation was lively.

Afterward they retired to the drawing room, as usual. Katie had no heart for games—at least not the sorts that were played with rules—but she could not absent herself without drawing notice.

No, it would be unwise to attract attention after what she had done to Shelton and Miss Martin…

Katie's lips curled into a smile as she imagined the scene in the priest hole right about now. It was too bad she could not be a fly on the wall.

She had not yet decided whether to release the pair from their prison tomorrow while everyone else was out gathering greenery—which would mean that nobody would find out that Shelton and Miss Martin had gone missing—or if she should keep them sequestered for so long that Shelton's hand would be forced, and he would have to propose.

But that, she decided, was too cruel, even for Shelton.

Besides, there was Miss Martin to consider.

Not that it wasn't perfectly clear to her that the other woman burned for Shelton. Katie knew Miss Martin's besotted expression well because she had felt the exact same emotion briefly, last spring.

Despite Miss Martin's obvious desire for the marquess, it was entirely possible that she would refuse Shelton's gentlemanly offer of marriage. She was a proud woman, and Shelton had trampled on her pride in the past.

Even so, the woman was doubtless in seventh heaven at the moment, imprisoned with the man of her dreams.

As for Shelton? Although the ridiculously handsome marquess had denied it, he was intrigued by Stacia Martin. Katie had been around him for months and he'd never once noticed a woman the way he'd done with Miss Martin.

Poor Shelton was an unhappy, lonely man who'd been clinging to his love for a dead woman for more than a decade. He would vehemently disagree that Katie was doing this for his benefit, but one day he would thank her.

Katie should probably let them out after one night. That way the two of them could either take advantage of the opportunity she had offered them, or they could ignore the gift she'd given them, go their own two ways, and live miserable lives.

"Katie?"

She looked up from her thoughts to find Selina beside her. "Yes?"

"I'm going to partner Phoebe against Hy and Chatham. Shaftsbury cannot play cards as we haven't yet figured out a way to do that yet. But he enjoys chess a great deal and we've brought his set along, so—"

"I would love to play your husband a game," Katie lied.

"I've been telling him how clever you are, and he is prepared, so you needn't be kind to him."

Katie gave her sister a weak smile. Chess. Was there anything she hated more in the world?

Well, yes. Two things, actually. Plying a needle and Lord Jasper Raine.

What use were any of them?

She could not earn money with chess as her sister Hy had done with cards.

And needlework was either a drudge's job or a pastime for sleekly contented matrons to occupy their hands in between bearing heirs for their husbands or taking lovers.

As for Lord Raine…

Her mouth twisted into an unpleasant smile.

Raine's only purpose was as a walking, talking warning to women about the duplicity of man.

Ten minutes later Katie was seated across from Selina's gorgeous husband, in the middle of a game she could win at any time. But if she did, she would just be forced to play another, so she allowed her mind to wander and once again it returned to Shelton and Miss Martin.

Had she done the wrong thing? No doubt most people would answer an emphatic yes to that. Viewed objectively, she was risking two peoples' reputations. Or at least Miss Martin's, as Shelton's reputation was in such tatters nothing could make it worse.

As much as she teased and taunted Andrew, she had come to like him a great deal. If somebody didn't do something—that somebody being her, apparently—then he would likely go to London this Season and marry an heiress he didn't love, or even like, to save his estate.

Katie could not allow him to sacrifice himself that way. Even though he probably deserved it.

"I sense you are restless, Lady Kathryn," Lord Shaftsbury said, staring at her with eyes that seemed to look into her soul. "You could have had me in checkmate once already."

It was actually more like three times, but who was counting?

Katie shrugged, remembered he could not see the dismissive gesture, and said, "I hate chess."

His distractingly pretty lips parted in surprise and then he barked a laugh, the skin at the corners of his sightless gray eyes crinkling in a way that caused a fluttering in her belly. He really was extremely handsome—not to mention charming and so… happy that it was difficult to feel glum in his presence. Selina said he'd been as cross as a crab when she'd first met him. It was hard to imagine.

"We do not need to play," he said, pitching his voice so only the two of them could hear it.

"Oh, yes we do."

"Why?"

"Because my siblings will want to know why I'm not playing if I don't."

"Your sister said you are very good at the game. The best in your family."

"I am."

"And yet you sound unhappy about your skill. We can always just sit here in silence." He paused and then added with a sly twist of those sensual lips. "Or we could talk."

"Talk?"

He smiled.

"Talk about what?" she said after a moment.

He shrugged his powerful shoulders. "Whatever you like."

Katie wanted to ask what it had been like to be trapped in a carriage for days with his dying wife, but she doubted that was a subject he would appreciate.

Instead, she said, "I will have my first Season next year."

"Yes, your sister mentioned that."

"I daresay you've had many."

He laughed. "Why? Because I am old?"

He was old. At least compared to Katie's seven-and-ten years.

Before she could come up with a polite response he said, "Are you looking forward to it?"

"It will be something to do."

His eyebrows arched. "I cannot help thinking that you do not sound very excited."

Katie knew he was waiting for an explanation, but she had nothing to offer. She didn't know why she felt such a crushing sense of…ennui.

Oh, yes you do.

"I'm not terribly excited," she admitted. "I never would have believed that I'd miss being crowded at Queen's Bower and wearing gowns that had passed through four sisters before they became mine. But sometimes I wish—" she bit her lip, horrified by the burning behind her eyes.

"What do you wish?"

"I wish we had never left," she said, her voice barely a whisper. Where in the world had that come from? Katie swallowed hard, as if that would suppress the emotions suddenly threatening to overwhelm her.

"It is normal that you would miss such closeness," he said gently.

Rather than go away, the urge to cry built so quickly she had to tilt her head back. Why did she feel such a powerful compulsion to throw herself onto this kind man's broad chest and weep and weep and weep?

What was wrong with her?

"If London is not to your liking, then I hope you will come and stay with Selina and me," he said. "We will only remain in town for a month. Long enough for Selina to be presented and then we will go home."

It was a nice offer, but the last thing Katie wanted was to bear close witness to yet another joyously happy marriage. Or be a burden. Selina and Shaftsbury spent most of their time together—not just because he needed Selina, but because they were so deeply in love. Although Hy and Chatham were equally in love, they each led busy, independent lives and Katie's presence did not interfere with their lives.

"That is very kind of you, my lord, but I suppose I will give London a chance."

"I think you might enjoy yourself more than you expect."

Katie would be stunned if that were true. Wisely, she kept that bitter prediction to herself.

Instead, she said, "I daresay you are right. Shall we finish this game? I believe it was your move."