Page 42 of Enticed By an Earl
Kitty looked as though she might weep at Dev’s words. Dev hadn’t meant them to be sweet or poetic, just a statement of the truth.
“If George were to have recognized me, I do not know what would have happened,” she said.
“I will tell you what would have happened,” Dev said, shifting closer to her. He caressed the side of Kitty’s face and tilted it up so that their eyes met. “There would have been a quick shock followed by scandal and gossip. But none of it would have mattered, because the two of us would have been gone from London by morning, bound for someplace where we could live in safety and security together.”
“Dev,” Kitty said so softly Dev nearly did not hear it. “You are too good to me.”
“You deserve someone to be good to you,” Dev insisted. “You deserve all the joy you can manage, just as you are.”
Kitty tilted her head down with a sheepish smile. Even in the scant light, Dev could see the blush form on her cheeks. Dammit, but Kitty had no idea how utterly sweet and charming she was.
Dev was on the verge of doing something wild and dangerous by lifting her face to him again and kissing her soundly, despite the fact that any number of people could have seen them. He was stopped from the potentially disastrous action by Lord Salisbury’s call of, “Ah, there they are.”
Frustration snapped through Dev, particularly when Kitty jumped and tensed by his side. He twisted to face their interruption but stayed seated very close to Kitty indeed, even though it would raise comment.
Another moment later and Dev did not care who said what about their proximity. Salisbury was not alone. He had George Seymour with him. Kitty reached to grab hold of Dev’s thigh desperately.
“I thought I spotted the two of you coming out here for air,” Salisbury said as the two men approached. His tone was affable, as if he were trying to soothe or appease Kitty. “I insisted that Lord George accompany to apologize and make certain you are well.”
“I’ve no need to apologize for anything,” Seymour muttered as though he did not intend to be heard.
Kitty curled in on herself a bit, shaking noticeably and lowering her face, likely in the hope that Seymour would not look too closely at her.
“Miss Dryden, even though it is clear that you have found yourself a worthy champion,” Salisbury said, crouching slightly as if he would look Kitty in the eyes, “please do allow me to apologize for any clumsiness on my part that might have led to the missteps.”
“She’s a simple, country lass,” Seymour said by way of complaint. “She probably only learned the steps last month. If it is anyone’s fault that she fell it is her own.”
“Seymour, you are not helping the matter,” Salisbury snapped. “Country or not, Miss Dryden is a lady. Apologize.”
“There is no need,” Kitty whispered, her voice higher and wispier than Dev had ever heard it, which, perhaps, aided the illusion necessary to fool her brother.
“You see?” Seymour said, throwing out a hand to Dev. “There is no need.”
“Seymour,” Salisbury scolded him, shaking his head. He assumed a dignified air and bowed to Kitty. “I, at least, apologize.”
“Thank you, my lord,” Kitty said, managing to timidly lift her head so that she could briefly meet the man’s eyes, thennod. Once she did that, she lowered her face and turned it slightly away from Seymour again.
“Apologies,” Seymour said gruffly, already looking back the way he came.
When Kitty said nothing, Dev said, “Gentlemen, your apologies are accepted. Now, if you will be so kind as to allow Miss Dryden the air she needs to settle her nerves.”
“Of course,” Salisbury said. He bowed once more, then turned to follow Seymour, who had merely grumbled and turned away, back into the house.
Once they were gone, Kitty let out a breath and sagged. “I will never be safe from encounters such as that,” she said, half to herself.
“Perhaps not,” Dev said, his heart aching for his beloved, “but with time, I vow that they will become easier.”
“Will they?” Kitty asked, glancing up at Dev with desperation in her eyes. “Or will I spend the rest of my life fearing that the next man who asks me to dance or the next encounter with someone I know will be the end of me?”
Dev opened his mouth to protest the idea, but he could not truly argue against it. There would always be a risk of discovery for Kitty as long as they were in London.
But if they were not in London….
“We’ll leave London,” he said. “We will go to my family’s house in Wiltshire, and from there, we could establish a residence in Birmingham or Manchester. Or we could travel.”
Kitty sent Dev an affectionate but hopeless look. “And how would that look to the outside world? Can you really throw over everything in your life for a dubious mistress?”
“You would not be my mistress, you would be my wife,” Dev said, shifting so that he could take Kitty’s hands.
