Page 46 of The Viscount's Unwanted Bride
Kate couldn’t tellwhether the tangle of knots in her gut was caused by excitement or nerves. Their carriage stopped outside Blackwell House, and she waited for Andrew to get out first and then help Amelia, their mother, and herself down.
Goose bumps prickled her skin, and she rubbed at her bare upper arms. It was a cold evening, already dark because of the heavy cloud cover, and a light drizzle fell as they strode to the front entrance, which stood open.
Albert hastened them inside to escape the inclement weather. He closed the door behind them and bowed low. “Lord Blackwell is in the ballroom.”
At that moment, the man in question entered the foyer, giving the lie to Albert’s words, and paused, his gaze caught on her. She squirmed as his dark eyes heated.
“You are exquisite, Lady Katherine,” Blackwell said.
She shivered, and not from the cold this time. He had a way of making her feel like the only thing he saw. “Thank you, my lord. You look very handsome.”
It was true. He’d dressed in a suit she suspected was new, although it was as monochromatic as the others she’d seen him wearing since the Wembley ball. From what she’d come to know about him, it truly was strange how flamboyant his attire had been that night.
His gaze lingered on her dress, and she wondered what he thought of it. She’d designed the mint green gown with pale blue trim to complement her coloring and emphasize her slim waist, but she had no idea whether he noticed any of that.
“Is this one of your designs?” he asked.
“Yes, although Madam Baptiste helped. I showed her drawings of my vision, and she made it a reality.” Kate truly appreciated the modiste’s patience with her. She knew that most young ladies tended to give her far fewer instructions or suggestions, but Madam Baptiste had never made Kate feel like a nuisance.
He met her eyes again, and something in them softened. “It seems I’m to have an extremely talented wife.”
Kate’s heart lifted and she smiled so widely it almost hurt. She really was fortunate to have found such a man, however it came about.
He turned to her family. “Thank you for coming, Lord Longley, Lady Longley, Lady Drake.”
“I’m glad to be in out of the cold,” Andrew said. “It’s deuced bad weather.”
“Well, it is winter,” Amelia pointed out. “It’s only to be expected.”
Albert cleared his throat, and Blackwell glanced over. The butler had been joined by a woman of average build, slightlysoft around the middle, with well-worn features and neat brown hair.
Blackwell gestured to them. “Please allow me to introduce my butler, Albert, and the housekeeper, Mrs. Taylor. If any last-minute changes are needed prior to the ball, Mrs. Taylor will be able to assist.”
Mrs. Taylor curtsied. “I’m more than happy to help. It’s a right pleasure to know that Blackwell House will have a mistress again.”
Kate nodded to her. “Lovely to meet you, Mrs. Taylor. I look forward to speaking with you more in future.”
It was important she establish a good relationship with the housekeeper as soon as possible, as the servants would largely take their cue from her and Albert, who’d thankfully already made his approval clear.
“Let’s go through.” Blackwell backtracked to the ballroom.
Kate watched him go, wondering at the figure beneath his well-tailored clothes. He had broad shoulders and a trim waist, but she had no idea what to expect beyond that. She’d never seen an undressed man before. Hopefully he wasn’t the sort to be overly formal with his wife, because she was rather eager to learn.
As she entered the ballroom, a wall of warm air greeted her. It emanated from a fire that burned from within a gilded marble fireplace and from the dozens of candles that illuminated the space, casting the blue and cream carpet and curtains in a golden light.
Bouquets of white roses and sprigs of snowdrops were positioned around the arches and doorways and on some of the small tables around the edges of the room. Space had been cleared in one corner for the musicians, who were in the process of tuning their instruments. The soft tinkle of piano notes and the rich chords of a violin thrummed in the air.
Kate adjusted a sprig of snowdrop that was slightly askew and wandered to the adjoining room to check the refreshments table. The food hadn’t been brought out yet, but lemonade and ratafia were waiting by a tower of delicate wineglasses for guests to help themselves.
“We’ll put the fire out after the first few guests arrive.”
Kate jumped at Blackwell’s voice so close to her. She hadn’t heard him approach.
“It’ll be too hot once everyone is here otherwise. Especially after the dancing begins.”
She nodded. “It was a good idea to light it for long enough to warm the ballroom.”
He shrugged. “It was Mrs. Taylor’s suggestion. I’m not sure I’d have thought of it.”
