Page 124 of The Duke's Mysterious Lover
She snorted softly. “A few weeks ago you couldn’t manage to button your own waistcoat.”
“I mean, Icould. I just didnae want to.” His breath was warm against the nape of her neck.
“Youcould,” she corrected him, “you just liked the company.”
He pressed his lips to her shoulder. “True. I’ve proven my buttoning ability is sufficient.”
“My hero.” Grinning at him over her shoulder, Kit winked. “Food, remember?”
“Blast it, I’m going to have Titsworth deliver us breakfast in bed every morning.”
Presuming, of course, that theywouldbe in bed together, every morning. Kit liked that presumption.
“To be fair,” she managed past the lump in her throat, “itisalmost time for luncheon.”
“Well, as long as he’s serving kippers and toast and eggs for luncheon, I’ll no’ complain.”
They walked hand-in-hand down the stairs. Not as if they were on their way to a grand assembly, but as if they were dangling from the edge of a cliff and required the other to keep them safe.
Luckily, therewerekippers and toast and eggs in the dining room, and Titsworth himself served it, his mien even more somber than usual. Kit noticed that he briefly clasped Thorne’s shoulder, and that Thorne offered him a thankful little nod.
He had so few true family members left, but in that moment, Kit realized Titsworth was just as much a member of the family Thorne hadfoundas Bull or Demon or Rourke. Desperate for love and affection, Thorne hadbuilta family around himself.
Thorne was the tie that bound them all together. He’d vowed to bring down Blackrose to protect them all…and he had.
The newspapers accompanied breakfast.
Silently, Kit and Thorne each scooped up a paper and their fork, digging into both.
“Fook,” hissed Thorne after a moment. “It isnae looking good. Apparently a countess in trousers is the biggest scandal this side of Lord Marrywell’s elopement.”
But Kit had frozen, her forkful of sausage inches from her mouth, eyes flicking across the front page ofThe Daily Movement. The Duchess of Effinghell had used her newspaper to twist the story into something…wonderful.
“Kit?” Thorne prompted. “What is it?”
Clearing her throat, she lowered the breakfast to her plate, the gnawing hunger in her stomach replaced now by something like…hope.
“Listen—” She sounded so raspy she had to clear her throat again. “Listen to this.” She began to read the article.
“Music lovers were treated to a magical experience last night at a musicale hosted by the Duke of Stroken. The new Countess of Bonkinbone is a talented, eccentric violinist, transporting a room of listeners including one very esteemed representative of Her Majesty, into amazed bliss during the time she played. Everyone present agreed that her ability to create such beauty mitigated any eccentricities of her dress.”
Kit paused, glancing across the table. “The article doesn’t even mention what I wore.”
Thorne nodded grimly. “That’s Olivia’s hand. She likelyscheduled the front page slot days before and wrote it last night. But she doesnaehaveto mention yer attire—the other rags do it for her,” he ended bitterly.
Nodding, Kit swallowed and lifted the paper. “But she doesn’t just praise my playing. Listen…” She found her place and continued to read. “The new Countess, the result of the union between the recently deceased Earl of Bonkinbone and his long-time wife, the noted soprano Gloria Pastorino, was raised in America and came to London as part of a campaign to bring her father to justice. William Stoughton, who only gained the Bonkinbone title six months ago when he succeeded in murdering his elder brother, was in fact a criminal wanted by the Crown.”
Thorne whistled softly. “She doesnae beat around the bush, does she?”
Kit shook her head, eyes not leaving the article as she began to read faster. “With his elevated status, it had been impossible to efficiently prosecute Stoughton, so the Crown asked a group of concerned citizens to help bring him to justice. Last night, thanks to his daughter’s eccentricities, Stoughton realized the trap was closing, and actually threatened the Crown’s representative. He died as a result.”
“Well that certainly simplifies things, aye?”
Kit was frowning. “It doesn’t mention all the horrible things Father did over the years.”
Thorne chuckled dryly. “Dinnae fash, I’m certain Olivia will drag this out for weeks, and sales of her paper will explode. She’s the only reporter with direct access to the sources, after all.”
Kit continued to read aloud. “While the events of last night are tragic, this paper can confidently report that the new Countess of Bonkinbone was instrumental in not only bringing her father to justice for his crimes, but also saving the life of the Crown’s representative. All her actions since arrivingin London have been working toward that end. Her bravery, not just in standing up to her father, but in occasionally making a spectacle of herself and opening herself up to gossip through her choices, is in the best tradition of British womanhood, and should be celebrated. The Queen herself is planning a ceremony to honor the new Countess.”
