Page 65 of The Marriage Debt
‘No,’ Theo assured him. ‘Not now. Spectacular, is she not?’
Robert’s low whistle was answer enough. ‘I’m off to ask her for the first waltz.’
‘You can’t have it, and neither can I. We can’t risk drawing attention to her by neglecting our duty dances in her favour. We will both have to wait until after supper. Stay here, it will not do for both of us to descend on her the moment she appears.’
Theo strolled off, following a meandering path through the chatting guests until he appeared, as if by chance, where Katherine was being introduced by Lady Fanny to the Gunton sisters.
They broke off and curtseyed to him. ‘Lord Seaton.’
‘Miss Gunton, Miss Amelie, good evening. I hope you had a safe journey over the moors? I see Cousin Fanny has introduced you to her friend Miss Cunningham.’
Kat turned to him with calm composure and dropped a slight curtsey. ‘Good evening, Lord Seaton.’
Lord, but she was lovely. Her skin looked like milk against the soft primrose of the gown, the crystal beads in her bodice shimmered with the rise and fall of her breathing and the subtle scent of lily of the valley and fern rose from her warmth. ‘Ladies, if you would excuse us, I have been asked to introduce Miss Cunningham to Lady Foxe.’
‘Why?’ Kat hissed as he took her arm and steered her back across the room.
‘Because I wanted to talk to you. Lady Foxe is not even here yet.’ He bowed to a small knot of guests and strolled on. ‘You are breath-taking, Kat.’ He let his fingers caress the crook of her arm where he held her and felt her shiver.
‘Thank you, but it is this lovely gown. I am sorry I was ungracious about it.’
‘Kat, you would look lovely in a sack. The gown simply shows off the loveliness that it sheathes.’ He watched her blush, saw a pearl ear-drop tremble and wondered how he was managing not to bend down and nibble the delicate lobe it was suspended from.
‘You should not be spending time with me.’ She sounded anxious and he saw she was watching his father, alive for any sign of disapproval.
‘I know. I will leave you here with Mr Crase. Kat, I cannot dance with you until later, after supper. Keep your card free after then.’
She smiled, a genuinely amused flash of humour. ‘I do not think that humble Miss Cunningham is going to have any problem doing that, Lord Seaton.’
Theo smiled too, but at her ridiculous modesty. Was she really unaware that male eyes were following her from all corners of the room? And this was simply the fifty dinner guests.
‘Mr Crace, might I leave Miss Cunningham in your care? I believe you will be taking her in to dinner.’ He freed her arm and turned away abruptly, suddenly all too conscious that if he did not, he was going to find it impossible to leave her side.
‘Miss Cunningham, may an old man be permitted to say that you are in great beauty tonight?’
Katherine was startled out of the breathless state Theo’s sudden appearance, and as sudden departure, had left her in. ‘Why thank you, sir.’
The tubby little man beamed at her. ‘Now, who can I introduce you to, I wonder?’ he mused. ‘Not the young men, they will find you of their own accord.’ He chuckled. ‘Ah yes, Lady Laithwaite and her daughters. Charming girls, and not so plain that they will mind your company,’ he added wickedly. ‘Over here.’
Katherine accompanied him, reminding herself that he was also his grace’s lawyer and therefore perfectlyaufait with her scandalous secret. The whole scene was quite unreal, she felt, glancing around to find Theo. There he was, talking to an uncommonly handsome young lady with copper-red hair and a fine bosom.Which she is displaying to good advantage,Katherine thought cattily, reluctantly admiring the graceful shoulders and daringly low neckline displayed.
‘Who is that?’ she whispered to Mr Crace, who appeared to have lost sight of his quarry. ‘The tall, red-headed lady taking to Lord Seaton.’
‘Lady Camilla Wilde. A striking young lady, is she not? Niece and heiress of old Lord Polkington. Dotes on her and intends to dower her royally, they say.’
Katherine was saved from any further questions that might betray the jealous pangs she was experiencing by Heron throwing open the double doors into the dining room and announcing, ‘Dinner is served, Your Grace.’
As a single girl Katherine found herself midway down the table, Mr Crace on one side and on the other the handsome young man she and Jenny had spied from the bedroom window.
Mr Crace introduced him. ‘Mr Roderick Graham, Miss Cunningham. Mr Graham is a cousin of the Bishop of Durham.’
Close to, Mr Graham proved every bit as personable and attractive as the glimpse from the window had suggested. Katherine soon found herself engrossed in conversation about his recent impressions of London which, as a native ofEdinburgh, he had visited that year for the first time.
‘I have only just returned, in fact,’ he explained. ‘My cousin was good enough to offer me his hospitality at the Bishop’s Palace for the summer.’
‘Is it truly a palace?’ Katherine enquired. Mr Graham had explained that as a younger son he had been studying law and she gathered that his home was far more modest than that of his exalted relative.
‘Indeed it is,’ he agreed smiling, ‘although not so deserving of the name as this edifice.’
