Page 68 of The Marriage Debt
‘That Scotsman is paying you altogether too much attention.’
‘He is notthat Scotsman,’ Katherine retorted. ‘He is a perfectly pleasant young lawyer who has been courteous enough to talk to me at dinner and ask me for two dances. If you did not want me to talk to him you should not have placed me next to him.’
‘I had nothing to do with the seating plans.’
‘If you had, I doubt you would have placed me next to a man who saw you hanged.’
‘What?’
‘He was at Newgate. I do not think he will recognise you.’
‘Is that why you suddenly looked faint at dinner?’ She nodded and Theo steered her into an alcove. ‘That’s better, one can hardly hear oneself think out there.’
‘It is certainly a difficult environment in which to have an argument in whispers,’ Katherine agreed tartly.
‘Is that what we are doing?’ He smiled and took her chin between long fingers.
‘I do not know what else to call it. You pounce on me when I am in the company of a perfectly unexceptionable gentleman, you lecture me on associating with him, for no good reason–’
Her complaint was silenced by Theo simply leaning down and kissing her, very firmly, very calmly and with a complete disregard to whatever was happening just the other side of a silk curtain.
‘Theo.’ Katherine took a hasty step backwards, coming up with a bump against a pillar. ‘People will see.’
‘Please be assured, Miss Cunningham, that if I have placed you in a compromising position I am only too ready to do the honourable thing.’
With a suppressed squeak of outrage Katherine swept out of the alcove in what was dangerously close to being a flounce. Theo did not attempt to follow her and she made her way back to Lady Fanny feeling more than a little flustered. Mr Graham was waiting patiently with her drink. He had obviously brought one for her chaperone as well, and was politely attempting to follow one of Lady Fanny’s more discursive commentaries.
‘Miss Cunningham.’ He leapt to his feet and looked behind her with furrowed brow. ‘Where is Lord Seaton?’
‘I…we…quarrelled. I think.’ Katherine took the lemonade and drank it thirstily.
‘If he has–’ The lawyer was on his feet, hands clenched.
‘No,no.’ Katherine urged him to sit again. ‘Nothing of that sort. It is a…family matter which causes some tension, that is all.’
‘You will allow me to escort you in to supper?’ He still did not seem easy with her explanation.
‘Thank you, yes, that would be most kind.’
Lady Fanny gave an approving nod, then smiled as another tall man approached. ‘Cousin Robert, have you come to ask Miss Cunningham to dance?’
‘I have.’ Robert smiled cheerfully at Katherine. ‘Do you have any waltzes free after supper? I’ll have done my duty dances by then. But I was hoping you’d let me take you in to supper.’
‘You are just too late, Lord Robert. Do you know Mr Graham?’
The men exchanged greetings and Robert suggested they all go in together. ‘Cousin Fanny?’
‘I am joining Lady Willington’s party, Robert dear.’
Katherine looked around her for Theo, but there was no sign of him. She bit her lip: quarrelling with him was far from what she had dreamed of doing on this fairy tale evening.
Everything was as magnificent as she had imagined, yet light-hearted, almost whimsical in tone. The flowers were massed banks of wildflowers mixed with hot house blooms, the lights twinkled behind shades of different coloured glass, the luxury and attention to detail was laid on with a light hand. It made her smile and think of Theo. She had not expected it of the duke and wondered if, despite their exchange at lunch the other day Theo had had some part in it. Or perhaps he had inherited yet another characteristic of his father.
Then they entered the supper room and there he was, sitting very much at his ease, conversing with the redhead over a plate of shaved ham. What was her name? Clarissa? No, Camilla. Katherine fixed a smile in place and allowed Robert to guide her to a table in full view of his brother. She sank onto the chair MrGraham pulled out for her and allowed the two men to bicker politely over who was going to serve her.
‘I will fetch the champagne and you fetch the food, then,’ Robert concluded, making off towards the table spread with black bottles.
Champagne?Lady Fanny had expressly saidno champagne. A few feet away Theo was pouring a wine into Lady Camilla’s glass.Well, if she can, I can. I am not going to be a provincial mouse.
