Page 31 of The Scandalous Love of a Duke
The butler left John in the small receiving room at the back of the house, with a look of disapproval as he went to fetch Katherine.
John set the hatbox down in an armchair, took off his hat and gloves and left them on top of the box.
The room was decorated in light blue and cream, and was probably the size of Wareham’s office.
A large portrait hung on one wall, Phillip in his wig. John smiled and then looked at the miniatures on another wall, Jennifer, Phillip and Katherine’s parents. There was a later miniature of Jennifer too, probably painted recently. There were no portraits of Katherine.
John walked across the room, his hands settling behind his back and looked through the French door out into the garden.
He felt uncharacteristically nervous.
After a few moments he heard her footsteps on the stairs and then in the hall.
He turned as she entered the room.
She looked beautiful. Her cheeks were pink and her bright blue eyes wide. Her blonde hair was loosely held in a topknot with wisps of it falling to her shoulders and about her face; a mix of bright yellow sunshine shades, and duller damp wheat hues. She wore a faded blue short-sleeved summer dress, which shaped her figure. His eyes were drawn to her arms. It was the first time he had seen her without a pelisse or a spencer, and her bare arms were exquisite pale milk-white freckled skin.
His English rose.His, not the reverend’s.
He crossed the room, took her hand and raised it to his lips.
Thank God she was not wearing those tired kid leather gloves. Her skin was beautifully cool and soft and he let his thumb run over her palm as he breathed in the scent of her soap.
Clearly uncomfortable and colouring up again, she pulled her hand free.
‘I brought your bonnet back,’ he whispered, without preamble. ‘I am afraid I was offended by its return.’
Fire flashed in her eyes instantly, as it had done on the road the other day. There was a hidden zeal tucked away within Katherine. She wanted more from life, he could tell. He longed to give it to her. He knew she could give him what he wished – release, freedom, moments of escape.
‘You cannot buy me gifts, John,’ she said harshly. ‘What if my mother saw it?’
‘You are Phillip’s sister, why should I not buy you something you wish for? No one need think it odd.’ He smiled. He wanted to laugh. Not because she was funny, but because the passion in her outburst struck him so intensely. She was not the shy quiet person she portrayed herself to be, not in the least.
‘Did you wish me to order tea, Miss Katherine?’ Castle asked from the open door.
Katherine’s skin turned bright pink. John grasped the opportunity to stay longer. ‘That would be welcome, Castle, thank you.’
Katherine glared at John when the butler turned away.
‘You should not be here,’ she whispered once the man had gone.
She was right, but he didn’t want to admit it. ‘If you are afraid of this being misconstrued, say I brought the gift from Phillip.’
‘And when Mama writes to him and asks why he bought me it, and Jenny nothing, what then? Besides, Phillip does not have money to waste on bonnets.’
Still disinclined to accept her refusal, John picked the box up and held it out.
It was suddenly extremely important to him that she accept it. If she accepted it, she accepted him. She could save him from the darkness. ‘I shall not take it back, say what you wish. Hide it away if you will. But I imagine you will look well in it, and if you wear it, I will know you have kept something from me, and you will know it too, but no one else need know a thing.’
Her gaze struck his and then fell to the box. She appeared tempted.
‘Take it,’ he said more gently.
‘But what does it mean, John?’ she whispered, her gaze lifting to his again. ‘What do you want from me?’
He could see there was no anger left in her now, only questions.
‘I do not know.’ It was the truth. She deserved honesty from him if nothing else. She had been honest with him on the road and admitted she had wished to be kissed. ‘I am attracted to you, as you are to me, I can say no more than that. I wish to give you this, Katherine. I wish you to take it. That is all for now.’
