Page 63 of Gambling with the Earl
“So many hours,” Rosalind giggled as she edged into the room carrying a heavily laden tray. “Lizzie said you must have kept fine company up at the castle to be so weary.”
Kitty blanched. She had done that and more. But no one at Shoreston must ever find out about it.
“You shouldn’t be waiting on me.” She swung her legs out of the bed, wincing when her feet made contact with the bare wooden floor. “I shall get dressed.” She had no enthusiasm for the day ahead but was determined to pull her weight as usual.
“Stay right where you are.” Rosalind’s voice carried the authority of the lady of the house, despite the fact of her clean white apron. She placed the bowl of broth upon a side table and straightened Kitty’s blankets. “You need to rest,” she fussed, “and I’m here to make sure you do exactly that. Shall I open the shutters?”
Kitty shook her head. “No. The sunlight hurts my eyes.” Her heart beat hollowly as she heard the echo of previous conversations with Guy.
Rosalind pulled a face. “It’s very dark in here. I’ll just open them a fraction.”
Kitty submitted wearily to her ministrations, turning her mind from the man who still haunted her thoughts. “I didn’t recover mother’s jewels just so you could fetch and carry.” She motioned towards Rosalind’s apron. “They are your dowry; with them you can make a good marriage, but not if you insist on acting like a maid of all work.”
“Never mind that.” Rosalind batted away her hands and perched on the side of her bed. “I still can’t believe you managed it. However did you fool the earl?” Her young face was alight with curiosity.
Kitty took a sip of broth. It was very good, seasoned to perfection by Lizzie no doubt, but she wasn’t hungry. She wasn’t sure she would ever be hungry again. Still, eating would buy her time against Rosalind’s questions. She made a careful show of dipping the spoon into the bowl and swirling it around.
“Is he as fearsome as his uncle was?” her sister persisted.
Kitty sighed and put down her spoon. “Not at all.” Sorrow darted through her and she bit her lip to stop the tears from forming.
“He’s hiring new guards, did you know? Alfred told us there’s been a great commotion down in the village.”
Kitty swallowed hard. Her vision blurred, but Rosalind chatted on regardless.
“Lizzie said he must be wanting new guards since he discovered the jewels were stolen. He’s guessed his castle was infiltrated, but he’ll never work out who by.” Her voice rose with pride.
“The earl has plenty of jewels and riches. He has no need of ours.” Kitty forced her words to be level and calm.
“Still, though.” Rosalind leaned closer, a smile dancing over her lips. “Men like that don’t like to be stolen from.”
How true.Kitty didn’t trust herself to reply. She gazed down at the creamy broth and felt her stomach turn.
“But my clever sister got the better of him.” Rosalind stood up and the thin mattress lurched. Kitty clutched her bowl to stop it from spilling. “I’m so proud of you.”
Kitty’s throat constricted. She hadn’t been clever. She’d been foolish in the extreme.
“It’s over now,” she said, her fingers gripping the bowl so tightly the whites of her knuckles showed through. “We must put the whole thing behind us and look to the future.”
Even though her future stretched out bleak and empty without Guy.
Rosalind’s eyes widened and she bit down on her lower lip, a habit she’d had since childhood. “It’s funny you should say that.” She put a hand to her neckline, fingering a simple silver chain. “I have something to tell you.” She paused and took a breath. “But Lizzie says I should wait until you’re up and about.” She folded her arms and wandered over to the shuttered window with a show of nonchalance. One slender hand played with the slats of the blind while the other tugged restlessly at her long braid of golden hair.
Despite the dull ache of her heart, Kitty was intrigued. “No, tell me now.” She raised her eyes to her sister’s, longing for any news that might distract her.
Rosalind shook her head. “Eat and get dressed,” she insisted. “Come downstairs when you’re ready. We have such a surprise for you.” She smiled gleefully, unable to contain her excitement and Kitty felt a slight lessening of her own sorrows. It was a gift to see her younger sister so carefree.
But as Rosalind’s light footsteps echoed down the wooden staircase, Kitty placed the bowl of broth down on the floor and put her head into her hands, sinking into the now-familiarsensations of loss and regret that she’d been working to keep at bay ever since she arrived back at Shoreston.
They had been so pleased to see her. Pleased and effusive with gratitude. She’d borne it as best she could, accepting the praise she didn’t deserve.You must have been so brave, they’d told her.So clever, to trick the earl. None of it was true. She hadn’t needed bravery or wit or cunning to recover her family fortune. All she’d needed was honesty. But she’d realised it too late.
“You must have had a terrible time,” Lizzie had fussed over her, tutting at her ruined dress and tired eyes.
Kitty had pressed her lips together and nodded mutely, unable to confess the truth. She’d known both great despair and deep joy with the Earl of Rossfarne.
Alfred had said little, but the clumsy affection of his hand on her elbow, together with the relief shining in from his face, had told her all she needed to know.
Wordlessly, she’d tipped the jewels onto the scrubbed kitchen table and for a moment they had all gazed upon them in silent reverence.
