Page 43 of The Duke's Tempting Widow
Slowly, Weston took a half step back from her so as to appear to be more respectful, but she mourned the loss of his warmth and stability right away. It was for the best, for only a moment later her father and the Bow Street Runners all came rushing down the stairs, and Weston pointed them in the direction of where he had confined Cassian. Though, he was likely still very unconscious.
William guided the group of them back up the stairs, Kitty glancing back over her shoulder every few moments as she eagerly awaited an explanation from her sister as to what they just walked in on, but there were far more pressing matters at hand.
They stood in the foyer, nearly silent as Cassian’s body was brought up by the Runners in a small cart, carrying him out to the carriage awaiting him out front. At least she would be able to sleep easily tonight knowing that Cassian would be in jail awaiting a proper inquest.
Chapter 27
One Month Later
The inquest could not come quickly enough.
Lydia longed to return to her home in the countryside and reunite with her daughters. She felt their absence more and more keenly every day. Yet, there would still be some time left in London that they would need to remain. The primary reason, of course, would be that she needed to ensure that a certain bastard was going to rot away in jail for the rest of his life for his crimes.
Despite all of her best efforts, she had scarcely seen hide nor hair of Weston in the last couple of weeks. There was still far too much that was unsaid between them. Far too many things that they needed to reconcile and there had not been a single opportunity.
If she had had her way, she would have had her way with him right there in that hallway before they had been interrupted. She would have done so again in the carriage on her ride home, but instead, they had been parted.
It was with decent cause, she supposed.
Kitty and William had officially announced their engagement.
Father was more or less pleased, in the way that he was never truly pleased with anything. It mattered not to him that William was a Baronet, but that their courtship had been so unorthodox. Then, paired with Kitty’s advanced age and fact that William was all but outright refusing a dowry, father was finding the smallest things to become offended by.
Kitty and Lydia had been planning their official engagement soiree for weeks. It was not as if she was not happy for her sister. Kitty deserved everything in the world and then some. There was nobody that would be more supportive of their sister than Lydia was being.
Yet, she ached for the duke. She longed to have him nearer to her and he was going to be in attendance this evening. Which would be the opportunity to be closer with him again that she had been searching for. That night of Cassian’s arrest they had reached an agreement.
Neither one of them was particularly pleased with it, but it was necessary. Lydia was still only a handful of months into her mourning period. It was too much of a risk for them to be seen together and as her lust for him was nearly impossible to contain… they had to keep their distance.
The ballroom of their father’s home was decorated perfectly. The air scented with floral notes and a lemony tang from the refreshments. Kitty herself was in a pale-yellow gown, looking breathtakingly beautiful. William, constantly at her side, could hardly take his eyes off his soon to be bride.
Members of thetonmeandered through the hall, some dancing and others loitering with conversation that Lydia simply could not seem to force herself to engage in. It had been too long since she had seen him, and her skin felt too tight over her bones. He should have arrived by then, and Lydia kept searching the room over and over for Weston. While simultaneously avoiding her father, of course.
Frustrated, she finally made her way back over to Kitty and William.
“You seem rather on edge, sister.” Kitty hummed into the brim of her goblet. “I cannot imagine why that might be.”
“Hush.” Lydia said, unable to keep a grin from her lips. “You are supposed to be only focusing on yourself and your happiness tonight. It is a celebration of your love.”
Kitty rolled her eyes. “I am perfectly capable of attending to my own happiness as well as yours.”
Yet, even as the wine colored her cheeks pink, Kitty kept glancing over at her betrothed. There was an almost hungry gleam in Kitty’s eye that she simply could not deny. She was only jealous in that she could not act on her own hunger. William kept glancing down at his fiancé’s arm on his, flicking his eyes up to Kitty between each guest that came up to them in order to give them well wishes.
“Besides, with how flighty you look searching for the duke, I cannot help but be distracted.” Kitty hummed again, smirking to herself. It seemed that since she was now engaged, she was becoming quite the bold creature.
“I am not flighty.”
“I do not see why the pair of you have been separate from one another. I know that you like to pretend that nothing happened, but I know what I saw. And that, my dear sister, was passion.” Kitty teased with a wink. “Honestly, the moment that we are wed I do not think that I shall be able to keep my hands from my husband. I do not know how you can kiss somebody like that andnotact on it.”
Lydia hissed at her sister to hush. “You cannot just say things like that!”
“Nobody is going to overhear me, do not worry.”
“That is not the point!”
“Then why do you keep from him? Hm?”
“It is… complicated. I am still in mourning. I am a widow. People will get the wrong impression. Among other reasons.” Lydia sighed.
