Page 47 of The Ones Left Behind
Philip remained quiet. Matthias had never told any of the brethren.
“She ran to Peter, who had already purchased his commission and left for the Peninsula. Angry at my father, I purchased my own and followed, but I was too late.”
“You still love her,” Waverley remarked.
“I never stopped. I simply cannot marry someone else.”
Philip whistled softly.
“How do you think we can help?”
“I have no idea, it was why I called the council of the brethren,” he said with some embarrassment. “I am desperate.”
“I definitely am of the opinion the ladies will be of more help than we will. They have a sixth sense about these things,” Waverley remarked.
“Kitty cared for you then, do you think she still does? Other than in the brotherly way, I mean,” Philip amended.
“At times, I think maybe yes, but then in the dark of night when I cannot sleep, my thoughts convince me otherwise.”
“Sleepless thoughts are the devil’s tool,” Philip muttered.
Matthias could not argue with that. Those and nightmares both, he mused. It was why he drank so much. He did not know which thoughts were worse: the conscious ones or the unconscious.
“Why not try to recreate what you had before? Remind her of your lost love?” Waverley suggested.
Matthias snorted. “We danced the night away at the Midsummer ball.”
“Perhaps, one day, you will dance again, but not in the next fortnight,” the Duke agreed.
They all quieted, trying to think.
“We must find ways to put you together,” Philip remarked.
“We have been together these past weeks, but there has been a constant strain between us over the matter of her being a servant. Word has spread to the village, naturally, and Sir Nigel came here to force my hand because his good name was being sullied.”
“Beau-Nasty Nigel?” Waverley asked. “That was his nickname at school, if I remember rightly. I gather he has not improved since his youth.”
“Not one bit.”
“I hope you gave him a proper set-down and booted him out of the door.”
“Certainly I did, since I blame him for causing Kitty the necessity of seeking work. If he had taken her in from the beginning, as was proper, she would not be in this situation. However, he has done something that I might use to my advantage.”
“I cannot imagine what that might be,” Waverley scoffed.
“He told the entire village we were betrothed.”
“Does Kitty know this?” Philip asked.
“Yes, and I told her I was not inclined to inform them otherwise. I made it clear to her I mean to change her mind. I only wish I knew how.”
* * *
Kitty’s mindwas still reeling from the fact that they were to have guests, and now there were two couples plus a child to be entertained. Worse still, every time she thought to do something, one of the maids or Dunford had already seen to it. Kitty no longer felt like a lady, and would rather be the housekeeper, especially in the presence of ladies such as the Duchess of Waverley and Lady Amelia. Even as the Earl’s ward, she had never aspired to such heights. How did Matthias expect her to pretend to be one of them? It was laughable. Yes, she had socialized with the other ladies while following the drum, but that was an entirely different matter. She would much rather be downstairs with the gentlemen than sitting with the ladies... except she was no longer the Mrs. Gordon they had known.
She changed into a clean gown for dinner, but she had nothing stylish to wear. The dove grey kerseymere was the nicest thing she had. “It serves Matthias right,” she grumbled as she brushed out her hair to pin it up. Did he not realize how his demand would humiliate her?
“Of course he does not,” she grumbled. He thought he was doing her a good turn.
