Page 50 of The Ones Left Behind
“Don’t worry. I do believe this will work in your favour.”
“How can you say that? She will have no need of me at all if she has an independence!” he said with fervour, although trying not to shout.
“Think about it. If she had accepted you before, there would always be doubt in both of your minds as to why. Now, you may woo her freely for the right reasons.”
Matthias thoughtfully refilled his glass. “I hope you are correct.”
“I usually am,” he said dryly. “And I also hope you do not drink this steadily all evening.”
“When needs must,” Matthias admitted. “But Kitty does not like it.”
“She understands your pain?”
“The physical part.”
Philip studied him rather too closely. “Nightmares? The ones which we pretend do not exist?”
Matthias gave a curt nod. “Are you immune to them?”
“Not entirely, but talking to Amelia when they occur has lessened them a great deal.”
“She does not feel burdened by them?” Matthias was unconvinced.
“Amelia had her own traumatic experiences whilst in France, so she understands more than most, but Kitty also experienced army life and you might find that speaking of it helps you both.”
“I will consider it, if she ever allows me close enough,” he answered, though burdening her further was the last thing he wished to do.
“She looks beautiful,” Philip said, regarding Kitty where she stood speaking to the Duke.
“Like the Kitty I knew before, except fully blossomed into a woman.”
The ladies had intervened and were now speaking with Kitty alone. Waverley was walking back towards them.
“Do I need to call you out now?” Matthias asked sardonically.
“I certainly have not been lecturing to her, but I have given her a few options to consider.
Matthias relaxed a little. “I would expect nothing less. I want what is best for her, of course, but selfishly, I hope it is me.”
Matthias was grateful by the time Hayes came in to announce dinner. It was still difficult to stand for long periods of time and he was not so humble that he did not mind falling in a pile on the floor in front of his friends.
Dinner was an intimate affair, with there only being six of them. The table had been shortened as much as was possible to accommodate them, and Matthias had defied convention by having Kitty seated at his side. His opportunities to enjoy her company were small, and even if she was obligated to speak with him, he hoped he could begin to soften her towards his proposal.
After they were seated and the turtle was served along with some dilled cucumbers and eggs crocette, Lady Amelia broke convention and spoke across the table to Kitty. Lady Amelia and her sister appeared to be opposite in many ways. Her sister was thin and graceful, almost ethereal in her pale beauty, and Amelia was vibrant and curvaceous, with her striking red hair and personality.
“We are all friends here, Kitty,” she began, with a twinkle in her eye. “I would love to know what the gentlemen were like in camp.”
Matthias, Philip and Waverley collectively groaned.
It actually brought a smile to Kitty’s face and Matthias knew he had done the right thing. It had been years since he had seen that smile. It took five years of living from her face again.
“Do not speak a word, Kitty,” Waverley warned. “Our friendship depends upon it.”
Kitty actually laughed. “I am not afraid of you,” she rejoined.
She took a sip of her wine and made a show of pretending to think. “Let me see what I can recall, but most of the funny stories were of me learning to cook and keep house,” she admitted.
“But I want stories I can use against Philip,” Lady Amelia said impishly. “He always seems so perfect.”
