Page 62 of The Beastly Duke's Christmas Bride
“Oh! How you spoil me. Do sit, won’t you?”
If he did, he’d be here for hours.
“I really shouldn't.” Sebastian eyed the doorway. “It’s getting dark and I would hate to bother you.”
“How thoughtful you are! It will only take a moment. You must hear from my niece. She wrote me the most amusing letter.” Up the woman rose to her feet. “Now, where could it be? Do take a seat!”
Sebastian grudgingly resigned himself, unable to think of a reasonable excuse that would free him up. He glanced at his hands ruefully. No matter how big they were for fighting or how smooth they grew during his days of leisure, he still didn’t have a resolution for every challenge in his life.
It was another hour before he could escape the widow, who had insisted on feeding him nearly half a jar of honey he had meant for her to enjoy. But she was a kind soul who had lived a long and hard life, so he couldn’t very well be cruel to her.
The journey back to his estate was slow as it grew harder to see his footsteps. The single lantern he had for him and the horse only did so much. By the time he returned, he could see the relief shining on his stableboy’s face and his butler when he returned inside.
“Do warm yourself up, Your Grace.” Mrs. Maple came over to take his coat. “There’s fresh hot tea in the drawing room if you care to rest there.”
It wasn’t his usual choice. Tempted as he was for a hot bath, that would take a while to prepare. The tea would suffice. He nodded his thanks and rubbed his hands together on his way to the drawing room.
“Oh!” Isabel jerked up from the ground as he entered. “Do close it!”
Any sudden eagerness upon seeing her dissipated at her loud cry.
“What…” He obeyed on instinct, closing it just as a streak of white raced over his feet. Sebastian restrained a flinch as confusion washed over him. “The cat?”
Even in the candlelight he could see the flush on Isabel’s face as she clambered up to her feet. “I’m afraid I have… well, she’s playing.”
He picked his hands back up to rub together. Most of the chill was fading now with the roaring fire nearby and Isabel within a few steps of him. His hair was damp and he was certain his boots had cracked, but he didn’t pay them much mind. It was simply nice to see her again.
Trying to gauge her reaction to him, however, proved too complicated for him in the moment. He blamed the long day. Most dukes would never bother to attend to their people like he did, for it was usually the duty of the duchess. But he used to accompany his mother on the errand and had decided to do that for her this year. A fine idea until he’d excused Isabel from joining him, which he’d spent the last couple of hours wishing he’d never done.
But what does that matter now?
With a short shake of his head, Sebastian looked down. “Are the two of you playing or is it just her?”
“Cats are fast. Kittens every faster,” Isabel mumbled in response.
I suppose a cat will run this household now. But she had never mentioned wishing for a cat before. Why didn’t I know about this? It’s not as if we don’t talk. If only I had made the time… But there are too many if only opportunities missed.
“I can at least do this,” Sebastian muttered to himself.
“Pardon?”
Sebastian didn’t respond. Looking toward the chair where he had seen the white streak disappear beneath, he knelt down on one knee. He rubbed his fingers together in a quiet movement before tapping the ground gently.
It only took a second for a paw to swing out at him.
Rustling behind him proved Isabel was headed his way. Sebastian moved his hand further back to draw out little Pearl. And then he had his other hand ready up above and out of sight of the cat when she struck again, allowing him to scoop up the kitten.
Immediately, she began squealing. Noisy little squeaks of indignant protest over being caught. Her eyes widened as she stared at him while he rose to his feet.
“I’m not the one causing trouble,” he pointed out to her. “Do behave yourself.”
Isabel looked at him with equally wide eyes. “That was practically fairy magic. You caught her so easily! How did you do that? You must have grown up with pets, perhaps?”
Memories flashed through his mind of the rats in the shadows they would eat when they were starving or wake in the night and find them eating their toes whilst in the slums of London. His father had dogs at some point, he vaguely recalled. Great shouting beasts that that barked and growled at him whenever he dared get too close.
“Not really.” He couldn’t resist stroking the cat. The boys and him in London had managed to catch a feral one in the attempts to using it to get the rats out of their building, but the creature was gone the next day. He’d always thought of them fierce and dangerous. Never so soft. This fur was like a cloud, he thought.
Then Sebastian realized Isabel was staring and hastily reached out to hand her the pet. “Here you are.” It wasn’t his, after all.
