intrusion.”
“Of course,” Lady Julie said. “Indeed, I’m happy that you chose to join us.”
Katherine’s smile broadened. “How kind you are, but I must confess that I was hoping to steal his lordship away from you for a spell.” She returned her gaze to Lucien. “Considering how long it’s been since we’ve seen each other, I thought it would be nice for us to have a little talk—the way we used to.”
Lucien’s heart made a leap. That last bit sounded very competitive and territorial, yet he couldn’t be sure. He looked to his grandmother for guidance, but she was of no use whatsoever in revealing Katherine’s motive for seeking him out, though she did leap into the middle of the conversation by saying, “And while you do, I shall take the opportunity to discuss something very important with Lady Julie.”
Lucien frowned. He couldn’t for the life of him imagine what that something might be and found himself wondering if he’d missed something. Unsure of how to react to the situation, he decided not to ask any questions and merely play along instead. “I would enjoy that a great deal, Lady Crossby,” he said, “as long as Lady Julie doesn’t mind me walking off with another woman.”
“I must admit that I was hoping for a quiet stroll with you myself,” Lady Julie said. “However, I am also terribly curious about what Lady Roxberry has to say.”
“Well, if you will please come with me, I shall tell you,” Lucien’s grandmother replied as she took Lady Julie by the arm and steered her away.
Lucien frowned as he watched them leave. He felt as if he was somehow missing the plot. Well, at least now he finally had Katherine all to himself, outside, away from the crowd, and in a dark garden lit only by the occasional torches that lined the paths. He offered her his arm. “Will you walk with me?”
“I hope you’re not too disappointed in your change of company,” Katherine said as he guided her toward the far end of the garden. “I apologize if I was rude in demanding your attention—I meant no insult to you or to Lady Julie—but you see . . . well, the thing of it is that I couldn’t help but notice how taken you seem to be with her, and I . . . err . . . well, she is rather young.”
Lucien glanced over at Katherine. Her profile was shadowed, and it was impossible for him to tell if she was voicing her concern because she genuinely feared he might be acting too rashly and making a mistake, or because of some deep-rooted jealousy that had begun to bloom inside her. So he merely shrugged and said, “Perhaps, though I must admit that I find her absolutely enchanting. She’s not the least bit empty-headed, but incredibly witty and smart. Frankly, I think she would make a fine wife for any gentleman seeking to marry.”
“And is that what you want, Lucien? To marry?”
Only if I can marry you .
“It is certainly something that I have begun to consider.” She didn’t respond to that, so he said, “I’m an earl now, Kate. Sooner or later I will need an heir. I see no reason in prolonging my search for a bride when I have a duty to do so eventually.”
“No, I suppose not,” she said, her voice holding a hint of uncertainty. “But since you’ve only just returned and this is the first time I’m seeing you in so long, I suppose I imagined that we would be able to spend some time together the way we used to.”
“I see no reason why we can’t still do that,” he said.
She laughed, but it was the sort of laughter that betrayed her calm composure. “You know as well as I that a courtship will take up a great deal of your time.” She fell silent. He sensed that she was struggling with whether or not to say something more, so he said nothing and merely waited for her to continue, which she eventually did. “I would like the opportunity to spend some time with you before you settle down and start a family—a chance for us to become reacquainted, to talk about the
“Of course,” Lady Julie said. “Indeed, I’m happy that you chose to join us.”
Katherine’s smile broadened. “How kind you are, but I must confess that I was hoping to steal his lordship away from you for a spell.” She returned her gaze to Lucien. “Considering how long it’s been since we’ve seen each other, I thought it would be nice for us to have a little talk—the way we used to.”
Lucien’s heart made a leap. That last bit sounded very competitive and territorial, yet he couldn’t be sure. He looked to his grandmother for guidance, but she was of no use whatsoever in revealing Katherine’s motive for seeking him out, though she did leap into the middle of the conversation by saying, “And while you do, I shall take the opportunity to discuss something very important with Lady Julie.”
Lucien frowned. He couldn’t for the life of him imagine what that something might be and found himself wondering if he’d missed something. Unsure of how to react to the situation, he decided not to ask any questions and merely play along instead. “I would enjoy that a great deal, Lady Crossby,” he said, “as long as Lady Julie doesn’t mind me walking off with another woman.”
“I must admit that I was hoping for a quiet stroll with you myself,” Lady Julie said. “However, I am also terribly curious about what Lady Roxberry has to say.”
“Well, if you will please come with me, I shall tell you,” Lucien’s grandmother replied as she took Lady Julie by the arm and steered her away.
Lucien frowned as he watched them leave. He felt as if he was somehow missing the plot. Well, at least now he finally had Katherine all to himself, outside, away from the crowd, and in a dark garden lit only by the occasional torches that lined the paths. He offered her his arm. “Will you walk with me?”
“I hope you’re not too disappointed in your change of company,” Katherine said as he guided her toward the far end of the garden. “I apologize if I was rude in demanding your attention—I meant no insult to you or to Lady Julie—but you see . . . well, the thing of it is that I couldn’t help but notice how taken you seem to be with her, and I . . . err . . . well, she is rather young.”
Lucien glanced over at Katherine. Her profile was shadowed, and it was impossible for him to tell if she was voicing her concern because she genuinely feared he might be acting too rashly and making a mistake, or because of some deep-rooted jealousy that had begun to bloom inside her. So he merely shrugged and said, “Perhaps, though I must admit that I find her absolutely enchanting. She’s not the least bit empty-headed, but incredibly witty and smart. Frankly, I think she would make a fine wife for any gentleman seeking to marry.”
“And is that what you want, Lucien? To marry?”
Only if I can marry you .
“It is certainly something that I have begun to consider.” She didn’t respond to that, so he said, “I’m an earl now, Kate. Sooner or later I will need an heir. I see no reason in prolonging my search for a bride when I have a duty to do so eventually.”
“No, I suppose not,” she said, her voice holding a hint of uncertainty. “But since you’ve only just returned and this is the first time I’m seeing you in so long, I suppose I imagined that we would be able to spend some time together the way we used to.”
“I see no reason why we can’t still do that,” he said.
She laughed, but it was the sort of laughter that betrayed her calm composure. “You know as well as I that a courtship will take up a great deal of your time.” She fell silent. He sensed that she was struggling with whether or not to say something more, so he said nothing and merely waited for her to continue, which she eventually did. “I would like the opportunity to spend some time with you before you settle down and start a family—a chance for us to become reacquainted, to talk about the
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