Kitty. Elizabeth Bailey

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      ‘I suppose you realise,’ he said conversationally, ‘that there’s little you can do about it, if I do choose to take you to Gretna Green.’

      Her head jerked round, the brown eyes round with shock. ‘You would not dare to force me!’

      ‘Why not? Abducted you easily enough once, as you insisted on calling it. I can readily do so again. Only I should much prefer not to have to go to so much trouble.’

      Kitty stared at him, her pulses in disarray. Why had she allowed herself to forget what a brute he was? That stubborn chin was jutting dangerously, and the blue eyes held an inflexible glint. She quailed inwardly, and could not keep the dismay from her voice.

      ‘But why should you wish to? I don’t understand!’

      Claud uttered a short laugh. ‘Isn’t it obvious? If I’m married to you, the Countess and my aunt will have to give up the notion of my marrying Kate. And I’ll tell them the family owes you something and I’m repaying it. No denying you’d be a deal more comfortable married to me than slaving as a governess.’

      Kitty was far from denying it. But she had been brought up to recognise right from wrong, and this was indubitably wrong. She hardly knew that she spoke aloud.

      ‘Nell would counsel me to refuse, I know she would. Indeed, even Prue would say I must not do it.’

      A vague recollection of having heard these names before came to Claud. ‘Don’t know who they may be, but why should they object to me?’

      ‘Not to you! Nell and Prue were my dearest friends at the Seminary, only they both went out as governesses and Prue has married Mr Rookham and Nell is betrothed to Lord Jarrow.’

      ‘Why did they go as governesses then, if they planned to be married?’

      Kitty tutted. ‘You don’t understand, sir. Mr Rookham hired Prue to look after his two little nieces, and Nell went as governess to Lord Jarrow’s daughter.’

      ‘Good Gad! D’you mean to say they both married their employers?’

      ‘Well, Nell is not married yet, but was it not the most romantic thing imaginable?’

      ‘I don’t know about that, but I can’t see why either should put a bar in the way of your marriage, if that’s the way of it.’

      Kitty sighed. ‘Had you been another man, perhaps they would not. But I know they would say I must not marry you in the circumstances. Though I must confess it is what I have always wanted.’

      Claud blinked. ‘You always wanted to marry me? But you didn’t know me!’

      ‘I wanted to marry a lord,’ explained Kitty, adding wistfully, ‘Indeed, I have believed all my life that it was my true destiny. I could not believe that I was meant for a governess.’

      ‘Well, you couldn’t choose better than me,’ put in Claud briskly, ‘for I am a viscount, you must know, and heir to the Earldom of Blakemere.’

      Kitty’s heart skipped a beat. ‘An earl? Oh, no!’

      ‘What’s wrong with an earl?’ demanded Claud, nettled.

      ‘Nothing indeed. Except that it is too much of a temptation!’

      She smiled abruptly, and Claud was conscious of a faint warmth at his chest. She was a taking little thing, there was no doubt of that.

      ‘It would be like Cinderella,’ Kitty told him. ‘You could change my life at a stroke. You have no notion how much I have yearned to go to parties and balls, and to wear such gowns as I have seen in the Ladies Magazine.’

      Claud knew a cue when he heard one, and lost no time in pursuing his advantage. ‘So you may. In fact, you can do just as you like, provided you don’t expect me to change my way of life. As for gowns, I’ll buy you a dozen, if you wish.’

      ‘A dozen!’ Kitty’s pulses were rioting. She could not help a breathless question. ‘Are you rich?’

      ‘Don’t know what you’d call rich. Mean to say, in your situation, I should suppose anything above a thousand a year would be a fortune.’

      ‘A thousand a year? I would give my right arm for a thousand a year!’

      Claud grinned. ‘No need for such a sacrifice. You may have twice that and more just for your pin money. I’ll stand the nonsense for any other gewgaws you choose to buy. Spend as much as you like.’

      ‘Oh, don’t,’ begged Kitty, a catch in her voice. ‘You must not tempt me so! Why, you must be as rich as Croesus!’

      ‘Since I don’t have a clue who he may be, I can’t comment. But I’ve a fair fortune to hand, and that’s without the Earldom. I’ve a place here in London of my own as well as the family house—which will be mine too at some distant date—and m’father gave me one of the smaller estates to live in when I came of age, so you won’t live with the family, never fear.’

      ‘How many estates are there?’ asked Kitty, awed.

      ‘Can’t remember offhand. Four or five, I think. Unless you count the hunting box as well. It’s why they’re content for me to marry Kate, for I don’t need more. The Countess knew what she was doing when she married m’father, that’s certain.’

      It was more than Kitty could withstand. Dazzled by the vision of herself as mistress of all this wealth, she was no longer capable of clinging to the hideous reality. After all, she had a right to accept, had she not? She belonged in the family that contained Claud. How and why seemed less important now. Why should she not benefit? It was not as if she had looked for it. If her dream had come true, it must be what Fortune intended. The sneaking little voice of conscience that whispered of a horrible mistake was crushed. Opportunity was knocking on the door, and it might never come again. Fatal words fell from her lips.

      ‘It is of no use! I cannot possibly resist you!’

      To her disappointment, Claud showed no sign either of pleasure or relief. ‘That’s settled, then.’ He dug a hand into his fob pocket and pulled out a watch, flipping open the lid. ‘Deuce take it, it’s past three! We’d best make a start as soon as may be. Only if I’m to go all the way to Gretna, I’ll need more luggage than I’ve got with me, for I only had enough for one night. We’ll be five or six days on the road there and back at the least. Ain’t even got my driving-coat, and I’m bound to need that. Never know what the weather’s going to do. Can’t start on a long journey without a bath and a change of clothes, what’s more. I’d best repair to my lodging and pick you up again later. I’ll have to forgo the party tonight, but it can’t be helped.’

      Kitty listened to him in growing dudgeon. Had he no thought for anyone but himself? Did it not occur to him that she might have needs too? She lost no time in placing these before him.

      ‘Have you forgot that I have nothing but the clothes I stand up in?’

      ‘What are you talking about?’ demanded Claud. ‘Haven’t I bought you that spangled gown?’

      ‘If you suppose I can travel all the way to Scotland in a spangled gown, you must have windmills in your head! And what is more, you СКАЧАТЬ