Page 11 of A Winter’s Romance

If his interest is so fickle that you fear losing him if you do not hurry into matrimony, your life together will be fraught with difficulty. Courtship is a time to get to know each other before you are irrevocably committed.

—Advice to Young Ladies

B en took the note from the salver and waited until the butler had closed the door before breaking the seal with shaking fingers. What if it was from her father? Or she said no?

But it wasn’t, and she hadn’t.

You could take me to drive in the Park if you call at 3 o’clock this afternoon. KA

The relief he felt was soon swamped with nervousness. This might be his only chance to apologise, to explain, and to ask if she would forgive him. He still wondered why she’d felt the need to consult such a book, but was it so wrong for her to have followed some of its advice if they had come to have genuine affection for each other?

He almost drove his valet to distraction by changing his mind several times about what to wear, but finally arrived outside the Ardleys’ house little more than ten minutes early and left his groom to walk the horses. Before he could ply the knocker, the door opened and the Ardleys’ butler gestured him to step inside.

“Miss Ardley will be but a moment, sir.”

Peering past him, Ben saw Miss Ardley’s halting progress down the stairs. She met his eyes, and his trepidation eased a little at her small smile of acknowledgement. She was well wrapped up against the cold, in a thick, high-necked pelisse and close bonnet.

He offered his arm to help her down the steps. She hesitated for a moment before resting her hand on it, and did make use of his support as she made her way to the pavement. He wondered whether he should lift her into the curricle, or if she would take offence at his presumption, but she decided for him, placing her good foot on the step and swinging herself up.

She must have caught his look of surprise. “My ankle is much improved, sir, and pains me little apart from when descending stairs.”

“I am pleased to hear it.” He climbed in beside her and took the reins from the groom. He was conscious of her closeness as he set the horses in motion, even through the many layers of clothing separating them. A curricle was not the best place to hold a personal conversation, particularly one that might decide his future happiness; he couldn’t afford to be distracted by other traffic, so he kept his remarks to comments about the weather until they passed through the gates. Then he had no further excuse to delay facing his fate .

“Miss Ardley, I…” He cleared his throat, trying to remember what he’d planned to say.

“When did you find the book, Mr Paynton?”

That wasn’t quite how he’d intended to start the conversation, but it did at least get to the point quickly—and was the crux of the matter. “A groom found it in the snow the same day that you dropped it. It was given to me later that day.” He glanced sideways at her sudden movement; she was staring straight ahead, her shoulders stiff, but he ploughed on. “It was in a bag with pencils and so on, and was put into a drawer in my desk. I didn’t open the bag until the morning you left, and then put the worst possible interpretation on your possession of the book. There is probably little in it that many mothers do not say to their daughters.”

Some of the tension left her body, and she looked towards him, twisting in the seat to face him properly, her knee pressing on the side of his thigh. “The book was given to me, and I had read only the first page or so before I lost it. However, I can guess the nature of its contents from the title.” She looked away. “I cannot remember your exact words, but I took what you said to mean you had had the book all the time and were toying with me. You are not the only one to make instant, and incorrect, assumptions.”

“Why did you bring the book with you if you were not husband hunting?” Ben wished the words back as soon as he said them; it sounded as if he was accusing her.

“Most single women are husband hunting, Mr Paynton, but not in the way you mean. I find the idea of scheming and plotting to obtain a spouse as abhorrent as you. I put the book with my drawing things only because I thought I might have some time on my hands and contemplated amusing myself by writing a pamphlet to advise young ladies on how to avoid fortune-hunting men. You are not alone in wishing to be courted only for your personal qualities.”

“Have you been… er, hunted?”

“I am an heiress, Mr Paynton. Of sorts. My grandmother died a little while ago and left me some money invested in the funds. That, with whatever Papa settles on me, would be sufficient to live on comfortably, but not extravagantly. Despite the amount being small by many people’s standards, once my inheritance was known, I was suddenly much more in demand at balls and other events.”

Mr Paynton didn’t immediately respond to Kate’s explanation, then his shoulders began to shake.

“I didn’t find it amusing, sir!” Just as she was thinking they could put the misunderstanding behind them, he had to laugh at her!

“No, no, Miss Ardley. I am laughing at myself, not you.”

“Really?”

He stopped the curricle and looked into her face. “Really, Miss Ardley. One of the things that led me to my half-witted conclusion that morning was the memory of you appearing to assess the furnishings and ornaments on the day you arrived.”

Kate felt her cheeks warm. “I did,” she admitted. “And concluded that you were unlikely to need my inheritance.”

“You say you did not read the book?” He waited for her nod before setting the horses in motion again. “Then let me relate some of the advice in it. It suggests taking an interest in the target’s pastimes, and allowing him to talk about them.”

“Your fossils, and your architecture?”

He nodded. “Allowing your target to talk about himself—as I did at length several times.”

“That is common politeness!” she protested.

“Indeed it is. And, if I had had a little more time between finding the book and your departure, I hope I would have come to my senses and at least asked you about the thing before jumping to conclusions. That is an excuse of sorts, but doesn’t excuse me. If you see what I mean.”

Kate couldn’t help but smile. “I think so.”

“Then there was feigning a fall to attract attention.”

Of course there was. “And I fell twice. I can see why you might have entertained the thought that I was doing as it says.”

“A few moments’ rational thought would have told me you had not, for it warned that such a fall might merely make you look undignified, and—”

“On my back in the snow with my legs in the air?” She couldn’t help laughing.

“I’m loath to agree with you, Miss Ardley.”

“But I must have—”

“I would not wish to offend you by agreeing that your posture was somewhat undignified.” His face was serious, but she wasn’t fooled—the curl of his lips was small, but it was there. “The book also warned against the risk of real injury,” he added.

“The prospect of dancing attendance on an invalid not normally being something that entices the male sex?”

“Exactly! Are you sure you did not read it?”

She wondered for a moment if he was accusing her again, but no—as he glanced at her, there was laughter in his eyes. The shared amusement that formed part of the connection between them warmed her inside even while a gust of cold wind made her clutch at her bonnet.

“That was one thing you did not try, to be sure.” His smile widened. “Having played your trump card early by upending yourself in the snow and thereby attracted my attention, you had no need of more… dignified tactics such as having me retrieve a lost bonnet.”

“I am not going to be allowed to forget that, am I?”

“Perhaps, in a decade or so, I might stop referring to the incident.”

He was presuming a lot, but she found she didn’t mind. Quite the opposite.

“In truth, Miss Ardley, I did my best to keep you entertained after you were injured, given my obligations to Mother’s other guests.”

“I have no complaints, sir.”

“Ben. My friends call me Ben.”

Male friends. But was it not a sign of more than friendship for a female acquaintance to use a man’s given name?

He stopped the horses, turning to face her fully. “I hope we may be friends, Miss Ardley? If I am forgiven?”

“Yes, of course.”

“May I call you Katherine?”

“Only if you wish to sound like a strict governess I once had. My family and friends call me Kate.”

“Thank you. ”

“And I must thank you for your gift. I had almost finished writing an explanation to you when it was delivered, but speaking in person is much better.” She looked down at her hands. “Papa was not pleased, but did not insist I return it. However, he will not engage a tutor, and I’m not sure how well I can teach myself.”

“What you need is a husband who does not presume to limit your activities.”

“Do you know anyone like that?” She managed to speak normally despite her sudden breathlessness.

“I think so.” This time his smile went beyond mere friendship, and warmed her to her core. Another gust of wind carried the hint of moisture with it, and he looked at the sky. “Reluctant though I am to return, I think we must, or risk a soaking.”

“Will you come in for tea?” Kate asked.

“It would be my pleasure. And may we choose some places to visit together that will not tax your ankle too much?”

“I’d like that.”

When they arrived back, she waited for him to help her into the house, liking his strength when he lifted her down. Liking even more the easy conversation with her family, and the plans they made for the next few days. But best of all was the feel of his hand in hers when he bade her farewell, the brief press of his lips on her skin, and the look in his eyes that said he wished it wasn’t just her hand he was kissing. She almost floated upstairs to her room, wondering how she could persuade Mama to leave them alone for a little while during his next visit so she could find out how it felt to kiss him properly.

She was going to enjoy this season.