Page 21 of The Scandalous Love of a Duke (The Marlow Family Secrets #6)

Katherine looked at the door of the assembly rooms for the umpteenth time. Neither Phillip nor John had arrived. Her mother, father and sister had stopped receiving guests an hour ago and the clock on the mantle said it was already nearly ten.

Gentlemen and their town hours , her inner voice criticised, as she felt an internal smile.

But where were they?

She had been on tenterhooks all day, thinking about seeing John again, and Phillip too. She was looking forward to seeing her brother as much as John.

Yet it was John she longed for.

She glanced at the clock and then the door again. She had missed him dreadfully. She had not even realised how precious those hours with him had been until he had gone.

She was standing to one side of the room, alone, a little apart from everyone else, playing wallflower. Her fingers clasped at her waist to keep them occupied.

Her mother was excluding Katherine as usual, ignoring her presence whenever possible. She and Jenny were standing on the far side of the room, with Mrs Ellis and her daughters.

At least earlier when people had been dancing Katherine’s omission had been less obvious but now the music had ceased and supper was being served, and she had no friends to sit with.

‘Katherine, shall we sit together?’ Except Richard, who was a good friend.

She turned to him with a broad smile, thanking heaven for his rescue. He had been talking with the Dawkins, another family her mother did not approve Katherine speaking to, and so she had not dared join him.

Reverend Barker had been kind to her since his arrival.

She knew that riled her mother too, but Richard was one of the few who dared to ignore her mother’s disparaging looks and cutting words.

Everyone else in the village gave the Spencers’ little orphan a wide berth as though the base nature of her origin was infectious.

Richard had never believed it and he’d told her bluntly early on, she was to ignore her mother’s cutting words.

‘God does not judge any child by its parents’ sins,’ he had said.

Oh, how wrong he was. She had proved her mother right now. She had given herself to John in a way she should not have done and she had enjoyed every moment of it. Her mother had told her she was like her natural mother.

When her gaze met Richard’s guilt struck and her smile fell. ‘Thank you, Richard.’

Despite her denial to John, Richard probably did like her as more than a friend. He had never given any verbal indication, but sometimes she saw an appreciative look in his eyes; a look she had seen before in other men’s eyes, when they were building up towards an offer.

When she had seen the expression before, she had actively discouraged them.

John had always occupied her heart. But Richard’s kindness seduced her soul a little, and at one point she had seriously thought if he asked she might accept.

But she would not now. Now, she knew she could never evict John from her heart.

Richard left her sitting at a table in the corner and went to fill them both a plate. When he returned, his expression was stiffer. ‘The Duke of Pembroke and your brother have arrived.’

‘Oh.’ She felt instantly ashamed that for all Richard’s kindness she wished to leave him and go to John. Why had they come, now, when she was already seated?

She looked over her shoulder and saw John being greeted by her mother and Lady Ellis. Then Mrs Bishop, Miss Elizabeth, the Listers, the Dawkins and others all stepped forward for introductions.

She remembered his complaints about people pressuring him and always wanting something from him. She stayed where she was. Her mother would not wish her there anyway.

Katherine turned back and faced Richard’s intuitive eyes. ‘I shall wait and greet them later, my mother will only be angry if I interfere. His Grace has more important people to greet than me.’

‘And yet I have seen him single you out twice at church.’

She knew she coloured up.

‘Why do you think that is, Katherine?’ Her pulse suddenly raced, but she refused to drop her gaze and admit her guilt. Perhaps she was learning things from John, how to be brash and bold for a start, when she did not feel it.

‘I have known him since I was a young girl. He is a friend.’

‘A friend? Can a man in his position be your friend, Katherine? Have you heard that he laid Mr Wareham off without any explanation?’

She had not heard. ‘When?’ Mr Wareham had been at Pembroke Place for as long as she could remember. Even her mother looked upon him with respect. People treated him like a titled noble because he managed such a large estate. Why would John have dismissed him?

‘A week ago.’

When she had been meeting John, but he had not told her. Why had he not said?

‘Do not trust him, Katherine. A man in his position would not align himself with the adopted daughter of a local squire.’

It was cruel of Richard to point out how unworthy she was of John. He was implying her chastity was at risk, but John had preserved it. ‘He is Phillip’s friend, and he is kind. You need not be concerned.’

‘I hope that you are right.’

She was becoming more like John, arguing with the most placid and considerate man she had ever known.

They fell into silence as they ate, but when John and Phillip arrived at their table a quarter-hour later, Richard glanced at her meaningfully.

She and Richard stood, but Richard did not stay. He gave John a curt bow and then walked away.

She knew her cheeks must be pink when she met John’s gaze. ‘I thought you were not coming,’ she said breathlessly.

Both men carried plates and John waved her to sit down again while Phillip drew up a third chair.

‘Our business took longer than expected today,’ John answered as he sat.

‘So, John gave me a lift home. His curricle is much faster than mine,’ her brother added.

John had not said he had gone to London to see Phillip.

‘Why are you not sitting with Mama and Jenny, or at least Papa?’ Phillip asked, before he took a bite of a pastry.

She smiled at him, feeling overwhelmingly glad to see them both. She felt as she had done as a child when they came home from school or college. ‘You know very well why not, she does not wish me anywhere near her.’

‘That is absurd.’ There was rare emotion in John’s expression, shock and disbelief.

‘Absurd is my mother,’ Katherine responded, her smile dropping, but she was not bitter. This was her life, she knew nothing else. ‘What business did you have in town?’

‘Nothing of any importance,’ John answered, dismissively.

‘An issue John has asked me to help resolve,’ Phillip said.

She was surprised by the camaraderie flowing between them.

‘Are you sure it is business that made you late, and nothing to do with avoiding the number of times you shall have to dance?’ She teased Phillip.

‘You wound me! Would I be so calculating?’

‘Yes.’

‘You know me too well, Kate.’ He gave her a fond smile.

She loved her brother. He was the reason she was so untroubled by her lot in life, he always cheered her up. ‘Well, you shall have to make up for it after supper. Mama will be throwing every eligible woman your way.’

‘But I shall dance the first with you.’

Her smile lifted, and it came from a warm glow in her heart as she reached out and captured his hand to say thank you.

When she let go, he looked at John. ‘See what a blessing it is to be in mourning. No one can throw the women at you.’

When Katherine looked at John, his eyes were on her, crystalline and bright. ‘Yet I shall regret not being able to take Katherine onto the floor.’

There was a hard edge to his words which made Phillip look askance for a moment, before he smiled at Katherine again; appearing to dismiss the undercurrent as being John’s now natural coldness.

John watched their interaction with amusement.

Katherine was different again with her brother. She smiled and laughed in a way he had not seen her do before, her eyes shining.

Heavens, he had missed her. He had missed her glowing honesty. He had been reminded in town of just how precious she was when he had faced the ennui of the women of his class. She had permeated his hard exterior as no other woman ever had.

He had not appreciated seeing her seated beside her reverend though.

She was the first person he had seen when he had walked through the door, even though her back had been to him. The instant he had seen her, a desire to cleave the other man in two had roared through John’s head.

The sound of instruments being tuned stretched from the hall next door.

‘Phillip!’ Phillip’s mother’s voice rose behind them.

‘Damn,’ Phillip said quietly, throwing a conspiratorial, amused look at Katherine.

She smiled.

‘My summons, I am afraid,’ Phillip said, glancing at John. Then he looked at his sister and shrugged his shoulders. ‘Sorry, you shall have to take second place again.’

She nodded, smiling still.

But when Phillip turned, John saw pain touch her eyes and her smile fell a notch.

‘She will make him lead Jennifer out first,’ Katherine explained, answering John’s unasked question.

‘ My daughter is judged enough for her birth… She does not need vultures circling over her to add to her pain .’ Her father’s warning replayed in John’s mind. He had heard these words over and over for the last three days.

But he refused to believe he had hurt her. He had taught her a few things she ought not know, but they could cause her no lasting harm.

‘Richard said you have dismissed Mr Wareham.’

So her reverend had been telling tales. ‘Yes. Although I cannot see why that is your reverend’s concern.’

‘People talk, John. Why did you dismiss him?’

‘And that is none of your concern.’ He had no intention of involving Katherine in his dispute with Wareham, and John did not wish to even think of that tonight.

He had spent three days in London with Phillip and Harvey seeking further evidence, and today he had interviewed potential replacements.

Tonight he wished to concentrate on her.