Page 16

Chapter Ten

T hey would arrive in Maidstone County soon, and what a relief that would be. Kitty had grown tired of the constant jostling of the carriage, of being cooped-up in the small, enclosed space and, aside from Lady Lillian, she especially disliked the company.

Neither of the short breaks they’d taken had done a thing to improve Zeke’s sourpuss mood, which meant for most of the day’s journey he’d sat across from her looking exactly as he did now. Like a hard-faced curmudgeon.

She set her gaze on the passing landscape and forced herself to focus on something other than him.

Even with the sun low in the sky, the grass appeared a bright shade of green.

The rolling hills surrounding them sang out in cheerful colors.

Red, yellow, pink, and blue wildflowers scattered over the land.

She inhaled deeply, detecting lavender, peony, herbs and flowers of all sorts. The sweet scent on the air told her they’d reached the outskirts of Maidstone County. Home.

She caught the tell-tale scent of coming rain on the wind, as well, and peered up at the sky, Fluffy white clouds crowded out the gray-blue skies of late afternoon, but in the direction ahead, thick black clouds roiled into clustered bands.

“There’s a storm coming. It looks like a nasty one. You said we would be making for Chissington Hall on the dawn?”

“Yes.”

“I’m not so sure about that,” she murmured.

Zeke gave an indeterminate grunt she took for dissent.

This time of year, clouds like those produced rainstorms that lasted for hours, sometimes days.

Ensuing floods caused ruts that made the roads less than favorable for travel.

She didn’t mind. A little rain never killed anyone, and could be very helpful, in fact—especially for someone on the run, hoping to hide her tracks.

When the carriage wheels clattered over the old, familiar wooden bridge at the River Medway, she looked at Zeke, her heart in her throat. “Hastings House isn’t far now.”

The distant rumble of thunder sounded as they turned up Oak Lane. Kitty could hardly breathe as the red-bricked Georgian manse, her familial home, came into view.

It seemed an eternity before the carriage slowed to a stop and the groomsman opened the door.

Kitty scrambled out, heedless of the two passengers she left behind, or the fat raindrops smattering the cobbled drive. She was home. She half expected to see her grandfather waiting on the front stoop. A sob caught in her throat at the thought of him.

Fisting her skirts in her hands, she tripped up the broad steps to the over-sized double doors. As she reached for the brass knocker, one door opened.

George, her grandfather’s faithful butler, blanched at the sight of her.

“George. It’s Kitty,” she said, her voice choked.

He blinked and a wobbly grin spread over his aged face. “It is you. I thought my eyes were playing tricks.” He turned, calling over his shoulder in a loud voice. “Our Kitty’s come home!”

A whoop came from the front hall, and scant seconds later, Mrs. Finney’s dear face appeared in the open doorway.

Before Kitty could utter the first word, she found herself enveloped in a warm, comforting embrace.

“Oh, milady, we thought we’d never see you again.

How we’ve missed you.” After several moments, she loosened her grip and leaned back to study Kitty.

“Where’ve you been these last six months, m’dear?

Lord James’s looked everywhere for you. When you didn’t turn up, some of us worried he’d…

that the night of the festival, during that awful storm, he… ”

George cleared his throat, and Mrs. Finney broke off, beaming a watery smile at Kitty. “Och, none of that matters now you’re home. But who is this you’ve brought with you?”

Kitty dashed tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand and took a bracing breath. “I have two traveling companions.”

Behind her, Zeke’s booted heels scraped up the wooden steps.

She glanced over her shoulder and met his velvet blue gaze. She nodded at him, and sent Lady Lillian on his arm a warm smile.

“This is Lady Lillian Thurgood and her great-nephew, Lord Ezekiel Thurgood—my, um, fiancé.”

***

Kitty skimmed her fingers over the surface of the now tepid lavender-infused bathwater. Behind her, Mrs. Finney bustled about, packing Kitty's trunks and humming in her familiar, chipper way.

She closed her eyes and tried to banish the nostalgia threatening to swamp her. But it was no use. The gnawing ache inside her refused to subside.

She missed her life, the one that included her grandfather and Collin, and occasionally, her parents. But they were all gone now. All that remained was this mound of bricks known as Hastings House, a handful of aging servants, and her memories.

Memories Garrick James had done his best to erase, the vile creature.

The moment she walked into her grandfather’s den the changes he’d wrought slammed into her with the force of a monsoon. The picture her grandfather had commissioned of Collin and her he'd hung above his mantel was gone. Her grandfather’s prized globe likewise had disappeared.

Feeling sick, she inspected the sparsely populated mahogany shelves lining the wall to find Garrick had purged them of her parents’ works. Their atlases and journals and maps—all gone.

She turned to flee the room only to find Zeke in the doorway. He studied her, eyes narrowed, as if he sensed something amiss.

She refused to break down in front of the man. Somehow, she kept her face impassive as she marched past him, and headed up the stairs to Collin’s chamber—where all evidence of her brother’s existence had vanished without a trace.

The marble-topped marquetry chest—the one their parents had chosen for him while in France—gone.

His ornate snuffbox collection, always proudly displayed on the shelves—gone.

The corner by the window where his red-lacquered Oriental cabinet once gleamed now boasted nothing more than empty space.

His cologne bottles and ledgers and the Irish paperweight she’d gifted to him were all gone.

From there she dragged her feet to the master’s bedchamber. A cursory glance was all she could endure. Garrick had made the chamber his own, eradicating every hint her grandfather had ever existed. Only her chamber had been left untouched.

A perfect illustration if ever there was one. She was completely alone in the world.

The thought brought the sting of tears to her eyes, and she submerged her head under the bathwater. She stayed below the surface until her lungs burned with the need for air. She surfaced, gasping.

“What’re you about, girl?” Mrs. Finney asked with a chuckle. “Surely the water’s gone tepid by now, Kitty dear. You’d best get dried ’afore you turn yourself into a prune.”

Kitty smiled at her wrinkled fingertips. “Too late.”

“Well, come on, then, out with you and let’s get you dressed.”

A small while later, Mrs. Finney finished doing up the tiny buttons lining the back of her green evening gown.

Kitty fingered the fine silk material and smiled inwardly. Six months ago, she would never have anticipated such joy over simply wearing a gown—and not wearing a wig.

“I can hardly believe you’re here,” the housekeeper murmured. Their eyes met in the dressing mirror and Mrs. Finney gave a wobbly smile. “I only wish you could stay longer.”

“As do I.”

Lightning flashed, illuminating the sky outside. Seconds later a crack of thunder rattled the windows panes in her bedchamber.

“Why don’t you sit while I fix your hair and tell me all about your handsome fiancé. You said you’ve been staying with the baron’s friend in London town. Is that where you met your beau? He has a dashing smile, that one.”

Kitty resisted rolling her eyes. Apparently, Zeke had a smile for everyone but her.

What could she tell Mrs. Finney about him?

She longed to confide all, to tell her the engagement was nothing but a sham, but she didn’t dare.

Who knew how the farce would play out? What if Garrick later questioned the older lady and decided she knew about Kitty’s deception?

He’d sack her with no references, or worse. Kitty couldn’t risk it.

“Lord Thurgood is the Earl of Claybourne’s grandson and heir.”

The housekeeper’s eyes widened and her fingers, busily pinning Kitty’s curls momentarily paused. “You’re to be a countess. The baron would be so proud. But don’t stop there.”

“As you surmised, I met him while a guest of the earl. Our engagement happened quite recently. In fact, the official announcement will take place at the earl’s country estate in Derbyshire, which is why we’re heading there straight away. Garrick awaits me there.”

Mrs. Finney wrinkled her nose. “I see. Didn’t realize he’d be there, too.

I don’t mind telling you, his lordship was like an angry bee after you left.

He’d quiet down for a bit, but whenever one of the runners he hired to find you showed up with no word of your whereabouts…

” She blew air out her cheeks. “All hades broke loose. The Lord only knows how the baron’s friend—the earl—managed to keep you hidden away so well.

But not so well you didn’t catch yourself a husband, eh?

” She gave Kitty a bawdy wink in the mirror before setting down the silver comb and smiling at her handiwork. “There now. A regular princess.”

Kitty stared at her reflection and couldn’t resist an exultant smile. Mrs. Finney had piled her long hair high on her crown to allow the curls to spill down over her nape and shoulders. The grubby boy, Kit, was well and truly gone.

“Thank you, Mrs. Finney. It’s been a long while since…anyone styled my hair so well.”

“No? I’d have thought the efforts of a ladies maid from a fine house like the earl’s would far outshine anything I could do.”

Kitty sent her an impish grin. “No one has your touch.”

Mrs. Finney soon let herself out, leaving Kitty to gather herself before the dinner hour.