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Chapter Sixteen

K itty paid special attention to her evening toilette in anticipation of meeting Zeke’s brother and his traveling companion.

After Zeke’s implied insult concerning her appearance this afternoon, she needed to prove to herself she could make an entrance.

She needed to prove it to Zeke, too, the swine.

She selected one of her favorite gowns for the occasion—the one fashioned of watered green silk the dressmaker said brought out her eyes.

She asked her maid to wash and dress her hair with special care, as well.

The end result was an elegant coiffure, pinned to the side to fall over one shoulder in the grecian style.

Heading down to dinner, her heart in her throat, she chided herself for her vanity. It mattered naught what Zeke’s brother and his friend thought of her. It wasn’t as if she and Zeke were truly engaged, and by now, no doubt, they had been versed on the private details of her life to boot.

How utterly mortifying.

The moment she stepped into the drawing room, she decided she’d made the right choice in primping to the extent she had.

Because the three of them together, Zeke, Caden, and the unnamed third gentleman, fairly took her breath away.

All appeared freshly shaven, expertly groomed, and had dressed for dinner in tailored dark suits.

Their cravats were crisp white, starched, and tied in the simplest of knots.

Funny, she’d always liked the flamboyant bows her brother favored, but now comparing the two styles, she vastly preferred the sophisticated elegance.

What really made them stand out had less to do with their stylish looks than their demeanor. A certain shoulders-back, self-assured, confidence. Corinthians. She was in the presence of a team of aristocratic Corinthians.

Gathering all her nerve she entered the room.

“This, I assume, is the infamous Lady Kitty Hastings,” spoke the man she assumed to be Zeke’s brother. He and his dark-haired friend crossed toward her, offering warm smiles of welcome that set her instantly at ease.

Zeke held back, evidently intent on scrutinizing her appearance. His eyes flowed over her from head to toe, then reversed course to settle at her décolletage. His brows furrowed.

Irritation sparked through her. What complaint could the blasted man possibly have now?

At last, he sauntered forward to stand beside her. “Gentlemen, may I introduce my fiancé, Lady Christine Hastings, affectionately Lady Kitty. My lady, meet Viscount Sterling Randall, an old and friend of the family, and, of course, my brother Mr Caden Thurgood.”

She dipped a proper curtsy, and murmured a greeting.

“My lady, welcome to the family. I must say, you’re even lovelier than my brief glimpse of you from the terrace revealed.” Zeke's brother bowed over her hand.

“Mr. Thurgood, how very kind of you to say.”

“Nothing kind about it. Just a simple truth. And you must call me Caden.”

She nodded her assent. She rather liked Zeke’s brother.

Viscount Randall spoke up next. “Lady Kitty—may I call you Lady Kitty?”

“Please.”

“Lady Kitty, may I offer congratulations on your recent betrothal?”

“Thank you, Lord Randall.” As she spoke she slid an uncertain glance toward Zeke. Surely he’d told them the truth?

The viscount gave her a crooked smile. “I confess, after reading the announcement in the Times , I jumped at the chance to accompany Caden to Derbyshire to meet the lady who’d finally hooked the wily Claybourne heir.

But now I see you”—he shot Zeke an accusatory look—“I begin to think it’s he who hooked you before anyone else had the chance to throw his hat in the ring.

That is, I assume you never visited London during the season?

I’m positive our paths never crossed. I would have remembered. ”

“I…no,” she answered.

“My loss, entirely.” The viscount held his hand over his heart in a dramatic gesture.

“You’ll stop groveling if you know what’s good for you, Randall. Zeke’s staring daggers at you,” Caden said, chuckling.

“Is he indeed?” Lord Randall asked, his bland smile proclaiming his indifference to the supposed threat.

A quick glance at Zeke told her Caden had merely been teasing the viscount; something outside the parlor’s large window had Zeke’s full attention. She scanned the lawn and shrugged inwardly. She saw nothing but grass and, a short distance off, trees.

Soon, the gong sounded for dinner, and everyone made their way into the dining hall.

Kitty was greatly relieved to note Garrick had taken Zeke’s admonishment to heart, and had opted not to put in an appearance. Between his absence and her good fortune in being seated between Caden and Lord Randall, she was having a grand time.

Which was more than she could say for Zeke. His affable mood from earlier had vanished. Oddly, witnessing his surly countenance had a satisfying edge to it for once.

Still. A moodier man she’d never known. One would think he’d be in fine spirits, what with the arrival of his brother. Yet he had hardly spoken two words since making the introductions.

He sat across from her, beside Lady Lillian, with the earl taking up the head of the table. The earl, she was heart-warmed to see, looked pleased as punch, probably owing to the fact both his grandsons were present.

“So, Lady Kitty,” Caden began. “I’m trying to accept what Randall reasoned out prior to our arrival, and what Zeke confirmed only this afternoon, but I’m having a dastardly time of it.”

She angled her face toward him. “Your question concerns me?”

His blue eyes, similar to, but slightly lighter in color than Zeke’s, gleamed with amusement. “You could say that. I’m trying to understand how a lady as utterly feminine as you ever fooled my brother into believing you to be a lad.”

The table went silent. Forks and knives froze mid-air. All eyes fixed on her.

Her stomach dropped as realization struck.

Everyone knew everything. How she’d pretended to be a boy, and been caught red-handed.

The subsequent false engagement she and Zeke had entered into to protect her from her guardian.

Everything. She couldn’t look at Zeke, the blackguard. He hadn’t even warned her.

From the corner of her eye, she saw him throw up his hands. “So I’m an idiot who needs his eyes checked. Can we please move on from this?”

She ignored the outburst, and turned to Lord Randall. “You reasoned out who I was before you arrived at Chissington Hall, my lord?”

He inclined his head. “I surmised.”

“How, may I ask, when we’d never met?” She had to give herself credit. She sounded very calm, even to her own ears.

“Zeke’s odd manner when last I saw him. I’ve almost never seen him in such a snit. Definitely never over someone as, you’ll pardon me for saying so, inconsequential as a tiger.” Lord Randall leaned back in his chair and eyed Zeke.

Oh, how she loved seeing Zeke on the sticky wicket. “You mean he isn’t always irascible and hypercritical of the hired help? I swear he’d have scarred me for life had I truly been a young man. My voice was too squeaky. My hands too dainty. My muscles poorly developed.”

“Poor darling,” Lillian said, with a scowl for her elder grand nephew.

Zeke winked at his aunt before tossing out, “Not to mention a horrible eavesdropper. But I wasn’t all bad.”

At the head of the table, the earl snorted.

Zeke sent the older man an affronted look. “Didn’t I give her one of her shooting lessons?”

The earl nodded. “Quite right. Quite right, m’ boy.”

“You shoot pistols, Lady Kitty?” Caden asked, sounding intrigued.

She inclined her head slightly. “I know enough to be a danger to myself.”

“I’ll say,” Zeke muttered, before taking a sip of wine.

Lucky for him, she didn’t have a pistol handy now.

“Come now, Lady Kitty, you’re much too humble. We practiced for weeks.” The earl addressed his next words to Caden and Randall. “Girl’s a crack shot.” He turned to Zeke. “Zeke, tell them.”

Zeke gave her a long, considering look as his fingers drummed a lazy staccato on the table. “She’s a fair shot. It’s readying her stance for the recoil she needs to work on.”

A crisp memory of her lesson, when she’d fired and the recoil hurled her into Zeke’s chest, bottom first, flooded her mind, as well as his observation concerning her soft derriere. She glared at him.

He merely smiled, his blue eyes gleaming with amusement at her expense.

She dragged her gaze down to her plate and forced herself to fork up another bite of roast beef.

“I’d love a demonstration of Lady Kitty’s skills,” Caden enthused. Directing his next words at Kitty he added, “What say we make a match of it? Tomorrow, if the weather holds. You and I can make up one team, with Randall and Zeke making up the other.”

Randall piped up. “I think you brothers should make up a team—as per usual, the Thurgood brothers banding together against the world—and Lady Kitty can partner with me.” He flashed her a winning smile.

She beamed at him.

“I don’t think so,” Zeke said in a brusque tone, not bothering to look up from cutting his meat.

Kitty swallowed her disappointment. Zeke made it clear he didn’t fancy spending his days with her, but she thought he’d make an exception this once. And hadn’t they made some headway this afternoon toward something resembling a friendship? She grabbed her wine and took a healthy swallow.

“Lady Kitty will be my partner. As her fiancé, I claim the right.”

She nearly choked on her wine.

“I don’t see why—” Caden began, only to be interrupted by the earl.

“Zeke is quite right. Lady Kitty and he are betrothed. It’s only right he be allowed to claim the honor.”

Kitty toyed with remaining food on her plate. She’d been convinced Zeke had revealed all to his brother and Lord Randall. Now she wasn’t so sure. Had he kept the phony engagement secret, and if so, why?

“Very well, spoil sports. Shall we say noon? Who’s in?” Caden asked.

Lord Randall, Zeke, and finally Kitty all assented to join the match.

“Excellent. Grouse or pigeons? Or deer?” Caden asked.

Kitty felt her eyes bug. She quickly schooled her features, but not before Zeke, evidently, noted her distress.

“I think the lady prefers a still mark, preferably one that was never alive. How about paper targets? If you like, we can have them cut in the shape of a bird.” Zeke grinned at his brother.

“Don’t let me spoil the fun. You all go on without me.” She sent Caden an apologetic smile.

“Nonsense. Only your absence could spoil our fun. Paper targets it is. No animal shapes necessary,” he added dryly. “We’ll use concentric rings, like in archery. Does that meet with your approval, Lady Kitty?”

“Eminently. You are too kind.” She folded her serviette and laid it across her plate.

“It was my idea,” Zeke muttered.

She flashed Zeke an encouraging smile. “So it was. And quite a surprise, too.”

Zeke flashed her an answering smile which faded in an instant. “Why a surprise?”

Kitty went blank. Had she said the last bit aloud?

Lucky for her, Lord Caden picked that moment to exclaim, “Hastings. I knew the name sounded familiar. It’s plagued me all night.”

Kitty turned to Lord Caden, completely ignoring Zeke’s expectant expression. “Why is that? Did you know my grandfather?”

“No, I can’t say as I ever had the pleasure. But I’m wondering if you have a brother…although now I think of it…” He shook his head and reached for his wine.

“Indeed I did. He passed several years ago. Lord Collin Hastings. Were you thinking of him?”

Caden gazed at the painted ceiling tiles as if trying to recall. “You know, I think I did meet your brother. In London.”

“Oh?” A little thrill shot through her at the thought of Caden and Collin being city friends. Unable to contain her excitement, she sent Zeke a brilliant smile. “My lord, your brother knew Collin.”

He paid her no notice. His assessing gaze was fixed on Caden.

She returned her attention to Caden. “Where did you meet in London? In one of the infamous gentlemen’s clubs? Or perhaps you met at a ball during the season?”

Caden blew out a breath. “I can’t say for certain. Sorry, love. But I do remember he was a…well-liked chap, wasn’t he? I have a vague recollection of him going about with a rather large following.”

Kitty smiled fondly. “Collin always could make friends easily. I used to hate it when he went to town, mostly because he never took me. Now I understand, of course. I was far too young to accompany him.”

“Very wise of your brother, dear. And your grandfather, the baron, God rest his soul,” the earl said.

A short while later, the footmen removed the last of the dinner plates.

“Shall we leave the men to their brandy, dear? Let’s away to the library. I need to find a book,” Lady Lillian said.

Kitty rose and accompanied Lillian from the room.

Zeke watched her leave. He waited for the ladies’ footsteps to recede then turned to Caden. “Interesting you knew her brother. What aren't you saying?”