Courting Kit

When last he saw the Jersey, she had been a bit annoyed with him. She had, in fact, read him a lecture. However, his grandmother would see to it. Jersey would never

deny his grandmother vouchers for Almack’s.

In this frame of mind, the earl was able to shrug off his irritation and continue to enjoy the beauty of the spring morning as he mounted his horse and told Max he would just jog on ahead.

At his back, he heard Max say, “Oi don’t know about all this, Luts, no Oi don’t. We both know this is not m’lord’s ken, looking out for some flash piece of fluff. Lor, but we be in for a time, that’s what Oi be thinking.”

“In that, I happen to agree with you,” Luts said. “Now stop the coach. I think I’ll go sit inside the carriage.

“Nooo, Oi can’t do that,” Max said. The earl, picturing Max’s face, laughed to himself and urged his horse forward as he started off and put distance between himself and his equipage.

* * *

Kitty, however, was not yet quite resigned to being carted off to London. It occurred to her that her ‘new guardian’—drat the man—might arrive any day and scoop her away from the only home she had ever known, and she was sick at heart over her uncertain future.

She had risen from her bed, washed, and thrown on her comfortable britches and a wool riding jacket. She tied her long blonde curls at the nape of her neck and plopped a peaked wool cap over her head. She looked in the mirror and sighed. “Is that who you are? A hoyden in britches?” She grimaced at her reflection. “Won’t you enjoy wearing pretty gowns and dancing the night away with handsome young men?” She smiled, for she was always honest with herself, and answered, “Truth be, that would not be so very bad.”

Yes, she would love to go to Drury Theatre and Vauxhall Gardens and all the marvelously mysterious things that London held as a lure. And, yes, now and then she thought of flirting outrageously with some handsome buck and … and … well, she knew there were no such things as knights in shining armor, but somewhere out there a man would fill her eyes and her heart, and she wanted him to find her and sweep her off her feet. Yes. She wanted that, and it probably wasn’t going to happen while she was tucked away here in Wharton.

Her eyes narrowed with her thoughts. She knew she was being contrary. She wanted all those things, but she did not like being forced into it. There was the crux of the matter.

And … change was a frightening undertaking.

She made her way to the stables, tacked up her own horse, hoisted herself into the saddle, and trotted him to the line fence that separated their property from the wide stretch of forest. They took the fence lightly and easily, and she made her way to the country road.

Kitty had quite made up her mind that while she would, of course, respect her guardian’s dying wish, she would not be ordered about by a stranger.

She thought about the kind of life she would have in London.

How would she fit in? She was a country girl with country manners. She was used to eating her dinner at five o’clock and getting out of bed at dawn. Also, she would have to ride sidesaddle, and while she was proficient in the style, she much preferred britches and riding astride.

Ah me, she thought.

And … what of Harry and her dear Henrietta? She would miss them so terribly. They had always served each in their own way as a compass for her, and she would so need one in the open, dangerous sea that was London.

A large tear formed and spilled over, but then she heard a voice at her back and turned to see Harry’s bright smile as he said, “Fie, zany, … what are you doing?”

“Oh, Harry … you see, here you are when I need you, but when I am in London … oh, however shall I get on without you?”

Harry reached over and patted her roughly on her shoulder. “You know … for all your hoyden ways, you are a beauty. Stunning, actually. I have a feeling you will take London by storm and won’t have a moment to think of your old friend Harry.”

“No, I will miss you and be at a loss.”

“Nonsense. You are a plucky little thing, and the truth is you will get on very well without me. You’ll do.”

She sniffed and said, “Harold, everyone in London will be strangers to me.”

He shrugged. “What has that to say to anything? You aren’t going to tell me you have ever been shy, for that would be a bouncer if ever I heard one. You are the friendliest little thing—probably too friendly.” He laughed and shook his head. “As I said, you’ll do.”

She pulled a face and put up her chin. “You haven’t the least bit of sensibility.”

“Kit—”

“Never mind.” She cut him off as she led her horse back into the field. “Let’s take the stone wall to the next bend in the road.” She turned when he did not immediately follow. “Are you coming?”

He laughed out loud as he followed her. “What do you think, Miss Kingsley … just what do you think?”

Laughing, they took their horses over the wall and cantered to the next field, where Harry tipped his hat to her as he took his leave. “Thank you, Miss Kingsley, for an enjoyable ride. I look forward to a time when we may do this again.” He grinned boyishly with an inclination of his head. “See, town manners—nothing to it. Now you answer me in kind.”