The Beau gave him an eye and said, “Ah, Brandon, I hope you don’t mean to steal Miss Kingsley away, for I warn you, I am loathe to let her go.”
* * *
The earl had been watching the Beau with Kitty and was thoroughly astonished. He had expected the Beau because of their friendship to do the pretty for a moment or two with Kitty and thus ensure her Season. She had, after all, everything a young debutante could want to draw attention to herself. She was a beauty. She had the dowager as her sponsor, she had a respectable dowry, and those were all she needed to make an impression on the ton.
However, the Beau appeared to be genuinely intrigued with his Kitty. She was now not only ensured a successful Season, she absolutely was going to be sought after by every eligible bachelor in London!
That should be something of a relief. It would extricate him from a situation he should not be in, but he found himself becoming territorial. He could think of no one, no one at all, that was good enough for his Kitty.
If he didn’t know that the Beau was madly in love with Lady Hester, he might even think that … but no, he did know where the Beau’s heart lay.
Kitty’s bright green eyes looked up into his, and she bubbled into a froth he wanted to dive right into. He found he couldn’t look away and only vaguely heard the Beau’s deprecating cough before the Beau told him, “I resent this intrusion.”
“Do you, my Beau? I am afraid that the dowager requires Kitty … Miss Kingsley to attend her.” He turned back to gaze into Kitty’s eyes and allowed himself a moment’s view of her luscious lips.
Kitty dimpled and said, “My lord,” and put her gloved hand onto the arm he extended her.
He slipped her hand through his arm instead and smiled warmly at her. “My Kitty.”
The Beau said, “Ah, a trump card, eh, Brandon? Very well, you may play it.” The Beau’s eyes glittered appreciatively as he turned to Kitty and inclined his head. “I feel moved to tell you, my dear, that I look forward to the next time we meet … with great anticipation.”
“Oh, so do I,” Kitty said at once, leaving the Beau chuckling as he strolled away.
The earl led her away, and Kitty said, “I like him—he has a wonderful mind. I can see why you like him, and he isn’t a dandy at all. I mean, he dresses beautifully and without any of the extremes the dandies adopt.” She beamed happily. “Yes, I’m glad he is your friend.”
“Indeed.” The earl grinned, thinking the Beau would be horrified to hear his name in the same sentence with the word dandy. “I have never been sure just why I am his friend.”
She laughed and clucked her tongue before she looked around and said, “You are not taking me to the dowager, for I saw her go off with her own set a few moments ago. I believe they are playing at cards.”
He laughed again, took her gloved fingers to his lips, and said, “No, not taking you to the dowager, because, my Kitty, I want my beautiful ward all to myself.”
* * *
Kitty felt the heat flourish through her body and burn her cheeks. He flirted so easily, so lightly. She was sure he didn’t mean the words he threw around so loosely, yet she wished that he did. She retreated and uncharacteristically lowered her lashes. “Instead of flattery, I would rather hear the truthful answer to my question.”
He lifted her chin and turned her face to his. “Truth? You doubt the veracity of my words?”
“I find they come too easily to be true.”
“And you don’t appreciate hearing pretty words?”
She pulled a face up at him. “Ha. What is its use? What good does it do but lead a poor green chit on … and why should a man do such a thing?” She clucked her tongue.
“I’d wager flattery would not lead you on,” the earl said, and she heard a note in his voice that made her heart thump faster than it already was.
“Well, I have been trying to make you see, I am not a green girl, at least not when it comes to matters of the heart.” She lowered her lashes and then blinked them saucily, but as her sense of fun got the better of her, she burst out laughing.
He chuckled and shook his head. “What you are is a minx! And, I am beginning to think, up to any and every rig.”
“Good. Then you needn’t look out for me,” she returned.
“Oh, but I do need to look out for you,” he said softly.
Kitty’s breath caught in her throat. He was going to kiss her. With all these people all around them, he was going to kiss her. However, she then saw the control he exerted over himself as he unbent and said, “Are you aware, my Kitty, what you do to a man with your eyes?”
“Ah, are we back to flattery?” She arched a look at him and waved a hand, dismissing this. “But tell me, what do I do, not to a man, but to you, with my eyes?”