Sighing with boredom, Kitty glanced around the galley and the other boxes, all full to capacity. Indeed, everyone seemed absorbed in the play. She made a face and wondered at it all, before taking a look in the earl’s direction.
This night, although he had escorted them to the theatre, he had basically ignored her most of the evening. He sat near her though, making her all too conscious of him. She took a moment to glance at his profile. Faith, he was so magnetic. She knew he was considered a marriage prize, but she also knew that people said he was a confirmed bachelor who would never wed.
And still, she adored him.
In the last two weeks, even though it seemed as though he was avoiding her, when they were at a rout or a soiree and something she found amusing made her twinkle, she would look up and find him staring at her. Their eyes would lock in mutual amusement as they enjoyed a private laugh. Now, looking up and meeting his eyes, she realized he was no more enjoying Kean than she was.
He grinned. “Aye … missed a word or two in that line, didn’t he, Kitty?”
“Indeed, he did, as he has all evening,” she said and giggled.
He frowned. “What is it, little one?”
She eyed him. Did he not know? Did he not realize he had broken her, that though he thought to spare her heart, it was breaking all the same? “Nothing.”
“Is it Kean then?” He laughed.
“Well, as to that, I don’t care for his interpretations of the part. Do you?”
“Well, he has a certain force, but, no, Kitty. I don’t care for Kean, though all the world does.”
“That is something I greatly admire in you,” she said thoughtfully.
He chuckled quietly. “That I don’t like Kean?”
She slapped his arm playfully, which caused the dowager to admonish her to be quiet, so she lowered her voice. “I like that you don’t give a fig for the opinions of the world. I don’t, either.”
Their eyes met, and her heartbeat quickened.
“Indeed, we seem to have a great deal in common,” he said on a low note.
“Shhh.” The dowager actually put a finger to her lips and glared at them.
He stood and bent towards Kitty, offering his arm. She gave him her gloved hand and allowed him to lead her out of the box. This was the closest they had been in two weeks.
He led her to the refreshment box and said, “Would you like some Negus?”
“Not really,” she said, and it came out as a whisper.
He took her hand and rushed with her to the stairwell, and there, without a word and as though he hadn’t a moment to lose, he pinned her to the wall and brought his mouth to hers. His kiss consumed her; his tongue sang a sweet ballad against her tongue. His arms enfolded her as though he had been starving for ages. She felt his manhood pressed against her, and when the kiss ended, he whispered, “Kitty, what am I to do?”
“I will show you … later … this green girl will show you,” she answered hotly as her lips pressed against his. “Now, however, you will spare my reputation.”
He laughed, and the sound was full of joy.
Kitty watched his face as he led her out of the stairwell and back onto the main hallways. There he spotted one of her suitors and growled, “I see that dratted fellow nearly every day at Halloway House.”
“Do you?” Kitty laughed. “I don’t know how as you haven’t been around Halloway House very much in the last two weeks.”
“I keep a watch on what interests me,” he said meaningfully.
“Well, that sounds ominous,” Kitty said and laughed again.
“Has he come up to scratch yet?” the earl inquired with an accompanying frown.
“Four times. He has asked me to marry him four times.”
“What? He never applied to me.” The earl appeared outraged.