Courting Kit

“Our wedding was so beautiful, wasn’t it, love?” Kitty abruptly changed the subject. She had been walking about in a dream from the moment Harry had walked her down the aisle. She couldn’t feel any animosity towards anyone while she was so completely happy.

“It was, but nothing compares to you,” the earl said. “I will spend all my days making certain you are happy.”

“Hmm, then I think we should return to our room,” Kitty teased.

He laughed. “Do you no longer wish to visit Versailles?”

“Yes, oh yes, I do.” Again a tease came into her eyes. “If you promise to make love to me in its famous gardens,” she said saucily.

He laughed outright. “I promise to try … if no one is about.”

“I like this … traveling with you, having you near me all the time, but we must return for Henrietta and Harry’s wedding next month.”

“And so we shall.” He sat back and stared at her. “You grow more beautiful every day. I don’t know what there was to smile about before you came into my life.”

“I love you, Brandon. Now kiss me,” Kitty demanded.

He laughed. “What, here … for all the world to see?”

“Yes, here. The French love romance, so they won’t mind.”

He leaned in and gave her a soft kiss on the lips, but Kitty was having none of that. She leaned in closer, put her hands around his neck, and showed him just what she meant when she said ‘kiss me’.

And the French, passing by, applauded!

~ * ~

In the mood for a Regency romance

with a hint of paranormal? Have a taste of

Netherby Halls

~ Prologue ~

Sutton Village, England

1815

SASSY WALKED THE short distance from the livery, where’d she left her cob horse and curricle, and made her way to the curio shop that also served as their village book shop. It was a busy time of the morning, nearly lunch, and the wide avenue was bustling with people, horse-drawn wagons, and quite an impressive number of carriages of all sizes, ages, and styles for their quaint village.

The dust they kicked up didn’t do her well-worn blue cloak any good. With a grimace, she brushed and shook off some of the offending dirt as she made her way to the lead-paned window of Mrs. Plummet’s Curio Shop and stepped beneath the awning.

A little bell announced her arrival, and the tall, buxom woman Sassy had known forever looked up from the counter where she was arranging a stack of the new and latest novel that had only just come in. The woman smiled and welcomed Sassy. “Hallo, m’dear, and how is the vicar today?”

Push

ing a stray hair away from her ear, Sassy adjusted her chip hat and sighed as she gave Mrs. Plummet a warm smile. “Papa is cranky today, I am afraid. He shooed me off and told me to come into town and purchase a book to keep me busy. He says I am always fussing about him, and he won’t have it.”

Mrs. Plummet laughed and said, “Good then, Sassy love. If he is feeling feisty, perhaps we will have a small miracle and he will take a turn for the better.”

Sassy almost released her pent-up emotions but fought back the urge to dive into Mrs. Plummet’s arms and cry. She held herself in check and unconsciously rubbed the ring on her right hand beneath her glove.

She couldn’t very well tell Mrs. Plummet about the guilt she carried because, once again, she felt useless. She hadn’t been able to save her mother two years ago when she had suddenly fallen ill and died within a week. What good was the power if she couldn’t rid the ones she loved of disease?

Now, her father was not getting any better, and not all the tisanes in the world were helping. Not even those her mother had taught her to concoct had worked to do more than ease his discomfort.

She picked up the latest novel by an author whose name she did not recognize and looked it over. “What do you think?”