Courtesan's Kiss (28 page)

“I was six, and one day my father brought the prettiest little girl to the schoolroom and announced that she would be my companion.” Mia smiled at Nina. “I was delighted. It was like having a live doll with which to play. She was three and so tiny and her eyes were so big and she cried so easily. I loved cosseting her and making her feel better with treats.”

Mia watched David look from one to the other of them and shake his head. “How could I miss the resemblance?”

“No one sees it. She has her mother’s temperament, which is the exact opposite of mine. She detests adventures.” A thought occurred to Mia. “You said before that
opposites attract. Janina and I are proof that is true. There are times that I think she is the only reason I am not the most thoughtless, selfish woman in the world.”

“You are kindness itself, Mia,” Nina said fervently.

“Thank you, but all that I learned about kindness I learned from you.” She blew her sister a kiss. “Well, Lord David, my aunt—my mother’s sister, who was raising us—did not like that Papa had brought Nina to me. When she left us on her marriage, the governess that came to the house felt the same.”

Mia remembered Signorina Devoto’s sense of propriety as suffocating. “She did not think Nina an appropriate companion for a wellborn child and did her best to do what my aunt did—that is, to convince both Nina and me that Nina had no place in our house other than as a servant.

“In the end she so convinced us that a maid is all that Janina wanted to be. I think differently now, but Nina does not want anything else. I will accept that as long as she will allow me to treat her like the sister she is.”

She waited for David’s response. If he laughed or told her she was stupid, or implied any failing in Janina, she would be the one to take the first swing at him.

David did not react to her story for the longest time, but stared at the ground, or maybe his boots. The three of them waited in silence.

Finally, finally, David looked at her, bowed, and then turned and gave an even more gracious bow to Janina. “First, I apologize for my rudeness before. It was inexcusable.
And thank you, for entrusting me with this story. I promise I will never speak of it unless you ask me to.”

“Thank
you
, my lord.” Janina curtsied to him and gave Mia a hug that stole her breath. Mia could feel her sister’s tears on her neck and wished she had a handkerchief.

David pressed one into her hand, and she gave him a smile out of all proportion to the gesture and whispered, “I will give you handkerchiefs at Christmas.”

He really could be the most thoughtful man. As she handed Nina the bit of linen she realized how carefully he hid his kindness. Why?

She noticed that the anger was gone from his face, softened now with understanding and even compassion. What would he and Romero fight over now that everyone was curtsying and bowing?

“Romero, when you arrive at Pennford I invite you to join me in the boxing ring. It would be a pleasure to go several rounds with someone as well built for boxing as you are.”

“It will be a pleasure, my lord.” Romero bowed as though David had promised him an unequaled treat. With that he took Nina’s arm and they walked slowly back toward the house.

“David, please, let’s sit on the bench where we can hear the river. I think we both need some time away from the house.”

W
HAT THEY NEEDED
, David thought, was time away from each other. But with the barest of good nights to
her sister
and Romero, David set out across the lawn toward the benches under the trees where they had first kissed. Not a wise spot to visit again, but wisdom did not seem to be in his makeup these days.

The air had cooled considerably but it was still comfortable enough to stay a while. Mia sat, playing with her skirts, humming a little.

He leaned against the sundial and looked back toward the house. It was brightly lit and he could even see the shadow of people in the library. Why were they not in the salon and out of their sight? David turned and found Mia with her eyes closed, her head thrown back as if she were absorbing every bit of the night magic that surrounded them.

Her dress was cut low, not scandalously so, but low enough that he did not need much of an imagination to see her as she would look naked.

“David, I am serious about becoming an independent woman.”

What nonsense. He kept the comment to himself and waited, knowing how poorly she tolerated quiet.

“I will come into my own money when I am twenty-one, which is only a year or so away. First I will find a house, and then I will invite all those who are interested in music and hold a musicale. We will see who comes. That will tell me, more than anything else, where I fit in society now.”

There was bitterness in her voice as she said that last. He had never heard her sound so hostile to the world in general.

“Why are you not optimistic?”

“Look at Lady Belfort. I thought her a friend, and she shunned me as though I had committed a crime by breaking my engagement.”

“She is only one person.” He sat on the bench next to her and handed her his coat. “Olivia likes you.”

“She has to,” Mia said, accepting the coat but only using it to cover her lap. “We are practically family.”

Her cynicism should have been unbecoming, but underneath he heard her upset.

“Before I left London, after I ended the engagement, there were whole days when no one called on me at Penn Square.”

She took a moment to actually put his coat on, her
arms in the sleeves, rather than just draping it over her shoulders. She raised her arms and buried her face in the fabric, drawing a deep breath, and then sighed. “It smells like tobacco.”

The way she said it made tobacco sound like an aphrodisiac.

“Then I was invited to Bath, and I thought it was because Mrs. Giddings and her daughters liked me. But then I found out it was because their grandfather wanted to have a pretty girl around to look at.” She laughed. “I tell you, David, I could have had a proposal from him if I had wanted. But I did not want to marry him. Or anyone else.”

“Why did you not say something to Elena? Write and tell her how unhappy you were?”

“I was not about to share my heartache when she is so happy. Especially when there was nothing she could do about it.”

He paused, impressed with this selflessness, and not wanting to be. “Then you are creating your own misery and cannot complain.”

“I am explaining my decision to you. I am
not
complaining.”

She stared at her fingers and he looked at them, too. It was almost dark and he could see nothing but their outline. He had never noticed how long they were. The better to play instruments, he thought, and let his imagination go no further.

When she raised her head, he read her expression as a dare. “Well, you do the same thing. You never tell anyone
about Mexico because there is nothing anyone can do about it. So perhaps we are more alike than we think.”

He laughed, short and harsh. “William is still very popular—” he began, but she did not let him finish.

“Exactly. And I am not. So now I am persona non grata. Until my birthday I will do whatever the duke and duchess tell me. Or say no if it is impossible, like a suggestion that I marry someone or that I take a vow of chastity.”

He bit back a laugh. It was more likely that they would beg her to stop causing the locals such heartache.

“While I am waiting to come of age, I will contact an agent and arrange to rent a house.” She paused, drew a deep breath, and announced, “In Bath.”

“Bath? Why in the world would you pick Bath?”

“Because I like Bath. Why did you pick Birmingham? You know, your plans are as insane as mine but do I spend all my time trying to talk you out of them? No. I hope they work. I hope you find the financing you need or are able to talk the duke and his trustees into funding it totally from the estate.”

“Thank you, but my plans do not compromise my place in society.”

“Oh yes, they do. Very soon you will reek of trade and no one in the ton will want to associate with you.”

“We have had this argument before and I do not care what society thinks.”

“Neither do I. Haven’t I said that often enough as well?” She stood and faced him, pulling his coat off and straightening her sleeves. “I have this all thought out. Bath
is a city that will always attract visitors. Visitors of rank and wealth and those who have neither, but who do love music. They will be invited to my salon. In time I hope it will be the one place to which every visitor longs to be invited.”

“It sounds like a fairy tale.” David looked at the sky and the glittering stars, and wondered if there were other men on other stars who had easier lives. In truth, the plan was well thought out, but he couldn’t see her doing it. Did not want her to do it. But that was no argument.

“Oh, please do not be such an old man. It will be an adventure, and you will always be welcome at my home.”

“Thank you,” he said with a bow, longing to be welcomed in a far more intimate setting.

“David,” she said, stepping close enough so he could hear her whisper, “you know we could have such fun together.”

“Let’s walk.” He stood up and set off, sure she would follow him. She did, and walked beside him in silence at first.

They made their way across the lawn toward the edge of the property that ran along the road. His eyes had grown used to the dark but still they walked slowly, not arm in arm, but next to each other.

“Why do you not use your wealth to become part of society someplace other than London if it no longer appeals to you?”

She smiled at him, and he felt ten times happier. He knew that smile came because he had asked a question. Really, she was amazingly easy to please.

“Because success in society for a single woman depends on other women. And I do not know many well enough to be sure I can count on them. If I go to Bath and make myself known in musical circles, the pianoforte and the guitar will be as good as an introduction from Lady Jersey.”

“You see this like you see everything else. As an adventure, without realizing how risky it will be.”

“I don’t need to think of the difficulties. I have you to tell me.”

Mia blew him a kiss and danced ahead of him. Half a day with two courtesans and she was well on her way to joining their ranks. How long would it take before her salon in Bath offered more than music?

They were coming up on the stables and they could hear the horses shuffling in their stalls. One of the grooms was outside.

David watched as the young man stood and brushed off his clothes.

“Miss Castellano.” He bowed and called out to Lord David. “Good evening, my lord. Can I help you?”

“Good evening to you, Alan Wilson.” Mia’s genuine welcome made the boy smile, though it was not his usual brilliant grin. “How are you?”

“Well enough, thank you, miss. John Coachman was always very good to me. It hurts to hear of his passing.”

“He was such a good driver,” Mia said, filled with sympathy for his grief. “I am sure he taught you a great deal.”

“Yes, miss,” Wilson said with a smile. “He was as
good a teacher as he was a driver. Did you know his given name was Elmer Elmerton? I would have preferred to be called John Coachman myself.”

“Perhaps you will be someday.”

The boy bobbed his head, as though admitting out loud that it was his fondest wish would make him sound prideful.

“Thank you for making the trip at night. That must have been quite an adventure. But tell me, why are you still here?”

“His Grace said that I should wait to come back with you in case the other groom is not well enough.”

“But who is taking care of Magda?”

“The dog will manage well enough at Pennford, though she does prefer the city.”

David watched as the boy relaxed and his answers grew more enthusiastic. He did not think it was just because Alan Wilson loved talking about the dog.

“And she will try to escape every day so she can play with the field dogs. I expect that she will have a time of it while I am away.”

“Well, I am sure that Magda will miss you almost as much as you miss her.”

When the boy gave a curt nod, she laughed. “Good night, Wilson. I think we will be leaving tomorrow so you will see your Magda again soon.”

“Yes, miss.” He bowed and sat back down.

“He loves that dog as much as he loves any person.” Mia took David’s arm as they walked on.

“Not surprising. His father walked out on the family.
His mother beat him. Two of his siblings have died. He is very much alone in the world.”

“Like me,” Mia added.

“Yes, but without the money,” David added with a sarcastic edge to his voice. The girl did see the world through only one lens.

“Are you trying to annoy me? I am too happy for that to work. Besides, one can feel abandoned with or without money.”

“Yes, but money makes one so much more comfortable in their misery.” He winced a little, thinking he may have pushed her too far.

“Yes, I am lucky, aren’t I? But so is Alan Wilson to have come from such difficult circumstances and to now be doing work he loves. He has found his own kind of wealth. David, happiness and wealth are two completely different things.”