Authors: Unknown
"You, of all people, must see how difficult my position is at this time. If I am to complete my role for the government, I must maintain my place with the gypsies, though I am beginning to have a thought about that." Robert threw him a questioning look, but John shook his head. "Never mind. If the Duke of Somerset shows up at Kitty's side, he will have to remain there. And despite my vast ability for subterfuge…" He winked as Robert rolled his eyes. "There is no way I can be in two places at the same time. Which brings us to another difficulty…how to bring about Lord Knight's wooing of the lovely Kitty and fulfill my obligations to Lord Wellington."
Robert harrumphed. "Wellington and wooing do not go together. He has spies on the peninsula. Let them do his dirty work."
"If my information is correct, his troops could well be walking into a trap."
"If your information is wrong, you could well be walking into a trap. Take care of Kitty."
"Why do you care all the sudden, Westley? Have you fallen under her spell along with the rest of the young bucks? Does she come crying to you over her forced loneliness?"
Robert glared at him. "She does not deserve that, Somerset, and neither do I."
For long moments, there was absolute silence between them then John held up a placating hand. "You are correct, Rob, as always. That was not well done of me, was it?"
Robert remained stiff with anger. "It was not, and though you pretend otherwise, you are still a gentleman. Now…I would like an explanation of your planned wooing. If you won't allow the chit to see your face, how do you expect to set her heart aflutter?"
John grinned. "'Tis a handsome countenance, is it not?"
"That was not my meaning, and well you know it. Could we stay on topic? We are nearly at my lodgings."
"Very well. I intend to woo fair maiden from underneath her window, dressed as the humble gypsy I am."
"You have never been humble. I believe it's that duchy you were born with," Robert chuckled. "You had best beware that the Earl does not blow your head clear off, sneaking about outside his windows."
"Well said, Westley. The undertaking will require a certain finesse. That is where you come in."
"I see. You want to get my head blown off."
"Not a'tall. Now listen."
Kitty had barely said two words since she rejoined the duchess in the ball. She didn't know what to say. She couldn't possibly hope the duchess was unaware she'd visited the gardens with Lord Knight. And still, the duchess smiled at her, favoring her for all the ton to see.
She felt wretched. She didn't want to dance with anyone else, and she still owed quite a few sets. She just wanted to relive that moment in the garden when he'd asked her to wait for him.
But that wasn't possible. Too many young men clamored for her attention. Perhaps they hadn't yet heard the gossip. She was a fallen woman before the ton.
A hand clutched her sleeve, and Kitty's head jerked up. The duchess smiled down at her. "I'm sorry, my dear. You seemed miles away, and Lord Kittering is waiting to take you to the dance floor."
Kitty felt her cheeks burn. Did the duchess know who she thought about?
"I…I am so sorry, Lord Kittering. I would be delighted to take our dance."
After another hour of such tedium, she felt her nerves would snap. If just one more man stepped on her foot or leered at her bosom…
"Kitty…Kitty, did you hear me?"
"I'm sorry. Forgive me, your grace."
"Quite all right. It has been a fatiguing evening. I remarked that I would welcome a chance to retire if you are so inclined. But, I do not wish to drag you away, if…"
Kitty's light laugh interrupted. "Never you fear, I am more than ready to accompany you."
They smiled happily at each other, and the duchess took Kitty's arm.
"Come along then, sweeting. Your mama and papa will want to hear all about your first masquerade ball."
The duchess moved through the crowd with the ease of long practice. No one would thwart the Duchess of Somerset.
"I know your dear mama was disappointed to miss this. I hope she is feeling more the thing. And your father was such a gentleman to stay home with her and miss all the fun."
Kitty turned her head sideways to glance doubtfully at the duchess; her father hated masquerade balls. They both laughed, and the duchess tipped her head against Kitty's shoulder. It felt natural for John's mother to be that intimate with her. She was so glad the duchess wasn't disappointed in her.
They collected their wraps as the carriage pulled up. Several other ladies and their escorts waited at the door alongside them.
Lady Sefton gave Kitty a searing look and raised her lorgnette, staring boldly. "We will expect to see Somerset with you at Almack's, Lady Katherine, unless it is true you have accepted the troth of Lord Knight."
Kitty's mouth opened on a gasp, but the duchess squeezed her arm, never changing the expression on her face. "I think Kitty would like for that to be a surprise. Until a betrothal is formally announced, she is free to receive the admiration of all…even then…"
The duchess, with Kitty firmly grasped to her side, floated past Lady Sefton and the curious onlookers as if she hadn't a care in the world, a satisfied smile fixed lightly on her face.
Kitty followed suit. She would love to carry herself as well as the duchess someday.
As the carriage rolled down the curving driveway, the duchess leaned her head back into the cushioned seat and sighed deeply. "Did you enjoy yourself, my dear?"
"I did. Thank you, your grace, for accompanying me. Did you like the festivities?"
"Yes and no. I enjoyed seeing the costumes and the dancing, but the attitudes of some of the ton…well, let us not speak of unpleasant topics. How did you find Lord Knight?"
Kitty's heart skipped. "I found him to be most pleasant…a wonderful dancer. What did you think?"
"He was an attractive man…I like him. Do you?"
Kitty flushed to the roots of her hair. "I…yes, I like him above all others. Only…" She wasn't sure what made her tell the duchess the truth, but she felt she owed it to her. She was relieved when the duchess took her hand.
"Only what, my dear?"
"We know nothing of him. He might be a scoundrel…and a bit of a rake. Did you see how he danced with all those women…and his eyes…Well."
She felt more than a little jealous just thinking about the attentions he had given his other dance partners.
The duchess smiled at her with more than a little amusement in her gaze. Kitty felt keenly embarrassed by her tirade, but the duchess gave her hand a light squeeze. "Never you fear, Kitty. Robert would not have brought Lord Knight to us if he was not respectable. And...I like him best of all as well. Although…how we will convince your father…"
What a relief. If the duchess held no doubts about Lord Knight, she wouldn't doubt him either.
"Let us not think of that tonight. God knows the way if it is to be."
The duchess sighed. "That He does."
John finally convinced Robert to let him try things his way in his wooing of Kitty, but Robert was doubtful about the success of such a plan. Still, he agreed to show up at Kitty's townhouse at the usual time for courting and present himself with the other young bucks.
He would slip Kitty a note, informing her that John would come to call outside her window after the household had gone to bed. She would also be instructed to leave a ribbon of some sort so that John could recognize her room. He didn't want to throw stones at the bedroom of the earl or the countess.
Now John awaited the arrival of his mother. Robert had dropped him outside his London home, although he wouldn't be able to stay the night. Someone on the staff would be sure to let slip that the Duke of Somerset was in residence. At least, he would have the opportunity for a private conversation with his mother, something he looked forward to almost as much as his courtship of Kitty.
When the ornate Somerset carriage pulled in front of the drive, John moved closer to the front door. He didn't want to be seen by the footman, but he did want to catch his mother's eye. He waited until the last moment. When she stepped into the light of the opened doorway, he leaned forward and lifted his hand.
She gasped, but recognized him quickly enough to recover her composure. In a loud voice, she spoke to their tall, homely butler.
"Steeves, I am not yet ready to retire. Tell my maid to go on to bed. I'll ring for her if I need her…And send a tea tray to the library."
"Certainly, your grace."
Their voices faded as the door closed, and John ran around to the back of the house. It would take his mother only a moment to discard her cape and move into the library. He wanted to be waiting for her when she opened the door from the library to the terrace.
He leaned against the wall for scarcely a minute before the mullion-paned door opened. "It's a good thing there are so many windows in this door or I might not have let you in."
The duchess pulled John inside and pushed him behind the heavy damask draperies as Steeves entered with a tray. John could hear his mother move to a chair closer to the fireplace.
"Here is fine, Steeves. No...do not bother with a fire. I shall not be here long. Thank you, I will not need you again."
"As you will, your grace."
When John heard the soft closing of the door, he stepped into the room. His mother rushed forward to embrace him.
"Oh, John. I've missed you so." She sighed against his chest then pulled out of his arms. "Let me see you without that silly mask." She waited as he pulled it off. "My, my, you look very like your father at that age."
John grinned at her. "Really, and here I was thinking what an improvement I was to the males of this family."
"Tsk, tsk. Your father was a very attractive man. But you are a rare treat after spending years in Bartholomew's company."
John scowled. "That is another topic I wanted to discuss with you."
She smiled with resignation, put an arm about his waist, and led him to the wing chairs by the fireplace. "Come along then. I have many questions for you, too. What have you been doing? Are you and Robert still spies?"
She asked the question like it was the most normal topic in the world.
John dropped into his seat with a whoosh, completely at a loss for his mother's knowledge of his clandestine activities.
"Mother, never say Robert has been telling tales."
She gave a soft laugh, seeming to enjoy that she had shocked him. "No, but the gypsies know everything, and Michel keeps me posted." She narrowed her eyes as her voice rose in mock correction. "Sometimes that is the only way a mother would know whether you lived or died. You are a terrible correspondent."
"I am truly sorry. Can you forgive me? There are few incidents in my life that are acceptable for repeating to polite society."
"For how much longer? You are Somerset, now, in every way. There are things that require your attention."
John tilted his head in concern. He was under the impression from the Home Office that they had taken care of the problems his estate manager had brought to his attention. "What things, Mother? Has not someone been sent to handle the mishaps Mr. Timmons mentioned to me? That was quite some time ago. I would have thought all problems were resolved by this time."
The duchess frowned. "I do not know who has been giving you such a positive report, but Somerset Park is all you have left. Bartholomew sold the other estates, and the crofters were banished. Mr. Timmons took in as many as he could find a place for at Somerset. Without the gypsies' help in the fields, the additional tenants were welcomed, but some were left homeless."
John jumped up and paced the room. "I cannot believe this." He looked at his mother, feeling a deep sense of loss and regret. "Our people were thrown out? With nothing? How can this be? Who is the new landlord?"
"I, of course, was not privy to Bartholomew's arrangements. But they were not sent away with nothing. Mr. Timmons went to Raeburn, and the earl took in two families as tenants. The rest, he and Mr. Timmons arranged to send to another estate. They were given funds to tide them over."
John stopped in front of the fireplace and leaned against his hands. "I have failed our people. I should have come home. No wonder the earl is so anxious to marry Kitty to another. I am a failure as duke."
"Come now, John. You haven't been given much opportunity to act as duke. Do you really think you could have stopped your uncle from selling off the other estates?"
"Probably not. But there were those that promised Uncle would be taken care of, if I served my country. It looks more like I was kept away so Uncle could do as he pleased."
"Is that likely? Who made you such promises? It would have to be someone high in the government to halt your uncle's plans."
"Yes, it would."
The entire situation was further evidence that John had been trusting the wrong people. And if there was any way to reclaim his heritage from an unscrupulous buyer, he would.
"Do not concern yourself, Mother. I think I know exactly who is responsible. But Robert and I have instigated certain measures that will bring about an end to my career as a spy."