‘Lud, child, there’s no need to apologise!’ Alicia shrugged philosophically.
To be sure, she had been disappointed by Kitty’s early exit, but otherwise the party had been successful.
‘Thank you for your forbearance. I just hope other people will be so understanding,’ Kate murmured.
‘You are a very popular girl, Kitty, and, at the risk of sounding vulgar, a rich heiress can be forgiven almost any eccentricity.’ Alicia gave her a complacent smile.
Delighted that her benefactress was not miffed with her, which she had feared might prove the case, Kate gladly jettisoned her burden of guilt and sat down.
Alicia began to rattle on about who said what and who danced with whom at the party.
‘By the by, Mr Sullivan said he’d call on us this morning to see how you did,’ she announced. She gave Kate a shrewd look. ‘I fancy he wishes to mend bridges, but I know you hold him in dislike.’
Kate acknowledged it. ‘I want as little as possible to do with him,’ she said firmly.
‘I understand your sentiments, my love, but I must own I was pleasantly surprised by how he has turned out,’ Alicia confessed. ‘Gerald brought him over here on a visit some ten or eleven years ago and I thought him a very spoilt child. All I had heard of him since seemed to indicate he had gone on to become an extremely wild young man. However, last night I could not fault his behaviour. He offered me a very pretty apology for turning up without warning and even volunteered to leave, saying he didn’t wish to intrude on my party.’
Kate snorted, barely managing to change it into a cough as Alicia turned surprised eyes upon her.
‘I can see from your expression that you think me easily pleased, Kitty. But I can assure you he made a good impression upon everyone. Several people remarked upon his charming manners, including the Leghs and the Egertons. Indeed, I overheard Tom asking him if he wished to attend a cockfight this evening.’
Kate shrugged. ‘I do not deny Mr Sullivan has charm, ma’am,’ she said. ‘However, having experienced the other side of his nature, I have no wish to further the acquaintance.’
‘You didn’t used to like Lord Redesmere,’ Alicia pointed out mildly. ‘But you seem to have changed your mind about his character.’
A tide of colour stained the translucent skin which stretched over Kate’s high cheekbones. ‘I was wrong,’ she agreed in a cool little voice.
‘Oh dear, I didn’t mean to offend you, Kitty!’ Lady Edgeworth fluttered her carefully pampered hands in agitation. ‘You do like Randal, don’t you?’
Unable to deny it, Kate nodded silently.
‘It is very obvious he likes you. Everyone was talking of his partiality last night.’ Alicia smoothed her skirts. ‘In fact, Lady Massey asked me when the engagement was to be announced.’
Horrified, Kate stared at her.
‘Now don’t be flying into a pet!’ her ladyship advised soothingly. ‘You may be sure that I was discreet, but you cannot blame people for speculating when you both appear to get on so well. You are always laughing together and he has a habit of looking at you as if you were a banquet and he a starving man!’
A reluctant laugh escaped Kate’s compressed lips.
‘I’ve heard that they are laying bets on a wedding before the summer is out,’ Lady Edgeworth added in a low whisper.
Kate took a deep breath. Damn the gossips!
‘I value Randal’s friendship,’ she said tightly. ‘But I must repeat that I have no desire for marriage as I hope you will make clear, ma’am, to anyone who has the temerity to ask about my intentions!’
‘I shall do my best,’ Alicia promised, but her expression revealed that she didn’t think her denials would be believed.
A knock at the door interrupted them and Kate forced down her anger as the footman came in, carrying a silver salver.
She hadn’t realised that her friendship with Randal had become fuel for loose tongues. It wasn’t surprising, she supposed. He was a very eligible bachelor and Kitty’s money would always attract attention.
But how was Randal going to feel if everyone started whispering that he’d been jilted once she disappeared back to her real life?
Lady Edgeworth held up the visiting card which George had brought in. ‘Mr Sullivan is here,’ she announced. ‘Shall we receive him?’
Kate abruptly abandoned her painful speculations and consented with an appearance of calm that belied her racing pulse.
Lady Edgeworth nodded to George and a moment later Kate’s
bete noire
was ushered into the room.
He was looking very dashing in a smart tan coat and biscuit-coloured pantaloons and a charming smile lit his narrow face as he bent over Lady Edgeworth’s hand in greeting.
‘Good day to you, Lady Alicia. A lovely fresh morning, is it not?’
He turned to Kate and bowed once more. ‘Cousin Kitty. I hope you are feeling better today.’
‘I am, thank you.’ Kate inclined her head in acknowledgement, but did not hold out her hand to him.
Annoyance flickered in his grey eyes at the deliberate snub.
Kate didn’t care. The idea of him touching her revolted her. Besides, flattery wouldn’t work. He would remain her enemy whether she cajoled him or not.
Alicia invited him to be seated and instructed George, who hovered expectantly awaiting further orders, to bring them refreshments.
‘Tell me, Mr Sullivan, do you find Chester much changed? It is many years since your last visit, if I’m not much mistaken.’ Alicia launched into a stream of small talk, which left Kate free to examine her supposed cousin more closely.
In full daylight his resemblance to her late husband was less marked. They possessed similar colouring and the same lean frame, but Sean’s features were harsher and already marked with evidence of dissipation. The dark circles under his eyes and those tiny broken veins marring his pale skin had been veiled by candlelight. Morning sunshine was less kind.
Too much booze and high living, Kate concluded. She’d met his type often enough, spoilt young men who made a drunken nuisance of themselves shouting and carrying-on during a performance. If he didn’t break his neck trying to lead the hunting field or win some crazy wager, his good looks would be gone before he reached his thirtieth birthday!
Becoming aware of her gaze upon him, Sean stared back at Kate and his mouth curled into a satisfied little smile.
He thinks he can charm me, Kate realised indignantly.
The impudence of the man! Heaven knows what he was up to, but did he really think she was would be so stupid as to trust him?
‘I’m putting up at the Feathers, in Bridge Street,’ Sean informed them when his hostess paused for breath. ‘A tolerable kind of place, but I’m not a great one for inns. No home comforts, you see, and it’s so difficult to get a good night’s sleep.’
Kate exchanged a swift glance with Lady Edgeworth, who gave a tiny shake of her elaborately curled head.
Reassured, Kate was able dismiss her fear that Alicia might take up his broad hint.
‘I dare say you feel the same way, Kitty, since I find you lodging with her ladyship.’ If he was disappointed not to be invited to stay in Abbey Square, Sean took care to hide it behind a jovial chuckle.
Kate nodded coolly. ‘I prefer to stay with
friends
,’ she replied, laying a delicate emphasis on her final word.
‘Kitty has made lots of new friends here in Chester,’ Alicia broke in quickly. ‘We have been inundated with invitations since her arrival.’
‘I’m sure she’s a
succes fou
and not just because of Grandfather Nixon’s money.’ He gave Kate one of his charming smiles, but Kate’s keen ears detected a note of bitterness behind the compliment.
Kitty had told her that, thanks to their massive debts, there was no money to fulfil Sean’s desire to cut a dash in London. Even the pleasures of Dublin, which lay a few miles or so to the east of Ballyhad House, were beyond his purse, although apparently Sean didn’t let that deter him from making frequent visits there.
He must think my success could have been his if only the Nabob had left the money to them instead of me. No wonder he resents me. Or rather, he resents Kitty!
Aware that her thoughts were becoming dangerously convoluted, Kate forced herself to pay attention to what Sean was saying.
‘I hope you can allocate some time for me in your busy social round, Kitty,’ he was continuing in the same pleasant tone. ‘One of the reasons I called today was to ask you if you would care to have supper with me one evening soon.’
‘My evenings are very full at the moment, I’m afraid,’ Kate replied blandly.
‘Surely you can spare me an hour or two?’ Sean adjusted the set of his striped brocade waistcoat, tugging it down a fraction. ‘I know we got off to a unfavourable start, cousin, but, truly, I should like the opportunity to prove I’m not such a bad fellow.’
Kate shrugged lightly, ignoring the look of appeal in Alicia’s eyes. ‘I do not wish to break prior engagements, sir,’ she said sweetly.
The arrival of their refreshments provided a welcome diversion and, to Lady Edgeworth’s relief, her goddaughter discarded her provoking behaviour in favour of consuming one of Mrs Hibbert’s excellent little drop cakes.
‘Will you take another glass of Madeira, sir?’ she asked politely, noting her guest had already finished his wine.
Sean accepted, holding his glass out to be refilled with an imperfectly concealed eagerness that confirmed Kate’s earlier guess that he might be a toper.
He was just finishing this second glass when George announced the arrival of another visitor.
‘Lord Redesmere! Do come in and join us,’ Alicia invited.
Randal strolled into the room, his tall elegant figure drawing Kate’s gaze like a magnet.
When all the polite formalities were over and he was comfortably settled with a glass of wine Alicia asked him if he had come to see how Kitty did.
‘That was my intention, ma’am, but I see there is no need for me to ask.’ He directed one of his lazy smiles in Kate’s direction. ‘You exceed even your usual good looks this morning, Cousin Kitty.’
Kate coloured slightly as she laughed and thanked him for his compliment. It was lovely to hear him sing her praises, even though she didn’t deserve his admiration.
Impulsively, she got up and changed her seat so that she could engage him in a private conversation, leaving Alicia to entertain Sean.
‘I had hoped we might go and see Mr Hilton today,’ she murmured, keeping her voice low so that the others couldn’t hear. ‘Now you have your proof of identification.’
Randal was very well aware it. He had lain awake half the night pondering its implications.
‘I should be happy to oblige,’ he answered quietly. ‘However, Hilton has gone out of town. He won’t be back until next week and I want to consult him before we sign the documents.’
Kate’s face fell.
‘Are you in such a hurry to get the business over and go back to America?’
Every instinct longed to scream denial, but Kate managed to summon a carefree smile. ‘I certainly don’t want to miss Emma’s costume ball,’ she replied lightly, evading the question.
Randal decided not to press her for an answer. He sensed that her earlier determination to leave Chester had weakened, but she obviously didn’t care to admit it.
Randal wondered if he were a coxcomb to hope he was the attraction which made her want to stay. Her sentiments towards him had certainly changed, just as his own had. Their initial hostility was only a memory now, but how deep did her attraction go?
Uncertain of his own feelings, Randal felt as if he were floundering in a mass of newly discovered thoughts and emotions. Nothing in his previous experience provided a guide to help him find the right path now. Even his instincts, which he had always been able to rely upon, seemed to be letting him down. He could have sworn that she was an adventuress and yet Sullivan had vouched for her.
Last night he had returned to Godwin’s house flown with elation. This morning, however, his doubts had come rushing back as he contemplated the idea of giving up his carefree bachelor existence. He was thirty-six years old and set in his ways with a string of meaningless liaisons behind him. What did he know of love?
How, in God’s name, did any man know when it was real enough to last a lifetime?
‘My costume is all ready and I hope to create a stir!’ Kate noticed the lack of focus in his gaze and wondered where his thoughts were drifting.
‘Am I to be permitted to know what character you mean to come as?’ Recovering from his fit of abstraction, Randal put the question to her with a slight smile.
Kate shook her head. ‘It is a secret. I want to surprise you.’
Randal decided against probing further. She was sure to look lovely even if she came as a beggar-maid, but he was rather hoping she might choose to be a nymph and wear a scantily revealing costume!
‘Actually, there’s another matter upon which I would like your opinion,’ he announced, hastily curbing his unruly imagination. ‘Shall I invite Sullivan to the ball?’
Kate lifted her thin brows delicately at him. ‘I would never presume to dictate your guests, my lord.’
Randal’s smile grew broader. The little baggage plainly detested the fellow! ‘Can’t say I care much for him either,’ he confided softly. ‘All the same, I think I had better do the pretty or tongues will wag.’
‘I thought you didn’t care what the gossips said,’ Kate remarked, her heart thumping painfully against her ribs at this reminder of the power of scandalmongers.
‘I don’t as a rule, but as I mentioned to you once before, little cousin, my sisters do.’
‘Do you always bow to your sisters’ wishes?’ Kate asked provocatively.
‘I find it saves tedious argument to always agree with women,’ he nodded with mock solemnity.
‘Fie, sir! I don’t believe a word of it!’ Kate wanted to whoop with mirth at the idea of him living under the cat’s foot. ‘You often disagree with me!’
‘Ah, but you are a very special woman, Katharine.’
The warmth of his smile brought a blush to her cheeks.
‘What nonsense you do talk, my lord!’ she alleged hastily, conscious that the Irishman was straining his ears to discover what they were laughing at. ‘I dare say that when your mind is set upon something you don’t give a fig for accommodating your sisters.’