A Marquess for Christmas (21 page)

Violet
exited the room to go down and greet her guest.

When
she got to the top of the staircase, she paused. A beautiful woman in a black
fur cape and hat stood on the landing with Avery and Miriam. She had Kit’s full
lips and high cheekbones. But her eyes were the color of emeralds. The woman
could have been Miriam’s sister, though her carriage was distinctly different.

Beside
her was a lean, handsome blond man with a mustache. He held a top hat and cane
and looked as if he were dressed for an elegant dinner party.

“My
lady,” Avery interrupted. “Let me present Their Graces, the Duke and Duchess of
Havenhurst
.”

“What
a lovely home you have in
Welbury
Park, madam,” the
duke said with a half-bow.

“Where
is the Marquess of
Kittrick
? I want to see Daniel.”

“He
wi
—”

“—is
right here.” She could feel Kit’s presence behind her, but did not glance back
to look at him.

“You
look a mess,” the duchess said, walking over to him. “But you appear to be
fine. How were you injured? Why did you not write to me sooner? And how dare
you tell Freddy not to give me the letter?” The words spewed out of her so fast
that it took Violet a moment to absorb it all. “
I
am your sibling, not Freddy.”

“May
we have this discussion in the drawing room like civilized people rather than
on the staircase?” Kit walked past them all, leading the way.

She
could see it now. The tone of voice, the way he walked. She’d suspected he
might be an aristocrat, but she’d talked herself out of believing he could be
so far out of her class.

Violet
was the daughter of a well-to-do farmer. She’d married a man of some means,
though her two thousand a year would never be enough for someone of Kit’s
station.

As
the others followed Kit, Violet loitered behind, moving at a turtle’s pace.
Miriam smiled at her and squeezed her hand. The poor girl still had hope for a
happy ending.

She’d
certainly pegged him for nobility. However, her fanciful hopes of a fairy tale
were as unlikely as a cow jumping over the moon.

When
she stepped into the drawing room, the duke and duchess were sitting, though
the duke and Kit stood upon her entering the room. The man’s eyes were warm and
his smile friendly. Kit’s face looked as fierce as a storm at sea.

“Why
did you not send for me, Daniel?”

Daniel?
Was that Kit’s actual name? She tried to envision addressing him as such, but
it soured in her mouth. Kit was her errant knight, the lost soul who had
rescued her and made her feel alive again. Daniel was a selfish liar.

“I
am fine, Bella. I took a blow, but I am quite well, as you can see. There was
no need for you to come. Why trouble you and Freddy?”

The
duchess had no cape now. She wore a fine navy wool dress with a silk cravat. On
her finger was a sapphire as big as a grape. It glittered in the light, casting
a reflection on the wall.

“You
are here now and as you can see, I am fine. Freddy, I told you to leave her out
of this.”

The
blond man chuckled. “The letter slipped out of my coat and a footman brought it
in.”

“Do
not make him feel wronged. It was you who told him to lie.”

Even
his own sister thought him deceitful. “Bella,” he said, putting his hand on her
shoulder, “I merely intended to save you the trouble of coming out here. I
fully intended to be home on Christmas.”

Violet
watched the interplay between the two and felt entirely out of place. She felt
dwarfed by their commanding presence, almost a stranger in her own home.

“You
look fit for travel. Why not come home with us? We can leave on the morrow.
That is, if your acquaintance will be so kind as to invite us for the night.”

Acquaintance.
He’d gone from being her sensual captive to being her lover to being her lying
friend. Now he was her acquaintance.

Now
that the duchess had acknowledged that there was another person in the room and
given her leave to speak, Violet felt the full brunt of the woman’s stare.
Isabella’s hawk-like gaze eyed her up and down.

“You
are, of course, welcome to stay, Your Grace.”

Kit
frowned. “Bella, can you at least have the decency to greet our hostess
properly? We are not at home and you are here by the kindness and grace of Mrs.
Laurens.”

Bella
removed her gloves and stood. She offered her slender hand and Violet realized
how tall she was. They were standing on the same level now and while Violet was
considered statuesque for a woman, she was not nearly as tall as Isabella, who
was almost the same height as Daniel.

“Please
forgive my lack of etiquette, Mrs. Laurens. It is lovely to meet you.” She
smiled and Violet felt as if she were kissed by the sun. Kit called her an
angel, but surely that title should go to his sister. “Thank you for looking
after my brother.”

“It
was my pleasure, Your Grace.”

“Do
call me Isabella,” she said, taking her hand and leading her to the sofa.
Violet let Isabella sit her down. Again, she had the notion of being the guest
in her own house.

“Thank
you. You may call me Violet. I do hope you will enjoy your visit here. You are
welcome to stay to the weekend, if you please.”

“What
an enchanting name.” Bella gave Kit a hard stare. “I see now why you wished to
remain here.
Welbury
Park is full of beauty and
charm.”

Violet
remembered her manners. “You must be hungry from your journey. Shall I send for
a plate? I am certain there is meat and cheese remaining from this afternoon’s
luncheon, and I have tea, or, if you would like, port?”

“I
should love a glass of port if it would be no inconvenience,” the duke said.
His smile melted away whatever uncertainty she’d felt toward Kit’s relatives.
She decided the duke was amiable and fair and while he was not as stunning as
Daniel and Isabella, she felt a warmth that reminded of her of John.

“It
is no trouble at all. And how about you, Your Grace?”

“Isabella,”
the other woman said, patting her hand. “I should love some bread and cheese.”

“I
shall inform the cook straight away,” Violet said. She could easily have pulled
a bell to call the servants, but she needed to step away from her guests. They
were too overwhelming, and though Kit was quiet, she needed to get away from
him most of all.

Chapter Twelve

Kit
sat in a chair, keeping his distance from Bella. He’d forgotten how easily she
scratched under his skin with her shrill tongue. Though he was glad to have the
reunion over with, he knew he was not out of the woods until after Christmas,
when he could return home—or if Violet acquiesced, when he could return
here.

“She
is pretty,” Bella declared to no one in particular.

Kit
knew that tone. “The widow has been very kind.”

Bella
clasped her hands. “Oh, Violet is a widow?” She looked around the room and Kit
saw what she saw. The well-polished furniture and fresh wallpaper, the
immaculate mirror and plush Oriental rug. He glanced at the window that showed
a view of the estate outside, which covered at least 100 acres.

“Bella…”

“What?
I only remarked that she is a widow. That is a fact, is it not?”

Freddy
bit his lips, choking back a smile. Kit rolled his eyes. It was only a matter
of minutes before Bella started matchmaking again.

“She
seems amiable,” Freddy remarked. “Is she any good at cards? Perhaps we can play
a game of whist after dinner.”

“Violet
is good at everything,” Kit admitted. “She beat me at a game of hazard about
two weeks ago.” He couldn’t help but smile thinking of her cheating, though
she’d won even without it.

“Maybe
we should invite her back to Oakfield with us. Does she have family here? Do
you think she would come for Christmas?”

Perhaps
Bella was saving her best cards for later. No doubt she thought she could lull
him into a false sense of security. “She has a brother as I understand, but he
lives in the north.”

“Then
let us invite her, Freddy! It would be nice to have another woman in the house.
Particularly since Kit was adamant that I not invite Miss Hargrove.”

She
was warming up now.

“I
believe she is planning to host a party for her neighbors and a few of the
villagers.”

“It
is still a fortnight to Christmas, I think we could convince her.”

His
sister would torture him to death if he didn’t get it over with. He did not
want Bella prying into his relationship with Violet and potentially
embarrassing her. Especially not after he’d mucked things up and trampled on
her trust.

“I
know what you are about, B. The answer is no. I am not going to marry her.”

Bella
leaned forward, placing her hand on the arm of the sofa. “I said nothing of the
kind. I merely wanted to thank her for her kindness toward you. She’s a lovely
girl and this is a big house to live in all by herself. I’m sure she would
enjoy the company.”

He
could ask Bella to stay here for the holidays. Violet would no doubt allow it
because he could see she that was awed by Bella. Who wouldn’t be awed by a
powder keg waiting to explode? But Kit didn’t need his sister making things
worse for him. Though she would try to be helpful, in the end, she would ruin
things.

“Mrs.
Laurens is very independent, Bella. She does not thrive on parties, theater, and
opera.”

“That
is because she’s stuck here in the country! Maybe we could invite her to Town
in the spring. Though she’s not an heiress, she seems to be doing fairly well
for herself. I am sure there would be many gentlemen of our acquaintance who
would find her charming and agreeable.”

No
. He’d be beaten and bloody before
he’d let Bella play matchmaker and present Violet to her friends. Those
vultures would descend on Violet faster than moths to a flame.

“No.”

“What
do you mean?”

“You
will not invite her to London in the spring. Invite her for Yuletide if you
wish, but bloody hell, do not take her to Town so that she can be snatched up
by some degenerate earl looking for a country wife, or worse, a duke bent on
making her his mistress.”

“My,
you have an active imagination, Danny. I only intend to take her to the theater
and Vauxhall Gardens. Perhaps attend a few scientific lectures at one of my
society meetings.”

“And
where do you think those reprobates will be?”

This
time Freddy did laugh.

“You
always encourage him. Maybe you should adopt my side,” Bella said, turning to
pinch her husband.

“You
said she beat you at hazard.” Freddy circled his thumb over his cane. “Is she a
gambler by nature?”

What
was he getting at? “No. She is practical, efficient, and likes to win. She’s
not a gambler by nature. She is a strategist when need be.”

“Does
she know about your penchant for fist fighting?”

“What
does that have to do with anything?”

Bella
smiled, then patted Freddy’s hand.

“Yes,
she knows.”

“Did
she know you were a marquess?”

Usually
Freddy stayed out of these discussions. His questions alarmed Kit.

“No,
not until you showed up with no warning.”

Freddy
nodded. He was about to speak when the door opened and Violet returned. Her
seductive locks were now securely back in place and she wore a sheer white
fichu. She looked every bit the gentlewoman now. The seductive siren was gone.

Kit
wondered if Violet would forgive him. He tried to catch her eye, but she kept
her gaze on Freddy and Bella.

Over
the next few hours, Violet and Bella became fast friends. They went over the
swatches—which were still on the table—and picked out a red velvet
for Violet’s gown. Violet gave them a tour of the house and promised to let
Freddy ride her best stallion if the weather was suitable tomorrow.

By
the time dinner came, one would think that Freddy and Bella were old friends
visiting on holiday.

Kit
couldn’t help but frown. He wanted to be alone with her. He wanted to hear her
laugh at his jokes. But now she laughed with Freddy and Bella. Her every smile
was for the duke and duchess and Kit could be damned.

From
across the table, he watched her. She wore a lavender gown that had a split
down the front to reveal a crème colored silk petticoat. She dazzled like the
diamond and amethyst earrings that dangled beneath her ears. Her hair was
curled and styled with a silver comb. The only thing that disappointed him was
that her bodice was not cut low enough.

Kit
could not help but stare. Though Violet had dressed for dinner before, most of
their time together had been spent with him recuperating in bed, so she only
wore her finer dresses if the doctor or some other guest came to visit.
Tonight, she looked every bit the lady. While she was not as bejeweled as
Bella, Violet could easily have walked into the drawing rooms and ballrooms of
London.

If
he closed his eyes, he could imagine them at
Almacks
,
where she would have her dance card full, and he’d have to scare away the rakes
and dandies.

As
if reading his thoughts, his sister said, “You really must come with us to
London for the Season. We will go to my
modiste
and I will have a fabulous wardrobe made for you! I
think we should get matching emerald gowns. Wouldn’t that be sensational?
Everyone will think we are twins! We will of course go to Woods and pick up new
boots and I’ll take you to Bond Street and Pall Mall.” Her eyes lit up as she
babbled on. “The boys can go to their club while we visit the Royal Academy and
the Gallery. Then of course, we’ll go to Vauxhall Gardens and the Opera. And you
have to meet the Duchess of Wilmington. She will get us into all of the best
soirees and clubs in town.”