A Taste of Honey (30 page)

“My mother has always been terrified about our family's finances.  She says that were my father ever to die we would all be thrown out and left penniless.  The whole reason that she worked so hard to get your mother to bring us to London is that she wanted me to marry a rich titled man with enough influence that I could take care of my family if anything should ever happen to my father.  Before we left, she threatened to disown me if I came back without a titled husband.”

Winnie didn't seem to be as upset or worried as Katherine had expected.  “Yes but mother's always say things that they don't
really mean.  I'm sure that your
mother wouldn't disown you.  Would she?”

Katherine nodded her head sadly and Winnie lost all traces of humor.

“Oh dear,” she exclaimed lightly.  “And did she ask the same of your sister?”

Katherine shook her head derisively.  “Do you think that Robin would have listened if she had asked that of her?”

“No, I supposed she wouldn't have,” Winnie admitted.  “Your sister seems to thrive off of doing what everyone else tells her not to.”

“So before we left I made the promise to her that I would only marry someone with a title, which is why I went after Kent so enthusiastically.  That is why I've had to push your brother away because I know that if I don't, I'll never see my mother again.  I owe it to her to make her proud.”

Winnie sat thinking about how she would feel if she had to break a promise like that to her mother.  Yet it was impossible to imagine because she knew that her mother never would have asked her to promise such a thing, knowing how it could affect her daughter's future happiness.  “Your mother was wrong when she asked you to do something like that,” Winnie stated baldly after they had sat for a moment in silence.  “I don't believe that any mother should direct her daughter's life simply for her own comfort.  And yes, it's true that Garrett does not have the kind of influence that someone like Kent possesses however I know that he would take care of any member of your family that you asked him to.  Also we have close enough friends that were he to die an early death like your mother fears of your father, you would be taken care of.  Life is not only decided by who you marry but who your friends are.  So you see; your mother's logic is too flawed to believe.  If she wants to throw you out because you choose to marry a man that you love over someone that you can hardly stand, then maybe it would be best for you if she were to walk out of your life.”

Katherine had never been able to think of things in that light.  It seemed almost blasphemous.

“What really matters is building strong friendships with those that you want to be around.  They are the kind of people who will always be there for each other, no matter what kind of decisions they make in life.”

Winnie sat closer to Katherine almost hugging her as she admitted what Katherine had already begun to believe.  “If you married Garrett and something did happen, I would never let you be abandoned.  I would take you into my house before I'd let you or your children be impoverished.  That's what sisters are for,” she added softly, bringing tears to both of their eyes.

Gathering her friend tightly into her arms Katherine hugged her until the emotion in her throat dislodged enough that she could speak.  “Thank you,” she whispered.  She felt the burden of responsibility lift from her shoulders knowing that Winnie spoke the truth.  Those who really loved each other would not stop loving simply because they did not meet someone else's high standards of what should be done.  Love wasn't logical.

Winnie squeezed her tightly back.  “Your mother was wrong to have asked you to promise such a thing.  She was allowed to marry whoever she wanted to and she shouldn't have asked her daughter to do anything less.”

Katherine nodded her head as she continued to hold her.  At times Winnie seemed so much older and wiser than Katherine would have ever thought when they had first met almost a month ago.  There was a mature woman who lurked inside of her bubbly friend and Katherine knew how lucky she was to have made such a close friend and ally.

As to her own maturity, she realized that what had made her a good little girl was not exactly what made for a great woman.  It was not about whose rules she listened to and how faithful she was to others.  Becoming a woman meant being able to follow one's heart instead of the dreams of another.  What Katherine needed was the strength and courage to cho
o
se what would make her happy instead of worrying about if it would make others unhappy.

After a few more moments Winnie released Katherine and handed her a new handkerchief.  “If you still don't know what to do, then I'm not sure how else to help you.  I just hope that you can be happy with whatever decision you make.  I will be your friend no matter what you choose.”

“Don't worry,” Katherine said as she wiped the tears off of her face, more determined than she had ever felt before.  “I know what to do.”

Walking down the two flights of stairs that led to the back garden, Katherine was cautious to look around her and make sure that no one saw her flight from the main house.  She knew that she shouldn't have worried about being caught.  The dance had ended over an hour ago.  Almost everyone was asleep and the house was silent.  Yet, she wandered cautiously along the pathway, in case she was not the only one out for a late night rendezvous.

The large building before her loomed closer and Katherine realized with a tinge of fear that she wasn't exactly sure where to find Garrett in the bachelor's house.  Women were never supposed to enter the building.  Especially single, unmarried women and for all Katherine knew there might even be a sentry, sent to guard the doors against female intruders.  She opened the large door cautiously, waiting for someone to jump out and yell at her for having violated some rule.  Easing the door wider, Katherine stepped inside the darkly lit hallway.  A quick glance around the place found that there was only a quiet empty hall.  She slipped inside and carefully closed the door behind her.

The bachelor's residence was set up to be a similar, smaller version of the main house.  It even included a small library on one side of the entrance and a parlor on the other.  Instead of the usual delicate furniture that ladies preferred to sit in, each of the rooms contained large sturdy leather chairs that smelled strongly of tobacco.  Katherine tiptoed past the library as quietly as she could when she realized that there was a light on in the room and someone lurked within.  Her slippered toes touch one of the boards and it creaked loudly.

“Who's there?” a drunken voice from within called out.  “There's plenty of brandy if that's what you came for.”  The man rose from his chair and came to lean against the edge of the door to discover who else was up at such a late hour.

Kent's eyes narrowed as he looked Katherine over.  Clad in her long purple robe, with a guilty splash of color across her cheek, there was little question as to what she was doing in the bachelor's residence at such a late hour.  “You aren’t coming here for me, now are you?” he asked, already knowing her answer.

Katherine blushed as she tried to look him in the eye.  “No Kent, I wasn't coming here for you.”  She wanted to say something kind to him but nothing seemed quite right for the situation and she stood there, awkwardly silent.

Kent ran his hand along the bristle of his night beard before swinging another drink from his glass of brandy.  Katherine was quite sure that he was what her father referred to as stinking drunk.  The smell of brandy filled the room and his eyes seemed unable to focus, his feet were not quite able to hold him up properly.

“How much have you been drinking?” she asked as she reached out to steady him.

“Not enough,” he told her as he jumped back to avoid her touch.  Turning back into the room he went to refill his empty glass.  “So Garrett gets to win this time, huh?  Lucky bastard,” he whispered over his shoulder as he looked her over a little too thoroughly to be considered polite.  “I kind of liked you,” he admitted before taking another sip from his drink.  “You are a much better woman than Amelia ever was.  You'll make a better wife too I'm sure.”

“Kent I should go now,” Katherine said, starting to back away from the room but unsure whether or not he should be left in such a condition.

“I didn't even really try to win that one from him, there was no point.  I didn't want her and she didn't want me.  But you?  You were worth keeping,” he said and fell into the chair with his back to her.  Katherine assumed that he had passed out and started to walk away when the same board creaked beneath her toes.

“He's upstairs, second room on the left,” Kent laughed mirthlessly.  “I'm sure he'll be happy to see you.”

Katherine hurried towards the stairs at the back of the hall and up to the second floor, counting the doors until she stood right outside of Garrett's.  Do it, she told herself as her hand shook while trying to grasp the handle to turn it.  The hour was late and she was uncontrollably nervous.  She considered waiting until tomorrow, but her instincts told her that now was the moment.  She knew that following her wild impulses had brought her to Garrett in the first place, something that she could never regret having done.  Had she only listened to common sense, she never would have kissed him; she might never have even met him.  Quietly turning the handle Katherine slipped inside the darkened room.

Garrett heard the soft click of the door, but remained still in his bed, waiting.  He had told himself that his plan would work, that he just had to wait it out and Katherine would eventually come to him.  However, he had not expected her to come this soon.  He tried to decide whether or not to let her know that he was awake and quickly decided against it.  He wondered what she would do, knowing that only under a veil of darkness and secrecy would Katherine let herself be bold.  Garrett opened his eyes until they were but mere slits that he could look through to watch Katherine's actions, without her knowing that he was wide awake.

She was terribly nervous, inching closer to him, before turning back to look at the door as she considered leaving again.  Garrett knew that he should tell her that he was awake, that there was no way in hell he was letting her leave the room, now that she had entered it.  Yet he refused to do so.  He wanted her to make this final choice on her own.  She needed to allow herself the chance to take what she wanted, without worrying about everyone else and what they might think of her.

Katherine crept closer into view as the moonlight spilled along her face, neck and the long purple robe that had filled so many of his dreams.  Garrett throbbed with the need to know what lay beyond that walking cape.  Had she already prepared for bed before deciding to see him?  Was she still wearing the same dress that she had worn a few hours ago when he had nearly lost control and taken her there on the soft mossy ground?

Creeping closer, Katherine stood above him, looking down on his sleeping face and her hand shook as she reached out, touching his lips softly.  Garrett looked so different when he slept, his features softer, more relaxed.  She touched the light prickle of hair along his cheek as she pressed a soft kiss on his lips and felt no response back.  She wondered how hard it would be to wake him and she almost shook him when she noticed his bared shoulders protruding from the blanket and realized that beneath the sheet, he had no shirt on.

She had felt the muscles of his chest an
d back
through his shirt during some of their stolen moments, but not even in her wildest fantasies had she tried to imagine him fully naked.  Waving her hand in front of his face to make sure that he was still asleep, Katherine grasped the edge of the covers and carefully pulled them back, revealing every inch of his torso and chest.  He was tanner than she would have expected and the tufts of blond hair on his chest drew her attention to his tight nipples.  From there the hair led down into a trail that stopped at the edge of the pulled back sheets.  Katherine's gaze was locked, watching the slow movements of his stomach as he breathed in and out.  She remembered the hardness below that she had felt early that night and felt herself blushing.

Realizing that it was too much for her to get accustomed to at once, she dropped the sheet so that he was only uncovered to his abdomen and she returned her attention to focusing on what she had already uncovered.  Lightly Katherine traced one finger along the muscles on his chest and abdomen.  Her eyes were drawn to the small nipples and she wondered if they were as sensitive as hers.  Touching one of the swollen tips she licked her lips, wondering if she dared to kiss him there and what Garrett would think of her if he were to wake up half naked, with a woman licking his chest.  Deciding that it was worth the risk, she bent down to run her fingers through the small mat of hair surrounding the area as her lips descended on the tiny peak.

Garrett's arms came up to form a strong brace around her, stopping her movements before flinging her onto the bed and rolling on top of her.  “That's enough time toying with me Kat,” he growled before his lips descended on hers and he drove his tongue deep within her mouth, tasting the sweet flavors and once again the slightest taste of honey.

For a moment Katherine considered pointing out how unfair it was that he had been awake at least part of the time that she had been in the room.  That he had watched her playing with him and staring at his body.  When his lips touched the edge of her cheek it suddenly became very difficult for her to talk or even think as she tried to reprimand him.  “How long have you been awake?” she managed to ask as his lips moved to her neck.  His hand started to unbutton her long cloak that draped over her entire body, shielding her from feeling his bared chest.