Kitty: Bride of Hawaii (American Mail-Order Bride 50) (9 page)

Her eyes darted to his. “Why would you do that? Lie for me?”

His mouth firmed as he took her hand. “Because I want to protect you. He wasn’t telling me everything, and it didn’t make sense that you’d hide from your family. I don’t know much about your past, but from what I do know, your parents cared for you. Something didn’t add up.”

She whimpered, pulling her hand from his as she jerked to stand.

He slowly ascended but didn’t move toward her. “Who was that person? What aren’t you telling me?”

“Nothing!” She turned wildly to him. “Everything I’ve told you is the truth. I haven’t lied to you.”

“I never thought you had,” he said soothingly. “But I’m guessing there are things you haven’t told me.”

“I can’t do this. I have to leave.”

She moved to push past him, but he caught her arm, refusing to let her pass. “What are you hiding?”

She hated herself for the tears that flooded her eyes. Shaking her head, she averted her face from his searching gaze.

For once, just once in her life, she’d thought she found the place she was meant to be. She had a great job, a home of her own. She was independent, safe.

Despair settled in her. Because, for the first time, she realized Frederick would never stop hunting her. He would never leave her alone, never let her live her life.

She tried to keep from looking at Warren when he pulled at her chin, forcing her to face him, but failed.

“Kitty…”

His anguished voice cut through her final thread of control. She sobbed once, then twice before all the pain, anguish, and fear she’d held within her since her father’s death purged.

He enfolded her in his arms, running his hands up and down her back as the storm raged. No matter how much she wanted to rein it in again, to gather her control, she couldn’t. She’d gone too long without human contact, without another person to lean on.

It was all about survival. About continuing on, running from one place to another to remain alive.

She hadn’t lived.

She’d left everyone she’d known, everything she cared about, hiding in filthy, poor areas where despair was the main meal of each day. That’s what she’d become. That’s how she’d survived.

And it was what she’d do again.

She clutched at his coat, her tears testifying to the unfairness of it all, to the anguish in her heart.

She’d never be free from it.

“It’s all right. I’m here for you, Kitty.”

Warren’s words cut through some of the grief, stabilizing her. But they weren’t enough. Nothing would ever be enough.

Her breath hitched as she breathed deeply, attempting to stem her tears. “You can’t protect me from this. No one can.”

He tilted her tear-swollen face toward his. “I can’t if you won’t trust me.”

She squeezed her eyes tight. If only it were that easy. If only she could dump everything at his feet and have him take care of it all, let him worry about it, taking some of the burden away from her for once. But no one could do that. No one could make it right. Her half-brother was too powerful. Nothing proved that to her more than him finding her here so quickly. His reach was too vast.

“It isn’t a matter of trust. There’s nothing anyone can do.”

Spent, she sagged against him, wadding up her shredded strength once again. She could do this. She had to. Running was the only option, even if she didn’t know how it would work out.

Perhaps Warren could help her. He might have connections to place her in another position. Or, if not, the wages she’d earned could take her to a different location. That, in and of itself, was helpful.

“You’re right.” He nodded, drawing her gaze back to his. “I can’t do anything if I don’t know what’s wrong. Trust in me, Kitty. Let me help you.”

Held in his arms, secure, warm, safe, she started to believe. It was an illusion, but for a moment, she let herself burrow in that safety net.

She loved him. And the worst part of having to run again would be to leave him, to never see him again. The ache cut into her heart.

He pulled her to the couch, settling her across his lap.

“Warren, I don’t think—”

“Hush. No one will come in here. Just let me hold you for a minute.”

Her heart swelled. If this was all she would have of him, what would it matter? Even if someone walked into the room, and this one moment tarnished her reputation, did it matter? She’d never have an advantageous marriage. She’d be lucky to marry at all.

No. If this was all she’d have of Warren. She’d take it with both hands.

Sensing her weakness, he tucked her head against his neck, holding her arms as he soothed her with quiet words and soft hands.

Lulled by his warmth, by the comfort he offered, her body relaxed. Her heart softened.

“Why don’t you start from the beginning?” he whispered.

She inhaled a shaky breath. Why not? She’d only ever told her roommates about her circumstances. And while they were dear to her, Warren meant so much more. And if she could leave after being honest with him—completely and totally honest—she’d have no regrets. He’d finally understand why they couldn’t be together, why she’d resisted the pull between them.

“My mother was a maid in my father’s house. My father and his wife had been married five years already, and my half-brother had just been born when she came to work for them.”

His hands stilled for a moment before continuing their soothing caress. “You’re illegitimate.” It was a statement, not a question. One filled with understanding instead of contempt.

“Yes.”

“Go on.”

He wasn’t demanding in his request, and his easy acceptance of her birth made her relax into her past.

“She worked in his home for a short time before they became involved. Needless to say, I was the result of their affair. My mother loved me, but once I was born, she agreed to allow my father to care and provide for me, as she felt she could never give me what he could.”

She was grateful to her mother every day for her sacrifice. While she would have been happy with her mother, her father had given her an education, freeing her from the mercy of others.

“And his wife? Did you live with them?”

She fingered a button on Warren’s coat. “Oh, she was furious, of course. My father couldn’t hide his affair. Well, I suppose he could have shipped my mother and me away, never seeing us again, but he didn’t want that. He wanted to be a part of my life. I was placed in a separate household with a nanny and small staff.”

“He sounds like an honorable man. To take care of a child, especially under the circumstances, takes character.”

Her heart ached. “He was. Papa always did the right thing.”

“Was?”

“He passed away six months ago.” Kitty fell silent a moment, reliving everything she’d felt during his passing and since then. “I was devastated, of course. He’d been the only person in my life other than my friends at school. I’d finished my schooling, but remained as a teacher there to gain experience before moving forward to a new position. I thought it best.”

“Then what happened? After your father died, you obviously left the school. Why?”

“I had to.” She shivered at her memories. “Someone broke in one night shortly after I heard of my father’s passing. He tried to kill me.”

Warren squeezed her to him.

“A sound woke me up. I don’t know if it was the intruder or something else. I jumped out of bed, screaming for help as his knife shredded my bedding. He got away before anyone could help.”

“Was it a random attacker? A robbery gone wrong?” His voice was level, calm, helping her control her own emotions.

Her thumb continued to run circles around his coat button. “Nothing was missing. From what the authorities could tell, he’d been sent for me, for some reason.”

“But you didn’t know why?”

She shook her head, her cheek brushing against the fine weave of his coat. “No. Not then, anyway. The headmistress thought it was best I leave, for my own safety and for the girls in the school. I agreed. I packed my things and stayed in a lower-end hotel in New York City, where I’d been at school and where my father lived. I didn’t have much money, but I had some saved some of my pin money and salary. Also, the headmistress smuggled money in my case without me knowing. She knew I’d never accept it from her. But it kept me going throughout the next few weeks.”

She shifted away from him, steady enough to stand on her own, but he didn’t release his hold on her.

Staring into his chocolate eyes, she didn’t see any of the condemnation she thought would be there. Only kindness, reassurance, and interest.

“What happened next?”

She breathed deeply. “I didn’t know who’d sent the man after me. Honestly, I couldn’t imagine who would do such a thing. It didn’t take long to find out. Another man attacked me outside the hotel, forcing me into an alley. If a stranger hadn’t come to my rescue, I wouldn’t be alive.”

Warren swore.

Kitty patted his hand, hoping to soothe him as he had her. “I struggled during the attack, frustrating my assailant enough to have him mutter, ‘Mr. Craven better pay me extra for this.’”

“Who is Mr. Craven?”

Her eyes moved to his. “Frederick Craven is my brother.”

W
arren had remained
impassive while Kitty divulged her past. But this one appalling, unmistakable truth left him flabbergasted. “Your own brother tried to kill you?”

“Well, half-brother. But yes.”

“Why would he do something like that?”

“I don’t know. After that, I ran as far as money would take me. I ended up in Massachusetts working in a clothing factory. I stayed with three women, two of which worked there, and labored six days a week. But as you can imagine, factory wages are a pittance compared to what I was paid at the school. I was lucky I had such a nice place to stay. The only other option was a boarding house.”

Warren gritted his teeth. To hear what she’d been though in the last six months, all she’d suffered, left him raw. He didn’t have the best family either. His mother, frankly, left much to be desired and was often selfish. But at least she’d never tried to kill him.

“Has your relationship with your brother always been difficult?”

Her brows crinkled. “Not really, no. I think that’s why it surprised me so much. We weren’t good friends, mind you, but he’d always been civil. Kind, even.”

If that were true, what happened to bring around such a reversal? Why turn against her? Had he pretended to care for her all those years because of his father?

In Hawaii, he couldn’t say that illegitimate children were desired. Fidelity was always in style, and anything otherwise was looked down upon, but there wasn’t the same sort of rigid adherence to such things as the East. Could her brother be embarrassed by such a connection? Was that enough to drive him to eliminate her?

It was crazy to even contemplate such a thing. If Warren had a sister, regardless of which side of the blanket they’d come from, he’d protect her, provide for her. Love her. But he realized not everyone would.

“Why did you leave Massachusetts? Did he find you again?”

She smoothed the lapel of his coat, stirring him. “I don’t think so. There was a fire in the warehouse. Someone threw fireballs through the windows. At first, I thought it was him, that he’d found me again, but I soon found that it wasn’t. However, the factory was done in, and there wasn’t enough work in the town to assimilate everyone. I considered going back and hiding in the city, but then Roberta, the woman running the factory, told us about a mail-order bride service and that there were enough positions for each unmarried woman if we chose to go. So I did.”

“And you picked Hawaii.”

She nodded slowly. “It was the farthest away. I assumed Frederick would never find me here. Or, even if he did, I would be so far away it wouldn’t matter. Either he’d forget about me or have trouble reaching me.”

“But now…” Warren cursed, thinking of the man who’d stopped by earlier that day. He’d known something wasn’t right about him. He’d been slimy, dirty. Murder would be right up his alley.

She swallowed. “Yes. But now he’s found me.”

Warren wanted to deny it, to suggest that there might be some other reason the man hunted her. But he couldn’t. Frederick Craven had indeed found her.

She sniffled. “I wanted to stay, Warren. I really did.”

He gathered her up in his arms again, pulling her close, but he kept his eyes level with hers. “You still can.”

She shook her head hard. “You know I can’t. After what I just told you, you know he’ll be back. Frederick won’t stop looking for me. My only choice is to run. If I stay, I endanger everyone around me. Someone could get hurt. Something could happen to the plantation. He’s capable of anything.”

Warren didn’t comment for a moment. Instead, he studied her face—the piercing green eyes, the slight upturn of her nose, the high cheekbones, and plump lips. Lips he wanted to kiss more than anything else. Eyes he wanted to stare into until he unlocked all of her secrets.

He didn’t know why he was drawn to her, what kind of pull she had over him, but he knew he couldn’t let her go. “There’s another choice.”

“What?”

“Marry me.”

She pushed against his chest, but he held firm. “Marry me, Kitty. I can protect you from this, from him. He wouldn’t dare harm my wife. You wouldn’t be an illegitimate woman on the run any longer. You’d have a home, family, a husband. You’d be protected here.”

She struggled again before throwing her arms up. “You know why I can’t, Warren. You just said it yourself. I’m an illegitimate woman with no family, friends, or fortune. I’m inferior to you in every way.”

“No, you aren’t.”

She scoffed. “Every way that matters in society’s eyes.”

“Why does any of that matter? I don’t care.”

“I care.”

His jaw clenched. “And that’s what’s keeping us apart? Your pride?”

“I’d never fit in with society here. They wouldn’t accept me.”

“Were you not here today? From the looks of things, you won everyone over. I heard an old biddy who hates every party she attends say what a fantastic time she had. You’re educated, brilliant, witty, and graceful. In every way that matters, you fit in here. You fit with me.”

Warren refused to release her. He meant every word. Kitty did belong here. She fit in society, and even more, she fit him.

“Warren—”

“Damn it, Kitty. You can’t deny this.” He gripped her arms as her eyes widened. “You can’t deny what’s between us.”

She looked away. “There’s nothing between us. There can’t be.”

“To hell with this.”

He pulled her flush against him, claiming her lips with his. It wasn’t tender or filled with finesse. It was raw and brutal. All frustration, anger, desire coalesced as he kissed her, claimed her, branded her as his. She couldn’t deny it, couldn’t fight it.

She gasped, opening her lips, meeting him halfway.

He groaned at the feel of her. This is what he wanted. This and so much more. Why did she fight it? He knew by her reaction she felt the same pull, the same need. It was written in the way her lips devoured his, the press of her body, the beat of her heart.

She pulled her lips away from his, and he let her, angling her body from his chest, but still holding her in his grasp.

Her lip quivered on an uneasy breath. “This isn’t right.”

“Yes, it is. It’s right because we’re meant to be together. I’ve said it from the beginning.”

She bit her lip but didn’t argue.

Seeing his opening, he took it. “Marry me, Kitty. Your past doesn’t matter here. You got along well with the rest of society, and nothing will change that. Besides, who cares about a bunch of old women gossiping?”

A wry smile curved her lips, and his eyes drew to the telling sight.

“You make it sound so simple.”

“It is that simple.” It had to be. He believed it would be. They could overcome anything if they were together.

Her breath hitched in cleansing relief. Her eyes met his. “All right. I’ll marry you.”

“You will?”

“Yes.”

“And you won’t change your mind? Once it’s announced, it will stick.” And he’d make sure to spread the news of their engagement immediately.

“No. I won’t change my mind. I’m here to stay.”

Capturing her lips, he sealed her promise with another kiss.

He’d never let her go. No matter what came at them, they had each other.

“
M
akano
, who was that man who stopped by to speak with Mr. Castle during the party?”

Amelia Castle was no longer the woman running Castle House now that her son had brought that little nobody into the household. If that little upstart thought she’d steal everything away from Amelia, she was mistaken.

Amelia had worked too hard, too long, to give up her role as mistress here. Planning parties, hosting guests, enjoying the spotlight was her due.

He cleared his throat, shifting his feet. “It was a Mr. Green.”

She stirred her tea, lightly clinking it against her cup before placing it on the saucer. “And what did this Mr. Green want?”

At his continued silence, her eyes narrowed over her teacup. Such a show of disobedience needed to be squashed. “Don’t make me speak with Mr. Castle about the mishap, Makano. I don’t think you’ll be pleased with the results.”

Seeing his face pale from the threat thrilled her. Power always soothed her temper. Although Warren would forgive Makano’s theft, especially once he learned the money from the trinket had gone toward Makano’s dying mother’s care, Amelia wanted him under her thumb as long as possible. Who was better qualified to spy for her than the butler?

“He was asking questions about Miss Jones. Apparently, he’s been hired to track down her whereabouts.”

Excitement fluttered in her belly. “And who is looking for her? Who hired him?”

“Her brother, ma’am.”

“Did Warren tell him where she is?” she asked, already knowing the answer. Warren wouldn’t hand over the girl without knowing more about the man asking questions.

When he shook his head, she hid a wicked grin behind her teacup as she sipped, plots forming in her mind.

Checkmate.

Seems like Miss Jones had some secret she ran from. And secrets were Amelia’s favorite weapon. “And do you know where Mr. Green can be reached?”

“He’s staying at the Medina Hotel for another week.”

“Excellent.” She placed the teacup on the saucer. “I’ll need a carriage brought around immediately. See to it.”

“Of course.” He nodded before slipping from the room.

She preened on the sofa. No one pushed Amelia out of the spotlight.

No one.