Read Online A Gentleman's Kiss by Kimberley Comeaux - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kimberley Comeaux
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him.”
Cameron nodded slowly. “Of course. I’ll speak to him directly,” he murmured, almost absently.
Claudia couldn’t take it anymore. “Well, we’ve wasted enough of your time, Lord Kinclary. We must be going,” she announced starchily as she marched past him with her head held high.
“Claudia!” he called after her, but she walked even faster and left the room.
She could hear Helen’s footsteps behind her, and soon they were both climbing into the carriage. “Claudia! Will you please wait a moment?” Cameron called as he ran out of the house and toward the carriage.
Claudia ignored him and knocked on the ceiling, letting the driver know to start moving.
She tried not to, but she found herself peeking out the window at him. She started when she found herself looking right into his eyes. But before she could read his expression she let the curtain fall back into place and willed herself not to cry.
Seven
Cameron watched the carriage drive away, aware that Claudia had taken his reaction for censure. Of course he knew her mother had not been highborn, but it was shocking to find that George, a man he’d come to rely on as not only an employee but a good friend, was the grandfather of the woman he was growing fond of.
He was not a snobbish man, but having been born surrounded by servants it was hard to reconcile that they could someday be a part of his family.
George Canterbury had been in his father’s household for years and his own for the last six months. He had volunteered to help Cameron renovate the warehouse and then manage it because he’d said he had a desire to help others also. It had never occurred to him to ask his butler anything about his past, and George had never offered the information.
Before speaking to him, however, he wanted to know more about what had happened. The only other person Cameron knew who might tell him was his mother. She would be only too happy to pass along any information she may have.
The next day he took his carriage and rode up to Ravenhurst Castle where his parents had retired after the ball.
“Cameron!” his mother greeted him as if she hadn’t seen him in years. “Why have you come?” she asked then sucked in her breath. “You’ve become engaged, haven’t you? Tell me—is it Lady Claudia? The two of you seem very well suited—”
“Mother!” He held out his hand. “I’m not engaged to anyone. I’ve come on another matter, and we’ll speak of Lady Claudia after that.”
The smile faded slightly from his mother’s face. “Well, come into the parlor and tell me all. Your father is out in the back field shooting birds. Should I fetch him?” She walked over to the satin cord, used to ring for the servants, but he stopped her.
“No. I’ll talk to him later. It’s you I wanted to see.”
Lady Ravenhurst smiled again as she sat down and motioned for him to do the same.
“Mother, can you tell me how George Canterbury came to be in our family’s employ?” he asked once they were seated comfortably.
His mother frowned. “This is what you want to talk about? What does this have to do with Claudia?”
He shook his head and hoped his mother could focus on the conversation. “I’ll tell you about Claudia in a moment. Just tell me about George.”
His mother sighed. “It was the Marquis of Moreland, Claudia’s grandfather, who recommended him to us. We needed a butler for our summer home in Bath.” She shrugged as if the whole topic of servants was beneath her. “That is where he was, as you know, when your father sent him to your house.”
Cameron nodded. “I see.” He thought about how George must have felt losing his job with Claudia’s grandfather. Knowing the marquis, he’d want to get rid of any remembrance of his son’s disappointing marriage. Why then, he wondered, did he allow Claudia to come live with him and become his heir?
“Cameron!” his mother snapped. When he glanced up at her, he realized she must have
Cameron nodded slowly. “Of course. I’ll speak to him directly,” he murmured, almost absently.
Claudia couldn’t take it anymore. “Well, we’ve wasted enough of your time, Lord Kinclary. We must be going,” she announced starchily as she marched past him with her head held high.
“Claudia!” he called after her, but she walked even faster and left the room.
She could hear Helen’s footsteps behind her, and soon they were both climbing into the carriage. “Claudia! Will you please wait a moment?” Cameron called as he ran out of the house and toward the carriage.
Claudia ignored him and knocked on the ceiling, letting the driver know to start moving.
She tried not to, but she found herself peeking out the window at him. She started when she found herself looking right into his eyes. But before she could read his expression she let the curtain fall back into place and willed herself not to cry.
Seven
Cameron watched the carriage drive away, aware that Claudia had taken his reaction for censure. Of course he knew her mother had not been highborn, but it was shocking to find that George, a man he’d come to rely on as not only an employee but a good friend, was the grandfather of the woman he was growing fond of.
He was not a snobbish man, but having been born surrounded by servants it was hard to reconcile that they could someday be a part of his family.
George Canterbury had been in his father’s household for years and his own for the last six months. He had volunteered to help Cameron renovate the warehouse and then manage it because he’d said he had a desire to help others also. It had never occurred to him to ask his butler anything about his past, and George had never offered the information.
Before speaking to him, however, he wanted to know more about what had happened. The only other person Cameron knew who might tell him was his mother. She would be only too happy to pass along any information she may have.
The next day he took his carriage and rode up to Ravenhurst Castle where his parents had retired after the ball.
“Cameron!” his mother greeted him as if she hadn’t seen him in years. “Why have you come?” she asked then sucked in her breath. “You’ve become engaged, haven’t you? Tell me—is it Lady Claudia? The two of you seem very well suited—”
“Mother!” He held out his hand. “I’m not engaged to anyone. I’ve come on another matter, and we’ll speak of Lady Claudia after that.”
The smile faded slightly from his mother’s face. “Well, come into the parlor and tell me all. Your father is out in the back field shooting birds. Should I fetch him?” She walked over to the satin cord, used to ring for the servants, but he stopped her.
“No. I’ll talk to him later. It’s you I wanted to see.”
Lady Ravenhurst smiled again as she sat down and motioned for him to do the same.
“Mother, can you tell me how George Canterbury came to be in our family’s employ?” he asked once they were seated comfortably.
His mother frowned. “This is what you want to talk about? What does this have to do with Claudia?”
He shook his head and hoped his mother could focus on the conversation. “I’ll tell you about Claudia in a moment. Just tell me about George.”
His mother sighed. “It was the Marquis of Moreland, Claudia’s grandfather, who recommended him to us. We needed a butler for our summer home in Bath.” She shrugged as if the whole topic of servants was beneath her. “That is where he was, as you know, when your father sent him to your house.”
Cameron nodded. “I see.” He thought about how George must have felt losing his job with Claudia’s grandfather. Knowing the marquis, he’d want to get rid of any remembrance of his son’s disappointing marriage. Why then, he wondered, did he allow Claudia to come live with him and become his heir?
“Cameron!” his mother snapped. When he glanced up at her, he realized she must have
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