Read Online Dangerous Escapade by Hilary Gilman - Free Book Online Page B

ruffles at her elbows accentuating the new
womanly curves of her lovely arms. She was attired in a Robe a l’Anglaise of cream and gold
brocade, very fashionably made up by my Lady's own modiste. The riotous curls had
been arranged to frame her face while one dark ringlet fell across the décolletage
of her gown. A basket of roses at her feet testified to her former occupation,
and in her hand she held a bloom, from which she was engaged in slowly
stripping the petals.
    The Earl
became conscious that his breath was coming rather quickly and, with an effort,
he regained something like his usual composure before leaving the shelter of
the walk and strolling forward into the sunlight.
    As his shadow
fell across her, Kitty glanced up quickly and, over her face, there came a
smile of such breathtaking sweetness that Debenham found he was quite unable to
greet her with the formality he had determined upon. Instead, he smiled
tenderly upon her and took her hand, saying, “My dear, I am overcome. I think I
should have been given some warning, for I swear I was near to begging pardon
for having intruded upon this fashionable young lady in mistake for my ward.”
    Kitty laughed.
“Do you approve, Sir? Truly, I have tried very hard and, of course, Lady
Horatia has been so kind that I love her already.”
    “My dear, what
can I say? I fear I shall have much to contend with when I introduce to the ton
a young lady with your attractions, in addition to a tempting fortune. There
will be match-making mammas ready to murder me, I dare say.”
    “I am glad you
think well of me, Sir,” she replied, rather wistfully. Their eyes met; each knew
that the shadow of their last meeting must be dispelled if it were not to
destroy this promising new relationship.
    “Kitty, I have
to beg you to forgive me for my words on the occasion of our last meeting. I have
regretted them deeply. There is no excuse that I can give you. I am in your
hands.”
    Mistress
Brabington searched her guardian's face and, seeing real anxiety there, she
gladly accepted his apology and signified the event by throwing her arms around
his neck, a proceeding that severely tried Debenham's resolution. However, if
loyalty to his bride had not acted as sufficient restraint, the knowledge that
her embrace was as innocent as a child's must have done so.
    “Now that we
are friends again, Sir, I wish you will explain to me how I come to be an
heiress, for I find it very confusing.''
    Lord Debenham seated
himself beside his ward and retained her hand in what he hoped was an avuncular
manner. “First of all, Kitty, I must tell you that what Wellbeloved related to
you was basically the truth. Your father was the youngest son of the
Brabingtons and, for various sins, was cast off when he was twenty or
thereabouts. No one could have foreseen that his three elder brothers would all
fail to reach their fortieth birthday. It was the most unlucky series of
mischances and must have seemed to the old man, who outlived all his sons, to
be a curse of some kind. However, he died in forty-five and, in default of a
direct heir, your father, having been presumed dead, a distant cousin became the
new baronet. Now, if your father had been tried and convicted of treason, he
would have forfeited his goods to the crown; but — forgive
me if I pain you, my dear — as he died before
being convicted, all his goods are inherited by yourself. Lord Brabington, of
course, retains the title and all that is entailed upon him, but there is a
very large fortune un-entailed, of which you are now the possessor.”
    Kitty whistled,
a heartening reminder of her boyhood, and then became rather grave. “Poor Lord Brabington,”
she remarked. “He must be very angry that I have turned up out of nowhere to
deprive him of a fortune.”
    “One would
have imagined so, Kitty, but I must say he has behaved very well, unexpectedly well
when one considers his reputation.”
    “And what is his
reputation, dear Sir?” she