Read Online Teach Me Under the Mistletoe by Kay Springsteen - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kay Springsteen
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was more like a strangled cry.
If Jenny noticed Kitty’s reaction, she didn’t show it. “Honestly, you spend more time with your horse than you’ve spent in the company of a gentleman.”
Easing out a relieved sigh, Kitty made short work of tying her laces. “Maybe because the horse holds more appeal than the likes of Randall Berwyn.” There! Let her sister make of that what she would. The brown and green patterned Turkish rug didn’t quite dispel the chill at her feet as Kitty stalked to her bed. Henrietta had pulled back the duvet. Where was the girl? She needed to warm the bed! Kitty released the tie on the bed curtain and watched as the green velvet fell into soft waves that embraced the bed.
“Take care, Kitty.” Jenny’s stare pinned Kitty in her place. “Take care that ‘tis the horse you’re going to the stables to see.”
She does know something!
Kitty whirled about, ready to deny and defend. But Jenny had already left the room. Seconds later, Henrietta pushed her way through the door.
“I’m sorry, m’lady,” she murmured as she scurried across the room and snatched up the bedwarmer from the hearth. “Lady Jennifer asked that I delay myself in the hallway until she’d had a chance to speak wi’ ye in private.”
Unable to speak, for her heart felt as though it had lodged itself in her throat, Kitty nodded. She made a weak gesture toward the bed and then waited while the maid drew the warmer back and forth between the sheets.
Kitty drifted to the window. Winter chill leaked through the heavy drapes, no more than a prelude to the colder air on the other side. Ignoring the warning, Kitty nudged the brocade aside and stepped up to the window. Brilliant moonlight painted the landscape vivid white and black. The only movement came from the waving bows of leafless trees. Wispy clouds floated in the sky, and Kitty knew before too much longer, snow would blanket the ground. Shivering as the cold seeped into her, she dropped the drapery and turned back to her bed just as Henrietta finished the warming.
Chapter Seven
Hiding was the coward’s way out, and Hugh knew it. Nevertheless, he’d stuck to the tack room repairing harnesses with little wear for much of the morning. He pushed the leather tools against the back of the workbench and hung the last harness on a hook near the door.
“Have ye been in here all morning?” asked Dougal from the doorway. Curse the man for his tendency to walk like a ghost.
Hugh took care to compose his face into what he hoped was a neutral expression before he turned and faced his brother. “I noticed some wear on a few of the harnesses.”
Dougal held out a folded slip of paper. “I didn’t know where to find ye when yer girl showed up so she left a note.” His mouth turned up in a one-sided smirk as Hugh snatched the paper. “Easy goes, brother. If I’d known ye were that eager I’d have looked harder for ye.”
The paper was folded but not sealed. One look at Dougal and Hugh knew he’d have to find some privacy to read it. His brother would demand explanations he wasn’t willing to provide. So he feigned indifference and shoved the note unread into his pocket.
Dougal shook his head. “I wouldn’t wait too long to read it were I you.” He barked out a harsh laugh. “The lass seemed most impatient that ye get the message.”
Hugh stared at his brother. Why wasn’t he more put out about Lady Caroline seeking his company? He shuffled his feet. The scraping sound of leather on wood might have been a thunderclap in the heavy silence between the two of them. “When, er… when was she by?”
Dougal shrugged. “Near an hour gone, I suppose. I was about half finished with Maleek when she came running across the yard.”
Lady Caroline… running? That was a vision he couldn’t quite imagine.
As he turned to leave, Dougal paused in the doorway and gazed over his shoulder. “Be sure ye know what ye’re about, brother.”
“I…” Hugh
If Jenny noticed Kitty’s reaction, she didn’t show it. “Honestly, you spend more time with your horse than you’ve spent in the company of a gentleman.”
Easing out a relieved sigh, Kitty made short work of tying her laces. “Maybe because the horse holds more appeal than the likes of Randall Berwyn.” There! Let her sister make of that what she would. The brown and green patterned Turkish rug didn’t quite dispel the chill at her feet as Kitty stalked to her bed. Henrietta had pulled back the duvet. Where was the girl? She needed to warm the bed! Kitty released the tie on the bed curtain and watched as the green velvet fell into soft waves that embraced the bed.
“Take care, Kitty.” Jenny’s stare pinned Kitty in her place. “Take care that ‘tis the horse you’re going to the stables to see.”
She does know something!
Kitty whirled about, ready to deny and defend. But Jenny had already left the room. Seconds later, Henrietta pushed her way through the door.
“I’m sorry, m’lady,” she murmured as she scurried across the room and snatched up the bedwarmer from the hearth. “Lady Jennifer asked that I delay myself in the hallway until she’d had a chance to speak wi’ ye in private.”
Unable to speak, for her heart felt as though it had lodged itself in her throat, Kitty nodded. She made a weak gesture toward the bed and then waited while the maid drew the warmer back and forth between the sheets.
Kitty drifted to the window. Winter chill leaked through the heavy drapes, no more than a prelude to the colder air on the other side. Ignoring the warning, Kitty nudged the brocade aside and stepped up to the window. Brilliant moonlight painted the landscape vivid white and black. The only movement came from the waving bows of leafless trees. Wispy clouds floated in the sky, and Kitty knew before too much longer, snow would blanket the ground. Shivering as the cold seeped into her, she dropped the drapery and turned back to her bed just as Henrietta finished the warming.
Chapter Seven
Hiding was the coward’s way out, and Hugh knew it. Nevertheless, he’d stuck to the tack room repairing harnesses with little wear for much of the morning. He pushed the leather tools against the back of the workbench and hung the last harness on a hook near the door.
“Have ye been in here all morning?” asked Dougal from the doorway. Curse the man for his tendency to walk like a ghost.
Hugh took care to compose his face into what he hoped was a neutral expression before he turned and faced his brother. “I noticed some wear on a few of the harnesses.”
Dougal held out a folded slip of paper. “I didn’t know where to find ye when yer girl showed up so she left a note.” His mouth turned up in a one-sided smirk as Hugh snatched the paper. “Easy goes, brother. If I’d known ye were that eager I’d have looked harder for ye.”
The paper was folded but not sealed. One look at Dougal and Hugh knew he’d have to find some privacy to read it. His brother would demand explanations he wasn’t willing to provide. So he feigned indifference and shoved the note unread into his pocket.
Dougal shook his head. “I wouldn’t wait too long to read it were I you.” He barked out a harsh laugh. “The lass seemed most impatient that ye get the message.”
Hugh stared at his brother. Why wasn’t he more put out about Lady Caroline seeking his company? He shuffled his feet. The scraping sound of leather on wood might have been a thunderclap in the heavy silence between the two of them. “When, er… when was she by?”
Dougal shrugged. “Near an hour gone, I suppose. I was about half finished with Maleek when she came running across the yard.”
Lady Caroline… running? That was a vision he couldn’t quite imagine.
As he turned to leave, Dougal paused in the doorway and gazed over his shoulder. “Be sure ye know what ye’re about, brother.”
“I…” Hugh
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