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wish to cause you any inconvenience, ma’am.’ Kate swallowed her pride, mentally resolving to repay Alicia out of Kitty’s £500 the instant the charade was over. ‘I shall be happy to accompany you wherever you wish to go if that is what you desire.’
    ‘Then you will accept my offer?’ Alicia clapped her hands together. ‘Oh famous! We shall have such fun, I promise you!’ She smiled happily at Kate. ‘I think we must start with the Legh’s drum tomorrow night and then there is Lady Massey’s rout on the seventh of June. I shall hold an evening party for you of course and there are events such as the musicale at the Royal Hotel next week, which I’m sure you will enjoy.’
    ‘I only managed to pack two evening dresses,’ Kate murmured, wondering what the devil she had let herself in for.
    ‘Then we must go shopping without delay! Oh I shall enjoy taking you to Celestine’s! You have the perfect figure to carry off her creations. I saw a lovely spider gauze there last week which I long to buy for you.’
    Alicia’s smile faded at the look of reluctance which spread over her guest’s features. ‘You will allow me to spoil you a little, won’t you, Kitty?’ she asked uncertainly. ‘I am your godmother after all.’
    ‘I should be happy to accept any small token of affection, ma’am,’ Kate answered, hoping Alicia would take the hint since the idea of taking expensive presents from a woman she was deliberately duping revolted her.
    There was a tense little silence.
    ‘Very well. I promise not to buy anything without your approval since I can see that you do not like being beholden to other people,’ Alicia said at last. ‘I admire you for it, but I must say your attitude surprises me. Is it usual in America for girls to be so independent?’
    This piece of unexpected shrewdness startled Kate and she realised that she must not relax her guard and confuse Alicia’s frivolous nature and open-handed kindness with stupidity.
    ‘I cannot speak for other families, but I was brought up to stand on my own two feet,’ she replied carefully. ‘Few restrictions are placed on my freedom.’
    ‘You will find matters arranged rather differently here,’ Alicia warned. ‘Girls are expected to conduct themselves with decorum, not to assert themselves.’
    ‘After the way lord Redesmere reacted to the story of my escape I suspected as much, ma’am!’ Kate replied tartly.
    Alicia coughed. ‘Randal is inclined to be forthright,’ she murmured uneasily.
    ‘He obviously thinks I am a silly, under-bred female who has no notion of how to behave.’ Kate’s tone was deliberately scornful. ‘I expect he will tell you to send me packing before I cause you trouble,’ she added, seizing the opportunity to strengthen her position.
    Lady Edgeworth bridled, as Kate guessed she would.
    ‘If he dares say such a thing to me, I shall show him the door!’ she exclaimed indignantly.
    Satisfied, Kate gave a tiny shrug. ‘I do not care if Lord Redesmere holds a low opinion of me,’ she said with less than perfect truth. ‘My conscience is clear and that matters more to me than what other people think.’
    ‘That was always your Papa’s attitude too.’ Her hostess smiled reminiscently. ‘You remind me of him very much, you know. Lud, he could be so stubborn! Why, I could tell you a dozen tales—’
    She came to an abrupt halt and blinked rather mistily. ‘Oh dear, I think we had better change the subject or I shall disgrace myself by becoming a watering pot!’
    ‘Shall we get on with your list, ma’am?’ Kate suggested gently.
    ‘The very thing, my dear!’ Lady Edgeworth banished the sentimental tears which threatened to overwhelm her. ‘And when we are finished we shall visit Celestine’s. That is, if you are agreeable, Kitty?’
    ‘I should also like to pay a call upon Messrs. Hilton, Tyler and Dibbs,’ Kate said. ‘Would that be possible?’
    ‘I don’t see why not. But let’s go to Celestine’s