Romancing an Alluring Lady: A Historical Regency Romance Book Page 8

  Kitty felt frustrated with her line of thinking. She was weighing all sorts of characteristics between the two of them but then had to determine which ones meant more to her. And despite everything she was able to compare between the two gentlemen, there was still one factor that was left untouched. The ideals of love.

  Kitty wasn’t so naive to think that love only existed in the pages of novels. She had known that her parents had loved one another, as well as Hugh’s late parents. And her own aunt often described the love she had for her deceased husband.

  So Kitty knew that love did exist in her community. But when she spoke with other young ladies her age, all she ever heard was the wealth of a prospective gentleman and his reputation in Town. It seemed that was all there was to it when deciding if a man could one day be a decent husband. That he must be able to provide for the needs and want of his wife and no more be needed for anything else.

  But Kitty knew that she wanted to have a companion as well as a husband. She didn’t want to live with a ghost, but someone she could respect and do things with more than just meeting once or twice a day for meals. She certainly wanted to feel comfort that she wouldn’t be left alone so he could attend gaming hells or gentlemen’s clubs. She understood what went on there, and she didn’t like the idea that Hugh frequented them. It made her worried that Hugh wouldn’t be as loyal a husband that she would need in her life.

  All of Kitty’s thoughts were soon interrupted as a footman came into the sitting room, announcing a visitor. At once, Kitty stood, feeling frustrated because she didn’t want to be disturbed at this time. She had several things on her mind and still needed a musical number selected so she could begin practicing for this evening. But when she saw Hugh come walking through the door, her body stilled, and her mind went blank. This had been completely unexpected.

  “Hello again, Hugh,” Kitty said once the footman had left the room. She gestured to the chair beside her as she sat once more on the settee. Hugh gave her a kind smile as he took the offered chair and settled into it.

  “Hello, Kitty,” Hugh said as he folded his hands in his lap. “I know this is a little uncalled for since we visited only this morning. But as I was taking a stroll through Hyde Park, a long-forgotten memory returned to me.” Kitty was intrigued by this because Hugh was clearly wearing his finest clothes. He wore a dark coloured walking coat with inlays of satin that caught and reflected light. It was very detailed and fit him perfectly, insinuating his figure. The muslin shirt underneath was a stark contrast to the walking jacket and matched perfectly with his fitted vest. His black hair had been combed and styled to the side, making his green eyes even more apparent and piercing. Hugh was clearly a handsome man who could easily have any woman he wanted. Or at least, any woman who was willing to be quickly seduced.

  “And what memory is that?” Kitty asked, trying to focus more on his words than his devilish good looks.

  “When we were children and I had just started my studies, I often found them very overwhelming and frustrating,” Hugh explained. Kitty nodded her head, remembering that time in Hugh’s life.

  “Yes, I do remember how you’d take to the gardens and kick any stone in sight just to release your frustration. I remember finding you like this on many occasions,” Kitty replied, knowing what Hugh was speaking of.

  “And on one particular occasion, when I couldn’t go out and play with you that day, you made me a very particular promise,” Hugh continued. “You promised that we’d always be together, no matter if the world or fortunes failed us. That regardless of the circumstances, we’d always have each other.” Kitty’s heart rate increased as she listened to Hugh, the memory returning to her as well.

  She’d been trying to do her best to comfort Hugh, especially when he talked about the fact that he wouldn’t become Duke until his father died and how terribly sad that made him. Kitty had meant to reassure Hugh that he’d never be alone, even after his parents died. And as Kitty remembered that promise she’d made to him and how she’d treated him after his parents did die, it made her feel terribly sad inside.

  “I remember, Hugh,” Kitty eventually said as she looked away from him. “I had wanted to bring you so much comfort because you were so terribly distraught after learning how you’d one day become Duke.”

  “And you did bring me comfort,” Hugh said as he reached out and took Kitty’s hand in his. She looked at him then, meeting his green eyes with her blue ones. “I had been able to return to my studies with the knowledge that no matter what happened I’d always have you in my life.” Kitty could only nod her head as tears came to her eyes.

  “It feels like I haven’t been there for you, Hugh,” Kitty managed to say. “Perhaps if I’d been more pressing like I used to when I was a child that then you wouldn’t have ended up in this situation.” Hugh squeezed her hand then, forcing her to look at him again.

  “My actions have nothing to do with anyone but myself. It was I that went looking for dark distractions in hopes of covering up my grief,” Hugh said in a soft voice. “But no matter what I did during the night, my pain was still there in the morning. And it seems that no one could have shown me my misdeeds till you challenged me to become a better man.”

  Kitty withdrew her hand then as she shook her head. “Hugh, it was foolish of me to have challenged you, I admit that now,” she said, thinking about her own situation then. “Though I do think it is good that you’ve reconsidered your own reputation, I still have mine to remain intact. I have certain obligations on who I marry, and you should be prepared for the fact that I may marry someone else.” Even as Kitty spoke, she couldn’t look Hugh in the eyes. She waited for him to respond, to say anything, but he only sat there beside her and remained silent.

  “Hugh, you need to focus your time on the things that matter most in your life. You have the dukedom to consider and now the needed repairs on your country estate,” Kitty continued to speak. “Considering everything else in your life, I beg you to start taking your life seriously.”

  Hugh stood to his feet then and moved as though he was leaving the room in a hurry. Fearing that her words had been too cold once more, she stood as well, wanting to part with some words of comfort like she used to do. But before she could say anything to make Hugh stop, he turned on her and took her face in his hands before lowering his lips to hers.

  Kitty was so stunned by the sudden kiss that all she did at first was just stand there as Hugh’s warm lips pressed against hers. But as his free arm came around her waist, pulling her close to his body, Kitty went limp in his hold as she closed her eyes and returned the passion in his kiss.

  Kitty’s hands came to rest on Hugh’s chest as he parted her lips with his tongue and went in search of her essence. Their tongues danced together as Kitty became lost in the warmth of Hugh’s body.

  Never before had she been kissed like this, or had she ever desired someone like this. She felt warmth spreading throughout her body to the point where she wished she could slip out of her clothes and only feel Hugh pressed up against her. These thoughts were so startling that Kitty wondered if she’d ever been this attracted to a man in her life before.

  As suddenly as the kiss had started, it then ended when Hugh pulled his head up from hers, leaving her utterly breathless. She opened her eyes and stared into his green ones, searching them for answers to why he had kissed her so. She’d just declared that her challenge had been foolish and that he should concentrate on more important things in life, but this kiss proved more than Kitty could have ever understood about Hugh. Was this his way of telling her that he cared about her more than just this silly challenge?

  “Forgive me, Kitty,” Hugh eventually said as he lowered his hands and arms for her and stepped back to create space between them. And without another word, Hugh turned from her and left the sitting room. Kitty stood there in disbelief and listened to the sound of the front door opening and shutting again. Kitty only moved when her aunt came walking into the room in a hurry.r />
  “Was that Hugh I just saw?” she asked in a hopeful voice. Kitty forced a smile on her face as she folded her hands in front of her, afraid that her aunt would be able to look at her and see that she’d just been passionately kissed. Her cheeks felt warm, and she knew she had to be blushing.

  “Yes. He’d stopped by for a moment after visiting Hyde Park to share a memory with me of when we’d been children,” Kitty explained. “It was just a kind gesture, that’s all.”

  “My dear. I can only imagine how he is feeling after the terrible news,” Aunt Matilda said as she took a seat on the chair Hugh had occupied moments before. Kitty returned to her position on the settee and tried to focus once more on the sheet music.

  “He appears to be optimistic about it all,” Kitty said even though she had no idea what Hugh was thinking. After that kiss, Kitty was left more puzzled than before.

  “Well, that is certainly a relief,” Aunt Matilda said as she poured herself a cup of tea from the tea tray beside Kitty. She took a few sips, appearing to be deep in thought.

  “Honestly,” she continued, “I had hoped he’d come by to give you his own proposal.” Kitty looked up at her aunt then, finding her words quite surprising.

  “And why would I want Hugh to propose to me?” Kitty asked. “The man could be in financial ruin for all we know?”

  Aunt Matilda chuckled as she reached for the newspaper on the side table beside her and started to flip through it till she found something in particular. Folding the paper, she handed it back to Kitty and pointed at a small article.

  “Does that read as though Hugh is in financial ruin?” Aunt Matilda asked as Kitty read the article. She had known that Hugh had visited the orphanage but was unaware that an article had been written about it. Her eyes grew wide as she saw the amount Hugh had donated to the children, thinking there would have been no way for him to have done so if he wasn’t well off.

  “It appears as if Hugh is better off than I would have guessed,” Kitty reasoned as she handed her aunt back the paper. “But it is not enough to warrant why he’d want to marry me.”

  “Come now, child. Don’t be so daft,” Aunt Matilda said as she carefully took another sip of her tea. “You and Hugh have been close friends ever since you were both young. And though you’ve both lost your parents and experienced grief at such a young age, I think you’ve both turned out to be suitable people for each other.”

  “But what about his reputation, Aunt Matilda? Am I to become the laughingstock of Town because I married a scoundrel?” Kitty pressed. “Then I shall never again be invited to another social outing.”

  “And what if you never received another invitation in your life?” Aunt Matilda asked as she set her teacup down hard on the tray, making the china clank loudly. “There are more important things in life than just dinner parties and balls, Kitty. There is lifelong companionship and love to consider as well.”

  “Please do not be cross with me, Aunt Matilda. I must be reasonable in this,” Kitty pleaded with her aunt. The woman looked at her and sighed, making Kitty wonder what her aunt truly thought of her.

  “So, have you considered Lord Harding’s offer any more?” Aunt Matilda then asked.

  Kitty shook her head, knowing she’d promised Hugh a week for her to consider him. “I have put no more thought to it,” Kitty admitted. “Though it is a generous offer and one any woman in town would gladly accept, I wish to know more about his true character. And perhaps consider your perspective of lifelong companionship.” A smirk came across Aunt Matilda’s lips, and Kitty felt certain that in the end she’d said something appealing to the older woman.

  “Well, I plan to rest up for tonight’s dinner party,” Aunt Matilda announced as she pushed herself back onto her feet. Using her cane, she steadied herself. “I shall return in a few hours.” Kitty only nodded her head as her aunt left the room, slowly but surely. She often worried about the older woman, wondering if there was more she could be doing for her guardian. A part of her wished that her brother would return from his travel abroad so she didn’t have to bother her aunt with escorting her everywhere.

  Forcing all other thoughts out of her mind, Kitty returned once more to the task of picking a song for that evening. She eventually ended up picking one at random and then began to pace around the sitting room as she ran it over and over again with the intent of memorising it before that evening. But every time she came back to the spot in the room where Hugh had kissed her passionately and she’d given into the passion, she then had to try even harder to concentrate on the task at hand.

  Chapter 8

  Hugh didn’t know what had come over him when he’d chosen to stop and kiss Kitty. He’d felt so angry at her words, trying to figure out why she would admit that the challenge had been foolish and that he instead focus on more important matters. Didn’t she see how much he actually cared for her? Or perhaps she only ever saw this challenge as a fun game?

  It disturbed Hugh to no end as he sat in his study, trying to make a plan for travelling out to the country estate once everything had been settled in Town. He was still trying to find a way to seek forgiveness from the Marquess for the terrible accident that had happened during his ball.

  He knew very little about pineapples but had sent one of his errands boys to hopefully track down a few more to be delivered. He knew that he needed to do everything he could to right as many wrongs as he could in hopes of impressing Kitty. But with just a short week on his hands, would that ever amount to enough time?

  Hugh tried very hard to focus on his next plans, but he couldn’t help thinking of the kiss he’d shared with Kitty. It was unlike anything he’d ever experienced before, and he’d had plenty of experience with kissing women. No woman had ever felt like that in his arms.

  There had been a distinct passion that had exploded between them as Hugh held Kitty close to him. She’d tasted of lavender and honey as he supped from her lips, desiring more and more from her. But it had all been more than just a simple attraction. Certainly, Kitty was a very beautiful young woman, but there was more to her than just good looks that called Hugh to her.

  After that kiss, could Kitty really ever consider any other proposal than his? He knew that Lord Harding had already proposed, and that Kitty had thankfully declined. But did that only mean that she had plans to accept his proposal one day or even consider it again? Hugh couldn’t help questioning everything as he thought about Kitty, fearing that he wouldn’t be able to gain her affections.

  Through all of his worry, there was one thing that really spoke truth to Hugh. No more was this just another challenge for him to succeed at and prove to everyone that he could do anything he put his mind to. The more he thought about Kitty, the more the idea of losing her to another man didn’t really sit well with him. Though they’d always been friends, ever since his parents’ death, he’d really missed his best friend. It had been him who had pushed everyone out of his life, only wanting to find a way to escape from all the pain. Now he feared losing the most important person in his life.

  As this dawned on him, he suddenly realised what he had to do. He needed to show Kitty that she was the one thing that mattered most in his life. Not all his wealth or even the dukedom. What mattered most to him was that he was able to keep Kitty in his life. And since she was a very eligible young lady, he knew that he needed to make Kitty his wife. Hugh felt for Kitty more than any other woman he’d ever met. And now, he simply needed to prove that to her.

  “Portlock!” Hugh called as he rung the servant’s bell on his desk. The butler came scurrying down the hall, coming into the study as he tried to catch his breath.

  “Yes, Your Grace?” Portlock asked as his chest rose and fell, clearly surprised by Hugh’s outburst.

  “Have an errand boy go to the market and collect some flowers to take to Kitty,” Hugh said as he quickly wrote down a message for her and folded it in half. “Have the boy include this note with the flowers, and make sure to pay him well.�
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  A smile came onto the butler’s face as he took the note and placed it in his pocket. “Certainly, Your Grace. I’ll see to it done,” Portlock said as he bowed and left the study. Hugh chuckled, finding the butler’s reaction quite comical. It was no wonder after the sudden loss they had both faced. Since Portlock had been with his family for years, he was certain the damage to the country estate hurt him as much as it did Hugh.