An Earl Like No Other by Wilma Counts

Author:Wilma Counts [Counts, Wilma]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 2014-07-09T16:00:00+00:00

Lord Kenrick’s housekeeper was not enjoying the same peaceful slumber as her employer. Kate had looked in on her son before retiring to her own chamber. Ned had kicked off his bedcovers; she drew them back over him and kissed his sleep-warm cheek. Impulsively, she went down the hall to repeat the process with Lady Cassandra. She was well aware of what she was doing: postponing a clear view of this day and the evening.

Despite her earlier reservations about attending the midsummer festivities, she had thoroughly enjoyed them. She readily admitted that the highlight of the ball—indeed, of the day—had been her dance with Lord Kenrick. She savored every nuance of that waltz—from the spicy scent of his shaving soap to the warm humor in his blue eyes. Even through the fabric of their gloves, she had felt the warmth of his touch, relished the closeness. She could not ignore the sheer chemistry between them, even as she cautioned herself repeatedly against it. Had he been a good husband? What kind of wife had he chosen? All anyone seemed to know of her was that she was part Indian. But what kind of woman had she been? And just why should any of that matter to his housekeeper?

She shook her head yet again. “All right, Cinderella, you’ve had your ball. Now come back to earth and be sensible.” Nothing—nothing—must jeopardize her position at Kenrick Hall.

She turned her thoughts to other aspects of the evening. She had, of course, enjoyed dancing with Robert and sharing a bit of refreshment with him. It was nice to be able to drop all pretense with at least one person who knew the real Kate. Nor had she minded sitting on the sidelines with Lady Elinor. She recalled snippets of conversation she had overheard there. The vicar’s wife had been filling Lady Elinor in on neighbors attending the ball.

“As is usually the case,” Mrs. Packwood had said, “there are three or four people here I simply do not know. Two gentlemen and a married couple who are staying at the inn. I believe the couple are seeking a property to rent. One of the other gentlemen, a Mr. Hoskins, spent an hour with my husband yesterday. Just wanted to familiarize himself with the community, he said. Nice man.”

Mrs. Packwood prattled on, describing for Lady Elinor the ladies’ dresses and commenting on the behavior of people they both knew. The vicar’s wife was not inclined to be suspicious of anyone, but Kate had felt her entire being freeze at these words. A stranger asking questions? She could not quell a frisson of fear and tried surreptitiously to see who it was that Mrs. Packwood was talking about, but she was herself too much of a stranger to be able to tell. In any event, guests of the inn were customarily included, were they not? Perhaps she was just borrowing trouble.

All the next day, though Kate knew Lord Kenrick and Robert had seen Clemson on his way to the Highlands, she saw little of the Chilton brothers.

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