Page 51 of Return to Satterthwaite Court

“Who will be entertaining her in your absence? Jack? Ivo?” James cocked a brow. “Myself?”

“Miss Heywood has no need for entertainment. She’s refreshing herself in her room. When I return, I’ll go and fetch her. You can see her again then.”

He stilled. “What makes you imagine—”

“I saw the way you looked at her,” Kate said. “The lieutenant and Miss Heywood mayn’t have noticed, but I know you, James. She’s the first young lady I’ve ever seen you offer a second glance.”

Her brother was silent a moment. “Her eyes don’t match.”

“That shouldn’t have been a surprise. I warned you they didn’t.”

“Yes, but…” He frowned. “You said nothing about all the rest of her. She’s—”

“She’s shy. Painfully so. You must endeavor to be sweet to her.”

A glimmer of suspicion darkened his face. “Are you matchmaking, Kate?”

“Goodness no,” she said. “I wouldn’t dream of it. We all know you intend to go to London next season and find yourself a duke’s daughter or a princess or some equally illustrious personage who will marry you and set herself up as the most admired hostess in the country.”

“One of us must do our duty. Our family requires respectability. Something you’d do well to remember.”

“When have I ever forgotten it?” Kate gave a sharp tug to her mantle, straightening the fabric over the skirts of her woolen gown. “You still haven’t said where you’re going in such a hurry.”

“If you must know,” James said tightly, “I’m going after Ivo.”

“Ivo’s left the house as well?” Kate expelled an exasperated breath. Were none of her brothers going to remain long enough to entertain their guests?

“He has,” James said. “He made his escape not fifteen seconds after you departed the drawing room. I saw him from the window, walking toward Letchford Hall.”

Kate recoiled. “Not Miss Burton-Smythe again?”

“I fear so. Now”—James settled his hat on his head—“if you would allow me go in peace, I may yet have time to catch him.”

“By all means.” She stepped back. “Do what you must.”

Her brother slipped out the door.

Kate remained on the threshold, staring after him, the icy winter wind biting her face as he crossed the drive in the direction of the boundary Beasley Park shared with Letchford Hall.

Good Lord.

Did Ivo have no brains in his head? He couldn’t seriously imagine that anyone would sanction a match between him and the daughter of Sir Frederick Burton-Smythe?

Papa certainly wouldn’t.

He despised Sir Frederick with a passion. Indeed, Kate had once heard the servants whispering that, in her father’s scandalous youth, he and Sir Frederick had engaged in fisticuffs on more than one occasion.

Kate well believed it.

Her father was an old dear, but when riled, he wasn’t a man to be trifled with. Only a fool would get on the wrong side of him. Her oldest brother was much like their father in that regard. If anyone could resolve the problem with Ivo and Miss Burton-Smythe, it would be James.

A booted footstep sounded on the stair behind her.

“Leaving without me?” a deep voice inquired.

Kate turned from the open door. Her heart gave an excited leap as Charles Heywood approached. Like her brother, he was dressed for the out of doors in a heavy overcoat and gloves. Unlike James, however, Charles’s dashing appearance provoked an unholy swarm of butterflies in her stomach.

Foolish.