Page 53 of To Steal a Kiss

Nate felt his heart contract at the pain in his sister’s voice and, once again, the guilt of his part in her ruination weighed heavy on his soul. Somehow, he would make it right. He would see Matilda happy.

“No, Tilda,” he said with a smile. “It’s not too much, and I’ll do everything in my power to see you find him.”

***

27h June 1814. Kensington Gardens.

“Thank you,” Alice said as Henry handed her down from the carriage at Hyde Park Corner. Turning, she smiled as she caught sight of Ruth and Lucia making their way towards them.

“Oh look, there’s Kitty too, and Bonnie,” Harriet said as she stepped down behind Alice. “What a merry party we shall be this afternoon.”

Alice watched Harriet’s expression cool, however, as a glorious looking blond man moved to greet her brother.

“Afternoon, Henry,” the exquisite fellow said, clapping Henry on the back and grinning.

Despite herself, Alice felt her breath catch a little. Nate was a handsome man, but with a slightly rough edge to him that Alice found very appealing. This fellow bore refinement and grace in every line of his being. He looked like a pagan god in human form, his blond hair shining gold in the sunlight, everything about him screamed of privilege and wealth and the knowledge of exactly who he was and where he belonged.

“Jasper!” Henry said, beaming. “Good to see you, old man. Oh, let me introduce you to Miss Alice Dowding. Miss Dowding, the Earl of St Clair, and you know my sister of course.”

“Miss Dowding, charmed,” he said, turning a pair of quite startling indigo eyes in Alice’s direction before moving to Harriet. Alice thought there was something of a mischievous glint to his eyes as he addressed her. “Miss Stanhope, a pleasure as always.”

“St Clair,” Harriet replied, her voice and expression stony before turning away from him.

Alice was a little surprised at the frosty reception, but the earl seemed to take it in good heart.

Once everyone had gathered, they moved off down the path through the gardens. There were many such groups enjoying the afternoon sunshine and making the most of the fashionable hour to see and be seen.

Alice tried to enjoy the warm sun on her face and the company of her friends, and not to think too hard about the events of yesterday, and especially last night.

“Oh, look,” Kitty said, hurrying to take Alice’s arm. “There’s Matilda and her brother. He’s very dashing, isn’t he, Alice? I only spoke to him a little last night, but he was very polite, not at all the libertine one expects him to be.”

Alice hid her smile and tried to remain unmoved as Matilda and Nate drew closer and exchanged greetings with everyone. St Clair and Nate appeared to be well acquainted and, once the introductions were done, the two men strolled together and chatted. Alice did her best to keep her gaze from Nate, and failed dismally. To her relief, Nate seemed to find the task as hard as she did. Several times when her eyes inexorably drifted to rest on his figure, splendid in a dark blue coat and polished black boots, she found him watching her in return.

Forcing her attention away from him once again, she smiled as she saw Henry offer his arm to Lucia as the young woman stumbled a little. She gave him a dazzling smile that even made Alice catch her breath, and seemed to knock the air from Henry’s lungs altogether, judging by the flush on his cheeks and the rather awed expression he wore. Kitty chuckled beside her, having witnessed the little scene too.

“Oh, to be born beautiful,” she said wistfully.

Alice tutted and looked to Kitty. “Are you fishing for compliments, young lady? For you know you are perfectly lovely.”

Kitty gave a low chuckle of laughter. “Ah, I’m easy enough on the eye, but that kind of beauty, that’s power, that is. That’s the power to bring a man to his knees and keep him there.”

Alice’s eyebrows rose a little. “And should you like to have such power?” she asked in alarm, watching as Kitty considered the question.

“Not especially, I suppose,” she admitted, wrinkling her nose. “I’m not sure I’d like a man I could command at a whim, but I should like to be noticed for once, for something other than my heritage, that is,” she added with a twisted grin.

“And who would you like to notice you?” Alice asked, teasing her a little.

Kitty’s dark eyes glinted as she turned to look at her. “Ah, and who is this young fellow who haunts your dreams, Miss Alice?” she demanded, raising one eyebrow in challenge.

Alice opened her mouth and closed it again.

“For shame,” Kitty lamented. “And I thought you might trust me with your secret, but I shan’t give you mine unless you give me yours first. Fair’s fair.”

Feeling amused and rather pleased at their growing friendship, Alice stuck her tongue out at her, and Kitty laughed and stopped sharply as they’d nearly walked into Minerva, who had ground to a halt and was staring at the floor.

“Oh, what a pretty butterfly,” Minerva said, bending to inspect the lovely thing as it alighted briefly on the ground.

Harriet moved closer to look herself and crouched beside it. “A small tortoiseshell,” she declared, squinting a little as she pushed her spectacles up her nose. “Aglais urticae. Urtica is of course, from the Latin for stinging nettle, urtica dioica.”