Page 57 of To Follow her Heart

“Well, Mr Derby, a pleasure to meet you, and I understand you are a missionary man, just returned from Africa?”

Luke remained very still for a moment while he gathered his wits before forcing a smile to face and replying with remarkable calm. “For my sins, madam.”

The ladies tittered.

He glanced at Kitty, who bit her lip and stared at her hands with a fixed expression, refusing to meet his eyes. Oh, he would make her pay for this.

“Your wife tells us you are on your way to Aylesbury to nurse your poor mama,” Miss skinny Quick—as he’d mentally labelled her—said with a sympathetic smile.

“I am, though it will be something of a trial, as dear Mama loathes my wife,” he said, taking Kitty’s hand and squeezing it a little too hard. “She never forgave me for marrying you, did she love? She always thought you’d lead me to the devil, and here I am, a missionary man.”

Kitty looked up at him, and he knew she well understood he was going to murder her.

“Yes,” Kitty said, looking as innocent as the maid she was as she turned her dark, beguiling eyes on the two ladies. “But my papa would have killed him had he not after we had been meeting in secret for so long…”

She lowered her lashes coyly as the ladies gave Luke a sharp and disapproving glare.

Luke blushed. Damn, she was good at this.

“Yes, well, I always intended to,” Luke said in a rush. “It was only that Mama didn’t like me marrying so far above myself. She felt sure you’d spend my money and leave me in ruins.”

Both Miss Skinny Quick and Miss Plump Quick were riveted by this back-and-forth, and Luke was therefore quite prepared when they offered to take them up as far as the Walton Turnpike.

“How kind you are, ladies,” Luke said with a beneficent smile. “The good Lord is certainly smiling on us today.”

The Misses Quick beamed at him.

***

Kitty thanked the ladies with warmth and enthusiasm as they set them down and waved them off with a handkerchief, before steeling herself to look Luke in the eyes.

As the Quicks’ carriage rounded the bend and disappeared out of sight, she turned her most beseeching expression on her betrothed.

“Now, Luke,” she said, observing the glint in his eyes with misgiving. “Admit that we would not be here, but still stuck in Amersham, if I hadn’t secured us a place in their carriage.”

“Indeed, Kitten,” he agreed amicably enough. “I do admit it. I do not, however, see why it was necessary to make me a missionary man just back from Africa, of all places! I could wring your neck,” he said with feeling. “I’ve turned my brain upside down trying to shake loose every last piece of information I’ve ever learned about the place, and I’m sure half of it was quite incorrect. Happily for us, I don’t think they’d have known Africa from Australia, and were none the wiser.”

“Oh, but the story about the crocodile was inspired,” she said, taking his arm and staring up at him in wonder. “I was utterly enthralled myself, and I knew it was all a hum.”

“Stop trying to turn me up sweet, you odious creature,” he said, glowering at her. “Though it was a rather marvellous story,” he admitted, unwinding somewhat.

“Oh, it was, and the bit where you saved the little dog from its snapping jaws! I wanted to weep and cheer you on at the same time.”

Luke snorted and rolled his eyes. “Is this what married life will be like?” he demanded, though there was a smile touching the corners of his mouth. “I wonder at the fact I ever despaired of seeing you again, if I’d had any sense, I would have run the moment I set eyes on you.”

“Oh, Luke!” Kitty cried, horrified. “Don’t say it. I promise I shan’t tease you anymore, I’ll be good, I swear.”

Luke frowned and then looked about to be certain they were unobserved. “Don’t you dare,” he murmured, before giving her a swift kiss. “I’m having a ball. I’ve missed your particular brand of madness more than I can say.”

She sighed with relief and took hold of his hand, raising it to her cheek. “Love you,” she whispered.

“Love you too, you little she-devil, even if you do make a fellow dizzy with your shenanigans. Still, we’re not so very far from Aylesbury, so what are you going to come up with to get us to St Clair’s place now, I wonder?”

Kitty resisted the urge to hug him and decided to be magnanimous.

“I think it’s your turn,” she said, “After all, fair’s fair.”

***