Page 64 of To Follow her Heart

―Excerpt of a letter from Mrs Kitty Baxter to Miss Matilda Hunt.

29th August 1814, Goose Green.

“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me!” Kitty exclaimed for the third time as the post chaise carried them the final leg of the journey back to Holbrooke House.

They had spent a blissful two nights at The White Swan before returning to Jasper’s house in Aylesbury for one night. The housekeeper had greeted them as warmly as ever and showed them to their room, not the separate rooms they’d had on the journey there. Other than that, she displayed no sign of knowing or caring that they’d eloped together, and Luke had every intention of congratulating St Clair on the quality and discretion of his staff.

Now, however, so close to facing everything they’d run away from, Luke had been unable to keep the events of the night before they’d left to himself any longer.

“Oh! I could wring her pretty neck,” Kitty seethed, her cheeks flushed with fury. “How dare she? How dare she?”

Luke put his arm about her. “Come now, Kitten. It’s all worked out for the best. Your Miss Stanhope and Miss Hunt saved the day. We owe them a great deal.”

“Oh,” she said, staring up at him and looking torn between wanting to throw things and laugh, which for Kitty was a not uncommon state of affairs. “Thank heavens for them. I shall never be able to thank them. Clever, clever Harriet, and Matilda… always looking out for me. Oh, how much I owe them. I shall never be able to repay them for saving you from that vile, devious, wicked woman. Not ever.”

“Don’t be too hard on Lady Frances, Kitten. Unlike you, I do understand the pressure she is under, the weight of expectation put on her by her father to marry well. What with Mr Derby whispering such schemes in her ears… well, I don’t condone it, but perhaps we can forgive it?”

“Never,” Kitty muttered, folding her arms, a belligerent glint in her eyes. “Not if I live to be a hundred.”

Luke smiled and kissed her dark curls. “As you like, love.”

She huffed, and he reached out, taking her chin in his hand and turning her face to his before kissing her hard and thoroughly. She resisted for the barest second before melting into him and putting her head on his shoulder with a sigh.

“I must thank Sybil, too,” she said. “How brave of her to tell you to go like she did, when she is so afraid of her father. We will have her come and stay with us in Armoy once the house is in order, even if we must kidnap her to get her away from the hateful man.”

“Yes, we must. Her and her sisters, but might I have you to myself for a while first?”

Kitty glanced up at him and tutted. “As if you need ask,” she said, though she smiled and snuggled into his embrace.

They reached Holbrooke House by late afternoon and found a welcoming committee awaiting them. The moment they climbed down from the carriage there were whoops and cheers and they were pelted with rice.

Kitty exclaimed and ran to Harriet, embracing her so hard she nearly toppled them both to the ground as Harriet stepped on her own hem. St Clair caught her, steadying Harriet, who flushed and looked quite overwhelmed on all counts.

“Oh, Harriet,” Kitty said, blinking back tears. “Luke only just told me what you did for him, for us. Oh, and you too, Matilda.”

“And me!” Bonnie said, sounding a trifle indignant. “I was the one who spotted them plotting.”

“Oh, and you too, Bonnie!” Kitty said, embracing each woman in turn and kissing them.

“I take it all went according to plan?” Jasper said, coming forward to shake Luke’s hand as the women laughed and hunted for handkerchiefs for an increasingly emotional Kitty.

Luke laughed at that. “With Kitty in tow?” he said, shaking his head. “Not a chance, but we got there in the end.”

“Congratulations,” Jasper said, his expression so warm that Luke felt his throat tighten. “I couldn’t be happier for you.”

Luke reached out and grasped Jasper’s arm. “I owe you a great deal, and I will repay that debt if I can,” he said, meaning it. “I certainly won’t ever forget everything you did. You can count on me, on my friendship, if ever you need it.”

“Ah, well,” Jasper said with a shrug. “Hope springs eternal. But, to other matters, I have a deal to tell you about what happened after you left. First, come inside. Mother has prepared a small celebration, and she’s itching to show you both.”

The small celebration was comprised of a lavish bride cake, thick with sugar icing, and copious amounts of champagne. There were flowers everywhere and Luke felt a surge of gratitude towards Lady St Clair for providing what Kitty had missed by running away with him in such a fashion.

“Lady Frances left shortly after we did that morning,” Jasper said, once he had Luke’s attention again. “She didn’t say a word to anyone, just swept out with her head held high. She’s got nerve, you must give her that.”

Luke shrugged, feeling a surge of pity for the woman, despite everything. “She’s a duke’s daughter.” He frowned, not wanting to spoil the day by speaking of unpleasantness, but he could not ignore it. “And Mr Derby?”

“Ah,” said Jasper, his expression grave. “Miss Derby moved her father two days ago. She’s rented a house, close to the doctor for the moment. In fact, she ought to be here….”

He turned as his butler, Temple, caught his eye and Luke saw Sybil walking behind him.