Page 31 of A Countess Never Tells

This had to stop. She wasn’t going to allow Ash to relegate her to his past conquests so quickly.

“Kitty, let us go.” Judith’s hand was insistent on her arm. She eyed Ash, who bore her scrutiny with ease. “There is nothing to be gained here.”

That was a matter of opinion. But if Kitty was to steal Ash’s affections back from these other ladies, she must act now. “I am glad to hear you enjoyed your card game, my lord. Games are always so exciting. One never knows who will turn out the winner or who will lose. Who will play a wild card.” She stared carefully at Ash, who stiffened. He may not have understood her warning, but he knew something was up. “You and I must have a game soon, don’t you think?”

She had Ash’s full attention now.

He stared back at her, his face pale, the smile wiped clean off. Ash swallowed hard. “What kind of game are you proposing, Miss Tate?”

“One where the winner takes all, my lord.” Kitty grinned wickedly at him, and his jaw dropped. “Oh, and I have done as you requested, Ash.”

There was a unified gasp when she used his nickname, the last of which came from Ash himself.

He tried to collect himself. “Please refresh my memory, if you would be so kind. Wha…what did I ask of you, Miss Tate?” The words were a choked whisper.

“For me to save you the supper dance, of course. You’ll be pleased to know I have done so.” She glanced first at Maria then at Helena then at Amanda Pettiford, who looked around as though searching for a rock to crawl under. “I am off to meet my next partner, but I shall await you afterward, so please be prompt.”

Ash glared at her as though he didn’t know whether to applaud or cut her dead. His eyes narrowed as he contemplated which action might cause less of a scandal. In the end, after several tense moments of inner struggle, he bowed and said, “Thank you, Miss Tate. I will be certain to find you when the time is right.”

The smolder in his eyes thrilled her so much she wanted to throw her arms around him and kiss him in front of everyone present. Luckily, she managed to restrain herself to a dignified curtsy.

“Come, Kitty.” Judith’s fingers dug into her flesh, and she tugged forcefully at her until Kitty finally turned away. Not before she witnessed the smug smile on Ash’s face and the woebegone looks of the young ladies.

“What were you thinking?” Judith hissed as they hurried to the far end of the ballroom. “Your brother has forbidden you to dance with Lord Ashwood, if you recall. Do you wish to see bloodshed on the dance floor?”

“I wish to choose my partners myself, as I have always done.” They fetched up at last against the cool plaster wall at the opposite end of the ballroom near the door to the verandah. “John has no right to dictate such a thing to me.” She cut her gaze toward her sister-in-law. “It’s not as though I’m betrothed.”

Judith pursed her lips. “Poor Lord Quatford. I do feel sorry for him, but it was your choice. And your brother is only trying to protect you from making a grievous mistake, Kitty. Lord Ashwood will bring you nothing but grief.” Judith glanced about the room, fanning herself. “Do you truly have a partner for the next set? Or can we go outside to cool down?”

“No, I’m not engaged until the supper dance. Now.” Kitty smiled brightly, so pleased with the way she’d handled the situation.

“Huh.” Judith opened the door to the verandah and all but pushed Kitty outside.

The balmy night air kissed Kitty’s skin the moment she stepped outside, conjuring thoughts of Ash’s lips doing the same thing. What she wouldn’t give to be out here with him now instead of her sister-in-law.

“Well, Kitty? What were you thinking?” Judith’s annoyance was given full throat now they were alone. “You have gone against your brother’s express wishes by first corresponding with a gentleman then agreeing to dance with him. By all rights, we should be dragging you home this minute.”

“Judith, please hear me out.” Kitty paused, hoping for divine inspiration as she truly had no excuse for what she’d just done. Perhaps a little honesty would go a long way. “I have long understood how unlikely it is that I would receive an offer of marriage from a gentleman I would wish to marry. I thought I could agree to Lord Quatford, but in the end I could not. If I marry, it will be to a man I am passionately in love with, as you are in love with John. At present, there is only one gentleman I am interested in marrying, and that is Lord Ashwood.”

“Kitty, you know full well what he is interested in, and I assure you it is not marriage.” Her friend’s voice had softened, so her anger had likely abated.

“You may be surprised to discover that is not true, my dear.” Kitty hadn’t told her sister-in-law of Ash’s proposal.

“What do you mean?” Judith’s eyes narrowed.

“Ash asked me to marry him.” Kitty had been thinking of that proposal all during the long week she’d spent confined to the house, hiding out from Lord Baltimore. A more boring week she’d never spent, so thoughts of Ash and his proposal had been paramount in her mind.

“He didn’t! When?”

Hastily, Kitty recounted the night in Lady Braeden’s garden.

“Did you turn him down?”

“I was supposed to give him an answer the day he spoke to John about Lord Baltimore’s antics. Tonight is the first time since then I’ve been able to see him.”

“You could come to regret such a marriage, Kitty. He is a rake, after all.”

“That’s what I thought too, Judith. How do I trust such a man not to continue his wicked ways? But I’ve had a long week to think about it, and I want to give him a chance to convince me. After all, they say rakes make the best husbands.”