Courtesan's Kiss (27 page)

“M
ISS
C
ASTELLANO AND
I
are going fishing,” Lord David announced, and Mia realized that he had left his place at the head of the table and was striding toward where she sat.

She stared up at him in astonishment that quickly gave way to delight.

“We wish you all a good evening.” He gave Mia a look that demanded her cooperation. She gave David a quick smile and turned to her dinner companion.

“Thank you for an enlightening conversation, Lord Kyle, but let me assure you that despite your very paternal attitude you have not convinced me to abandon my plan.”

Kyle stood, took her hand, and helped her to her feet. Then he kissed her fingers. “I will look forward to seeing you, then, perhaps at a house party shortly after your birthday.”

He smiled at her and she laughed with the pure pleasure of victory. “Good night all!” she called out as David pulled her along behind him.

They left the room to a chorus of ribald comments until Kyle silenced the group with a crude word of his own.

In the kitchen they found a mirror dinner. Janina and Romero were at the table with the other house servants. Cantwell sat at the head of the table, his wife at the opposite end. Ettie’s and Blanche’s maids and the gentlemen’s valets were seated with excruciating attention to what was proper, far more attention to precedence than they had observed in the dining room. There was no conversation, only the sound of forks clinking against china.

“We are going fishing,” Mia announced. “It is just the right time for the evening hatch.”

Mr. Cantwell nodded as if granting permission, at which point Mia realized that she should not have said anything to them. She, and certainly Lord David, did not have to explain themselves to the servants.

The yells and laughter from the other room made it clear what they had left behind.

Romero moved from his seat and closed the door that separated the house from the kitchen, and a sense of gentility settled over them again.

David led Mia out to the fishing porch and closed the connecting door firmly behind him. She knew he was angry. Or maybe he was only frustrated that he did not know what she and Kyle had been talking about. Or
maybe it was not anger or frustration at all but the same thing she felt.

When he backed her against the door and kissed her, Mia had her answer. His ruthless kiss felt wonderful. Just what she wanted: to lose herself in feeling, to not have to think of something clever to say, some reason for behavior that seemed, to her, perfectly ladylike. She could just let her body speak for her.

She pushed her fingers through his hair and clasped her hands behind his neck. When she could stand the temptation no longer she opened her lips, and the deepening kiss made her weak with longing. Mia thought she could spend the rest of her life kissing this man and never tire of the way his mouth felt, never want less than everything he had to give.

David ended the kiss with his forehead pressed to hers. He whispered, “If anyone is going to take you to bed, it will be me.” He kissed the corner of her mouth, her cheek, her neck, and she felt his hand cup her breast.

“Then why,” she whispered, “are we going fishing?” It was perhaps not the cleverest thing to say but she was in a daze and very happy there.

A few hours ago she had said no. But now the word was beyond her. She wanted him. She wanted to know his body as well as she knew his mouth. She wanted to feel him as close to her as a man and woman could be, in a way that made words unimportant, in a way that spoke of love without ever saying it.

David stepped back, one step, then two. Mia would
not move from the door until her legs were more capable of supporting her.

“We are going fishing because if I had to watch Kyle fawning over you for another minute—” He stopped, turned around and adjusted his clothes, ran a hand through his hair and started over, still with his back to her. “If I leave you alone you will find more trouble than I can handle without hurting someone.” He looked over his shoulder, his face grim. “Show me what I will need to fish.”

His distress was so sincere that Mia went through the steps of gathering what she needed, even though it would be too dark to have a hope of catching anything. David made a show of following her directions and finally tossed it all to the floor.

“I will watch you. Or go for a swim in the coldest water I can find.”

“That will scare the fish away.”

His expression alone would scare the fish away. Without another word, Mia put the fishing rods back in their braces and opened the door that led outside. “If we hurry we can see what insects the fish are rising to. Then tomorrow I can show you how to choose a fly and the best way to cast.”

“Mia, I have no desire to learn to angle with a fly.”

“Then come and smoke one of your stupid cigarillos.” Could he not tell that she just wanted to spend some time with him, alone?

She began to not-quite-run down to the river. The stays and her narrow skirt made an actual run impossible.
He followed her at what was, given his longer stride, merely a stroll. When they were far enough away from the house that Mia felt they were committed to a walk, she slowed.

“You are not the only one who observed at dinner, David. Ettie talked to you endlessly and Blanche could not keep her eyes off you.”

“Blanche? Franklin kept calling her Candy,” David said, and after a beat added, “She does look good enough to eat.”

Mia turned her head slowly to see his expression. When their eyes met they both began to laugh, and continued until Mia had tears in her eyes and David had to stop walking to catch his breath.

“Oh, that was so much fun!”

David was not sure if Mia meant the laughter or the dinner.

“I know you have seen it all before, my lord, but the way Blanche let the fish fall on her bosom. It was so obvious. And yet Franklin was all too willing to help her remove it.”

“Did you see that? I hoped that the least Kyle would do was distract you from their goings-on.” David resumed walking at a slower pace. Mia followed.

“Yes, and I heard her ask the footman to have some of the whipped cream delivered to her room.” Mia almost asked why she would want that later, and then realized that with a little whipped cream in the right place, dear Blanche would be good enough to eat. “And the footman
did no more than nod,” Mia finished, rather proud of her sophistication.

“He’s seen worse here, I’m sure.”

For just a second Mia wondered how the duke found servants willing to tolerate his guests, then deliberately did not think about how often the Pennistan brothers had made up a party. “I always thought Lord Kyle was such a gentleman, and he proved it tonight. He might have been a little bold or perhaps risqué but he never went too far.”

When David’s brow furrowed she hurried on.

“He did not insult me in any way, David, but he was quite willing to play the game.”

“Kyle is less roué than he pretends.”

“But why?” Mia faced David and danced backward toward the river. “He has so much to recommend him.”

“He does it to upset his father, who persists in treating him like a schoolboy. So Kyle acts like one. He will inherit an earldom with virtually no idea how to handle it.”

“The complete opposite of Meryon. How odd they are such good friends.”

“Not at all. Have you not observed how often opposites attract?”

“Are you talking about us?” She stumbled a little but did not fall.

David laughed.

Exactly how much had he drunk? Nothing, she thought, but he never laughed this much.

“You are not all that I think about, Mia.”

“Then who did you mean?”

He thought for a moment, proving that she was who
he had been thinking of. “You and Bendasbrook prove it. You are too much alike. Elena and Meryon are a good example of opposites. She loves the crowds at a party and Meryon would as soon find a quiet room. And he cannot sing at all.”

“Nonsense. Elena might not seek privacy, but she will talk to the same person for an hour. They both are exactly the same. Except for the music.” She turned to face him, her hands on her hips. “Admit it, you were talking about us.”

Perhaps he had been. But he would never say it aloud.

“David,” she said, taking his hand and swinging it between them. “When was the last time you had fun?”

“Fun is for children.”

“Well, there is one way in which we are opposites, because I have fun every time I play an instrument. I have fun when I angle. I have fun when I shop for new clothes. I have fun when we laugh together. So, when do you have fun?”

He shook his head but she could see he was thinking about it. He had fun when he was in a boxing ring. He had had a grand time intimidating Mr. Cole, and he had enjoyed provoking that man who had insulted her. And he and she both definitely had fun when they kissed.

“David, admit it. If we can laugh together, surely we could have fun together?” It was as close as she would allow herself to come to asking him for more attention.

As she waited for possibly the most important answer of her life, Mia heard Janina calling to her. When she turned Nina was running across the grass.

“Signorina, what are you thinking? You cannot wear that dress to catch fish! You must change first.”

Mia let out a sharp breath. There were times when Nina was too scrupulous.

“Nina, we are not fishing. We are only going for a walk.”

“Think of all the times during the war when we had to make do with old styles, even patching our favorite gowns! Come into the house this instant and change.”

“We are
not
going fishing.”
Go away, Nina
, Mia thought in as loud a voice as her imagination could summon.
We are talking about something important. Do not destroy the mood
.

“That is quite enough.” David stepped in front of Mia and spoke directly to Janina.

Why could he not mind his own business?

“Miss Castellano is the one in charge here. She can do as she wishes.”

“Do not criticize Nina. She is not at fault. She is sweet and fragile and your ill will is appalling.” Mia grabbed Janina’s hand. “He is not angry with you.” Janina nodded doubtfully and Mia turned back to David. “If you are angry, yell at me.”
It does not upset me
. He took her suggestion to heart.

“You seem to delight in associating with all the wrong kind of people, Mia. Those women tonight were courtesans and you actually seemed to enjoy yourself.”

“What you need is a boxing ring to go a round or two with Lord Kyle. Please do not lose your temper.”

“I am not losing my temper.” He parsed the words out, proving the opposite.

Oh dear
, Mia thought. Then she saw Romero coming across the lawn, striding in a purposeful way.
Oh hell
, she thought, using the word quite deliberately.

He confronted David with his fists raised. “You are insulting the woman I am going to marry.” He stood slightly shorter than Lord David but that did not stop him from stepping closer. “Prepare to defend yourself, you arrogant aristocrat.”

Dio mio
, they were going to replay the French Revolution here on the lawn at Sandleton. Thank God there were no knives around. Then Mia remembered the one that David had on him during the confrontation with Dilber. She ran around the two, who were preparing to fight by taking off their coats. Nina was wailing quietly, almost to herself.

“Nina, we must stop them.” Mia grabbed Nina’s arm and began to pull her toward the combatants, who were now loosening their cravats.

“Yes, yes, or Romero will kill him.” Nina grabbed Mia’s other hand and stopped their advance.

“No, he won’t,” Mia said with some exasperation, pulling her hands out of Nina’s. “David will kill Romero.”

They might have argued about it themselves but there was no time.

While Mia took a moment to consider the best approach, Nina wrapped her hands around Romero’s waist. “You will stop this nonsense now.”

Romero growled and dropped his hands to try to pry Nina’s off him.

Mia did her one better and jumped up onto David’s back, wrapping her legs around his middle. She heard something rip and hoped it was David’s coat and not her dress.

David grabbed her hands but did not try to push her off; rather he held her as though afraid she would fall.

“David,” she whispered into his ear and refused to be distracted when he shivered. “Listen. Janina is my sister.”

“Drop off my back, Mia. Do it now.”

“David, why must I say everything twice? Nina is more than a maid. Did you hear me?”

“Yes.” He paused as if patience would come to him if he waited a moment. “This is no position in which to have a discussion.”

“I don’t know. I do have your complete attention.”

“Off me, Mia, or I promise you are the one I will punish.”

“I’d like to see you try,” she murmured as she slid off his back.

Nina and Romero waited, arm in arm, though Mia thought it was more to keep Romero under control than a gesture of solidarity.

David straightened his clothes and ran a hand through his hair. “Did you say that Janina is your sister?”

“Oh, Mia.” Janina’s two words were laced with disappointment.

“Explain your relationship with Janina.”

“Lord David!” Janina almost shouted. Her raised
voice made even David pause. Having gained his attention, she gathered her composure around her like armor. “If we are going to talk about my relationship to the Castellanos, I must swear you to secrecy.” Janina spoke in a firm voice.

“I promise discretion, miss, but I will not promise silence until I know the story.”

A tense silence settled between them, but finally Nina gave a little nod.

“Shall I begin?” Mia asked Nina.

Nina nodded again, this time with more certainty.

Mia turned to David. “My father had a years-long affair of the heart with the seamstress who came to our home. It began shortly after my mother died and lasted until the signora’s own death from an inflammation of the lungs.” Mia heard Nina sniff and saw Romero take her into his arms, resting her against his shoulder.