It was not that Kitty did not believe in love, she simply didn’t believe in forced love. One cannot be compelled to fall in love with a particular person, and as her father had philosophized many times, sometimes the heart desired what it desired, no matter how inconvenient.
Kitty pursed her lips as she gazed at her reflection and cocked her head. Nervous bubbles rose up inside her, despite her best attempts to not allow this meeting to affect her too much.
She was to meet the man she would soon marry, whether it was what she wanted or not. There was no need to be nervous. She had only heard great and noble things about him, but unfortunately that knowledge did not make the situation any less stressful.
Other people’s words were not credible, as they did not know him personally.
“Utter perfection.” Her mother beamed beside her, distracting Kitty from the imminent tragedy that lay before her. “There will be no doubt that His Grace will fall madly in love with you the moment he sets his sights upon you, my dear.”
Kitty glanced at her mother over her shoulder and smiled weakly. Perhaps her mother was under the impression this may happen, but she was not convinced. Not in the least.
In fact, she was not certain whether she would even meet with James, as one could easily become lost in the thick foliage of the trees in the meadow that had caught her eye at that very moment.
“Are you ready, my dear?” her mother smiled and held her hand out, sheer excitement radiating on her face, her green eyes twinkling with hope.
Despite Kitty’s initial instincts to show defiance, or perhaps give a witty retort that her mother would certainly not appreciate or find amusing, she nodded quietly and stood up from the stool.
The skirt of her dress slid to the floor and Lady Dunne’s eyes sparkled even more. Her mother clutched her hand against her chest and sighed.
“Utter perfection,” she repeated.
Unfortunately, Kitty felt like nothing close to perfection.
LINK FOR KITTY AND the Duke’s story here: https://geni.us/seymourbook1
