“I’m afraid Mr. Martyn has gone to Hampton Court,” the butler told them. “My apologies, Lady Rose. I don’t expect him back until Thursday.”
“Thursday?” Rose echoed, her stomach souring with disappointment. Not only could she not see Kit, the roads were too dangerous to travel at night. The countryside was dark as sin, and highwaymen abounded. Standing on the doorstep, Rose looked helplessly at her sisters, then back to Graves. “Do you suppose we could stay the night anyway?”
“Of course, of course.” The butler reached for her satchel. “Mr. Martyn would have my head if I turned you away.”
In no time at all, he’d called for footmen to take their luggage and maids to ready rooms. He sent word to the cook to prepare a fine meal, then ushered the sisters through the magnificent entry hall and into the drawing room to await supper.
Rose plopped onto the moss green settle. “I cannot believe this.”
“All is not lost.” Lily shrugged and set down her cat before sitting beside her. “We shall have a nice sisterly evening together.”
Rose had wanted to spend the evening with Kit. “I think I just want to go to sleep—” Suddenly an alarming thought occurred to her. “Good heavens, this is terrible. I won’t be able to explain to Kit before we leave.”
“Explain what?” Violet asked, perusing a book she’d found on a shelf.
“About Ellen and the money. I need to explain. Else he might hate me and call off the wedding—”
“Oh, Rose.” Lily covered her hand with her own. “I’m sorry we ever said that. Kit isn’t going to hate you.”
Violet shut the book and sat on her other side. “As you pointed out, I meddled in Ford’s life, too. And he certainly didn’t hate me for doing those things. In fact, he thought it was wonderful.”
But now that the idea had taken root in her head, Rose couldn’t help but worry. “Ford is different,” she said. “He thrives on invention, creation—he’s not a man driven by ambition, as Kit is. Ford’s happiest when other people take care of the details so he can concentrate on his science. But Kit is used to being in charge. He may not take lightly to my arranging his life.”
“You said you know him,” Lily reminded her. “You said you were certain he wouldn’t react badly.”
That was true. Her heart stopped pounding quite so hard. “You’re right,” she said, “I do know Kit. He’ll probably laugh when he hears what I’ve done.”
But a moment later she was doubting again. She felt as though her emotions were buffeted by the wind.
More than anything, she wanted to talk to Kit and see his reaction once and for all. But she couldn’t drag her sisters to Hampton Court, and she couldn’t send them home in the carriage and wait here until Thursday, either. Her wedding was Saturday. She had to make flower arrangements, greet the family coming to stay…
“I’ll leave him a letter,” she decided. “And I’ll ask him to send a message as soon as he reads it.” She’d be counting the hours until Thursday night when, she hoped, she’d receive words of reassurance. Words that would allow her a good night’s sleep.
“The perfect solution,” Violet said.
Not perfect, but the best Rose could do.
“He loves you,” Lily reminded her.
Rose could only hope he loved her enough.
SEVENTY-ONE
HE WAS A coward.
Kit had argued with himself on the entire drive from London. Should he give Ellen her dowry before the wedding, so she’d attend and neither of them would be sorry later? Or wait until she started talking to him again, no matter how long it took?
He wanted to do the latter; he didn’t want to give in to her childish behavior, and he didn’t want to feel like he was buying her love. But he didn’t have the guts. As evidenced by the fact that, following his final inspection of the completed chapel at Whitehall, he’d detoured to visit his goldsmith before driving back here to Windsor.
Not to mention that even though his work had kept him a day later than he’d intended—even though it was nightfall already and his wedding was tomorrow—he was even now heading up the High Street to Ellen’s house instead of down the hill to his own.
Still, if he was a coward, at least he was a happy one.
Amazingly, in less than twenty-four hours, Rose would be his. He hadn’t needed the knighthood, let alone a more important title. He’d won her as plain Kit Martyn, and there was satisfaction to be found in that.
No more mishaps had occurred, and, in fact, his work was proceeding extremely well. Lord Trentingham, of course, was enamored of his new greenhouse. Charles was pleased with the chapel at Whitehall, and when he saw the exquisite dining room here in Windsor, which was also now complete, Kit was confident he’d approve. It was unfortunate the new Hampton Court building was so far behind schedule, but as its intended occupant was currently in France, that wasn’t exactly disastrous. Kit had double- and triple-checked every detail with his foreman, making certain the project would progress well in his absence. And Kit was certain, too, that, when finished, it would exceed Charles’s expectations. Despite losing the Deputy Surveyor post, his future was not at all bleak.
A week from today, he and Rose would attend the queen’s birthday celebration at Whitehall, then leave for Italy the day after that. A dream come true for them both. He would learn from the great architects, and Rose would finally get to immerse herself in the Italian language.
But first things first, Kit thought as his carriage drew up before the pawnshop. Before he could be happy with the new woman in his life, he needed to square things with the old one.
He drew a deep breath, hefted the bag of coins, and marched up to the pawnshop’s door. It was locked tight at this
