His last comment, however, was like a bucket of cold water being dumped atop a growing flame. Her brother deserved a future that was as broad and bright and limitless as he envisioned. Not one where he was kept hidden to protect himself from some unclarified danger.
She had to find their enemy and end the threat. So her brother could become all he was meant to be.
“I will take care of it. I promise.”
“I know, Kit. But that’s the other point I’d like to make. Father’s death, moving to London, this frustrating mystery—they’ve all shown me a truth I’ve been ignoring for too long.”
Katherine frowned. “What’s that?”
His brown eyes suddenly seemed a bit too knowing as he turned to face her, putting his hands on her shoulders as she’d done to him so many times. “I love you, Kit, and each year I appreciate more and more the things you’ve done for me. But it’s well past time for you to live life for yourself.”
She was tempted to shrug off his hold, but forced herself to meet his intent gaze. “What are you talking about? I live—”
He cut her off with a shake of his head. “No, you don’t. If I hadn’t been born and Mother hadn’t died, what do you suppose your life would be like right now?”
“That’s a ridiculous question. Losing Mother was horrible, but I do have you and I’m exceedingly grateful for it.”
“But if you hadn’t had to focus all your attention on me,” he pressed, “you’d have had a London Season. You’d have been courted and likely married by now.”
She laughed. “Where on earth is this coming from? You know I’ve no interest in the social whirl.”
“But you’d like children someday. A home of your own.”
“Perhaps. Someday,” she replied carefully.
“Don’t think I’m not aware of how you’ve put your life on hold for me. In fact, it’s never been more apparent than when you and Mr. Hale are in a room together.”
Katherine’s eyes widened at his wild conclusion. “What could he possibly have to do with all this?”
Frederick gave a dramatic roll of his eyes. “I’m not stupid, Kit. You obviously like him. A lot.”
“I—”
“And it’s clear you’re doing nothing about it because of me.” His brows lowered in a fierce scowl. “I don’t wish to be an obstacle to your happiness.”
“No. Stop it, Frederick. Just stop. You’re not an obstacle to anything and I’m not unhappy.”
“But you do want Mr. Hale,” he prompted.
Though her heart clenched at his observation, she had never lied to her brother and she couldn’t start now. So, she evaded instead.
“That’s not the point.” She took his hands in hers. “The truth is, you’re absolutely right. It’s time for you to experience the world without me constantly hovering at your side. I’ve always known I wouldn’t be allowed to mother you forever, and it’s probably well past time for you to become more independent.” She smiled. “I have complete faith in you and the duke you’ll become. And I can’t wait to see the new Redbury Hall.”
Her brother’s eyes narrowed. “He wants you, too, you know.”
Fail.
Katherine released his hands and turned away. “Frederick...”
“What? I’m not a child. I can see how you two are with each other. I know what it means.”
“It doesn’t mean anything,” she argued.
Her brother just shook his head in disappointment. “If you insist,” he muttered before turning his attention back to the blueprints.
Chapter Twenty-four
Later in the evening, a message arrived from Morley. As soon as Mason saw that it contained information on the list of names Lady Katherine had provided, he went in search of the elusive woman. He didn’t bother analyzing the rush of anticipation he felt at the thought of seeing her again, telling himself it didn’t bear that much attention.
He checked for her first in the study, where she tended to spend most of her time. The room was empty, however. As were the library and the parlor and the drawing room. He finally stopped a passing maid, who directed him to a sitting room on the second floor.
The door to the room had been left open, and he found the lady kneeling on the floor beside an open trunk. Her hair had been styled in a lovely mass atop her head, and the robin’s-egg blue of her silk dinner gown fell in soft folds over the curve of her buttocks as she leaned forward to dig through the old trunk.
Desire shot through him, shockingly intense.
He wasn’t sure what he’d expected to happen when he saw her again after their time in the ballroom. As soon as he’d made it to the privacy of his bedroom, he’d done what was necessary to ease the need raging through his body. But it’d been a pale substitute and had done very little to assuage his driving hunger for the woman herself.
If anything, his lust had been strengthened by the experience now that he knew exactly how she looked, moved, moaned, and gasped while in the throes.
Something alerted her to his presence—perhaps she sensed his rising hunger—and she twisted around to pin him with a startled look. Her eyes widened briefly at the sight of him before her gaze took a thorough wander down the length of his body, which was quickly hardening in all the right places.
He saw the shift in her expression, the softening and the flush of pink in her cheeks, before she returned to her chore, giving him her back again. He couldn’t say he was upset by her silent dismissal. It was a stunning backside, after all. And he suspected the irritation in her expression was due more to an apparent lack of success in finding whatever she was looking for than in his interruption.
At least, he hoped it was.
“What is it,
