A Gentleman's Kiss (9 page)

Nine

The next morning Cameron waited by the shelter for Claudia and the Northingshires’ arrival and wondered what her reaction would be to him today. When he’d turned and seen her in church, he’d cringed inside at being caught sitting next to Aurora. It was something he hadn’t been able to avoid as he entered the church and she had quickly walked up to greet him. If only he’d noticed Claudia first, he could have told his childhood friend that he was with her and the Northingshires. But when he locked gazes with Claudia he’d felt such a strong feeling pass between them, as if everything was all right as long as she was near him. He didn’t miss, however, the question in her eyes, and Cameron knew she didn’t understand why he was sitting by Aurora.

Cameron let out a weary breath and leaned on the railing of the shelter steps. He had spoken to many of his acquaintances, many who would gladly marry Aurora, if only for the dowry she brought with her, but she refused to accept any of their suits. He tried to reason with her after the service, but she had excuses for every man about why she couldn’t marry them. Time was running out for her, and when he reminded her that any man was better than the old Lord Carmichael, she simply smiled and reminded him of his promise to marry her if she couldn’t find anyone else.

He sensed a growing worry in his heart over his rash promise. He kept telling himself Aurora felt only friendship and casual affection for him. But another part of him wondered if she hadn’t planned to marry him all along.

He quickly shook his head and prayed God would work out the situation. He was going to be spending the day with the woman he truly wanted to marry. Not even worry over Aurora could muddle his day.

Finally he saw them riding up in North’s open conveyance. The duke was driving himself, and Cameron knew it was to bring as little attention to them as possible. The ladies, he was glad to see, were dressed simply and plainly so as not to intimidate the women of the shelter.

Cameron did, however, feel momentarily disappointed he would have to share his time among the three of them instead of with Claudia alone.

“Kinclary!” North greeted him after he helped the ladies from the buggy and then secured the horses to a post. “Are you ready to put us to work?”

Cameron grinned as he shook the duke’s hand. “Indeed. There is always something to be done here.”

Cameron greeted Helen and then Claudia. “My lady, I don’t know how much of George you’ll see today, for he is out buying supplies this morning.”

Claudia smiled, and he was pleased to see she didn’t seem to be upset with him. “I am here to do the Lord’s work as much as I’m here for my grandfather, my lord. I just hope no one recognizes me from the other afternoon.”

“Trust me, Claudia—when I saw you in my wife’s bedroom dressed as you were, I did not recognize you at all!” North cut in, turning to Cameron. “Do you know I came very close to picking her up and throwing her out of the window?”

Cameron laughed as he clapped North on the shoulder and directed him to walk up the steps with him. “Is it because she is American that she does these outlandish things?”

“I beg your pardon!” Claudia blurted out behind Cameron, but North didn’t acknowledge her comment.

“It could very well be. You would not believe the things I saw while I lived in Louisiana. I actually saw an Indian kill an alligator using only his knife.”

“Unbelievable!” Cameron exclaimed. He’d only seen pictures of such creatures. “And was this Indian civilized, or did he live in the wild like stories I’ve read?”

“Indeed, he tried to make me believe he wanted to relieve me of my scalp the first time I met him.”

“He’s talking about Sam,” he heard Helen telling Claudia as they entered the building.

Cameron turned to catch Claudia and Helen laughing, as if they shared a funny secret. “Did you know Sam the Indian, Claudia?” he asked her, conjuring up a vision of a tall scantily clad warrior with feathers on his head.

“I’ve known Sam since we were children. He once offered my father two horses in exchange for my hand. But Helen told me he offered three for her.” She gave Helen a mock frown. “I’m quite jealous he liked you better.”

Cameron scowled at the two of them. “Gentlemen break their backs trying to woo you ladies with all sorts of gallant and knightly behavior, and then an Indian tries to barter horses for your hand and you become dewy-eyed.”

North folded his arms and gave his wife a shrewd look. “Don’t let them fool you, Kinclary. Helen gave Sam quite the setting down for his offer and then proceeded to bore him on the rudiments on gentlemanly behavior.” He shook his head. “And you notice that Claudia is now living thousands of miles away from him and still unmarried.”

All four of them shared a laugh before Cameron got their tour underway. He motioned to the expanse of the large room with his arms. “This is the main room where they stay during the day. They eat and have various lessons here also. Which is what they are doing now.” Cameron proudly pointed out the various groups that were learning different tasks from sewing to speaking correctly.

“Servants are always in great demand, but most learn their craft from their parents and their parents before them. It’s my hope I can give these ladies the skills to be ladies’ maids, cooks, and even seamstresses,” Cameron explained, his voice growing more excited as he spoke. It was hard to put a damper on his enthusiasm because this ministry was so important to him. He truly felt he was doing something that would please Christ.

“I must say, Kinclary, you are fulfilling a need that no one has dared to begin touching,” North told him with awe in his voice. “What of spiritual help? Do you have someone to pray with them and help them grow closer to God?”

“Some of the area vicars do come by, but with their own churches to run it is hard for them to come regularly.”

North smiled at him. “Then I can tell you God has truly put us together, for I have prayed for an opportunity to minister as I did in Louisiana. If you would not mind, we can hold morning Bible studies and be a comfort to any of the women who need to talk to someone.”

As North spoke to him, Cameron felt humbled as he saw God’s plan expanding into something even greater than he’d imagined. “That would be wonderful,” Cameron told him. “George and I have done most of the work on our own, so it will be a great help to have you here.”

From there Cameron showed them the large kitchen and the few employees who worked for him; then he took them to the sleeping quarters, as well as to the classroom where the children gathered around an older woman learning numbers.

Once they ventured back into the main room, Cameron introduced them to some of the women who stayed at the shelter. He was happy to see Claudia greet them warmly without an air of self-importance.

When one of the women greeted her in French, she answered her in the same tongue, sounding as if she were a native of France. Cameron realized he must have let his amazement show because when she looked over at him she grinned and explained, “Most of South Louisiana is French. My mammy spoke nothing but that language to me as a child.”

“Mammy?” Cameron queried, wondering if it was what she called her mother.

“She was the slave woman who took care of me as a child. She’d been born and raised on a Creole plantation until my father purchased her right after my birth.”

Cameron was wholeheartedly against any man owning another, no matter how superior they felt they were. But he didn’t want Claudia to think he was passing judgment on her, so he treaded carefully. “Your father owns many slaves on his plantation?”

A distressed look fell over her pretty features. “Yes, but when I was old enough to understand what owning slaves meant, I knew it wasn’t right. My father was good to his slaves and even freed some of them. But it still did not make it right.”

He should have known she felt the same way he did. Hadn’t she proved it over and over?

“Kinclary, if you don’t mind, we’re going to step over here and speak with Mrs. Brantley,” North said to him, pulling Cameron’s gaze from Claudia. He saw North and Helen standing by a woman who’d come in only the night before. The poor woman had not stopped weeping since she arrived.

“Of course! Please feel free to do whatever you think needs to be done,” he said to North.

“Cameron,” Claudia spoke his name softly, and he turned back to her. “On the plantation my father gave me permission to teach the children how to read and write. I had to do it in secret because most slave owners forbid such a thing, but I learned a great deal about children. I noticed you only have one teacher for all those children.” She paused as if gathering courage. “Perhaps I can take the younger ones, while the other teacher takes the older ones.”

Cameron’s heart blossomed even more. . .

. . .and he found himself falling more and more in love with her.

“Is there anything Lady Claudia cannot do?” he teased.

She winced and looked away. She seemed so forlorn about what she was about to admit to him, he wondered how bad it could be.

“I can’t sing,” she said as she brought her gaze back to his. She actually seemed upset by the admission. “I wanted to learn—my father even brought in a voice teacher from New Orleans—but the man said it was too painful to listen to me.”

Cameron thought the whole story was hilarious, and though he tried to keep his expression blank, his mirth must have shown through. “I’m sure it’s not”—he cleared his throat—“that bad!”

She narrowed her gaze at him. “Are you laughing at me? I’m pouring my heart out to you about my deepest failure, and you think it’s funny?” she said in a low, strained voice so as not to draw attention to them.

“No! I—” He couldn’t think of how to answer without hurting her, so he took her arm and directed her down the hall. “Let’s get you settled into the classroom, eh?”

“You’re trying to avoid the subject!” she exclaimed but allowed him to lead her.

“Yes, I am.”

“And I suppose you sing splendidly!”

“I’m afraid so,” he admitted. He was often asked to share his talent at dinner parties and gatherings. “I’ve even been known to bring a tear to someone’s eye.”

She let out a sharp breath. “I know you make me want to cry.
Often.
”

He could hold back no longer. He let out a booming laugh as he opened the door to the classroom.

❧

It was hard for Claudia not to join in on his laughter. She was beginning to enjoy their playful sparring, and she wondered if they did become betrothed and married, would he always want to tease her and make her laugh.

What fun that would be.

“Mrs. Owen, this is Claudia Baumgartner,” Cameron said when the plump older woman stood. Claudia noticed he’d left off her title, and for that she was grateful. “Mrs. Owen was once my governess before I was sent to Eton. Now that she is retired, she graciously donates her days to teaching our children.”

He explained to Mrs. Owen that Claudia could help with the teaching.

Mrs. Owen smiled warmly. “That sounds like an excellent idea. It would be a great help to have you here. Let me introduce you to the children, and tomorrow we can see which child can go in each class.”

Claudia greeted each one and was soon sitting with them, helping them write their letters or read a certain word. She didn’t know how much time had passed, but when she looked about the room, she half expected Cameron to be gone.

But he wasn’t.

He was still leaning against the doorframe, staring at her with a gentle smile on his face. In fact, he had such intense emotion in his eyes that Claudia wanted to jump up and throw herself in his arms.

She had seen a similar look on her father’s face as he gazed at her mother when he thought they were alone. Could Cameron be falling in love with her?

It was a heady thought, but one she couldn’t help hoping was true.

He finally ended the moment when he gave her a brief wave and left her to the children.

With an excitement bubbling in her chest, Claudia turned back to the student she’d been helping and prayed the time would go by quickly.

After a couple of hours the noonday bell rang out. Both women closed their books and lined up the children.

Claudia allowed Mrs. Owen to lead them out while she brought up the rear. Her path was blocked, though, when a man suddenly turned into the hallway and bumped into her.

“Oh!” She reached out to steady the boxes he was balancing.

“I do apologize. I. . .” His voice faded when their gazes met and each recognized the other.

“Hello.” Claudia studied the face of her grandfather Canterbury for the first time and realized she had the same blue eyes as he did.

“Pardon me, my lady.” He lowered his gaze at once and began to walk around her.

“But—” She started to protest his cool behavior, but Cameron stepped into the narrow hallway then.

“Ah! George!” His gaze went from George to Claudia. “I didn’t know you were back.”

“Yes, my lord.” He turned his head slightly while keeping his back to them. “I’ll just put these away now.”

“Wait, Mr. Canterbury! If you could spare me only a bit of your time—,” Claudia pleaded and turned to follow him.

But as soon as he entered the storeroom at the end of the hall, he slammed the door behind him. Claudia stood and stared at the wooden door, stunned he would be so rude to her.