The Engagement - Regency Brides 02 (13 page)

"I have to wonder if she is playing at some sort of game,"

Nicholas stated baldly.

"Nicholas!" Christina gasped. "Consider your words!"

"What are you implying?" Thomas responded at the same time.

Nicholas held out his hands in supplication, his expression apologetic. "I did not mean to sound so accusing, but I cannot keep my concerns silent. Not when your happiness is at stake, Thorn."

Thomas's anger dissipated at seeing the concern in his brother's eyes. "Nicholas, you act as if I am some schoolboy who cannot think for himself." He kept his voice gentle. "I love Katherine Montbatten, and now that I know she loves you, there is no reason to worry."

A self-deprecating smile curved Nicholas's lips. "Then forgive me for prying," he said, but he snapped his fingers as though he'd suddenly thought of something. "Just one thing. I heard Katherine's sister say Theodora was waiting for her.

Who is Theodora?"

"She is Katherine's spinster cousin. Vine, I believe her family name is." Thomas became curious. "Why? Do you know her?"

Nicholas shook his head. "I don't think so. I do remember, though, that Father was seeing a local woman years ago After Mother died. I believe her name was Theodora."

"Well, I daresay, there must be quite a few ladies with that name. And, besides, this one doesn't seem the type that would have attracted someone like our father. Keeps to herself, this one does." Thomas commented.

"Mmm." Nicholas looked thoughtful. and Thomas wondered if there were more.

~

"My dear. you must see the wedding clothes I had made for you!" Her mother held up one garment After another in Katherine's room. Her parents had arrived from London while they had all been at Thomas's manor. "And this…" she paused and held up a beautiful satin gown with pearl accents on the collar, the high waist, and the sleeves - "…is your wedding gown.

Isn't it stunning?"

Katherine took the gown from her mother's arm with wonder and admiration. "It is a gown made for a princess," she commented in an awed whisper, her fingers reverently brushing over the lovely pearls.

"It is a gown made for a duke's daughter," her mother haughtily corrected. Her attention was caught by Theodora sitting quietly by the bed. ' And don't sulk, dear. I did get one for you, too." She pointed to a deep golden gown with ecru colored lace over the bodice.

Theodora stood up and walked over to the gown. "Thank you, your grace. It's quite stunning," she said, a rare smile on her face.

"Well, of course it is, dear. You are Raven's first cousin and have been an excellent companion to Katherine. It is the least I can do."

As her mother chatted on, Katherine watched Theodora take the gown, then hold it up and glimpse herself in Katherine's oval mirror. Theodora, with her plain gray gowns and her unflattering hair pulled back so severely, had never struck her as someone who would get misty-eyed at a pretty frock.

But then she hadn't truly known her cousin very long.

Theodora had come to live with them right After the broken engagement because Katherine's mother thought she needed someone to be with her. Before that, she'd seen her cousin at family gatherings and never paid much attention to her. She did know there was a time when Theodora did not seem so plain-even when she remembered her mother mentioning that Dora was close to becoming engaged, but apparently it hadn't happened.

Had she been jilted as I have?
Katherine wondered suddenly.

Perhaps that was why she was so determined for her to go through with the plan.

But later, all sympathetic thoughts she may have had for Theodora left Katherine when her cousin began mapping out their plan on the wedding day.

"Now I believe the best thing for you to do is get dressed and pretend you're running late." She glanced down at her notepad and made some sort of mark upon it. "I will tell your family to go on to the abbey, that
I'll
make sure you get there on time. That is when you will leave and-"

Katherine held up her hand, confused. "Leave? And go where?"

Theodora smiled. "This is where Cameron comes in. When he arrives in a few days, we will tell him of our plan and have him acquire the necessary transportation to get you to the estate in Wales."

She sighed, trying to be patient. "Dora, why do I need to leave?"

Theodora smiled at her as if she were a tolerant schoolmistress trying to teach a slow pupil. "If you stay here, your parents might come back to the castle and make you go through with the marriage. This way you will be gone, leaving a note saying you realized you did not love Thomas and you couldn't go through with the ceremony."

Suddenly, Katherine could not take discussing the plan of revenge anymore. "Dora, I just remembered I need to do something at the abbey," she said hurriedly as she walked to the door.

"What? Should I go with you?" Theodora called After her.

"No!" Katherine cried as she whirled around and held out her hand. "It is something I must do alone," she continued in a slightly calmer voice as she kept backing up.

Theodora tried to argue the point, but Katherine's hands found the handle of the door. She pulled it open and ran quickly out the door, then out of the house.

She didn't understand what or who was compelling her to go to the abbey, but Katherine knew with all her being she had to go there. She had to make things right with God and beg His forgiveness for what she'd planned to do.

It took her only fifteen minutes to walk to the quaint stone abbey and into the cool interior of the empty sanctuary. Tears were already pouring down her face as she ran to the altar and fell down on her knees.

And she prayed. She prayed God would forgive her for the angry thoughts and words she had said about Nicholas and his family. She asked God to bless the love she had for Thomas and make their marriage a strong one, despite the falseness that had been a part of it in the beginning.

Most of all, she thanked God for sending her Thomas and making what she meant for bad turn out so wonderful.

"Lady Katherine, is there anything I can do for you?" She heard the vicar's voice through her sobs and felt his comforting hand upon her shoulders as he knelt beside her.

She lifted up her head, wiping her eyes in the process. "I've been a wicked person, Reverend," she told him, her voice thick and shaky with tears.

The vicar, an elderly man with a shock of curly white hair, nodded sagely. "We all can be a bit wicked now and then. The important thing is you've acknowledged your sin and you've come to the best place to make things right." He patted her on the back. "Did you ask God for forgiveness?"

She nodded with a hiccup. "I want Him to, more than anything."

"That's good, child," he assured her, his eyes crinkling at the comers as he smiled. "Now the only thing you can do is accept His forgiveness and be careful in the future to be a better Christian person."

Katherine felt as though a weight had lifted off her shoulders.

"Oh, I will, Reverend. I shall endeavor to be the very best Christian woman I can be." Then she added, "And the best wife and mother, too."

''Ah!
That is correct! I have a wedding to perform in a few weeks. Very fine man you're marrying. Very fine."

Katherine impulsively hugged the vicar, then jumped up from where she'd knelt. She offered a hand to the slim, short preacher and helped him stand, also. "Thank you so much for your comforting words, Reverend. They have helped me tremendously. "

When she left the old building, Katherine, for the first time in two years, felt so splendid inside, so full of hope.

The only wrinkle in her happiness was Theodora and her brother, Cameron. But she would not worry about them today. Today she was going to bask in the wonderful feeling that she was finally free from her bitterness and need for revenge.

Thomas was astounded at the change that had come over Katherine in the last two and a half weeks. She was no longer uncertain in her manner or constantly changing in moods as she had been when they'd first become reacquainted; now she was the loving, caring person he'd always dreamed she'd be.

Katherine, too, had been a tremendous help on the redecoration of his manor, putting her style and special touches in each room of the house. Thomas could not walk into a room without seeing something his lovely fiancée had added or rearranged, and it thrilled him to his very soul to know she was making Rosehaven her home, too.

And then there was Tyler. His son could not have been more attached to Katherine, even if she'd been his real mother. And she treated him like a son, instructing him, dressing him, and even discussing with Thomas about his future education.

Their lives could not be more perfect, except for one little detail.

She had not told him she loved him yet.

He realized they'd not had much time to spend alone, so perhaps the opportunity had not arisen for her to pour out her feelings to him. He knew also that she had shown her love for him in the smiles and the way she freely touched his arm or hand.

Perhaps he wanted too much. After they were married, they'd have plenty of time for talks of love and romance.

Another problem he had encountered the day before was a visit from Katherine's father. The duke had asked him all sorts II4

of questions about whether or not he and Katherine were getting along and if he had anything be needed to tell him before the wedding took place.

Thomas tried to get to the bottom of such an odd interrogation by his future father-in-law, but the duke would not tell him if anyone had talked to him. In fact, Thomas was going to discuss this with Katherine, but all thoughts of the concern left his mind when he saw her.

"We have finally hung the drapes in the library!" Katherine declared, bursting into the room with her sister behind her.

"It took us over three hours, and half your staff threatened to quit, but we finally got them up there!"

Thomas chuckled. Both Katherine and her sister were covered with dust. "How did you get so dusty?" He stood up from his desk and walked toward them.

"It is the dust from the old curtains!" Lucy said. "Katherine was trying to direct one of the servants on how to bring the curtain off the rod, when the whole thing fell right on top of my sister." She sneezed then and wearily rubbed her nose.

"Unfortunately, I happened to be standing right by her."

"Well, for all your hard undertaking, let me ring for some hot tea and coffee to help calm your--er-dusty nerves." He laughed and pulled a cord beside the grand fireplace in the room.

"Not funny, Thomas. We are truly quite worn out from the ordeal." Katherine started to lower herself onto the red velvet sofa but stopped. "I forgot I cannot sit--your furniture-"

"Is cleanable," he finished for her, placing his hands on her shoulders and gently pushing her down. "You, too," he said to Lucy. He held out his hand to her, but the young girl shook her head.

"If you don't mind, I want to walk down to the bam and see about Rosie," she told them.

Thomas looked at Katherine with puzzlement. "Who is Rosie, Lucy?" He turned back to her when Katherine only shrugged.

Lucy smiled with pride. "Rosie is the name of your other Arabian! Remember that you told me I could name her? I named her After your home, Rosehaven Manor." And before Thomas could say anything else, she skipped out the door that led to a side entrance and was also a shortcut to the stables.

"I am so sorry, Thomas. Of course you should name her something else."

But Thomas shook his head. "No, I promised. But perhaps I can add another name later to make it more fitting, like Desert Rose or something similar."

A knock sounded at the door before Katherine could comment.

' A compliment to your staff, Thomas," Katherine told him admiringly. "I've never seen tea delivered so quickly!"

Thomas shrugged, though puzzled. "Perhaps they were anticipating my wanting it .... " He walked over and opened the door to the study. It was not the maid, however, who stood there.

McInnes wore the strangest expression Thomas had ever beheld on his butler's face before. It was a warrior's expression, one hard and ready for battle.

"McInnes? Is something wrong?"

" 'Tis an enemy a yer gate, laird," he whispered menacingly, his jaw muscle flinching with emotion. "If you'd like, I'll
taek care o' him fer ye!"

Thomas shook his head in confusion. "What enemy, McInnes? Who are you talking about?" He looked down and realized his butler was wearing a kilt. "McInnes? Why aren't you wearing your uniform?"

" 'Tis the colers o' the clan McInnes, laird. We always wear

'em when trooble is coming." He leaned forward, and for a second Thomas thought he heard the music of ancient bagpipes off in the distance. " Tis her broother, laird. 'E's coom begging fer a fight."

Then he suddenly understood why McInnes seemed worried.

Apparently Katherine's brother, Cameron, the Marquis of Sherbrooke, was standing at his door and probably none too pleased to hear of the engagement.

"Thomas, what is the matter?" Katherine asked, coming to stand beside him. She, too, gaped at his butler with astonishment.

"Your brother is here."

Katherine's face turned pale, almost white.“Oh, no, Thomas.

Please let McInnes send him away. I'm afraid of what he might do," she begged him, clutching his arm.

Thomas patted her hand with reassurance. "Katherine, I cannot hide in fear of him. The sooner I deal with him, the sooner you and I can move on with our lives."

"Show him in, McInnes," he ordered. "Try not to manhandle him too much."

"Aye," the Scot answered with his thick brogue. "I'll get 'im fer ye."

Thomas was a little uneasy at the smile of anticipation on McInnes's face but dismissed it when he looked down at Katherine's troubled features.

"Katherine, please don't worry," he said, trying to soothe her, and led her to a settee. "I'm sure we can discuss our differences like reasonable--"

"Take your hands off my sister, Thornton!" a booming voice commanded from the doorway. Thomas turned in surprise and saw a giant, blond young man bearing down on him with fist closed and ready.