Shannon Drake - Reckless

Kat controlled her temper and said nothing.

“Your father is against the idea. One word from me, and he will refuse, no matter how eloquent Sir Hunter may be. And yet, one word from me, and…well, you just may be allowed to go.”

Kat stared at her then, chagrined, and in silence.

“And there we have it. Plain and simple. Let’s see. I do believe the ‘cat’ has now got your tongue.”

She thought she was so clever! Still, Kat did hold her tongue.

“Well, my dear?” Lady Daws demanded.

“Why would you help me?” Kat asked.

“Because you’ll have just so long on that excursion, Kat. And perhaps, just perhaps, you will gain something of what you’re seeking—though I doubt it. You see, I know that crowd. My stepson is one of those foolish youths, and they are so arrogant that they believe that those not within their elite circles exist merely for their amusement. I believe that you will no longer see them through such rose-tinted spectacles once you know them. And so, you will discover the truth of who and what you are.”

“I’ve nothing against either who or what I am, Lady Daws,” Kat said tautly.

“Really?” Lady Daws hiked an elegant brow. “Then it’s quite amazing how you disappeared…and then reappeared. Sir Hunter surely would have seen you home immediately, had he known where your home was. But the truth is you didn’t want to show him.”

“I had a nasty blow to the head—”

“Oh, Kat, lie to others. I know what you are.”

“How dare—”

“Spare me the indignity. You didn’t want your background known. As it has happened, your father’s talent is an unexpected asset in this little farce of yours. But here it is, on the line. You will go. You will have just the months while you are gone…and then, when you return, you will not stay. You’ll go away to school. The school of my choice. You will be sent away. And you will agree to this.”

Kat gritted her teeth. She’d had no idea just how much Lady Daws wanted her gone. Eliza was right.

“You’re not afraid for me?” Kat asked sweetly.

“Well, you are going into the desert, aren’t you? And there’s always a measure of danger on an expedition. Gold and riches tend to make men covetous. Are you afraid for yourself?”

Kat felt the slightest chill. She remembered David’s disjointed words when he had come to consciousness on the embankment. He thought he had been pushed into the river….

But if he had been in danger, that danger had been here, right here, in London. And afraid or not, she could not miss this incredible opportunity.

“I am not afraid at all,” she said coolly.

“If you get into trouble, my dear,” Isabella warned, “I will see to it that you are dealt with most seriously. In fact, your lovely face will never so much as be seen around here. Do you understand? Besides, I will have friends aboard the ship, and on the expedition, and I will know about your progress—or lack thereof—day after day!”

Now Kat was afraid. But then, once she was gone, Lady Daws couldn’t really touch her. The woman might bear the title “Lady,” but she was not at all on a social par with men as noble as Baron Turnberry and Lord Avery—nor, even, with men of renown such as Sir Hunter MacDonald.

Still…

For a moment, she wavered. She’d be leaving her father and Eliza.

Her head was suddenly spinning. The offer was astounding.

Eliza would be with their father, and though she hadn’t Kat’s spine—or sharpness of tongue—she was not in the least a weakling. She would be safe until she returned, and that was what mattered.

Nor could she prevent Papa from…forming whatever liaison he chose to form with this woman. Her mother had been gone since she’d been a child. If Papa craved feminine attention, even from this wretched woman, there was little she could do. No one could choose where another would look to find affection and solace.

Certainly, she knew all that herself.

She lifted her chin. Somehow, Lady Daws knew about her obsession with David Turnberry. Yet Kat had only ever spoken of it to Eliza, and her sister would have never betrayed her.

She must have given herself away, she thought. And it was true, coveting David was like coveting a star in the heavens.

And yet…

If only he had time to be with her, time to get to know her! Stranger marriages had come about. They were living in an enlightened age, and—

“What will it be, Kat?” Isabella asked.

Kat felt as if she were selling her soul.

“I would love to go on the season’s expedition,” she said pleasantly.

Isabella smiled smugly. “You will remember our bargain,” she said softly.

“Oh, yes. Though I feel I’ve signed my soul to the devil,” Kat said.

“There will be no more comments like that!”

“Of course not, Lady Daws.”

“Then I will leave, and you must arise. We are all invited to breakfast at Sir Hunter’s.”

With that, Lady Daws swept out of the room.

And for a panicked moment, Kat thought that she really had sold her soul to the devil.

AS KAT CAME DOWN THE STAIRS, Hunter wondered if he hadn’t somehow lost his mind. Just what was it that he was doing?

I should have just let it all go.

She was no longer wearing his sister’s day dress, but she was every bit as beautifully attired, perhaps even more so. The neckline had a most unusual design that rose fashionably against the neck, yet had a small, flattering V right at the throat. The skirt was in elegant layers. With the bustle in serious decline, there was just a small rise at the rear, and the skirts seemed to flow grandly with her every movement. The color was also something that must have been selected with her in mind, for it was an amber color that made her hair seem even more like fire, her eyes more the color of gold. That hair today was respectably pinned in a loose chignon in the back, allowing small tendrils to escape.

When her eyes touched his, they were alight with a question. He knew she was wondering why he was doing this for her.

He offered her the slightest grin, and a shrug. I haven’t the foggiest notion! he might have responded.

Or maybe he did. Was it just petty annoyance that such a young woman would so blindly covet such a young fool as David Turnberry? Was he annoyed that her fixation was not on him? Ridiculous, of course, because she might not be from his customary social circles, but neither was she a woman to be taken lightly. He didn’t dare take a closer look at his emotions.

“Good morning, Katherine,” he said. He realized that her father was staring at her with a strange look in his eyes, a mix of worry, concern. Lady Daws had a look of annoyance. Eliza gazed at her sister with anxiety, as well. Was she, too, seeking something from all this?

“Good morning,” Katherine replied, and her eyes moved to light upon her father. Was he concerned that their home had been thus invaded? He must know everything that Lady Daws had said to her.

William Adair stretched his hands out. Kat, her head at a curious angle, a small smile curling her lips, took his hands as she reached the landing. “My princess of the sea,” William murmured softly as she stood in front of him. He turned to look at Hunter. “A man’s riches, you see, Sir Hunter, are not in gold or coin. My daughters are my treasure.”

Hunter decided that he not only liked the man, but admired him greatly. But he felt a slight ripple of unease. His intentions, if not entirely honorable, were at the least to teach his “treasure” a sad lesson in life—that such men as David Turnberry were not worth the seeking. And he felt a strange excitement, as well, because he had discovered a treasure himself. Those who had seen William Adair’s work referred to him as the “king of the sea,” for his paintings of great ships at sail were exquisite.