Page 116 of Kathryn

The event was only three days away and thus far Cook’s daughter had made no mention of Lord Jasper. Evidently Lady Grimsby’s granddaughter had arrived at her house in the company of the countess’s own groom, housekeeper, and the baby’s nanny.

She felt a slight twinge of remorse that she had rejected Lady Grimsby’s invitation when—

“Katie!” a voice yelled behind her.

Katie shrieked and jerked the reins causing Robin to whicker nervously and dance sideways. Once she’d settled him, she twisted in the saddle, her heart almost pounding out of her chest at the man currently guiding his horse out of the woods onto the path.

“Sorry about that, darling,” Jasper said, not sounding sorry at all.

“You,” she said flatly.

He grinned. “In the flesh.”

“What are you doing here?” she demanded, returning his smile with a scowl.

“Looking for you.” He brought his horse to a halt beside her. “I was beginning to believe it was impossible to catch you without Dulverton.”

“Why are you looking for me? And why does it matter if I am alone?”

His blue eyes, still as brilliant as she recalled, widened in mock surprise. “You are an old, dear friend. Why wouldn’t I look for you? As for wanting to talk to you privately? Well, I have things to say. Things that are for your ears alone.”

She ignored his ominous comment. “I’d heard that Lady Grimsby’s servants brought your daughter here.”

His lips twisted into a bitter smile. “Yes, that’s true. Grandmama did not know I was coming and is not best pleased. She has tucked me away in a cottage on her estate until she decides what to do with me.” He made a moue of disgust. “While it is a relief not to be under her roof and forced to endure her dour looks and constant carping, I have only my valet to do for me at the moment and am living quite rough.”

“Why are you here? I was given to understand that your grandmother is raising your daughter while you mourn the loss of your wife by indulging your appetites in Naples.” Yet another piece of information Becky had gathered. Nothing Becky had heard about Jasper was good. It appeared his reputation in the neighborhood was less than sterling, although Becky had not been able to discern any specifics.

Rather than be offended, he laughed. “Ah, little Katie has claws, does she?”

“I am almost three-and-twenty, not so little anymore.”

His eyes flickered over her in a way that had once sped her pulse but now made her want to slap him. “No, not so little. As for my wife?” He shrugged. “Well, you and I both know that Judith was my grandmother’s choice—not the choice of my heart.” He gave her such a calculated look of longing that it was all she could do not to laugh. Or vomit. Had he always been so transparent? Katie feared that he had. And that she had been a little fool, looking for acceptance and love and too oblivious to notice his true colors.

When she did not respond, he relinquished his brokenhearted lover expression and changed tack. “So here we are! I am widowed and you are now a grand married lady.” He suddenly laughed. “I stopped in London for a few days on my way here and heard how you ended up with Dullness.”

“I do not care for that name.”

Jasper ignored her. “Kissing games?” He clucked his tongue. “Poor Katie, hoist by your own petard.”

She opened her mouth to tell him that marrying Dulverton was the best thing that had ever happened to her but then shut it again. He didn’t deserve to know anything about her, especially nothing important.

Jasper, self-absorbed as he was, assumed her hesitation had to do with him. “I am sorry, Katie. Truly, I am,” he added when she merely stared. “I am afraid that jealousy has given me a forked tongue.”

“Jealousy?” she repeated, morbidly curious about what he would say.

“I am consumed with jealousy for Dulverton—or is it envy I am feeling?” He shrugged. “Probably both. It eats at me that he was fortunate enough to win you, even if it was through no effort of his own.”

Katie stared for a long moment, and then laughed. “As entertaining as this little tête-à-tête has been, I really must be going.”

For a moment he looked truly befuddled. And then thwarted. But his ebullient nature took control after only a few seconds. “I will ride with you.”

“I wish you wouldn’t.”

His smile slid away, and this time it was not so fast to rebound. “You are still angry with me?”

Was she? Katie gave his question more consideration than he deserved, but then it wasn’t really for him, but for her. And she deserved an answer, didn’t she?

“I am still angry at myself for believing you.” The relief she felt after speaking left her a bit lightheaded. How had she not realized who’d borne the blame for his duplicity until now? Five years she had punished herself.