Page 167 of Kathryn

“Not anymore.” She glanced out the window, to where snow was swirling. “Do you think we will make it to Wych House in time in this weather?”

It amused Gerrit that she had been asking this question for days.

“We will arrive on time. The journey would normally take three days and I have allotted six just in case we are delayed by weather or for any other reason,” he reminded her, shrugging aside the anxious twinge he felt every time he imagined spending three entire weeks in somebody else’s house. At least Kathryn would be with him.

She eyed the storm doubtfully. “It is coming down really heavily.”

“There are many inns on this road. If the snow makes travel hazardous then we will find someplace warm to stay and bundle up and entertain ourselves however we can.”

“Do you have answers for everything?”

“When you ask such easy questions.” He tucked a bright corkscrew of hair behind her ear and kissed her. He’d intended it to be a peck, but she slid her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss. When he finally pulled away, she was flushed and breathless, her green eyes sparkling and her hair glowing like burnished copper even in the low light of the carriage.

“I hope our child has your coloring.” He paused and then added, “But perhaps not your temper.”

She laughed, as he’d hoped she would, and gave him a playful shove. “I am not the only one with a temper.”

Gerrit knew she was remembering him thrashing Staines. And grabbing Ampthill. And perhaps he had become a bit tetchy with that obnoxious young buck who’d approached their table when they’d been dining in a posting inn and—

“As for my hair,” she said, pulling Gerrit from his musings. “I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. Do you know how often I was mocked for it?”

“Did you not have anyone to protect you?”

“My sisters would leap to my defense whenever they overheard any teasing. Even Doddy would protect me, although he reserved the right to tease me when there was nobody else around.”

“If anyone mocks you now, I shall thrash them.”

“My own personal knight.”

“God no. I know how cruelly you sacrifice your knights.”

She gave an enchanting gurgle.

Gerrit cleared his throat and met her merry gaze. “There is something I have been wondering about for quite some time now.”

***

“Oh dear. That sounds ominous,” Katie teased, wriggling a bit on his lap and smirking when her bottom rubbed against something hard that was not his thigh.

He winced. “You little witch.”

“Gerrit!” Katie yelped when he lifted her again, this time positioning her so that she was straddling his thighs.

“Hush,” he muttered, and then fussed with her cloak so that she was covered before reaching beneath it and pulling up the hem of her gown until she was naked to her waist. And then he drew her down on his lap so that Katie felt the cool buckskin of his breeches against the heated folds of her sex.

She moaned. “Gerrit.”

“Much better,” he said, a faint smirk on his lips. “Now, I want to know who else was on that list.”

Katie’s eyes, which had been drifting shut as she shamelessly reveled in her wicked position and the friction it afforded her, flew open. “List?” she said, although she was afraid that she knew exactly what he meant.

His eyes narrowed. “Kathryn.”

“Oh, that list. Erm, I don’t really recall.”

“I know you remember.”

“How do you know that?”