his hat over his face and pretending to sleep. Gerard glared at him and resumed staring out the window, watching for the first sight of the house.
It was a very pretty estate, nestled in rolling green hills. Their approach had been noted, for the butler and two footmen were waiting in front of the house, standing at attention, when the coach rolled up the drive. Gerard leaped out as soon as the wheels stopped, hoping for a glimpse of Kate, but the only lady to greet them when they were shown into the drawing room was her mother.
“Captain.” With a fond smile Mrs. Hollenbrook floated across the carpet and extended her hand. “What a delight to see you again!”
“The pleasure is all mine.” He took her hand and bowed briefly. “You must forgive me for presuming upon family, but I’ve brought my brother. May I present the Duke of Durham?”
Like the beam from a lantern, her attention swung fully from Gerard to Charlie. “Your Grace!” Mrs. Hollenbrook gazed at Charlie as if he were the Prince Regent himself before sinking into a curtsey so deep, her knee must have touched the floor.
“Er . . . Yes.” Charlie’s eyebrows were halfway up his forehead, a sight Gerard had never seen before. Who would have guessed the clinging, simpering Mrs. Hollenbrook could reduce his eternally bored and insouciant brother to this?
“Welcome to my humble home.” Their hostess rose gracefully, beaming at him. “I never dreamed of such an honor, sir. May I serve you tea? Or coffee? Anything you would like at all, I’m sure we can provide.”
Charlie cast Gerard a glance. “Thank you, madam. That is most . . . hospitable.”
As she turned toward the bell, Gerard seized his brother’s arm. “I have to find Kate,” he whispered.
“I’m coming with you,” Charlie said, with a wary glance at Mrs. Hollenbrook.
“No!” He shook off Charlie’s restraining hand. “I need to speak to Kate without her mother about, and all you have to do to distract her is sit there and be a duke.”
“I knew I shouldn’t have left London,” muttered Charlie after a pause.
“Think of it as the first of many duties you’ll have to endure for Durham.” He then added, “Thank you.”
“Go.” His brother had assumed a rather grim but regal expression. “Try to be charming, Gerard. I shan’t endure any duty forever.”
Gerard grinned and slipped out of the room as Charlie stepped forward, asking some question of Mrs. Hollenbrook to cover his brother’s escape. How fortunate Charlie had come along after all.
He found her in the garden. It had been terraced on the side of a hill and rose through four levels. She was on the third level, a wide straw hat on her head and a basket over one arm. She appeared to be cutting flowers, and added one to the basket as he shaded his eyes and looked up at her. The breeze caught her light green skirts, swirling them around her legs. The wide brim of her hat hid most of her face, but he could see the soft curve of her mouth as she bent down and chose another flower. It was a mundane task, but just watching the way she moved acted as a balm on him; a riot of thoughts and feelings, shrieking furies with spurs and daggers that had prodded him mercilessly for days, suddenly fell into calm order. He’d been right, that all would become clear when he saw her again. It hit him then that she was beautiful—not her face, but her, that ineffable something within her that made her Kate. He’d been too blind to see it, just as he’d been so focused on finding the blackmailer, he never wondered about the man’s true purpose. He’d been fooling himself about his marriage from the start, but no longer.
After a moment she turned his way. He just caught sight of her face before she noticed him, and her expression blanked.
“Kate!” He bounded up the steps. “Wait—”
“Wait for what?” She regarded him levelly.
Gerard stopped. There was a dispassionate assurance in her eyes that hadn’t been there before. He hated the uncertain, skittish look in her face, but this new calm unsettled him. It gave the impression she had made up her mind, and he would not be able to change it. “Wait for me,” he said. “I want to speak to you.” He wanted to snatch her into his arms and hold her close, to breathe deeply of the orange-water perfume she