Conspiracy Of Hearts

‘Mistress Carberry, I am honoured to meet you.’ Kit’s eyes met hers with amusement as he bowed with a grand, sweeping gesture.

‘Lord Brodie,’ she acknowledged.

‘Don’t be disheartened,’ he murmured, taking her hand and raising it to his lips. His dark eyes, holding hers, sparkled with humour when he felt her fingers tremble involuntarily on coming into contact with his lips—which told him she was not altogether as in control of her senses as she would like him to think. ‘You are forgiven.’

Snatching her fingers from his strong hold, Serena favoured him with a sweet smile and feigned a slight curtsy. ‘Thank you, sir. I apologise for keeping you waiting.’

‘You are forgiven,’ Kit replied, his voice deeply resonant, his eyes, openly unabashed, displaying their appraisal of her attire as they travelled the full length of her body. ‘The wait was well worth it,’ he murmured.

Kit’s perusing eye left no curve untouched, no article of clothing intact, until Serena felt completely naked. She felt a sudden impulse to retreat before his smouldering gaze, but held her ground admirably.

‘We are waiting to eat, Serena,’ said her father with impatience, unaware of the secret play that was taking place between the other two as he led the way into the dining room. ‘The meal is getting cold.’

With reluctance Serena placed her slender fingers on Lord Brodie’s gallantly proferred arm to be escorted into the dining room. Feeling his gaze on her face, she looked up at him inquiringly. ‘Is something troubling you, my lord?’

‘Forgive me. I do not mean to stare, but you seem familiar. I have a rather peculiar feeling that we have met somewhere before. But then, I ask myself, how can that be? I am not one to forget a face—especially not when one is as unforgettable as yours.’

Kit spoke casually, his words faintly teasing and meaningful. In alarm Serena’s fingers tightened on his arm and she threw him a savage look, appalled that he might be about to betray her misdemeanour to her father when she had begged him not to. Earlier, her qualms had been eased by his promise not to speak of the incident, and she was incensed that he should continue to find so much humour in what, to her, had been the most brutal and embarrassing experience of her entire life.

‘I can assure you we have not met before,’ she answered firmly.

Kit smiled calmly into her glare, a corner of his lips lifting roguishly. ‘No? Then I must take your word for it.’

‘Perhaps it’s the likeness my daughter bears to Dorothea,’ said Sir Henry, with a low chuckle. ‘They are very much alike.’

Bemused, Serena glanced from one to the other. ‘Dorothea? Do you know my cousin, Lord Brodie?’

‘Kit has recently become betrothed to Dorothea, Serena,’ her father explained. ‘No doubt she will tell you all about it when you visit Carberry Hall in a day or so.’

Serena stared at Kit in astonishment, and so amazed was she at this announcement that she almost overstepped the bounds of decorum and laughed out loud. It was impossible to believe that this overbearing man was to marry her gentle cousin. Her eyes were bright with humour as they met his with disbelief. ‘You? You are to marry Dorothea?’

Kit’s black eyebrows lowered in a frown. ‘You find it amusing that I am to marry your cousin?’

‘I find it strange and intriguing that someone as fainthearted as Dorothea would agree to wed someone so—so—’

Kit raised a questioning eyebrow, watching her closely. ‘So what?’

‘So very different from the type of man I expected her to settle for.’

‘And do you find it so incredible that she has settled for me?’

‘Yes. I can only think that my cousin must have taken leave of her senses.’

A smile touched Kit’s lips. ‘I can assure you she has not.’

‘Nevertheless, you cannot know each other well, otherwise she would have mentioned you to me.’

‘And you see your cousin often, do you, Mistress Carberry?’

Serena had not seen Dorothea for several weeks. Dorothea’s father, William Carberry, and Serena’s own father were half-brothers, their father having married twice. William, the elder of the two, like his mother was staunchly Protestant and had a strong dislike for the Catholic religion. Over the years this had been the cause of much contention between the two brothers and was deeply felt by Serena, who resented her uncle’s lack of tolerance. Serena and Dorothea were close, but of late, because of the volatile situation that existed between Uncle William and her father, and knowing that whenever she went to Carberry Hall her uncle tolerated her presence only out of family duty, Serena had not visited her cousin.

‘Of late I have not seen Dorothea,’ she replied quietly, on a more serious note. ‘I wish you both every imaginable happiness. You are indeed fortunate in your choice of bride, sir.’

Kit looked at her thoughtfully, curious as to the sudden change in her. ‘I couldn’t agree with you more. In the short time I have known Dorothea, I find her to be an exceptional woman.’

‘I know she is,’ Serena agreed.

Kit held the heavy, high-backed chair as she slipped into it. As the meal progressed and Sir Henry conversed about political matters, Serena was aware of his guest’s unrelenting stare. Meeting his gaze, she found in his black eyes a glowing intensity and a slow, brazen perusal that brought the colour mounting to her cheeks and ire to burn through her.

Having him so close was agonisingly distasteful to her. Bestowing on him a cool stare, she tried her best to ignore him, but it was difficult when he sat directly in her sights. The man bedevilled her. He was insufferable and doing his best to antagonise her. Clenching her teeth in irritation, she tried concentrating on her food until she was drawn into the conversation by her father.

‘You know Kit is here to look over our horses, don’t you, Serena?’

‘Yes.’ She smiled, glancing at her father at the end of the table.

‘It’s my intention to purchase three or four of your finest mares available to replenish my stable at Thurlow—if they are as magnificent as they are reputed to be,’ Kit said.

‘I don’t think you will be disappointed,’ Serena told him, ‘although, had you come two weeks ago you would have had more to choose from.’

Kit glanced at her sharply. ‘Oh?’

‘Yes. Several are promised to Mr Grant and Sir Robert Catesby—isn’t that so, Father?’

Sir Henry suddenly looked discomfited and coughed nervously, causing Kit’s brow to become furrowed with a deep frown as he contemplated his host. No comment was made, but Serena had a peculiar feeling that her father would rather she had kept quiet about the matter. She also sensed that Lord Brodie had taken particular note of what had been said and that he would not forget it.

At the time she had been curious when Sir Robert and Mr Grant from Norbrook—Mr Grant’s home at nearby Snitterfield—had come to look over the horses, purchasing twenty of a strong and heavy breed. When she had inquired of her father afterwards the reason for the purchase, he had told her that Catesby was to form a troop of horse to enter the service of the archdukes in the Spanish Netherlands.

Knowing this was legal since the peace with Spain the previous year, Serena’s curiosity had been appeased. But, as she recalled Andrew’s words of warning, a feeling of disquiet settled on her. She prayed her father had not become involved in something she knew nothing about.

‘Are you acquainted with Robert Catesby?’ Serena asked in an attempt to cover the awkward moment.

‘I am. As your father may have told you, I have only recently come into my inheritance at Thurlow on the death of my cousin. It was necessary for me to spend some time in London to attend Parliament until it was prorogued until November. The lodgings I took in the Strand were adjacent to Catesby’s.’

‘And what was your opinion of him?’

Kit smiled and his eyes twinkled at Serena. ‘He is certainly a popular gentleman.’

‘And handsome, too,’ chuckled Sir Henry. ‘At least my daughter thought so when last she saw him.’

‘Father!’ gasped Serena, hot colour flooding her cheeks. Wasn’t it enough Lord Brodie knowing she was involved with Thomas Blackwell without adding another to the list?

Kit laughed good-humouredly. ‘I’m not surprised. Robert—or Robin as he is called among his friends—in spite of his rather headstrong disposition is an irresistible charmer and very much admired. He left London for Stratford with some associates at the same time as myself.’

Kit had spent many long hours in the company of Robert Catesby, an ardent Catholic, whilst in London. He was a likeable man with a dominant personality, and deeply involved with religious malcontents. Kit had been present at several of their gatherings when they had met at the Mermaid or the Mitre Inn on Bread Street. A silent, curious observer, he had supped with them whilst thinking it prudent not to become too involved. Their conversations had been discreet, but he sensed a strong agitation manifesting itself, and felt that something might occur during the next session of Parliament.

‘You are to visit Dorothea, I understand,’ Kit remarked to Serena. Turning the conversation to more pleasurable topics, he thrust unpleasant thoughts of conspiracies, which were forever being hatched against the king, from his mind.

‘She is expecting me tomorrow afternoon. I am to stay at Carberry Hall for a few days. In the light of your betrothal we shall have lots to catch up on.’