Mistaken Mistress

May 1815 "Kathryn, my sweet dove, you're the only woman for me. Say that you'll be my wife, I beg of you!'Lord Ravensmede plucked her svelte figure into his arms and placed an ardent kiss of love upon her perfect pouting lips. His glossy dark hair mixed with the rich red-brown ringlets dancing temptingly at the sides of her beautiful face. He moved back to stare into her eyes, eyes that were of a serene silver coloration and not at all a bland grey. "I love you, Kathryn Marchant!'he declared with passion and kissed her again, mindful not to spoil the arrangement of her new and highly fashionable lemon silk dress. "Kathryn, Kathryn! Stop wool-gathering and attend to me at once! Are you deaf that you cannot hear me calling you?" Lottie stared at her cousin with narrowed eyes. "For heaven's sake,'she whispered loudly, "you're here to assist me, not gawk around like an imbecile.'Her voice resumed its normal tone and with one white and perfectly manicured hand she gestured vaguely in the direction of the floor. "The hem of my dress has caught on the buckle of Miss Dawson's slipper. Disengage it before any damage is done." As Kathryn stooped to free the offending article, which proved to be more difficult than anticipated, she listened to Lottie's conversation.Dear Lord, she thought.The pair of them are as vainly empty-headed as ever!Then had the grace to blush when she remembered the content of her own sweet daydream. "Jane, I declare they're both prodigiously handsome. I couldn't pick which man is the better of the two." "Well, they're rakes, both of them. My mama has warned me to stay clear of their sort." "Tush, Jane, you're such a ninnyhammer at times. They may be rakes, but they're titled and wealthy to boot...and so devilishly good looking. Would your mama say no to you landing a lord?" "They're looking over here, Lottie." 'No!" 'Yes, indeed, it's true." 'Look away, quickly! Don't let them see that we've noticed them." Not only did Miss Dawson avert her head but, in a moment of preoccupation, which can only be supposed to have resulted from her excitement over the gentlemen in question, she also stepped back. Kathryn gasped as Miss Dawson's large foot inadvertently trod on her fingers. The good that resulted from this was that Lottie's dress was freed in an instant. The bad, aside from Kathryn's bruised digits, was that a small tear appeared in the hem. "Dear Lord, I don't believe it! My dress is ruined. This is the first time I've worn it and, thanks to Kathryn, it's ruined. I may as well go home this instant." Tears pricked at Lottie's blue eyes, rendering them brighter and bluer, if that were at all possible. The tiniest flush of pink crept into her cheeks, completing, in Kathryn's mind at least, the perfection of her beauty. "No, dear Lottie. It's scarcely noticeable. A small stitch will soon have that remedied," Miss Dawson soothed her friend. Lottie's pale eyebrows arched in irritation as she peered down at Kathryn, who was trying her best to conceal the damage. "You did that on purpose, just to ruin my evening!" Then she turned to Miss Dawson once more. "Kathryn's such a spiteful cat. You'd think she'd be grateful, wouldn't you? Saved from destitution by the kindness ofmyfamily." Miss Dawson's eyes opened wider. She tried to speak. "Lottie--" But Lottie was in full rant as she warmed to one of her favourite subjects. "And what does she give in return? Humble gratitude? Most certainly not." Miss Dawson tried again. "Lott--" 'If you would be so kind as to let me finish, Jane. As I was saying, all she gives is jealousy and stupidity!" "Indeed, life can be so tedious sometimes, Miss Marchant, don't you think?" The deep masculine drawl caused Lottie to jump. She turned startled eyes in the direction from which it had sounded. Her expression of spiteful fury transformed instantly to one of demure innocMcPhee, Margaret is the author of 'Mistaken Mistress', published 2006 under ISBN 9780373294152 and ISBN 0373294158.