A Gentleman's Kiss (5 page)

Five

Frozen with disbelief, Claudia found herself staring into the eyes of Cameron Montbatten. What was he doing in this part of town?

And why was he staring at her so intently?

He pulled back on the reins and climbed down from the buggy. Claudia didn’t know if he were coming after her or not, but she wasn’t going to wait around to find out.

She pulled her hat even further down on her face and began to run through the sailors, beggars, and general riff-raff that occupied the wharf.
It has been a wasted trip anyway,
she thought as she ducked in between two old wooden buildings. No one had seemed to know anything about a shelter or her grandfather. Most of the people would not even speak to her, thinking her a beggar or thief.

Claudia’s breathing was heavy as she peeked around the corner to see if Cameron was still following her. She let out a sigh of relief when she scanned the area and saw no sign of him. With her hand over her chest she turned back and, closing her eyes, slumped against the building.

“What are you doing down here?” a man’s voice hissed.

Startled, she opened her eyes to find Cameron standing inches away from her and looking angrier than he ever had, even after she’d been mugged.

Her first thought was to run; but when she started to, he only caught her from behind and brought her back up against his chest. “Do I know you, sir?” she asked in a low, muffled voice.

He let out a sound of frustration then swung her around. While gripping her arm with his hand he cupped her chin and brought it up to meet his fiery gaze. “If I didn’t recognize those eyes of yours, that American accent would have given you away,” he said, his voice barely controlled. “Now come with me.”

Cameron all but dragged Claudia to his buggy and helped her up none-too-gently. She tried to scramble out the other side, but he was much too quick for her. “Claudia, I promise you that my patience is at an end. If you try to get away from me, I’ll take you to your grandfather and tell him where I found you.”

Cameron snapped the reins with a jerk, and the horses took off, causing Claudia to fall back on the seat. He deftly turned the buggy around in the street and headed back in the opposite direction.

“Where are we going?” she asked, still trying to figure out how this could have happened. Her plan had been so perfect, she thought. She had borrowed clothes from her stable boy and streaked her face with dirt so that not even her own servants had recognized her when she passed them on the street.

She paused from her wonderings when she realized Cameron hadn’t answered her. She opened her mouth to ask again but then noticed the muscles tensing in his jaw, so she closed it again and sat still.

The question still burned in her mind—what had he been doing in this wretched part of London?

When the buggy jerked to a stop in front of a large warehouse, Claudia’s confusion only increased. Again she found his hand wrapped around her arm like a manacle.

“Come with me, and not a sound do I want to hear from you,” he hissed as he pulled her up the steps and into the building.

Claudia wasn’t sure what she expected, but twenty or so women and children sitting around a table eating was not it.

What is this place?
she wondered, as he pulled her hurriedly through the large room and down the hall to an office.

She’d barely had time to glance at the décor of the office when he started. “In all my days I have not met another woman as troublesome and difficult as you! Nor have I met a highborn lady so bound to ruin her reputation or worse—get herself killed!” He shook his head and stared at her as if she’d suddenly sprouted horns. “What possible reason could you have for risking your life and coming to this part of town? Are you mad? Or do you just not care about your own well-being?”

She bristled at his condescending tone and words. “I’m neither mad nor uncaring. I simply had something I needed to see about down here—that’s all,” she snapped back and took her hat off to scratch her itching head. “But let me ask you the same question, Lord Kinclary. What are you doing down here in this part of town, and what is this place?” she asked, pointing her finger at him.

“What do you mean that you had something to see about down here? What business could possibly bring you here?” he all but shouted, ignoring her latter question.

“Will you stop yelling at me?” she snapped then turned to sit in one of the chairs in front of his desk. She scratched her head again while examining the dirty cap she’d been wearing. “I hope this didn’t give me lice,” she murmured.

Cameron walked over and grabbed the cap from her hand and tossed it on his desk. “Lice are the least of your worries!”

She stared up at him, and their gazes held. She found it fascinating to see the emotions that crossed his face. First frustration, then exasperation, then. . .worry? He actually seemed concerned for her.

Her emotions were somewhat raw from their previous encounter, and now being so close to him she tried to fathom why he affected her so much. She was usually so good at dealing with young men and had a way of artfully avoiding their hints of wanting to marry her. Verbal sparring and witty remarks came easily to her, and Claudia often thought she could get out of any trouble as long as she had a voice and a clear mind.

But she was tired of battling with Cameron. She didn’t want to dislike him or have him think ill of her.

So she rose slowly from the chair and faced him with her arms folded. “Do you truly think me mad?” she asked softly, nervous as to what his answer might be.

His brows furrowed. Finally he sighed and shook his head. “No, I don’t think that at all. It’s just that I don’t know what to think of you. You seem to do things without any forethought or regard for your own safety.” He paused and held his hands up in a helpless gesture. “Frankly, Claudia, you worry me. I fear that the next time I find you, you’ll be hurt, or I’ll hear you’ve been sent back to America because your grandfather found out what you’ve been doing.”

Her eyes widened with anxiety. “You’re not going to tell him, are you? If he finds out, he’ll take me to Scotland and marry me off to some burly highlander with bad manners. And I can’t—”

Cameron pressed his finger over her lips. “What are you talking about? What highlander?”

She grabbed his hand and moved it from her mouth. “
Any
highlander—it doesn’t matter! He’s always vexed with me, Cameron, and if he knows I’ve dressed like a boy and risked my life to look for my—well, look for someone—he’ll marry me off, and I’ll have to live in the mountains where it snows all the time and—”

“Claudia, if you will calm down—”

“No, no! You must not—”

He kissed her again.

❧

It occurred to Cameron, as he caressed her lips with his own, he could have found other ways to calm her down.

This one, however, seemed the most enjoyable.

He cupped her face gently and was happily surprised when she began to kiss him back. But as much as he wanted to continue, he knew he must act honorably. Slowly he lifted his head, breaking the kiss, and watched her eyes open slowly.

He didn’t know how she would react once she had her wits about her, and he truly expected her to be upset again.

He should have known Claudia never reacted as one might expect.

“You kissed me—again,” she said, her voice sounding confused.

“Umm,” he agreed. “I did say it might happen again.”

“Yes, but it isn’t at all proper.”

He grinned, one hand still holding her cheek. “Because we’re not betrothed.”

“Exactly,” she said, finally backing away from him. “I don’t understand why you keep doing it.”

Cameron sighed and wondered that very thing himself. He usually had much better control. “Neither do I,” he finally admitted aloud.

Claudia bit her lip as her gaze searched his face. “I believe I got dirt on your cheek.”

Cameron reached up and felt the dirt dusted on the side of his face and wiped it away. He’d kissed a few women in his life, but this was the strangest conversation he’d ever had after the kiss was over.

He almost laughed aloud but noticed that Claudia seemed ill at ease, so he held it in and motioned toward her chair again. “Why don’t you sit down and tell me whom you’ve gone to so much trouble to find?”

She did as he asked but seemed reluctant to talk. “It’s not important. You never did tell me what you are doing here, though, and what this place is.”

Cameron pulled a chair over and sat in front of her. He was determined to get the information out of her. “You tell me your story first.”

Claudia let out a breath. “I came because someone told me I might find my grandfather down here.”

“The marquis?” Cameron asked.

She shook her head. “No. My mother’s father. No one will tell me where he lives, especially my grandfather Moreland. But I did hear that he or someone who may know him might be down here by the river.”

Cameron suddenly understood why she’d gone to so much trouble. He might have done the same thing had he been in her shoes. “Tell me his name, and I might be able to help you find him.”

“Well, his name is—” She stopped and looked at him. “Wait one minute. That’s why you kissed me, isn’t it? You knew it would make me”—she waved her hand about in the air—“befuddled, and I would pour out my story to you.”

Cameron was taken aback by the sudden change in her mood as she sprang from her chair. He watched her grab the dirty cap off the desk, jam it on her head, and begin stuffing her russet locks under it.

He stood quickly and took hold of her hands. “That’s not why I kissed you. I—”

“Excuse me, my lord. Is everything all right?” Cameron recognized the voice as his butler’s.

He turned to find George standing in the doorway eyeing the ragged figure before him. “Everything is fine, George,” he assured him.

“Do I need to get another bed ready?” George persisted, still looking at Claudia as if she were a thief or a beggar.

“No, I was about to give her. . .er. . .
him
a ride home.”

He put his hand on Claudia’s back to move her toward the door. But when they got closer, one long dark strand of her hair fell out from underneath the cap. Her eyes wide, she deftly pushed it back and hurried out the door.

“Is that a—”

“Yes, it’s a girl.”

“Is it the same—”

“Yes. Same girl.”

George cleared his throat and lifted his head to look straight ahead. “Very peculiar, my lord.”

Cameron clapped his butler on the shoulder. “You have no idea, George.” He started to leave and then turned back. “You won’t tell anyone—”

“Not an utterance, my lord.”

“Excellent,” Cameron murmured, feeling awkward, and stepped out into the hallway.

When he didn’t see Claudia right away he hurried into the main area, only to find her standing there observing what was happening in the room.

The ladies had finished eating, and some were sewing garments and hats while several children were singing a song. Still another group was sitting at a table being shown how to put a menu together. They were learning ways to make a living once they left the shelter.

“Shall we go?” Cameron asked, coming alongside of her.

For once she had nothing to say; she only nodded and made her way to the door.

When they were inside the buggy she spoke. “You’re running a charity for women and children.”

It wasn’t a question, but Cameron answered anyway. “Yes. I told you after the ball that I echoed your sentiments about finding God’s will for my life and doing something to benefit others.”

Another strand of hair fell out from under her cap, but she tucked it behind her ear. “I thought you were only trying to impress me.”

“Hmm. That seems a near impossible task where you are concerned.”

She frowned at him. “Well, you don’t seem to be trying hard at all. You’re either scolding me or kissing me!”

Cameron’s eyes widened. “If you’ll remember correctly I’ve saved your life. Twice! And I’ve yet to hear you say thank you.”

“Twice?” she gasped. “I was doing fine with that mugger until you came along and caused him to scar my arm, and I was about to turn and go home today when you scared me to death by chasing me down like a criminal.” She let out a sharp breath, folded her arms, and looked away from him.

The woman was making him crazy! “Perhaps it is wise for your grandfather to marry you off to a Scotsman. For then I wouldn’t have to worry about what insane scheme you’d come up with next!” He felt silly trading insults with a woman he only wanted to know better.

But with Claudia, might a man have a normal courtship?

“We can save each other any worry on that score by simply avoiding one another. I know I shall endeavor to avoid you like the plague.”

Cameron let out a sigh and refused to let himself be baited. “Do you want me to take you to your home?” he asked instead.

“Oh, no!” she cried. “Just take me to the Duke of Northingshire’s home, if you please.”

Cameron glanced at her. “Perhaps that might not be the best course of action. North might be upset and forbid his wife to continue your association if he spots how you are dressed.”

Claudia glared at him again. “North would never forbid his wife anything because he loves and respects her. I’m sure he didn’t go about kissing her before they became engaged. And anyway—”

“We could become engaged, you know, if this is what’s troubling you,” he said, smiling.