Love Me Always (4 page)

“Yes. I know how women can be. I’ll ride on ahead and locate an eating establishment.”

With renewed anger, Nick urged his horse into a fast trot.

An hour later, Nick brought the group of travelers to an inn five miles south, just out of their way. It wasn’t exactly the kind of eating establishment he’d hoped for, but being this far out in the country, it was the best he could find. He’d previously paid the owner more than the working man made in a month to have a clean table ready, and warm, fresh food awaiting their arrival.

As he dismounted, his two brothers rushed to the main carriage to assist Catherine. Nick shook his head. Those two fawned over her as if she were royalty. Did they think their act of heroism would put them in their uncle’s good grace? Perhaps they found Catherine charming and attractive.

But of course.
How could they not? She had a certain graceful beauty that tore Nick apart with longing every time he looked at her. Excitement twinkled in her amazingly blue eyes as she focused on his brothers. Of course, she probably loved the way Gregg and Ian adored her, hanging on her every word.

As the threesome walked his way, Nick grunted with disdain. Her eyes now sparkled as blue as an ocean on a clear day, instead of the turbulent color they’d been earlier this morning when Nick had exchanged heated words with her in front of the carriage.

Gregg said something and she laughed. Nick mentally dismissed the pleasant music drifting to his ears. She was definitely trained the right way. There was no way his uncle wouldn’t be sucked in by her charm just like Grant’s doltish nephews were right now.

As they entered and shown to their table, Nick slid on the bench across from his brothers and Catherine who sat between them. With narrowed eyes, he studied her as she merrily conversed with Gregg and Ian. Every once in a while she’d glance at him, before turning her attention back upon his calf-eyed brothers.

The food was served and the conversation mellowed. Although Nick could tell she remembered the manners taught to her in school, it was obvious his brothers forgot their upbringing. They talked with their mouths full and rested their elbows on the table.

Nick didn’t enter the conversation and finished eating before the others had. He scooted back in his seat and folded his arms, continuing to listen to the immature conversation Gregg and Ian kept rattling on about.
Why am I being punished this way?
Nick wondered.

Before too long, something warm brushed against his elbow, and he looked up at the serving maid. He’d failed to notice her earlier, but now she looked at him with a familiar spark of interest in her eyes.

“Is there anythin’ else I can git ya, gov’na?”

Nick gave her one of his devastating smiles – the kind he’d been told would send a maid’s heart fluttering out of control. Although he thought her speech needed improvement, she was passively pretty. Her dark blonde hair hung over her shoulders, looking as if it needed to be washed. The baggy cream-colored blouse rode low on one shoulder and the dirty, tattered skirt was not attractive at all, in his opinion.

“I’d like more wine,” he said nicely and winked.

“Sure thing.”
She hurried away and within minutes brought him another drink.

He leaned closer to her and grinned, but then someone kicked his shin from underneath the table. Pain shot up his leg. The disapproving glares of his brothers made him pause. The bright red face of the woman sitting between them also reminded him who was in his company at the table. The loud huff from Mrs. Berkley sitting at the end of the bench also let him know he’d be getting an ear boxing from her soon.

“Are you forgetting our guest?” Gregg’s voice came out low and firm.

Nick shrugged.
“Not at all.”

“Then would you mind doing
that
with the serving girl in another time and place?”

The serving maid walked away, watching Nick over her shoulder. He withdrew his attention from her and glared at Gregg.

“What troubles you?” Nick snapped. “Has our uncle’s soon-to-be bride not been to an inn before? Am I hurting her tender sensibilities?”

Catherine’s gaze didn’t leave her food, but her face flamed brighter. She stirred her crust of bread around the plate. A small pang of regret began in his chest. He shouldn’t have said it, but now it was too late. Curse his damaged heart.

“Nicholas,” Gregg warned, “this is not the time.”

Mrs. Berkley cleared her throat. “I believe this is not a proper subject, either.”

Nick shifted his gaze from Gregg to Ian, who still gave condescending looks, then to the
embarrassed
girl who didn’t meet his eyes.

“As you wish,” he snapped, pushing himself from the table. “If we are finished with our meals, I’m ready to leave.” He stormed out of the inn, his heart crushing with each step.

* * * *

Catherine ran a shaky hand over her heated cheeks as she stared out the window of the carriage, waiting for Mrs. Berkley to join her. The older woman had pulled Nicholas aside after they’d walked out of the inn. Catherine wished she could have heard what her companion said.

Being in a school for four years had kept Catherine innocent in some things, and she had no idea a man’s smile could be so wicked. But when Nicholas grinned at the serving girl, a flutter grew in Catherine’s chest that just wouldn’t stop.

She swallowed the lump lodged in her throat. Perhaps it was a good thing Nick didn’t look at her as he’d done the server. Catherine had never seen a man so blindly attractive in her life, and when Nick smiled, he was definitely worth staring at.

When the carriage door opened, Mrs. Berkley climbed in, as did Gregg and Ian.

“Is something amiss?” Catherine asked.

Gregg closed the door and tapped on the roof of the carriage. It lurched into motion.
“Nothing of the sort.
My brother and I thought you might like some company for a little while. Your maid is riding in one of the wagons.”

She glanced at Mrs. Berkley who, although she didn’t say anything, nodded her approval.

Catherine smiled. “This is a pleasant surprise.”

“You know,” Ian said, “it feels strange conversing with you on an adult level, and I feel I should challenge you to a horse race, or skip rocks with you at the lake.”

She laughed. “I don’t think there is anything wrong with talking about the past. In fact, I wouldn’t mind it at all.”

With a loud sigh, Ian relaxed in the seat across from her. “It relieves me to know the girls’ school didn’t change you into a prude like it does most women.”

Confusion clouded her mind. “Was I supposed to change into a prude?”

“Yes,” Greg answered. “Most girls I have known who have gone to finishing schools are prudes, and they are not very interesting.”

Beside her, Mrs. Berkley snorted and rolled her eyes.

Catherine couldn’t stop the bubble of laughter springing from her chest. “The teachers at the school did try to teach me proper things, but I found the subjects most boring.”

Gregg and Ian joined together in hearty laughter.

She shrugged. “That’s probably why I was a great disappointment to most of my teachers. Rarely did I receive praise.”

Gregg leaned forward in his seat, his knees pushing against hers. “Were you a naughty little girl, Catherine?”

She smiled wider. “Let me just say I wasn’t exactly the best pupil.”

Mrs. Berkley glared. Catherine pretended she didn’t see. If she could put the nosey older woman in one of the wagons, she would. Unfortunately, that wasn’t proper.

Ian leaned forward. “Oh, do tell. What things did you get away with?”

She bit her lip in hesitation, wondering if Mrs. Berkley would try and stop her. Then again, although there was still a childhood bond with Gregg and Ian, Catherine would soon marry their uncle. Perhaps they expected her to be well trained in the area surrounding her soon-to-be new title as Duchess of Ashton.

“I think,” she began softly, “if I tell you everything, I might lose your respect.”

“Catherine.” Gregg patted her hands and smiled. “Can I let you in on a little secret?”

She nodded.

“You’ll soon be the wife of a well-respected duke, so you can pretty much carry on as you wish. The ton will kiss your
feet,
maybe even imitate you once you are married. Most titled ladies are uptight, and men like Ian and
myself
prefer them to be more open and relaxed like you seem to be. We would rather be with a woman who could make us laugh than one who is so boring she puts us to sleep.”

She softened her smile. “Thank you for telling me, Gregg. I certainly feel more comfortable disclosing my sordid childhood escapades now.” She snapped her attention to the woman next to her.
“As long as Mrs. Berkley does not disapprove.”

A hint of a grin stretched on the older woman’s face and she nodded. “Carry on.”

Catherine let out a relieved sigh.

“So, Catherine, tell us what wild things you did in school,” Ian urged.

“I had a normal experience, I think, but I had one friend whose reckless encouragement landed me into many tangles with the school authorities. Because of my background, the teachers looked down on me, yet I caught on just as quickly as the other girls. There was one teacher who belittled my friend and me. She had called us both simpleminded twits. Liz and I decided not to take it lightly, so we planned our revenge.”

Ian and Gregg sat forward, eagerness twinkling in their eyes. She smiled wider then continued. “Usually, the teacher prepared her lessons on the chalkboard ahead of time, so one day Liz and I arrived at the classroom early and changed everything the teacher had written on the board. It wasn’t a drastic change, mind you, but we made it appear as if she were the simple-minded twit because of what we had written. In addition, we purposely misspelled a few words.”

Both Gregg and Ian whooped with laughter, and it lightened her heart when even old Mrs. Berkley chuckled.

“It pleases me to see you have a mischievous side,” Gregg said. “I would hate to think the new member of our family had no sense of humor.”

“Well, Gregg, I’m definitely not a prude. In fact, when the occasion calls, I’m bound to say a few things that might make your ears burn.”

Both brothers laughed again, falling back on the seat and clutching their sides.

“You cannot tell anyone,” she reminded.

“Oh no, Catherine,” Ian promised. “This one will remain with us until our dying day.”

She smiled. “Good. I’m blessed to have you as friends.” She waited until they had stopped laughing,
then
asked, “Now tell me what kind of sordid pranksters were you?”

She sat back in her seat and listened as they each related a tale or two. She was also happy to know they weren’t like the snobbish men of wealth she’d heard stories about. Men like Nicholas. Suddenly, the image of Nicholas with dreamy eyes and tender smile interrupted her thoughts and her heart picked up a different rhythm. She thanked her lucky stars he would never look at her that way.