The Roguish Miss Penn (2 page)

“This once was an open courtyard until my father decided to turn it into a plunge bath,” Lord Ramsey announced. “You may elect to take a shower bath if you prefer, although I suspect that nothing short of a total immersion will do the trick properly. I shall leave you to my sister’s tender mercies.” Turning to his sister, he added, “I trust you can find something for her to wear.”

“Leave her to me,” Gisela replied, her amusement still clear in her voice.

Katherine thought she heard him murmur something to the effect he would much prefer to do the job himself, but that had to be nonsense. A gentleman such as Lord Ramsey would never say something like that.

The plunge bath was a delightful little room with a lofty ceiling. Katherine cautiously walked down the curved staircase until she reached a narrow stone shelf.

“I shall leave you to your ablutions. Here are several towels for when you come out. If you will place your gown near the steps, the maid can tend to it later.” Gisela gave Katherine a warm smile, then added, “Do enjoy yourself.”

By the time the door closed behind Mrs. Cheney, Katherine had discarded her ruined half-boots and dipped a toe into blissfully warm water. From what she knew about plunge baths, they were infrequently used and the water only changed periodically. But this water was still warm, so someone had filled it recently.

She hastily peeled off her wet garments, then ran down the remaining steps into the bath to submerge herself. What a difference from the pond! The warm, silken water caressed her body in a sensuous flow as it rippled about her. She dived beneath the surface to cleanse her hair of the green seeds, then lazily splashed about from one end to the other of the immense tiled bath. One could grow to adore this sort of thing quite easily, she decided. Perhaps she might even learn to swim.

She could well understand why the boys from the university loved to jump into the Cam from Sheep’s Green or Coe Fen. Her brother confessed they swam in the nude, a situation accepted by one and all, and a scene assiduously avoided by proper young ladies.

She left the bath with great reluctance. How heavenly to loll about in warm water in such privacy. If she possessed such a delight, she would spend time in it every day. Lord Ramsey probably used this bath, she reflected. The image of a naked male flashed before her. Katherine shook her head to rid it of such an improper vision. One might find it impossible to ignore the Greek statues viewed occasionally, but a true lady did not consider their likeness to a living male.

Wrapped in the luxury of a Turkish towel of a size such as she had never used before, Katherine cautiously peered around the door at the top of the stairs. Across the room a fire blazed away in the hearth. She hurried to it, warming her now-chilled body. The door opened and she looked up with a trace of alarm. While she doubted Lord Ramsey would return, it was not impossible. She did not know him, after all.

Mrs. Cheney entered with a pretty blue muslin gown over her arm, together with an assortment of underclothes. A pair of blue morocco slippers similar to ones Katherine had eyed with longing while shopping dangled from one hand.

“I believe these will fit, for we are of a size. I am not as slender as you, but I daresay it will make little difference. As soon as you are dressed, come through the door on your left to my room.”

It took but a short time to slip on the pretty clothes loaned to her. Shortly Katherine, feeling very strange and not a little awkward, opened the door. There was another short flight of stairs, most likely used by the servants. Making her way to the top, she opened the door to find herself in a small room. Beyond this sitting area or possibly a writing room was a bedroom decorated in pink. Mrs. Cheney hurried through to join Katherine when she heard the door click shut.

“How charming,” Gisela commented, studying the effect of blue muslin combined with corn-gold hair. “Let me see what I can do with those curls.”

A half-hour later the two women, grown much closer through the efforts of drying and arranging Katherine’s hair, retraced their steps to the saloon.

Lord Ramsey rose from his chair to greet them as they entered. “Still raining out. You must stay here until you may safely return to town. If I may be so curious, how did you travel out here?”

Katherine gave him a wary look, wondering how he might feel about her donkey tied up beneath the oak tree. The silly animal would most likely be grazing his head off in delirious abandon.

“Donkey cart,” she replied.

He nodded. ‘1 noticed there are few horse-and-carriage rigs about town.”

“The doctor has one,” she offered, before recalling that Lord Ramsey most likely possessed an elegant carriage with a pair of magnificent horses to boot, if not several.

“I see.”

Katherine blushed, something she rarely did, at the amusement in his voice. “It is not a very large town and there is little to do unless you count a trip to the market as something exciting.”

“Is there not a fair coming up shortly?” Mrs. Cheney queried.

Animation returned to Katherine, bringing a natural pink to her cheeks. “Yes, indeed. Sturbridge Fair comes near the end of September. We actually get three weeks of drama then. I wonder the residents can bear it.”

“They still allow no plays to be performed during the rest of the year?” Lord Ramsey asked.

It was a topic dear to Katherine’s heart and she waded in with less than her usual caution. “Aside from the few plays put on by students for students, there is no theater. I long to see a play acted in a real theater someday. This year we hope for something a bit different.” Then she realized precisely to whom she spoke, and abruptly ceased.

“Yes?” Lord Ramsey settled back in his chair to study the delightful young woman perched on the sofa opposite him. Her rich gold hair, now free of pond seed, was a wispy halo about her head. Those speaking blue eyes conveyed far more than she realized. That pert nose tilted up even when she glanced down, and her mouth . . . My yes, her mouth was a sweetly curved pink bud when she compressed it as she did now. Said more than she’d intended, he’d wager.

“Well,” she temporized, “do we not always hope for something a bit different?”

“I, for one, look forward to some entertainment. The country becomes dreadfully dull after a time.” Gisela tossed her brother an apologetic look. “Not that your hospitality lacks, Philip. However, this is not London.”

“I thought we came up to rusticate a bit,” he replied dryly.

“And so we did. I am persuaded Miss Penn could be of help if we chose to do a bit of entertaining. Does one encounter trouble with precedence when dealing with the university officials?” Mrs. Cheney artfully inquired.

Katherine gave her a rueful grimace. “Indeed. The heads of houses rank by the dates of the founding of their respective colleges. In Trinity, after the master comes the regius professor and the other professors according to the dates of their chairs. I have a terrible time recalling whether Greek or Hebrew takes precedence. They are very touchy about it, should one get mixed up. Father seldom has dinner parties, and then fortunately confines the men to ones who are easy to peg.”

“Only men?” Mrs. Cheney countered, smiling a little at this delightful girl.

Here arose another of Katherine’s peeves. “I cannot believe that in this day and age the fellows and professors are not permitted to marry. Only the provost, the regius professor, perhaps one or two others, all most ancient.”

“It sounds as though you find one of the younger fellows rather appealing,” teased Mrs. Cheney.

Since this was precisely the case, Katherine blushed a delightful pink again and refused to answer the gentle query. “Well,” she managed to say, “it means they must find a good living and give up the university post, which many find difficult to do. Rarely is it possible to combine the two.” She darted a look at Lord Ramsey, knowing full well he had it in his power to grant three of these livings.

“You have several livings in your disposal, do you not, Philip?” Mrs. Cheney’s eyes conveyed her amusement and curiosity.

“Yes, my dear, all well occupied at the moment.”

Katherine had hoped that perhaps one of them might have recently become vacant. While Michael Weekes showed no inclination to move in the direction of a church living he might combine with his fellowship, Katherine aspired to such for him. The other fellows eagerly discussed the possible vacancies so that they might earn sufficient to support wife and family. All except Michael.

A plump country maid bustled in at that moment carrying a tray with a plate of tiny sandwiches and a steaming pot of tea.

“Good,” Gisela said approvingly. “Nothing like tea to set things to right. I am certain you shall feel more the thing after a restorative cup, my dear.”

Katherine hid a smile behind her hand. Mrs. Cheney sounded most motherly. Katherine wondered if she had any children, but hesitated to ask. It could be a painful subject if she had wanted children and had none.

“The rain has stopped,” Lord Ramsey observed.

“So it has. I suspect it will take some time to dry your gown, however,” Gisela added to Katherine. “Such a tiresome thing, laundry.”

“I ought to go,” Katherine said in a subdued voice. She had relished that simply marvelous bath, and had thought it a great treat to know such luxury as being fussed over and waited upon, if only for a brief time. She was not eager to depart.

“Does anyone ever call you Kate?” Lord Ramsey inquired in a desultory manner, as though he was only mildly curious. Katherine gave him an affronted look. “Certainly not.”

“What does your brother call you?”

Giving a sigh that might be interpreted as being long-suffering, Katherine replied sedately, “Kitty.”

“Hm. Feline. Yes, I can see that.”

“Philip,” declared his sister, sounding shocked. “What a thing to say to a stranger.”

“Oh, not quite.” He flicked Katherine an intimate smile that sent shivers down her spine. She recalled how she must have appeared when she crawled from the pond, her gown clinging to her body in an indecent way, exposing every curve and angle of her from head to toe, including a bosom she considered indelicately bountiful.

Swallowing nervously and thinking that Lord Ramsey had a most peculiar effect on her, Katherine said, “Occasionally things happen that speed up the process of becoming acquainted.” At his look of amusement, she wondered what she had said that brought that expression to his face.

“Since you are interested in the theater, you must see Philip’s collection of memorabilia. Did you know we have our own stage at Fairfax Hall?” Mrs. Cheney said.

Katherine stared at Lord Ramsey, eyes wide with surprise. “Really?” Melly had never mentioned this in her gabbling about the hall. “I truly ought to get home,” she murmured with halfhearted propriety.

“You run the house for your father? Dear girl, what a charge on your shoulders. I know, you must come another day and spend some time looking over the theater and Philip’s collection. Perhaps your father would care to view the library? And do not worry about your gown. I am certain we can arrange to return it to you once it is dry. You know the humidity during rainy weather.”

“It stopped some time ago, Gisela,” reminded Lord Ramsey in a dry aside.

“Yes, well, I feel Miss Penn knows very well what I mean, having to tend to a household,” Mrs. Cheney concluded.

Katherine rose from the sofa, extending her hand first to Mrs. Cheney. “Thank you ever so much for looking after this very bedraggled girl. I have no doubt I would have caught my death had I not had that marvelous bath and dry things to put on, not to mention that excellent tea.”

“You enjoyed the bath, did you? I do, too. Soothing—in a sensuous way.” Lord Ramsey smiled, raising one eyebrow.

Katherine’s mouth went dry at his look. She suddenly decided it was far better that she escape from this house and that man, than to remain talking with his lovely sister. Lord Ramsey cut up her peace of mind far too much. Why, he completely drove Michael from her memory. Kate, indeed. Did he believe her an incipient shrew who needed taming?

“Good day, Lord Ramsey. And thank you for your kindness.” She was taken aback when he uncurled himself from his chair and made to follow her out the door. “ ‘Tis not necessary to go with me, sir,” she protested.

“Nonsense,” he replied. “I must see how you get that goose back to the cart. Is it quite docile?”

Feeling more at ease discussing an impersonal topic, Katherine nodded. “Usually. He enjoys a ride in the cart so I anticipate little trouble. I expect he has had a glorious time paddling about in the pond.”

“Bring it again.”

“Tomorrow,” inserted Mrs. Cheney promptly. “Come for tea at two in the afternoon. Do bring your father as well.”

“Gisela, did I ever do this to you?”

“No, dear, but then you did not need to, did you?”

At sea as to what they meant, Katherine stepped from the saloon to the attractive stone terrace, then headed toward the pond. The first thing to do was retrieve Gabriel.

Lord Ramsey appeared at her elbow, seemingly bent on assisting her in her quest. This time, the goose came promptly, evidently having consumed its fill of pond seed and other delicacies.

When they reached the cart after a leisurely stroll—for Gabriel refused to be hurried—Katherine paused and curtsied politely. “Again, I thank you for your gracious hospitality, Lord Ramsey. It was exceedingly kind of you to be so good to someone who, after all, trespassed.”

“Not at all. Stray, perhaps, never trespass. You will come tomorrow, will you not? Do not permit my sister’s somewhat whimsical sense of humor to put you off.”

“I shall with pleasure, sir.” His sister was not the only one with a frivolous wit. Katherine thought of how envious the beautiful Melly would be at a second invitation to the hall, and smiled. It was nice to have this special treat even if his lordship made her feel all quivery inside.

“I intend to learn more of your interest in the theater.” After undoing the reins from the tree and handing them to Katherine, he turned to leave. Then he paused, adding, “And do not forget what I said about strays.”