Disclaimer: I don't own RK… sigh… again!

Chapter 6

While Kaoru was lying on her bed that night, she kept on remembering the kiss she and Kenshin shared. "That kiss… it opened up a whole new world for me. Like I wasn't alive before that kiss." Kaoru thought. "I really need to find out who I am. I owe it to myself and to Kenshin so that I go into the marriage knowing exactly who I am." She added. "I'll try and find out as much as I can about my identity!" Kaoru vowed.

Kenshin was in the study room drinking whiskey and thinking about the kiss they shared. He smiled softly, remembering the way Kaoru's lips tasted. It tasted faintly of strawberries and he can't wait to taste them again. Remembering her earlier reluctance when they were in the carriage, Kenshin's thoughts turned to his earlier decision to work out the situation he was in. He would do his best to do right by the girl whose fiancée he inadvertently killed. Kenshin shook his head, of all the twists and turns his life made, he never expected it to go thru this path. He never even believed that he would be walking down this path. He was a cynic, a realist. Scoring to believe in things foreordained. But he felt that the appearance of Tomoe in his life has been a gift of fate.

Next day…

Kaoru just finished getting dressed when a knock sounded and an impeccably dressed Kenshin walked in. "Good morning my Tomoe." Kenshin said. "I'm glad you're already dressed for the day. We are going to Madame Hilda's shop to get you fitted for clothes that you will be needing." He added. "Clothes? But I have perfectly good clothes hanging in my closet. What more do I need? Are they not good enough?" Kaoru asked, surprised. Kaoru could not believe that the multitude of kimonos she brought with her was actually not good enough! "It's not that the clothes you brought with you are not good enough," Kenshin hedged. "We have a different culture here in England. Though we are Japanese by birth, the society here in London operates differently than the one you're used to in Japan." He explained.

"Oh, all right, if you say so. But I still think that it's such a waste of money to spend it on things like that." Kaoru said. "You're my fiancée and it is my responsibility to keep you in a fashion befitting a future Countess of Hiten Mitsurugi." Kenshin said. "Countess? What do you mean?" Kaoru asked. "I am the Earl of Hiten Mitsurugi and as my future wife, you will be a Countess. Doesn't that please you?" Kenshin asked.

"Please me? I'm terrified of being one! First of all, I haven't the slightest idea how to be a Countess. I don't even know who I am in the first place!" Kaoru panicked. "Don't worry, you'll have enough time to learn the how to's before our wedding. Plus you have my staff at your disposal. To top it all off, you have me. I can be your tutor." Kenshin said, his smile lighting up the room. At his smile, Kaoru blushed and turned her face slightly away from him so that he wouldn't see her blush.

"Tomoe, how do you feel about spending some time in the country? Its beautiful there this time of the year. You can also rest and we can use that time to get to know each other better. What do you think?" Kenshin asked. He felt his heart stop as Kaoru smiled shyly. "I would love that. I would love to get to know you better." Kaoru said.

"Let's go to Madame Hilda's shop so we can have you fitted as soon as possible so we can have the clothes brought over to the country estate." Kenshin said.

The couple went to the good Madame's shop where Kaoru was taped and measured for a whole new wardrobe, which Madame Hilda said is, "fit for a countess!" Kenshin smiled at Kaoru's enthusiasm when the modiste was showing her the designs for the gowns that were going to be made for her. After watching Kaoru for several minutes, he realized that watching Tomoe happy made him happy as well. "Why does someone else's happiness mean so much to me? I hardly know her but the more time I spend with her, the more I want to see her smile, hear her laugh?" Kenshin asked himself. "Looking at Tomoe is like looking at an elusive butterfly. Beautiful, wary, impossible to pin down." He added.

Kaoru looked up and saw that Kenshin had been watching her with a funny, bemused smile upon his handsome face. She blushed and looked away. Embarrassed to let him see the blush creeping over her face. With a knowing smile, Kenshin turned away to look at the busy London street.

Their day was punctuated with knowing glances and intimate smiles.

After going to the dressmaker's shop for clothes, Kenshin brought Kaoru home so they could pack for their country outing. Since the clothes Kaoru got fitted for would be arriving in the country manor, Kenshin asked Kaoru to pack to a minimum.

They were on their way to Devon, where Kenshin's manor was located. They were staying there for a fortnight (two weeks). During that time, Kaoru hoped to recover at least a part of her memories. She felt that she needed to remember at least a part of who she was before her marriage to Kenshin.

Their journey was all uneventful… until Kaoru saw the kid by the road with a covered basket at his feet. "Kenshin, ask the driver to stop. Please?" Kaoru asked. "Higgins, stop the carriage." Kenshin bellowed out with a tap at the roof of the carriage.

When the carriage stopped, Kaoru stepped out, wearing a bright yellow kimono with pink sakura petals printed and a white obi tied at her waist. She walked over to the kid and said, "Hello, may I ask what is inside the basket?" Then something inside that basket gave off a shrill ring. Like that of little sleigh bells during Christmas. Kaoru kneeled beside the basket and lifted the cloth draped over it. And then she saw the puppies. There were 3 puppies inside the basket and all of them were wearing little sleigh bells on their necks. "Kenshin, come quick!" Kaoru called out. She picked up the puppies in her arms and turned toward Kenshin who was walking over. "They look adorable!" Kaoru said. "Uh, Tomoe, I don't think that's a good idea. You see, I'm not very fond of dogs." Kenshin countered. "But Kenshin, look at them." As Kaoru said those words, she looked at Kenshin with big uncertain eyes and succumbed to the impulse. And the temptation that was Tomoe Yukishiro. "All right, you can keep them." Kenshin agreed. "Oh, thank you Kenshin! Thank you so much!" Kaoru exclaimed. In her exuberance, she hugged Kenshin tightly. As Kenshin wrapped his arms around his surprising fiancée, feelings he dare not name was coursing through his body. He felt alive for the first time in a long time. And this silly chit of a girl was the cause.

Kenshin paid the kid a handsome amount for the puppies. He was glad that his beloved pets were going to be adopted by good and decent people who will be able to take care of them. The boy waved as the carriage carrying the puppies rode away.

Inside the carriage, Kenshin was watching Kaoru play with the puppies. One of them was tugging at the hem of her kimono and the other one was ensconced on her lap trying to climb over her and the other one was busy chasing the foot that was dodging its claws and teeth. Kaoru was smiling as radiantly as diamonds as she played with her new pets. Soon the puppies were sleeping by Kaoru's feet, exhausted from playing with their new mistress and each other. The puppies weren't the only ones sleeping, he observed. His Tomoe was sleeping also. She was leaning her head on the side of the carriage.

"It must look very uncomfortable." Kenshin thought. So he lifted Kaoru over to his side of the carriage and he gently laid her over his lap, with her head resting on Kenshin's shoulder and her face pressed against his neck. Kaoru snuggled deeper into Kenshin's comforting strength, touching her lips to his neck and blowing warm air over the sensitive flesh. Kenshin felt the stirrings of desire caused by one girl who didn't know what kind of danger he could pose to her. Instead of releasing her and placing her by his side as she slept, he continued to hold her in his arms, tightening his hold once in a while. Kenshin looked at his sleeping beauty and very lightly, kissed her lips, As soft as a whisper, and fell asleep as well.

A/N: There! The next chapter is finally done! Love it? Hate it? Review please….

Kean – The story is going to be a bit fast in the earlier parts of the story but it will slow down when it gets to the juicy parts…. Yeah, I thought the kiss was pretty sweet too.. Kinda makes me want to have a Kenshin of my own!

Silent Tears of Agony – The answer to your question is…. YES… they will be meeting face to face… watch out for it.. but that wont be for a while yet.. I need to develop Ken and Kao's relationship first and then I'll introduce Tomoe to the story to rough things up between our lovers… so keep on reviewing.. let me know what you think!