Chapter 9

The next morning, Katharine woke up at her customary early hour. Her aunt would not be waking for several hours yet. Eleanor's servants, in deference to her schedule, would not arrive for work before ten in the morning.

To Katharine's surprise, her aunt had not only been up when she had entered the parlor, but the servants had arrived early and were preparing breakfast for them and guests. The guests were Andrew, Sir James and Mr. Robertson from home.

"My goodness, when did you arrive?" Katharine gave each gentleman a hug in greeting.

Lord Andrew McCollum could have easily been mistaken for her brother. They had the same coloring, chestnut brown hair and blue eyes. Andrew was solidly built, massive at the shoulders tapering down to narrow hips. He was taller than her by three to four inches. He stood with the other gentleman in greeting and received the first hug.

Sir James McCollum was nothing like them. James was an even taller pale blonde with light green eyes. He was just as strong looking as Andrew, but more compact in build. He accepted her greeting with a look over her shoulder at Andrew. Some years in the past, they had a competition over who should be allowed to win her. He and been beaten, literally.

William Robertson, the last guest to be greeted, was a bear of a man on the high side of sixty, with curly black and silver hair and a ready bear hug for Katharine. He was the Glenshire chieftain, her chieftain. Unlike the other two men, was not dressed to the height of fashion. His attire was at least ten years out of date, but he wore it comfortably. William Robertson was a veteran ships marine of over forty years' service and not accustomed to bothering about fashion.

"When did you arrive?" Katharine said. "Is there something wrong at home?" Another half dozen questions formed in her mind as she made that inquiry. Such as, why were their two chieftains and the McCollum head of house making a surprise visit to her all at the same time?

"We arrived last night," Andrew said. "The countess informed told us you were out, and was kind enough to offer us hospitality and breakfast. Enjoy yourself?"

"Yes, it was quite enjoyable."

Did she imagine it or had there a tinge of jealousy in that question? Katharine had not heard jealousy in a man's voice often enough to be certain, and certainly had it sent in her direction.

A servant announced breakfast and that train of thought was lost.

They ate in subdued geniality, discussing minor points about what had been happening at home. When the meal had ended, Andrew asked Katharine to join him outside.

They left the dining room, walking out the French doors heading to the rose trellis in Eleanor's small formal garden. There was a nice, shaded bench seat there. Andrew handed her into the seat and sat beside her.

"Mary Kate, we need to discuss something. I have been putting this off for way too long, but with father's illness, it could not be helped."

Because of father's illness, matters of such joy were wholly out of place. The seizure of five years past had slowly wasted the once strong, proud nobleman. It had killed Andrew to watch his father die like that. That had kept him from pursuing this subject. Andrew took Mary Kate's hand before continuing.

"We have known each other all our lives," he said, smiling down at her. "My father even tried to take care of this himself, but I was not of a mind to listen."

Andrew fought back his own recollection of that fight. I was an idiot.

"You look upon me as your sister, I know," Katharine said. Saying it, she wasn't so sure of the truth of it. I sounded wrong in her ears.

"Looked upon you that way, yes," Andrew said. "How long has it been since I actually called you sister, Mary Kate?" When she didn't answer, he said, "It was on your eighteenth birthday when I kissed you."

Andrew's words evoked the memory. He had not meant for that kiss to be anything but brotherly. Her birthday dance that night had been spectacular. His father had gone all out. Andrew had saved his present to be given just before they retired to bed. Because his father, for his own reasons, had never allowed his children personal servants, he had been in the habit of helping Mary Kate with her hair if it were elaborately done up. Katharine's hair had been nearly to her knees and had been hard for her to deal with alone.

Andrew gave her the present after her hair brushing, a pretty gold bracelet with sapphires. Mary Kate's eyes had lit up just like he knew they would.

With the gift so well received, he bent down to give her a kiss on the temple, but Mary Kate had raised her head at the last moment, and it had landed off the center of her lips. Automatically he had corrected himself, deepening it before he realized what he was doing. Afterward, he had backed off, remembering who was kissing, and left the room.

After some initial recriminations, Andrew had reluctantly accepted the fact that his father had known more than he had. It had never occurred to him how much he had grown to love Mary Kate, or how far in love with her he had become.

Katharine remembered that kiss, and her surprise. With only enough time to recognize that she had received a romantic kiss, he had backed off and left. Katharine assumed he had been embarrassed at her poorly timed blunder.

Andrew now looked down at her small hand in his. "After that, all I thought was between us had to change. I am not your brother, and I could not delude myself into pretending to anymore. I am in an awkward position, being your guardian. Through father's illness, I had other things to think about. But now, I need to settle this between us. Your being here in London under your aunt's care gives us the chance. I need to know, Mary Kate. Do you have any feelings for me?"

His looking into her face for his answer so intently made Katharine uncomfortable. She had been working up to just this all week. Looking away just to regain her thoughts, she did not see his misinterpretation of the gesture.

"No feelings at all," he said for her.

"What?" Katharine whispered. "No. No Andrew, I… do have feelings for you. Never say such a thing! I love you dearly."

"I am asking you for a bit more than that kind of love, Mary Kate. I want you to be my wife."

What did I do to make him angry? This was not fair. One does not spring this sort of thing on a woman. How am I supposed to know how to deal with this?

She said, "I know what you are asking me, Andrew." with a flash of anger of her own. "I just do not know how to address this properly. Please, give me a little grace here."

He bit back his frustration and calmed himself. "Sorry."

"Andrew, this cannot be answered just yet. I have known this was coming for a while. I am still not sure of myself to speak. If you would give me a little time. Could you let me have, well, a courtship period? Give us time to spend together here in London, away from family and all the expectations. It would help."

"Courtship," he repeated.

Not what Andrew had wanted to hear, but it was not the no he had just mistaken. It could be a good way to change the tone of their relationship, give him time to win her.

"All right, courtship it is. I will stay at my club here in London. Mr. Robertson will stay here. He will act as your escort anytime you need to leave the house. Sir James will stay a few days to handle some business and head back home."

Andrew lied. James would stay as long as it took. His cousin had been brought south to hunt unwelcome, unknown observers. Andrew intended to rid Mary Kate of those pests. This had gone on long enough.

"Andrew, that is not needed here. I do not go anywhere without a friend or Aunt Eleanor." Katharine said.

"It will now," Andrew said firmly, without giving her room to question. "Your friendly followers tailed you all the way to the English border this time. I am not taking any chances with your safety."

Andrew saw Mary Kate's irritation coming back and tried to dull the sting. "It is an inconvenience, I know, but you are precious to us. None of us could stand for you to be in any danger. You may think I'm overreacting, but as Robert and James agree, so I stand by my assessment."

He squeezed her hand. "Please forgive me. I have been your brother for so long and not a suitor. I can't chance it."

Katharine melted when Andrew spoke to her like that. "As you wish," she relented. "But not this afternoon. I already have an escort for my visit to the theater with Rebecca. Phileas Fogg agreed to attend with us yesterday. There, you see. I have not been ignoring your wishes."

"And who is this Phileas Fogg that he should be trusted with your safety?" Andrew shot back.

"He is the eldest son of the former head of the Secret Service," Katharine said, "and a former agent of the service himself. Phileas is an excellent candidate for such a duty."

That took Andrew back a step. He never expected to lose this argument.

Eleanor's butler, standing a few feet away, cleared his throat to be noticed. So engrossed in their conversation, the two had not seen the man.

"Excuse me, my lady, but Mr. Fogg and Miss Fogg are waiting for you in the parlor."

"I must be going," Katharine said, turning back to Andrew. "When I return, we can have dinner together and decide how to go from here." Andrew kissed her hand goodbye and turned it over and put a lingering kiss on her palm, holding her eyes with his. When he released her, she smiled nervously.

"For now," he whispered. "The day I take you in my arms and kiss your mouth again," he said, leaning close to her ear, "I will never let you go."

She colored from her cheeks, probably to her toes.

Andrew smiled. That had been his first try at romantic banter with her, and to his great joy, it had the effect he wanted.

Round one of romancing Mary Kate complete, let Phileas Fogg compete with that. Andrew knew Mary Kate's aunt's aspiration and intended to vanquish this rival with dispatch. Not as fast or as directly as he had handled James, perhaps, but thoroughly nonetheless.