LITMIR.BIZ

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Katharine into succumbing to his advances, or been sexually aggressive with her. In fact, he had always been extraordinarily restrained. He wondered about this as he continued to ruminate in front of the fire, sipping his drink, and he came to the conclusion that he had been behaving in a way that was quite foreign to his nature. Was that because she herself was always so restrained? No, controlled was a much better word. He was not sure, and he was also puzzled. Why had he invariably handled her with kid gloves?

      Watching him intently, Katharine now recognized and with a sense of dismay, that Kim’s anger was not going to dissipate as rapidly as she had anticipated. He had never acted in this manner before, when she had adroitly sidestepped him, slithering out of his embraces, laughing lightly, reproving him, but sweetly so, making plausible excuses. She asked herself if Kim was going to become a problem in the way the others had been a problem, and her heart dropped. She did not relish the idea of having to fight him off physically, which inevitably became ugly and unpleasant. In the past she had always been able to deal with him without affronting him. In her own way Katharine loved Kim, and she had set her heart on marrying him. She was fully aware that she could not afford to hurt him again, not like this, and perhaps lose him in the process, simply because she baulked at lovemaking.

      Her eyes rested on him. He looked so handsome in his Anglo-Saxon way, with his pleasant, open and sensitive face and fine eyes and fair hair. Perhaps it was his very Englishness, as well as his refinement and his aristocratic bearing, that was so appealing.

      ‘Kim …’ she began in her silkiest voice.

      ‘Yes?’ he responded frostily.

      She ignored the tone and gave him a look guaranteed to warm the hardest of hearts. ‘We have tomorrow, darling. I’ll be feeling better by then and –’

      ‘We don’t have tomorrow,’ he told her peremptorily. ‘I haven’t had a chance to tell you, but I’m afraid my father has cancelled the dinner.’

      Surprise registered in Katharine’s eyes and she stared at him. ‘Oh!’ she said after a pause, and then, most carefully, ‘Might I ask the reason why?’ She had not considered the Earl to be an obstacle and this announcement momentarily threw her off balance.

      ‘The old man had a call from the bailiff at Langley, earlier this evening. Some pipes have burst and ruined parts of the panelling in the Widow’s Gallery where a lot of the family portraits by Gainsborough, Lely and Romney hang. Fortunately, none of the paintings has been damaged, but my father is worried the leak might have spread to other areas underneath the panelling. Areas not visible. We have to get to Langley as quickly as possible. We’re leaving for Yorkshire at the crack of dawn.’

      ‘Oh Kim, I am sorry! Really and truly,’ Katharine said with absolute sincerity. ‘It must be awfully worrying for your father … and you, too, of course. How awful.’ Disappointed though she was, she forced a smile on to her face. And then she admitted the truth, as she said, ‘I thought perhaps your father didn’t like me, didn’t approve of me.’ Her voice, low and quiet, sounded so plaintive and she was gazing at Kim with such a woebegone expression in her eyes, he was suddenly unable to sustain his anger. His rage fell away as swiftly as it had attacked him.

      ‘Don’t be a silly goose. He thinks you’re smashing. And so do I. I suppose that’s the root of the problem.’ Kim gave her a gentle smile, quickly replaced by a shamefaced look, and there was an echo of contriteness as he added, ‘Sorry I was so cross. It’s well … as I said, I do adore you, and you’ve kept me at arm’s length for ages.’ He attempted a cheery laugh, not very successfully. ‘Come to think of it, you were much more … responsive, shall we say, when we first met. I expect that’s why I became so furious tonight. You are very baffling, you know.’

      Katharine did not answer immediately. She sought a way to appease him further, make amends and bind him to her. Why not tell him the truth. Instantly she changed her mind. Partial truths were infinitely more appropriate, so much easier to deal with, and by everyone. She patted the sofa. ‘Please, Kim, come here. I’d like to explain about tonight. At least try.’

      He sat down beside her, and she took his hand in hers, stroking it, playing with his strong fingers absently. ‘I adore you too, you know, as I’ve tried to tell you in different ways lately. And because I care about you, I can’t play games with you. Lead you on, tease you, get you all excited and then turn you down. I think that would be cruel and provocative. That’s why I’ve kept you at a distance.’ She draped her arms around his neck, lightly, loosely, and stared deeply into his eyes. Then she kissed him on the lips, a long slow kiss that was equally as passionate as any he had given her. She drew away and touched his cheek. ‘But despite my strong feelings, I do want to be sure about us and our deepest emotions before taking that last step. I’m not promiscuous, Kim.’

      ‘Oh, gosh, Katharine, I never thought you were!’ he protested fiercely.

      ‘My being chaste with you is as difficult for me as it is for you, Kim,’ she told him, bending the truth. ‘When you became so angry a little while ago I couldn’t stand it. I … I …’ Katharine broke off dramatically and dropped her head, and when she raised it tears were welling in her eyes and glistening on her black lashes. ‘I couldn’t bear to lose you, darling. It would break my heart.’ She took a deep breath. The tears spilled over and trickled down her cheeks in little rivulets. ‘So if you still want to … now … I mean …’ She moved closer to him, pressing her body invitingly against his and kissed him deeply, her hands playing with the tendrils of hair on the back of his neck.

      Kim was astonished at her sudden reversal, but before he could sort things out in his head, he felt himself being carried along with her, staggered yet again by the extraordinary sexual power she had over him. His heart was hammering, blood rushed up into his face and he was aroused and losing control. And then, just as he was about to sweep her up in his arms and carry her into the bedroom, some deep-rooted instinct told him to resist this impulse.

      Gently, and with a great deal of effort, he extracted himself. He held her away from him, his hands firm on her arms. ‘No,’ he said, his voice gruff. ‘You’re only trying to please me. I want it the way you want it. When it’s exactly right for you. When you feel ready. It has to be perfect between us, Katharine …’ He looked down into her face, upturned to his and awash with sweetness and innocence, and his heart tightened. He said impetuously, ‘And that will only be when we’re married.’ He had surprised himself. He had not intended to propose just yet, but now that he had, he was glad. It struck him then that Katharine had always been different from the other women he had known, because she was extra special and important to him. Undoubtedly this was the real reason why he had always treated her so … so … reverently.

      Katharine’s heart seemed to soar at his words. For a moment she was speechless, and she simply stared into his eyes, her own still sparkling with tears.

      Kim lifted his hand and wiped her cheeks with the tips of his fingers, first one and then the other. ‘There, I’ve said it. Now you know how much I care.’ He smiled a little lopsidedly. ‘I’m in love with you, Katharine.’ His eyes remained on her face. And he waited.

      ‘I love you, too,’ she whispered finally.

      ‘And you will marry me, won’t you, darling?’ he asked anxiously, taking her hands in his.

      ‘Yes,’ Katharine murmured, her eyes sparkling. ‘I want to very much, Kim.’ She bit her lip and said hesitantly, ‘But I also want us to be very sure about each other.’

      ‘I am sure! Aren’t you?’ he cried nervously.

      She nodded, her face radiant. ‘Oh yes, I’m pretty sure I’m sure.’

      Kim relaxed. ‘I’ll have to speak to the old man, before we get engaged.’

      ‘Don’t! At least, not yet.’

      ‘Why ever not? You said you’d marry me, and I think he ought to be told of my very serious intentions, our intentions!’ he exclaimed excitedly.

      ‘Yes, he should,’ she agreed, adding in that same beguiling

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