Chapter Eight #2
Oliver had agreed to Lady Sampson’s ridiculous scheme of a feigned courtship in part to save both their reputations.
But also because he wished to spend more time getting to know Kitty.
Not Miss Childs, the perfect society miss.
Kitty, the young woman who hid behind pots, rode in the back of farm carts to deliver lemonade, and discussed literature.
But Kitty had yet to make an appearance.
And he suspected that she never would, as long as her mother acted as her shadow.
As he looked over the wide grassy area on the far side of his uncle’s garden, an idea struck. “Aunt, do you happen to have any battledores?” Lady Fulbourn confirmed she did and then sent a footman to retrieve the small paddles as Tim raised a brow in question.
Moments after the liveried servant disappeared into the house, Mrs. Childs and her daughter arrived.
The elder woman apologized in a most dramatic fashion before taking her seat at the table.
As she had all week, Miss Childs followed behind her mother with a perfectly polite mask hiding her real thoughts.
After a quarter hour of listening to Mrs. Childs and Lady Fulbourn drone on about the latest styles in women’s ball gowns, Oliver stood.
“I need to stretch my legs. Would anyone care to join me for a game?” Tim and Arabella jumped up so fast it was almost comical, but everyone else remained seated.
Hoping for the best, Oliver turned towards the object of his scheming.
“Miss Childs, can I beg you to be our fourth?”
Miss Childs looked at her mother for a moment before standing. Something passed between the women, but Oliver was at a loss to guess what. Playing lawn games in full view of chaperones was an acceptable activity for a couple that was supposedly courting.
The four players stood in a square about ten feet apart and sedately hit the shuttlecock from one player to the next, successfully keeping the projectile in the air.
After the third round without letting the feathered cone drop to the ground, Oliver intentionally hit it over Tim’s head.
His twin jumped and extended his arm, barely making enough contact to send it toppling towards his wife.
Arabella swung her paddle hard and sent the projectile directly at Oliver’s face.
Oliver used his paddle to block the shot, as much as hit it, and the force sent the shuttlecock straight up into the air.
Much to his surprise, it was Miss Childs who took several quick steps and kept it from hitting the ground.
“Well played, Miss Childs.” Kitty turned towards him with a bright smile, and Oliver’s heart clenched.
After a dozen rounds of more energetic hits, and only two drops, Arabella sent the shuttlecock flying between Oliver and Kitty.
“I’ve got it,” Oliver called out as he ran towards the flying projectile.
“I’m closer,” Kitty yelled back as she did the same.
Though Oliver attempted to pull up the instant he registered her words, his momentum was too great.
Unable to avoid the collision, he wrapped his arms around her and twisted so that she landed on top of him.
Within moments of hitting the ground, she rolled off him and sat up in the grass with wide eyes.
“Are you hurt?” Tim asked as he skidded to a stop in front of them.
Kitty looked between the twins and then burst into peals of laughter. Oliver felt his shoulders relax before he scrambled to his feet and held out his hand to help her up. “My apologies.”
She grasped his hand and allowed him to pull her up. “No need. I’ve often been accused of being too competitive.”
“Catherine,” Mrs. Childs appeared at the edge of the lawn. “Are you quite all right?”
“Yes, Mother. We just took a fall,” Miss Childs replied, her mask firmly in place. Oliver’s chest tightened. He’d caught a brief glimpse of Kitty, and somehow he already missed her.
The matron studied them both for a moment before turning to her daughter. “I think that is enough games for one day. Come, finish your tea.”
“You should sit down,” Oliver suggested. “We will collect the equipment and join you soon.”
Miss Childs gave him a polite nod and followed her mother.
Tim stepped up alongside him, his arms full of paddles. “How did you know?”
“Hmm?” Oliver replied, his attention still on the young woman walking away from him.
“How did you know battledore would bring out Miss Childs’ lighter side?” Tim clarified.
“I didn’t.” Oliver turned to look at his twin. “But I wanted to find something, anything, that got her away from her mother.”
“Well played,” Arabella commented, and Oliver knew she was not referring to the game.
Kitty did her best to sit perfectly still as Polly wove pale green ribbons through her dark hair.
She could not deny that the effect was lovely, but that did not change the fact that such adornments made her head itch.
Still, there was nothing for it. Her mother would accept nothing less than perfection for Lady Swaffham’s ball.
Just as her maid finished, Mrs. Childs stepped into the room. She studied her for a long moment and then gave a single nod of approval. “You’ll do nicely. If you can avoid behaving like a hoyden for the entirety of the evening, you should have a very successful ball.”
Though it had been two days since the afternoon at Fulbourn House, her mother had not yet forgiven her for her unladylike behavior during the game of battledore.
The lectures had begun the moment they climbed into their carriage after finishing tea.
Her mother was absolutely convinced that if Oliver Linfield jilted her, it would be because she had been overly energetic during a lawn game. Kitty disagreed.
Not that she intended their arrangement to be anything but a feigned courtship. But the only time she’d seen Oliver Linfield with a sincere smile, at least knowing it was him, was with a paddle in his hand. Rather than being put off, he appeared genuinely entertained by her antics.
She was still not sure what to think of the man.
The version “courting” her had more in common with the polite but disinterested gentleman she’d seen at Arbor Hill.
And yet, she knew the gentleman who mended walls on his own estate and discussed novels was in there somewhere.
And apparently he enjoyed outdoor games.
That version could touch her heart if she allowed it. But then he would vanish again.
Kitty stepped into the London townhouse of Lord and Lady Swaffham a short time later.
After greeting her host and hostess, she found Oliver Linfield standing in the corridor, waiting for her.
Her heart did a most unwelcome flip at the sight of his handsome form.
“Mrs. Childs, Miss Childs.” He bowed politely and then offered his elbows. “May I escort you both into the ball?”
After they accepted his offer, Oliver led them through an open door and into what was likely the drawing room on any other day.
Like most London townhouses, this one was not large enough to accommodate a true ballroom.
Instead, most of the doors and furniture had been removed from the ground-floor rooms. It appeared that a partition wall had also been opened to allow a larger room for dancing.