The Kiss: An Anthology About Love and Other Close Encounters(35)

Bathsheba felt the tension leave her body. His pleasant answer relieved her of any pressure.

She remembered her previous dealings with Gregory who had been very demanding and a little threatening with it. He had been a great disappointment to her. In the beginning, she had hoped that they might rub along well together and had even considered marrying him.

She shuddered involuntarily. Thank goodness he had revealed his true self before it had been too late. Her hand went to the wrist that he had twisted leaving a mark for several days and some of his cruel comments came to mind also. That was more than two years ago and seemed like a good while longer now.

Alistair could see that Bathsheba was lost in thought, so didn't interrupt.

Suddenly she realised that he was watching her and wondered if he were waiting for her to add something else to the conversation. Until now, he had been the one to keep their exchange flowing.

“How do you know James?” she asked. As she intended to contact him, the question had come out of her mouth without thinking.

“James and I have known each other from boarding school days. I am two years older and there were moments when he needed someone older to look out for him. There are a lot of bullies in boarding school. I don't care what anyone says about bullies toughening you up. There are better, more intelligent ways of developing 'depth of character'.”

Bathsheba hadn't realised until then that James and Alistair must have known each other for more than ten years. Why hadn't she crossed paths with Mr. Hutton sooner? Now she was decidedly curious.

“I am reasonably close to my cousin James, Mr. Hutton. How is it we have never met before, do you know?”


“I expect it is because I have been out of the country for the last five years. We may have met when you were younger but I doubt I would have made much of an impression on you then,” he commented.

She didn't respond with the obvious social retort that she was sure to the contrary that he would have made an impression on her. She was too busy wondering where he had been for five years. To go anywhere out of England was an achievement, in her opinion, let alone live abroad for any time.

“May I ask where you have been for the last five years?” she dared to enquire.

“You may, but you might not like my answer....” He had lost his smile.





Chapter 2


Bathsheba knew immediately that she had touched upon a subject that was better to be avoided.

His words along with the tone of his voice alerted her. Even Peggy had stopped sipping her tea. Bathsheba could swear that the whole tearoom was holding its breath as it waited for Alistair's answer.

“No!” The word came out more forcefully than she had intended.

“I beg your pardon, Mr. Hutton. It really is not my business and I shouldn't have asked. Please forget my impertinence for asking.”

These bloody skirts, she thought again. If only I could kick myself once and for all, perhaps I'd stop embarrassing myself.

“Well, Miss Baxter, I don't mean to be a mystery, so I'll simply say that I have been in our ex-colonies.”

In fact, his statement only confused the issue more, because the war in North America had only ended three years ago, a few months before the war on the continent against Napoleon. Now she was more than curious, she was intrigued. Her mind was racing.

Alistair watched the expressions that passed fleetingly over Bathsheba's face; first surprise and then alarm followed closely by indecision and then, curiosity. If only she knew how much her face gave away. He was surprised that she didn't chew on a finger as she thought things through. He could see the wheels turning and he smiled to himself.

Oh, Miss Baxter, if only you knew how much you have told me without saying a word, you would be more careful with your reflexions, he thought.

All right, Bathsheba thought, I'm hooked. What was he doing in North America during the war years? She knew that her curiosity would be her downfall one of these days, but she couldn't help it.

“It is rather silly of me, Mr. Hutton. Now that I think about it, I am sure that Papa would have mentioned an engagement to me had he accepted one for this month,” she explained rather lamely.

“I would like to accept your invitation now as I am sure I would enjoy Mrs. Pemberton's concert.” She realised then how her statement had omitted him in the equation, so quickly added as social niceties obliged, “And of course, it will be all the better for sharing the event with someone who enjoys music, too.” Again that stunning smile.

There was nothing untoward about going to an evening's entertainment at a known matron's home. She was considered out of the marriage mart now, so the fact that she would be accompanied might give rise to speculation the time it took to raise eyebrows and then lower them. No doubt, those knowing her would assume that her cousin James had coerced his friend into escorting her as a favour.

It was Alistair's turn to smile in such a way that her stomach turned over, in spite of her stays.

“If you are quite sure? I don't mind waiting until tomorrow,” he proposed, more from politeness than conviction.

She nodded with a blush tingeing her cheeks.

“Yes, I'm quite sure, Mr. Hutton. I seriously doubt that there is anything of any consequence planned.”

What have I done? she wondered. I do believe that there must be something in the stars because I have been behaving quite out of character today. Her cheeks even ached from her unaccustomed smiles.