Chapter 9

Walking into my room to continue with my manuscript, I saw angelica crying.

Kitty: Angelica? What on earth is the matter?

Angelica ignored me as she sobbed, her hands covering her face as she let the tears spring forth.

Kitty: Are you ill?

More tears. Still no response.

Kitty: Hurt? Do you need to see a doctor?

Angelica: No! Just leave me alone.

Kitty: But, Angie, you're crying.

Angelica: Sometimes people cry, Kitty.

Kitty: Angelica, please.

Angelica: Gerard ended things.

Kitty: What?!

Angelica: Because you caught us. He doesn't want it to become something it's not.

Kitty: That ass! I'll go and give him a piece of my mind!

Angelica: Kitty, no! I don't need you getting in the middle of this. This is Gerard's choice and I should respect it.

Kitty: I supposed I should respect that.

Angelica: Thank you. I wouldn't usually ask this...

Kitty: You can stay with me tonight.

Angelica: Oh, thank you, Miss.

Kitty: What are friends for?

The next day, after busying myself with a full morning and afternoon of writing and other unladylike activities, it was finally time to prepare for my dinner with Lord Radcliffe.

Angelica: Are you ready to get dressed, Miss?

Kitty: Is there an option to say no?

Angelica: I don't think your mother would let you get away with it.

Kitty: Fine.

Angelica: You look beautiful, Miss.

Kitty: Thank you, Angie.

Angelica: Let me help with your hair and makeup. Well, then, I think you're ready to go.

Kitty: I supposed you are correct.

I'd never actually been to the Radcliffe Estate, but one step onto the land had my breath taken away. The large mansion stood tall and proud in the middle of a large area of land with bright greens and flowers. And I felt incredibly small as i looked over it from the window of the carriage I was bring escorted in.

I was greeted by a large, open foyer that introduced me to an incredibly large home. It out the Hawthorne Estate to shame and I felt extraordinarily tiny once again as I wrapped my arms around myself.

Dante: Kitty!

Kitty: Lord Radcliffe, good evening.

I frowned as I noticed how crumpled his shirt looked, before surprised by the arrival of a young woman.

Dante: And this is my sister Delilah.

Delilah: Charmed.

Kitty: I didn't know you had a sister.

Delilah: I've only recently returned from France. And Dante likes to pretend I don't exist.

Dante: I'm quite certain I've mentioned her before.

I merely stayed quiet as I shifted on my feet, not wanting to embarrass him surprisingly.

Delilah: Well, all that is no matter. We should make way to the dinning room. My brother has been hard at work making our dinner. It would be a shame for it to all go cold.

A few minutes later, we were all crowded together around a small table. Delilah had insisted on the mote intimate setting versus the actual large dinning table on the other side of the room.

Delilah: Bon Appetit, Miss. Hawthorne. You must be quite special indeed for my brother to do any actual work for you.

Kitty: Oh, I..

Dante: Quite special, yes.

Delilah: Well, I say we ear.

Kitty: Yes, let's do that.

I place the food into my mouth before frowning heavily.

Dante: What's the matter?

Delilah: Heavens, Dante. Are you trying to poison your betrothed?

Dante: Is it that bad?

Delilah: No, our choking sounds are because we find it delightful. It's rather salty, brother dear.

Kitty: I thought you were learning how to cook.

Dante: I am.

Delilah: Is that what he told you?

Dante: Delilah...

Delilah: My brother hasn't lifted a finger once in his life. But it's cute he tried to learn for you.

Kitty: Yes, lying is adorable.

I pushed my chair back and stood, before storming out of the room.

Dante: Damn it. Thank you, Delilah.

Delilah: Anytime, Dante.

Dante: Katherine! Katherine! Kitty, please wait.

Kitty: Leave me alone.

Dante: Please just let me explain?

Kitty: I'm going home.

I wrapped my arms around myself as the thunder shook the house before frowning at him.

Dante: Please, there's a storm. I'll have the cook make you something.

Kitty: I came here because you promised me food. You told me you'd been practicing. Why did you lie?

Dante: You wouldn't have come otherwise.

Kitty: You don't know that.

Dante: I do, Katherine. I just...I wanted to have dinner with you so bad.

Kitty: But why?

Dante: Because I...

He stepped closer, before hopping back at the sound of thunder. Delilah walked into the foyer.

Delilah: Come on you two. I'll tell Beatrice to fix you both something.

Kitty: But what about you?

Delilah: Oh, trust me, I will have food sent to my chambers. This has been far too much excitement for one day.

Dante: Beatrice will kill me if she finds out i used her kitchen.

Kitty: You didn't even get permission?!

Dante: It must have slipped my mind.

Kitty: Well, then I guess we cant have her fix us something. Besides its already late.

Delilah: I'm going to let the two of you figure this out.

Dante: And what do you suppose we do? I'm starving.

Kitty: Guess you should have thought about that before lying.

Dante: We could...I mean I could try again?

Kitty: Cooking?

Dante: Um...yes. I think I could maybe get it on a second try.

Kitty: Lord Radcliffe, have you ever actually cooked a day in your life?

Dante: I...It doesn't matter. Let's just go to the kitchen so i can feed you. I cant have my fiancée starving because of me.

I watched as his temperament changed before he was all but fleeing the foyer. Had I said something wrong? I lifted my skirts with a sigh, before following after him.

Kitty: Dante, what are we doing here in the kitchen?

Dante: Isn't it obvious? Now come on. I think there's food in here.

Kitty: What exactly are we looking for?

Dante: I don't know. How hard is it to make a salad?

Kitty: I think you just chop vegetables up and put them in a bowl.

Dante: That seems simple enough.

Kitty: Dante... You don't have to do this. I'm sure Beatrice will understand.

Dante: No. I gave her the day off. The least I can do is leave her alone after I do something stupid.

Kitty: But why did you do it, though.

He paused for a moment before swallowing.

Dante: I wanted to impress you.

Kitty: By proving you could cook? Dante, I don't care.

Dante: I thought maybe if I could show you I don't just rake around... That maybe you'd take me more seriously.

Kitty: You being able to cook isn't going to make me think you aren't a rake. I mean you were clearly with someone before I even got here.

Dante: Pardon?

Kitty: Your clothes were all rumpled.

Dante: Kitty, I'd fallen asleep.

Kitty: You don't have to lie to me.

Dante: Katherine, I'm not lying. I fell asleep. I haven't been with another woman since we've been engaged.

Kitty: Fake engaged.

Dante: My point is I haven't. I didn't want to hurt your reputation...

Kitty: Since when have you ever cared about any of that?

Dante: I care about it when it comes to you.

Kitty: Let's just make the salad so we can eat and then get this mess cleaned up.

Dante: Or we could have the servants...

Kitty: Don't even finish that sentence. You made the mess.

Dante: Ugh, fine.