The Scandalous Love of a Duke by Jane Lark Read Free Book Online Page A

me to actually call. I know they made the offer and their husbands were charming, but it was just politeness, Phillip.”
    “You are too self-deprecating, Kate. They meant it.”
    She looked up at him, “They were merely being charitable, Phillip. I am happy as I am.”
    Phillip’s gaze held hers. “Are you?”
    “
Yes
.” She pulled her arm free from his grip as they reached the door.
    “You do not convince me of it, Kate, you hardly ever smile, and I cannot remember the last time I heard you laugh.”
    He was speaking out of concern, she knew that, but she had no intention of talking to him about how things stood for her, it would not be fair, and she would never speak to anyone of her redundant feelings for John.
    The door opened, “Castle,” Phillip acknowledged the middle-aged butler.
    Katherine untied the ribbons of her bonnet as Phillip encouraged her to enter first.
    “Phillip! You are back!” Their mother’s voice came from the drawing room, and then she was in the hall, holding her hands out to Phillip. “You must stay for tea.”
    “I need to get back to town, Mama.”
    Katherine clung on to her bonnet and gloves.
    “But, Phillip, I barely see you.”
    He gave their mother an understanding smile, and took her hands. “I’ll come on Sunday next, Mama”
    All eyes for Phillip, their mother nodded. “I shall look forward to seeing you then.”
    “We spoke to John,” Katherine stated, feeling uncomfortable.
    Ignoring Katherine, their mother said to Phillip, “Is he in good health?”
    “Well enough. Eleanor and Margaret were pleased to see Kate. They have asked her to call.” Phillip was trying to push their mother’s attention to Katherine; it was pointless.
    “Well, one can understand why they would be polite.”
    Katherine threw Phillip a look to say, see, she agrees. He smiled. Katherine poked out her tongue, without her mother seeing, and then turned to take her bonnet and gloves upstairs.
    “I will see you next Sunday, Mama,” Phillip began to take his leave.
    “Kate. Phillip.”
    Her father.
    Her hand on the newel post, Katherine looked back and smiled.
    He was standing in the doorway of his study, smiling too, his affection genuine.
    “And how does John fare?” he asked of Katherine.
    “Like he was born to it,” Katherine quipped, smiling more openly. Her father’s eyes glowed, catching a hold of her humour.
    “He’s as rich as Croesus.” Phillip added, “I hardly think we need worry about John.”
    Their father nodded, but his posture had stiffened. There was always tension between herself and her mother, and the same between Phillip and their father. They had never been a happy family.
    “Phillip!” Jennifer erupted from the drawing room. “You must tell me all about it, you cannot go yet…”
    Phillip looked back. “Kate will tell you.” That was the height of insult to Jenny, to be reliant on Katherine for anything. She was spoilt and selfish. But Katherine did not blame her sister. Jenny had been brought up by their mother to exclude Katherine.
    Jennifer’s nose tipped up. “I can live without knowing, if you are going to be so mean. Mama, may we go into Maidstone tomorrow…?”
    Phillip sighed.
    Katherine turned and began climbing the stairs, but Phillip caught her hand and held her back. “Say goodbye before you go up.”
    He’d always been protective. It was why she’d had the chance to grow so close to John, because Phillip had taken pity on her in the holidays when he was home, and given her opportunity to escape from their mother and Jenny.
    She turned back and hugged him, standing on the first step so she was taller and her arms more easily reached about his neck.
    He hugged her too, as their mother and Jenny looked on with jealousy in their eyes.
    He would say goodbye to them also. It was just that they wanted Katherine to have no love. Yet Phillip loved her, and her father did too.
    She wondered sometimes if jealousy caused her mother’s hatred,