Page 96 of A Misguided Devotion

The older man shot him a thin smile. “We have kept you from your other engagements long enough.”

That was unexpected. Was Mr Barrington trying to get rid of him? William had no intention of leaving unless he was forced. How hard would he push a viscount? “I have no pressing calls on my time.”

“Nevertheless, there is a certain awkwardness in your remaining. Things have not worked out as either of us would have wished.”

“Think nothing of it. I will not desert you now.”

“I fear the strain is too much for me, my lord.”

Mr Barrington was determined to see him gone, but William did not want to abandon Kitty. How could he change the man’s mind?

“If smugglers were responsible for Mr Jenkin’s accident, they must be stopped.”

“We’ll know soon enough who is to blame. Laura’s husband regained consciousness for a few moments while you were in Weymouth, and the doctor says he’ll live.”

So that’s what this was all about, was it? Mr Barrington was admitting defeat. The riding officer was not going to die. There would be no possibility of William marrying his widow.

“I have always maintained my innocence, and Mr Jenkin will soon be able to confirm it. I struggle to see why you would doubt that smugglers were responsible. The man’s work is to stop their illicit trade. It is natural they would want to protect their investments by eliminating their greatest threat, would you not agree?”

“All the more reason you should leave. The preventive service has the situation under control. Mr Jenkin is not the only officer patrolling the island. If, as you fear, his supposed accident was the work of smugglers, it would be most unwise to get involved. Don’t think your rank will protect you from such men. Their livelihood and their freedom depend on their success, and they don’t take kindly to anyone who interferes. Your best course of action is to return to Weymouth and forget about us. The shame of having encouraged your attentions toward my daughter when she was already— But enough has been said on that subject.”

Given his marching orders, William had little choice but to depart, but that didn’t mean he had to leave alone. He refused to abandon Kitty to Mr Barrington’s mercy. He feared the man would continue to pressure her to marry him once he’d gone.

After gathering his painting supplies and instructing a servant to pack his trunk, William sent word to Keating at Pennsylvania Castle to bring his carriage around. In the meantime, he went in search of Kitty. He needed to speak to her. To persuade her to leave with him. He was sure his sisters would help her—but would she let them?

If not, he would have to depart alone—but his heart would remain here with the courageous woman who had stolen it away from him.

Kitty hugged her arms around herself and stared out to sea. The wind brushed against her skin, and she could taste the salt in the air. How she would miss this view when she left—and leave she must. At the same time as Laura, if not before.

What was she going to do? She prayed God would guide her next move. That he would bring her brother back home in one piece. That he would heal the ache in her heart. Because accepting that William could never be hers didn’t stop the pain.

The sound of footsteps alerted her to his presence, and she braced herself for the encounter. She expected no explanation of his aloof behaviour since they’d visited St Mary’s. He had been too optimistic about what they would find, and it was clear he did not love her enough to overcome the inevitable disapproval he would face if he chose her as his bride.

As she turned to greet him, he shot her such a gentle smile that her heart gave a familiar jolt. Why did he have to look as if he cared? It made letting go a thousand times more difficult.

“I have to leave.”

She had known it was coming, but so soon? Though perhaps it was better to get the parting over and done with. Despite her best intentions, tears welled up in her eyes, but the words would not come.

“Mr Barrington wants me gone. I tried to talk him out of it, but he wouldn’t listen. Now Mr Jenkin is recovering, the man regards me as a stumbling block. He was not pleased to hear we’d visited Weymouth together. I believe he still cherishes the hope of making you his bride and considers me a distraction.”

“How absurd.” She had no intention of marrying Hugh.

William shot her a beguiling pout. “Maybe I want to be a distraction.”

Her heart fluttered again. Why was he doing this to her?

“Kitty, I can’t marry—”

The stark truth pierced her like a dagger. “I understand. When are you going?”

“Will you please let me finish?”

She hugged her arms tighter around herself. “If you insist.”

“I can’t marry you without my father’s permission because I’m not of age. If he doesn’t give his consent, will you wait for me?”

Her mouth opened, but no words came out. Had she heard him right? She hadn’t misread his intentions. He wanted to marry her. “I take that back. I don’t understand. You have distanced yourself from me since we visited St Mary’s. When we discovered the truth about my father.”