Page 123 of A Misguided Devotion

William stared at his father, waiting for a response. His heart leapt as he observed an exchange of glances between his parents and a widening smile on his mother’s face.

“Very well. It is up to you, Miss Lacey. Will you let the Duchess take you under her wing whilst my son courts you publicly and the banns are read?”

“I will.”

They were the most beautiful words Kitty could have spoken, foreshadowing the promises they would make at their wedding.

Charlotte rose from her chair. “Well, if that’s settled, perhaps the pair of you would like to hear the new duet Anthony and I have been practising.”

Not really, but as Kitty mumbled a positive response, they followed the musical duo upstairs and into the room where they normally practised.

His twin exchanged a glance with his friend. “I don’t think they’re interested in listening to our music, do you?”

“No.”

With that, Anthony left the room. Charlotte paused beside William, whispered in his ear, “Five minutes,” and then shut the door behind her.

He couldn’t believe it. His twin, whom he could have sworn didn’t have a romantic bone in her body, had engineered them some time alone together.

It was time he didn’t intend to waste. He wrapped his arms around Kitty and pulled her close.

“I love you, Kitty.”

His words were cut off by a kiss. “I love you too, William, but now is not the time for talking.”

She ran her fingers through his hair, which did nothing to calm his racing pulse. “I’ve been wanting to do that for a long time.”

He grinned at the audacity of his future bride and drew her flush against him as he lowered his mouth for another kiss. A kiss full of the promise of a lifetime of love together.

Epilogue

Somerset House, London, May 1814

Kitty clung to William’s arm as she mounted the staircase up to the Great Room of Somerset House. Why did the Royal Academy have to hold their exhibition on the top floor? Although stairs had never been a problem for her before, everything was more tiring these days.

She paused on the landing to catch her breath.

“Do you need to sit down?” asked William, casting her an anxious look. “You need not have come—”

She gave her husband’s arm an affectionate squeeze. “This is the crowning moment of all your hard work. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

Kitty meant it. This was what William had been working toward for so long and the boyish excitement written all over his face showed how important this moment was to him. At last, he had painted something he deemed good enough and the Royal Academy had agreed. She would climb these wretched stairs to see his work on display, even if it put her to bed for a week.

When they reached the top of the staircase, Kitty was ready to collapse. After helping her to a sofa in the anteroom, William waited on the landing for his family to arrive, so they could all go in together. They had all promised to come to celebrate with him. All except his grandmother, who had not left Hampshire since the Duke had passed away.

Her Grace would be missed by William—and by her. Despite their rocky start, Kitty had grown fond of the old woman, who had done exactly as she’d promised. Having concocted some story about a faint connection to Mr Bruce, she had launched Kitty into London society as her protégée. She had claimed all the credit for their whirlwind romance and simply ignored the irregularity of her father’s birth.

As the Duchess had said on more than one occasion: “One wasn’t obliged to submit a family tree in order to get married.”

Kitty flicked through the pages of the exhibition catalogue which lay open on her lap. At least that way it looked like she was doing something whilst she rested her feet.

Hetta came to join her. “Have you found Will’s painting yet?”

“No. There are hundreds of pictures in here. I thought they’d be listed by artist, but the order seems rather random.”

Hetta held out her hand. “May I?”

Her sister-in-law pointed to a section on the first page. “It says here that the exhibits are listed in the same order as they are displayed, starting from above the door of the Great Room. Goodness! What happens if you lose your place?”