“Can I help you, sir?”
“Yes. I’m looking for Mr. Hamilton.”
Kate tried not to feel fear as she stood. “Mr. Hamilton is not here right now. I am Mrs. Hamilton.”
“Ah.” His eyes narrowed, creasing into little slits as he looked her over. “I am Mr. Dalworth. I sent your husband a letter—”
“Mr. Hamilton is in India at the moment, sir. I received your letter, though I wasn’t sure what you meant by it.” As she spoke, he took a little book from his pocket and began writing in it.
My God, she was doomed to be surrounded by rude, despicable men today.
When he looked up and found her frowning, he grudgingly removed his hat. “I believe my letter was clear, madam. My client wishes to know more about your business.”
“And who is your client?”
“He does not mean to reveal himself until he’s assured that a partnership with your husband would be profitable.”
“And I’m sure I do not wish to reveal more about our business until I know to whom I’m addressing the information.”
He sneered at her words. “When will your husband return, madam?”
“He will not be here until spring, so I suggest you find a way to deal with me.”
He regarded her for a long moment before inclining his head. “I’m afraid I am prohibited from revealing my client’s name. He does not wish to upset his relationship with his current broker until and unless he is prepared to cease his dealings with him.”
Kate arched a haughty eyebrow. “I can understand that. As long as he understands that we will reach no agreement until I’ve received several samples of his crop.”
“Agreed,” he said, and they sat down to talk money.
But when he departed, he left Kate with an uneasy tension in her stomach. She’d witnessed many negotiations at David Gallow’s side. None of them had been quite so superficial or brief. Still, this was only the opening salvo, and the details would be hammered out later. She had no reason to feel such creeping dread.
She had everything she wanted right now, after all. Her work, her independence, and Aidan. The fear was just left over from her old life, and she’d banish it the moment she knew that Ceylon was behind her forever.
Chapter 16
He hadn’t expected that the next time he saw Kate it would be across a crowded reception room. In fact, Aidan would’ve sworn it was the last place he’d wish to see her, with all these people standing between them, all these eyes who might see the need in his gaze. But now that he was here, he felt fascinated by the sight of her interacting with others.
She wore a dark amber dress that did nothing to add color to her cheeks, but the color was there. It flared brighter when she looked up to see him watching, and Aidan caught the curve of a secret smile as she turned away from him. She seemed to glow, and he realized with a sudden jolt of sorrow just how dim she had been, how little of her old shine she’d had.
She was shining now.
He dared to approach, knowing Penrose would follow. “Mrs. Hamilton,” he breathed as he bowed over her hand. He introduced Penrose, then stared as the two made polite chitchat. He wouldn’t normally bring his secretary to a dinner, but Penrose had been specifically invited. A dockmaster’s house was an odd mix of industry and society, it seemed.
When he’d found himself unexpectedly agreeing to a dinner in the Cain home, he’d sent a panicked letter to Kate. Lucy had asked him how he meant to fill his evening, and he’d been so b
eset by erotic images of Kate that he’d panicked and said he planned to do nothing at all. Luckily Kate had just been invited as well, and had sent him a note to that effect. So here they were, pretending the distance between them was natural, when all he wanted to do was put his hands to her skin.
But Kate seemed at ease. In fact, she was transformed. She flashed him another teasing smile, biting her bottom lip just before she turned away for an introduction to an older couple.
She was flirting with him, by God.
Yes, she was transformed. She was not young Katie, though. She’d become another creature altogether. Her flirtatiousness, her humor, was now buffered by the sharp edge of resiliency in her jaw. It was an enticing combination of hard and soft and he couldn’t stop thinking about exploring the contrasts.
“You watch her too closely,” a woman whispered at his shoulder. Aidan’s gut clenched with fear as he turned sharply to face Miss Cain.
“I’m sorry, Miss Cain. I didn’t catch that.”
She smiled gently. “Don’t yearn for her so. I’ve sat her next to you at the table. You’ll speak soon enough.”