Dancing on the Wind (26 page)

"The twins were identical?"

She nodded. "As like as two peas in a pod. I've never seen such a resemblance. For all the times I met them, I never could tell them apart. Very different temperaments, though. Lady Kristine was the older, and she was wild, like her father."

The tea tray arrived and the countess poured for them. "Kristine's exploits were notorious throughout the county. Swimming naked in the river at midnight, climbing cliffs, wearing breeches to ride with the local hunt, arguing logic with the vicar until the poor man didn't know whether he was coming or going. She should have been a boy."

That certainly explained where she had developed the skills for burglary and roof running. "What about Lady Kathryn?"

"She took after her mother, a vicar's daughter, and was a very proper young lady. She was always trailing along behind her sister, trying to keep her out of trouble. A sweet child, but easy to overlook—Kristine did all the talking for both of them." Lady Steed lifted the silver tongs and dropped a chunk of sugar into her cup. "People made allowances for the girls because of the way they had been brought up. There was no real vice in them, but Kristine was definitely headed for trouble. Probably eloped with the first man who asked her, or went on the stage, or did something equally disreputable."

Lucien's brows arched. "Do you really think she might have become an actress?"

She chuckled. "I doubt that even Kristine would be so lost to propriety as that, but she was very good at theatricals. She and Kathryn were always staging plays with the other young people in the neighborhood. They were a particular success in
A Comedy of Errors
and
Twelfth Night
."

Lucien smiled at the thought. "One seldom gets to see those plays done with genuine twins rather than false ones. Presumably Kristine was Sebastian to Kathryn's Viola?"

"Yes, and she made a very dashing fellow. One could hardly blame Olivia for losing her heart." The countess sipped her tea pensively. "Wherever Kristine is now, I'm sure she's up to some kind of mischief. That girl needed a strong man in her life." After a moment's reflection she added, "And her bed."

Lucien grinned. "Don't think you can shock me with your bawdiness, Aunt Josie—I'm already inured. Do you know where the twins are now?"

"They left Westmoreland after their father died and the estate was sold. It must have been about five years ago. They went to London to live with their aunt." Lady Steed pursed her lips. "Markland left them quite penniless. No amount of charm could compensate for such shocking irresponsibility."

"Do either of them have Jane as a middle name?"

"As a matter of fact, they both do. Kathryn Jane Anne and Kristine Jane Alice, I believe. Apparently Markland had asked his sister to be godmother to his first child, and he saw no reason to change merely because his wife presented him with twins." She shrugged. "Or perhaps the parents thought the girls should have identical initials along with everything else."

He remembered "Cassie James" swearing that Jane really was her name. So that time, at least, she wasn't lying. The little witch had a devious mind. Of course, he already knew that.

As he was ruminating, Lady Steed said, "An interesting phenomenon, twins. As infants they often develop their own secret language from baby talk." Seeing Lu-cien's expression, her gaze dropped. "Of course you know that already. At any rate, the Travers girls had private nicknames for each other. I noticed once when they were chattering together."

"Do you know what the names were?"

"I believe they were Kit and Kara." The countess bit her lip. "No, that's not right. Kira, that was it. Kit and Kira."

Lucien's interest quickened. "Which was which? The sounds are similar enough so that the proper names and nicknames could be combined either way."

"Kit is usually short for Kathryn." His aunt's brow furrowed. "That can't be right—Kit was doing most of the talking, so she would have been Kristine."

"Kit is nickname for Kristine as well," Lucien said. The first time he had met her, at Rafe's hunting party, she had identified herself as Kitty. It must have been the automatic response of a girl who thought of herself as Kit In fact, her exact answer had been "Kit… Kitty," as if she was belatedly changing a telltale slip to a stutter. "So Kathryn is Kira."

With the issue of names settled, he moved to a more important question. "Did either of the girls have suitors?"

"Not serious ones. Everyone in Westmoreland knew they didn't have a penny to their names, so they weren't really eligible. Oh, plenty of young men flirted with Kristine and the minx flirted right back. And once Anne Milton said there was a widower who thought Kathryn would make a suitable stepmother for his five children, but I never heard of anything significant."

He grinned at her affectionately. "If you didn't hear, it didn't exist. I never cease be be amazed at how much you know."

She cocked her head to one side like a sparrow. "I've answered all of your questions, but I don't suppose you would answer mine if I asked what you were up to this time."

"Suffice it to say that I wondered whether I was dealing with one woman or two." He rose to his feet. "Thank you for verifying that the Travers
are
twins. I'm in your debt."

"You can discharge it by telling them to call on me if they're in London," she said promptly. "Separately or together. I would enjoy renewing the acquaintance."

"I'll do that," he promised as he took his leave. Issuing his aunt's invitation would give him an excuse to call on Kathryn. She might not want to see him again, but she was still his best lead to finding Kristine.

Wanting to stretch his legs, he dismissed his carriage and started to walk home. He was acting very strangely about Kristine—Kit. He turned the name over in his mind, thinking it a good fit. A name with sharp edges, like hers. He hoped to God he wouldn't have to learn any new names for her; he was confused enough already.

Even though he was finally making progress, he felt a deep sense of disquiet, and he didn't know why. He suspected that it wouldn't go away until he caught up with Kit once and for all.

The next step was to visit the very proper Lady Kathryn Travers. He-had learned Lady Jane's address from Lady Graham, so that afternoon he paid a call. The Travers house was located between Mayfair and Soho, respectable but modest. The door was answered by a saucy chambermaid. Her brows rose when he presented his card. "Cor, a blooming lord."

"Very little blooms in December," he said gravely. "Especially not lords. Is Lady Kathryn home?"

"If she isn't home to you, she's a bloody fool," the maid said irreverently as she led him to the drawing room.

A few minutes later, Kathryn entered, her expression hostile. "I hoped I had seen the last of you, Lord
Strathmore." She did not ask him to sit down. "Have we anything more to say to each other?"

"Well, I do owe you a sincere apology for the way I treated you. Shall I get down on my knees?"

He made a move to do so, but she stopped him with a wave of her hand. "Don't be foolish," she said irritably. "That would only ruin fifty pounds worth of expert tailoring. I gather that mature reflection persuaded you that I was telling the truth."

"That, plus a visit with my aunt, the dowager Lady Steed."

Her expression became even warier. "I didn't know that Lady Steed was your aunt."

"Great-aunt, to be precise. She issued an invitation for you to call. She'd like to see you and your sister again."

Before Kathryn could reply, a large tabby wandered into the drawing room and began twining around the visitor's ankles, leaving drifts of fur in its wake. Lucien glanced down in time to see the cat hook a claw into his polished boots. "I might as well have groveled. By the time this feline finishes with me, all of that expensive tailoring will be ruined anyhow."

Kathryn lost some of her dignity as she swooped forward and retrieved the animal. As she banished it, protesting, from the room, she said, "I'm sorry, my lord. Like all cats, Sebastian has an instinct for being where he is least wanted."

"I presume that Kristine has a cat called Viola?"

She stiffened. "How did you know that?"

"I didn't," he said mildly. "It was merely a joke derived from Aunt Josephine's saying that you and your sister enjoyed acting in the Shakespearean plays that featured twins."

Her manner eased fractionally. "We had a natural advantage in that area. As for the cats, we got kittens from the same litter. Since she named hers Viola, my tom became Sebastian."

He was glad she was softening, though the cat deserved more credit than his own fabled charm. "My main reason for calling concerns your sister. I'm afraid she may be in trouble."

Her eyes narrowed to slits. "Explain yourself." She had a remarkable range of suspicious expressions.

Choosing his words carefully, he said, "When I met Kristine, she was engaged in… fraudulent and illegal activities. I don't think she is a criminal in the usual sense, but I fear she is involved in something that could be dangerous."

A faint sigh went through Kathryn. "You're probably right, but what do you want me to do about it?"

"I understand why you don't want to reveal her location to me, but please, send her a message," he urged. "Whatever the trouble is, I think I can help."

Her gray eyes ice-cool, Kathryn asked, "Are you one of Kristine's lovers?"

So Kathryn could be as bold as her sister. "No, I am not," Lucien said evenly. "I'll admit that I wish I was,but my first concern is her safety. I think she is venturing into deeper waters than she realizes."

Her face suddenly older than her years, Kathryn said, "I wish I could help you, Lord Strathmore, but I honestly have no idea where Kristine is. I wish to God that I did."

Her words were utterly convincing, and Lucien sensed that she was as concerned about her sister as he was. "Come for a drive with me. The day is more like October than December, and the fresh air will do you good."

When she hesitated, he said, "How much trouble can I cause in an open curricle when I have my hands full of reins?"

A hint of a smile showed in her eyes. "A persuasive argument. Very well, I'll get my cloak and bonnet."

Both garments, predictably, were dark, sober, and practical. Though Lady Kathryn might not feel that she would make a good governess, she dressed like one. Lucien was fascinated by how she could look so much like her sister, yet be restrained to the point of near-invisibility.

As if reading his mind, she said, "Kristine could wear this same cloak and look so dashing and fashionable that everyone would stare at her. She told me once that a good actress should be able to walk down a street and be seen, or walk down the same street and
not
be seen. She could do either." Kathryn smiled ironically. "When my sister doesn't want to be seen, she pretends that she is me. Then no one notices her."

"Surely the reverse must be true," Lucien said as he helped her into his curricle. "If you want to be seen, all you have to do is walk down the street pretending to be her."

She settled her skirts primly about her ankles. "I would never wish to attract that kind of vulgar attention."