Free The Cracksman's Kiss by Killarney Sheffield

She shut the door and hurried to the settee where Kassie sat and handed her the gift.
    Kassie turned the article around in her hands. “I wonder what it is.”
    “There is only one way to find out,” Sally scolded. “Open it.”
    Using the butter knife off her plate, Kassie slit the paper. Inside was an oriental box with tiny lotus blossoms carved into its surface. Grasping the clasp she lifted the lid. A tiny jade elephant lay nestled in the red velvet interior. “Oh, my,” Kassie breathed, picking up the delicate carving and turning it around in her hands to admire it. “It is beautiful! Have you ever seen anything so perfect?”
    The maid gave her a puzzled look. “What is it?”
    Kassie smiled. “It is an elephant; just like the one I saw when I boarded the ship. I wonder where the comté got it?”
    Sally looked over her shoulder. “You best hide it somewhere so the earl does not see it.”
    Kassie placed the tiny figurine back in its velvet cradle and hid the box in her accessory trunk with a smile. “I suppose I must send it back to him.”
    “Why?” Sally frowned at her.
    “I would not want the comté to think I was in favor of his pursuit. How would it look if I were to accept his gifts?” The elephant is thoughtful… sweet even, if truth be told. Perhaps it will not hurt to keep the comté’s present, just this once.
     

 
    Chapter Eight
     
     
    Despite the firm ground of Bath beneath her feet for two whole days Kassie was still sick to her stomach. How did one get seasi ck on land she wondered?
    The maid hurried into the room with a cup of ginger root tea. “We are almost out of tea, my lady.”
    Kassie took the steaming cup with a grateful smile and crossed to the dressing table. Sitting, she sipped while the maid styled her hair. “Perhaps you could ask at the market for someone who sells it? The earl gave me a shilling to throw into the wishing well yesterday. He told me to pray for a babe when I tossed it, but I only pretended to and pocketed the coin. It seemed like such a waste.”
    Sally smiled. “You are very clever.” She grew serious fo r a moment. “When was your last monthly flow?”
    She ticked off the weeks in her head. “It has been a little ov er four weeks now. I suppose it has been delayed because I have been ill. Why do you ask?”
    The maid stared at her with a thoughtful expression for a moment. “Is it possible your queasy stomach could be the result of already being with child?”
    Kassie almost dropped her cup, sloshing the hot tea over her hand in her clumsiness. She blew on the burned flesh to cool the pain while Sally ran to dip a cloth in the cold water from the pitcher in the bathing room. Could I be carrying the earl’s child? She stared at her reflection in the mirror. She looked tired and drawn, attesting to the fact she was not sleeping well. Does being with child cause one to sleep as uneasily as I have for the last few weeks?
    When the maid came back and placed the cool cloth on her scalded hand Kassie sighed. “I do not believe it is possible that my sickness is the result of being with child, after all, morning sickness does not continue all day and into the night or they would call it day sickness.”
    Sally shook her head. “When my mama was carrying my brother she was sick all day.”
    “I suppose it is possible, but surely I would have had morning sickness weeks ago since it has been three months since the earl has visited my bed.”
    “I am not sure, my lady, perhaps you should have the earl summon a physician and consult him?”
    It was as if butterflies danced in her stomach. Can I really be with child? The earl would be so pleased and I will have a child to dote upon. Her excitement grew as she imagined a chubby faced child running through the quiet halls of the earl’s mansion. She placed a hand on her flat stomach. Could there be even now a tiny child growing within? Without waiting for Sally to finish her hair, Kassie sprang from the