Free A Gentleman's Kiss by Kimberley Comeaux

been trying to get his attention for a while. “Will you pay attention?”
    “I’m sorry, Mother. You were saying?”
    She let out a sharp breath. “I asked you why you are so interested in your butler. It’s not wise, son, to get too chummy with one’s servants, you know. They might take advantage.”
    “Mother,” he said wearily, “I don’t need a lecture on proper employer protocol. I only wanted to know about him, nothing more. I would have asked him, but I didn’t want him to think I mistrusted or suspected him of something.”
    His mother often chose not to see beyond the surface of things. It was too much of a bother, especially if it had nothing to do with her own life and well-being. But on this particular day, unfortunately, she chose to surprise him.
    “What does George have to do with Claudia?”
    Cameron did not want her to know George was Claudia’s grandfather. She knew about Claudia’s mother being a servant’s daughter, but she didn’t know the particulars. She might think it would cause a lot of talk and speculation if this information were to reach the ton’s ears.
    “Nothing. I did want to tell you, however, that I’m about to begin calling on her.”
    “Splendid! I had hoped that—” His mother stopped and narrowed her gaze at Cameron. “Wait a moment. You’re asking about George because you believe he has a connection to Claudia.”
    Cameron looked away and mentally measured the distance between him and the door. “I’m not asking anything, Mother. I never said one had to do with the other.”
    She wagged her finger at him. “George came into our employ about the time Moreland disinherited his son.” Suddenly she clutched her hand to her chest. “Oh, no! Please tell me Claudia is not your butler’s granddaughter?”
    “I think I’ll go speak to Father before I leave.” He ignored his mother’s request, quickly crossing the room to the door.
    “Cameron! You must reconsider this match. We will be the laughingstock of all London if this gets out,” she called after him, but he was closing the door behind him.
    That he thought his mother wouldn’t put two and two together was evidence his encounters with Claudia were making him a bit muddleheaded.
    He kept walking until he reached the back of the estate where his father was shooting at birds but not hitting one of them.
    The duke, with rifle pointed to the sky, glanced at his son and nodded to his left. “Grab a rifle, Son. Perhaps you can hit something. My eyes don’t seem to focus anymore.”
    Cameron shook his head and smiled as his father took another shot. “If you would wear your spectacles, you might be eating pheasant tonight.”
    Lord Ravenhurst frowned and squinted at the sky. “Bah! It bothers me to have something sit on my nose. I can get along just capital without them.”
    His father’s rifle rang out again. Cameron looked up at the sky and saw the birds circling overhead as if they knew they were not in danger.
    Finally his father put aside his gun and sat down with a heavy sigh. Once he’d taken a drink of lemonade, which was waiting for him on the table, his mood seemed to improve. “So what brings you to Ravenhurst?”
    Cameron sat down and leaned back in the chair. “I wanted to find out more about my butler, George.”
    “Ah,” he nodded, taking another drink. “You must have found out that Lady Claudia is his granddaughter.”
    “You knew?” Cameron asked, surprised.
    “Moreland came to me when he heard I was searching about trying to find a butler for our home in Bath. He told me what had happened and then made me pledge to keep the matter quiet. As a matter of fact, George wasn’t thrilled about the match either,” he added. “If you’re thinking about approaching him about this, he might not be cooperative.”
    Cameron frowned; he hadn’t considered this possibility. “But I promised Claudia I would arrange a meeting between them.”
    “So this is the way the wind blows, does