bought it for me.’ Kit gazed over her shoulder and knew it would help ease the unsettled feeling if he could find the stall. It would reassure him that there was nothing magical about the stall. The jumping-jack was just that, a wooden toy. ‘I wanted to see if such a creature still existed. The stall holder had a humpback and a hook nose, but he made the most wonderful wooden toys.’
Her mouth became a perfect O. ‘You had one as a boy. From this fair. It is why you wanted to come back here?’
‘That’s right,’ he agreed, surprised that she had guessed. ‘My uncle gave me one as consolation.’
‘Consolation? That is a strange word to use. Why did you need consolation? Had someone died?’
‘I had waited outside the ale tent for hours.’ Kit clamped his mouth shut. He had explained too much already. He remembered thinking that he’d meet his mother. Of course she had never appeared. He’d blocked the memory until now. The last thing he wanted was to discuss his mother, particularly not with Hattie Wilkinson. He’d already revealed more about his past than he’d intended. He never spoke about her. It saved having people look at him with pity.
‘You won’t find one on this row.’ Hattie’s brow knitted. ‘The toy manufacturers are two rows down, near the London Spice merchant. I think I know the one you mean. I used to buy my nieces and nephews toys from him when they were little.’
‘It sounds straightforward enough.’ Kit touched his hat. He silently thanked her for not pursuing the topic. ‘Rupert …’
Rupert had wandered down the stall and appeared to be in earnest discussion with Miss Parteger over a pair of gloves. Instantly he broke off the conversation and stood up straighter. Rupert appeared to have taken their conversations to heart. Kit gave a wry smile. Then he was Brendan’s boy and Brendan could always be counted on to do what was right.
‘I’m about to go that way after Livvy finishes and I return her to her mother.’
He caught her hand. ‘And you won’t lead me astray?’
She tilted her head to one side. Her eyes danced with mischief. ‘I can show you if you like. As for leading you astray, I fear you went from that path long ago.’
Kit laughed. A heartbeat later, Hattie joined in.
The sound of her laughter made the whole day seem brighter. Kit knew he would get his way. He’d enjoy today and finish the flirtation before it started to mean anything. It was better that way. He’d retrieve the gloves from Rupert later and send them with a note before he left for London. And he would leave for London, once his business here was finished.
‘That would be perfect. With you by my side, Mrs Wilkinson, I know I shan’t lose my way.’
‘I’ll tell Livvy to hurry up. She has lingered far longer than I thought she would. Portia and Stephanie went off to buy oranges over an hour ago.’
‘Rupert can look after your niece. He is quite safe.’
‘Are you sure? The memory of the card room lingers.’
‘He has grown on this trip. You must take my word for it.’
‘I shall.’
Kit called to Rupert and told him to take Miss Parteger back to her mother without stopping for refreshment on the way. His godson blushed a deep scarlet.
‘Very neatly done.’
‘I like to think so.’ Kit tucked her hand in the crook of his arm before she had a chance to pull away. ‘What is the wagering that they do stop? Maybe not for refreshment, but to watch a Punch and Judy show or one of the other entertainments?’
‘Just so you know, I never bet on a sure thing. It takes the fun out of it. Everyone should have a little romance in their life. It will be harmless.’
‘You surprise me, Mrs Wilkinson. I was willing to wager on you not understanding about young romance except I make it a policy never to wager on a lady, only with her.’
Her eyes turned cloudy and something close to sorrow tugged at her mouth. In that instant, Kit hated her late husband. Seven years and he retained a hold over her. ‘You are wrong about that. I understand about romance and its perils all too well.’
‘Is this the one you want? Now that we are finally here.’ Hattie held up a red-coated jumping-jack.
‘And whose fault is that?’
‘Yours, I believe.’ She gave a light laugh, basking in the warmth of his smile. ‘You kept seeing another stall you wanted to investigate.’
‘It has been an age since I’ve been to a fair. I wanted to make certain things were here.’
‘Including having a go at the ha’penny man?’
‘I did win.’
The toy stall had proved more difficult to find than she thought it would be, not the least of which Kit seemed intent on taking the most circuitous route. Not that she had strenuously objected. She had enjoyed talking with him and laughing. They seemed to share the same sense of humour. They were friends, nothing more. It could never be anything more.
She refused to go back to the girl she had once been, and in any case, Kit had been clear about his views on marriage. She wished that she could be like someone in Mrs Reynaud’s stories, but there were considerations. She shivered slightly, remembering how Charles’s mistress had said that they were more alike than she thought.
To banish the unwelcome memory she blindly reached for another toy.
‘Do you like this jumping-jack? Personally I think he has a roguish smile, just the sort of thing for a man like you.’
‘It will do.’ His hand closed over it. A sudden fierce longing crossed over his face. ‘The one I had as a boy had a dark-green coat with white trim.’
‘You must have loved it.’
‘It meant a lot to me once. It was about my only toy.’
Hattie’s heart bled for the lonely boy that he must have been. ‘Your only toy?’
‘My father didn’t hold with such things, but as it was a present from my uncle, he allowed me to keep it.’
‘Then it was good that you loved it so much.’
He tilted his head to one side. ‘I suspect you find it strange. But my father had his own views on life.’
‘Not at all. Just tell me that he died a lonely and bitter old man.’
He lifted an eyebrow. ‘Why?’
‘It saves me from having to kill him. Children should have toys. There is time enough to be grown up.’
‘My father would not have agreed. Boys need to learn to be men. My father was a hard man.’
‘But you are not your father.’
‘I’m grateful you realise that. I try not to take
