Read Kitty Little for Free Online Page A

know a soul. We could be anyone we wished. People of Mystery,’ she said, warming to her theme. ‘I shall become a famous actress who everyone flocks to see night after night.’
    ‘You’ll keep half a dozen Pekinese dogs, wear Turkish trousers and never go to bed before dawn.’
    ‘And you must write plays by the score for me to act in. Then you can travel the world with me as my manager.’ An edge of passion had crept into her voice.  
    ‘You’d best find some other companion to share that fantasy, dearest. You know how I dislike any sort of exertion. My chassis isn’t what it was, and my crank shaft is on the blink.’
    ‘Ever the defeatist.’ Kitty laughed, hugging his arm closer as her mind enlarged upon the fantasy. ‘You could take up painting then. We’d be thoroughly Bohemian and do exactly as we pleased. How would that be?’
    ‘Can’t paint for toffee darling. Besides, aren’t you engaged to be married to darling Frank?’
    ‘Being engaged is one thing, getting married is quite another.’ The buoyancy in her tone suddenly vanished. ‘The truth is, I don’t know anything about marriage, do you? Clara never set me any example of it.’ She shuddered at the memory of sounds in the night from the room next to hers. Her mother had good reason for favouring gentlemen guests. ‘Is it difficult, do you think, living with someone for an entire life time?’
    Archie considered the matter for barely a second. ‘Sounds fearfully risky to me.’
    ‘Perhaps I won’t marry at all.’
    ‘Steady the buffs. You must marry someone gloriously rich who’ll devote his entire life to you, and give you a brood of children to make you happy.’
    Kitty giggled. Archie, with his wild mood swings could one moment infuriate, the next totally captivate her. ‘I’m not sure the two don’t cancel each other out. Do children make one happy? I can’t honestly see myself as a broody hen, can you?’
    ‘Now who’s being defeatist? Your dear mama expects you to marry, and marry well. It would signify her own escape from this godforsaken hellhole. All I’m saying is for pity’s sake don’t let it be to that pubescent half-wit.’
    ‘Perhaps I should marry you, no one would dare class you as such.’
    ‘That’s because few people possess half my wit.’
    ‘Or I appreciate it more than most. We’d make a good team, you and I, without all that romantic stuff and nonsense to get in the way.’
    ‘Would it?’
    ‘What?’
    ‘Get in the way?’ His gaze held hers for so long that for the first time, Kitty felt her cheeks grow warm with embarrassment.
    ‘You know what I mean. We’re good chums, you and I.’
      Archie stuffed his hands in his pockets and increased his pace so she had to run a little to catch up. ‘I doubt marriage would suit my selfish nature, old thing, for all women fall at my feet in adoration. All that emotional angst and responsibility for another person’s happiness. Where does it get you in the end?’
    ‘That’s a somewhat philistine, egotistical outlook.’
    ‘Mayhap it is dearie but even so-called happy marriages frequently end in disaster.’ His tone had grown oddly solemn and Kitty fell silent. The next instant he was grinning at her, as irreverent as ever. ‘But if this is a serious proposal I feel I should wear my new cravat, and perhaps my best smoking jacket while you make it.’
    Kitty burst out laughing. ‘I shall certain give it serious consideration, if I should change my mind about Frank.’
    ‘However, I would make a poor bet as a husband. Wouldn’t wish myself on any woman.’
    ‘Ah, but I’m not any woman.’
    ‘I never suggested otherwise.’
    ‘Well then.’
    ‘You should write the script of our conversations before we start, then I would know just what to say.’
    ‘How could I hope to better your wit?’
    ‘True darling. I am rather remarkable,’ making them both double up with laughter until Archie’s dissolved into a troubling cough that took some