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‘I do not think I could travel another yard tonight,’ she said querulously. ‘Seeing Garston in such distress has completely destroyed my nerves. Kitty, my dear, go and find the landlord. Tell him we need rooms for the night.’
‘But, ma’am, it is not far to Town,’ protested Kitty, ‘I am sure you would be more comfortable in your own bed.’
‘You forget, Katherine my dear,’ said my lady in reproachful tones, ‘that we have no outriders to escort us, and the sun is already setting.’
‘I would be very happy to escort you to Town, madam,’ put in Daniel, stepping forwards.
‘That is very kind of you, Mr Blackwood,’ came the gracious reply, ‘but I cannot contemplate leaving my poor boy here alone. What if he should wake in the night, calling for his mama?’
Kitty saw Daniel’s lips twitch and she said, trying to keep the laughter out of her own voice, ‘My dear ma’am, Garston is five-and-twenty. He has had his own establishment for years now.’
‘That is not the point,’ returned my lady in dignified accents. ‘I am still his mama, and I am the person he needs when he is ill.’
‘He is not ill, ma’am, he is dead drunk!’ retorted Daniel with brutal frankness.
Lady Leaconham gave a little shudder and collapsed back in the chair. Kitty stepped up and took her hands, chafing them gently between her own.
‘Now look what you have done!’ She cast an angry glance towards Daniel. ‘How can you be so unfeeling?’
‘Well, you know I am an insensitive, uncouth, northern fellow!’
‘And you can stop that nonsense this minute,’ she told him crossly. ‘I know very well it is all play-acting designed to annoy me.’
He laughed suddenly.
‘So it is, Miss Wythenshawe. Very well, tell me what I can do to help.’
‘Bespeak rooms for us, if you please, and ask the coachman to stable the horses. If Lady Leaconham is determined to stay, then we must do so, I think.’
He disappeared, coming back a few moments later to inform her that a room was being prepared.
‘I hope you will not object, but they are very busy tonight so I have arranged for you to share a room. I thought you would prefer that to having separate rooms at opposite ends of the building, which is all they have free.’
‘Yes, thank you, sir. That is very satisfactory is it not, Godmama?’ Kitty looked to Lady Leaconham, who was leaning back in her chair, her vinaigrette clutched in one hand.
‘And is my room near my son?’ asked the widow in a faint voice.
‘I am afraid not, but I have directed the landlord to have someone sitting up with him tonight.’ said Daniel. ‘There is a very small chamber available next to Lord Leaconham, so I have taken that for myself. If he wakes in the night and—er—calls for you, ma’am, I will be able to send word.’
Kitty frowned.
‘That is very good of you sir, but I am sure there is no need for you to stay—’
‘Oh, but there is,’ Lady Leaconham interrupted her. ‘Surely you would not expect Mr Blackwood to abandon us in this horrid place when my son is too weak to act as our protector? As for Garston …’ She hesitated, a look of distaste crossing her face. ‘I shall wait until the morning and then if I think it necessary I shall summon a doctor. I am in your debt, Mr Blackwood, and gladly accept your protection for myself and my goddaughter. I am very grateful.’
‘Think nothing of it, my lady. They have tea here, so I have ordered them to send in the Black Bohea, to restore your nerves.’
‘Now that is kind of you, Mr Blackwood,’ murmured Kitty, allowing herself to smile at him for the first time.
‘It is my mother’s remedy for most ills,’ he told her, with the flash of a smile.
The sudden transformation in his dark features momentarily robbed Kitty of her breath, and she was relieved that the maid came in with the tea tray at that moment and she could give her attention to the ritual of making tea for them all.
***
The hour was quite advanced when Lady Leaconham put down her cup and declared she would retire. She struggled to her feet.
‘Kitty my dear, give me your arm. We will ask the landlord to direct us to our bedchamber.’
Daniel opened the door for them.
‘Would you like me to have a little supper sent up to you, my lady?’
Kitty felt her godmother shudder as though even the thought of food made her feel unwell. Daniel observed it, too, and inclined his head.
‘Very well, ma’am, but do not forget that this parlour is at your disposal until the morrow, should you wish to make use of it.’
Murmuring her thanks, Kitty accompanied her godmother to the chamber allocated to them. It was a large room overlooking the street, where Lady Leaconham declared that there was so much noise she would not get a wink of sleep.
‘I have no nightgown,’ she complained tearfully. ‘And no maid. Who is to undress me and look after my clothes? I would not trust them to a common inn servant!’
‘Oh, dear, if we had thought of that earlier we might have sent to Portman Square for Meakin to come here and to bring you a change of clothes,’ said Kitty, dismayed. ‘We are not so very far from home, after all.’ She summoned up a smile. ‘No matter, Godmama, I will look after you. I shall help you out of your gown and you may sleep in your shift.’ She added cheerfully, ‘This is a very respectable inn, ma’am. Look, the sheets are clean and they have even used the warming pan in the bed.’
***
An hour later Lady Leaconham was sleeping peacefully. Kitty had helped her to undress, carefully folding her gown and placing it with her stays, petticoats, shoes and stockings in readiness for the morning. She pinched out the candles and moved the solitary lamp so that the light did not fall directly upon her godmother’s face. However, Kitty herself was reluctant to go to bed. It was not late, the summer twilight was still evident outside the window and she was aware of a gnawing hunger. She would not risk disturbing her godmother by ordering a meal to be sent up to the room, so she decided to go in search of food.
The inn was quieter now, the noisy diners had left or retired to their beds to sleep off their potations and there was no one on the stairs as she made her way down to the ground floor.
She found the little parlour illuminated by candles on the mantelpiece and a branched candlestick on the table, where Daniel was sitting before a mouth-watering array of dishes. He rose as she entered the room.
‘Miss Wythenshawe!’
‘I came in search of supper.’
He pulled up a chair.
‘There is more than sufficient here for the both of us, if you would care to join me. Sit down and I will send for another plate and glass.’
In two strides he was at the door, calling for the waiter. She heard the rumble of voices in the passage before Daniel returned.
‘Our host has promised to lay a cover for you immediately. It should not take more than a few minutes.’
‘I am interrupting your meal.’
‘Not at all,’ he said politely. ‘I have only just begun and will now wait until you can join me. Will you not sit down?’
Kitty moved over to the chair he was holding for her and sat down with a quiet word of thanks. Daniel resumed his own seat and silence filled the room.
At last Kitty said, ‘You have not told us, sir, why you were travelling this way. This is not on your route back to Town.’
He looked down at the table, intent upon straightening his knife and fork.
‘I overheard your coachman talking. It seemed pretty clear that he did not think Leaconham would be fit to travel: I thought you might need assistance.’
The entry of a serving maid caused a diversion and they watched silently while she laid another place at the table. When they were alone again Daniel poured Kitty a glass of wine.
‘Will you take a little of the lamb?’ he asked her. ‘It is very good. You will note I have not ordered the oysters.’
Kitty chuckled.
‘We both know they were not the cause of Lord Leaconham’s malaise.’ She sighed. ‘Poor Garston. Poor Godmama! I doubt she has seen her son in that condition before.’ He made no reply. Kitty put down her glass. ‘I know you think him weak and foolish. After all he knew we were coming back this way to collect him, but have you no compassion at all? No, obviously not.’ She bit her lip, then said with difficulty, ‘I beg your pardon, that is unjust. You have shown great kindness in following us to this place.’
He looked across the table and held her gaze.
‘My opinion of Leaconham is not high. The man may go out and drink himself into oblivion every night for all I care, but to do so knowing that he was needed to escort two ladies back to Town, I find that foolish and irresponsible.’
‘You are right, of course. Which makes it all the more generous of you to look after us.’
‘I am not doing this for Leaconham, nor for your godmother.’
Kitty caught her breath, wondering if she had misunderstood him.
‘I do not deserve that you should be so kind to me,’ she said in a low voice. ‘Every time we meet I am impolite to you.’
The corners of his mouth lifted a fraction.
‘You certainly like to remind me of my place.’
There was a heartbeat’s pause before she spoke again.
‘I made an assumption about you on that first morning we met. I was wrong. I beg your pardon.’
‘And I beg your pardon for reacting as I did,’ he said. ‘Will you cry friends with me now?’
Kitty looked up to respond and found him smiling at her. Once again she was aware of her heart behaving erratically. Like a wild bird in panic, fluttering against its cage. The first time it had happened she had thought it the result of fear and alarm, because she had been trapped in his arms as he carried her through the mud. Here in this candlelit room there was no such danger.
Was there?
‘F-friends?’ she managed to say. ‘Yes, of course.’
She lowered her eyes and fixed her attention upon her plate. Nerves had diminished her appetite, but her companion’s quiet good manners did much to calm her. He wasted no time on small talk, but proved himself a considerate host, serving her himself and encouraging her to partake a little of each dish. She declined the roasted pigeon but managed to eat a little of the lamb and a few French beans, and by the time she had finished her glass of wine she was feeling much more relaxed and able to enjoy a small portion of gooseberry syllabub. She even accepted a small glass of Madeira wine.
‘I hope you do not suspect me of trying to make you drunk?’ said Daniel as he refilled her glass.
‘No. I know you now for a gentleman.’
His brows went up, but at that moment the servant returned to clear the table, and he said merely, ‘Shall we move over to the window? The armchair there will be more comfortable for you.’
Kitty hesitated. She was suddenly aware that she and Daniel were alone, and the chair he indicated was well away from the candles’ golden glow.
‘I should perhaps retire.’
‘Are you weary?’
‘No.’ The blood was singing through her veins. She felt more like dancing than sleeping. ‘No, not at all.’
‘Then sit with me for a while. After all, your godmother has accepted my protection for you both. And you yourself said I was a gentleman.’
The glint of amusement in his eyes as he said this made Kitty laugh and did much to ease the tension. She sank down into the cushioned armchair and sipped at her wine. He carried a chair across from the table and placed it opposite her.
‘I am not at all high in the instep, you know,’ she said as he sat down.
‘You surprise me, Miss Wythenshawe.’
‘No, really. Before, I would have mistaken your tone for condemnation but now I know you are teasing me, are you not?’ she looked up a trifle anxiously. ‘I think I have given you a false impression, and … and would like to explain, if I may.’ She wrapped her hands around her glass and braced herself for a confession, thankful for the dim light. ‘You see, I am … not rich.’
She looked up, waiting for his reaction. He said mildly, ‘I am not sure Harworth knows that.’
‘Perhaps he is not aware of my exact circumstances.’ She blushed. ‘Godmama suggested we should not give out such information too freely. I doubt if she would approve of my telling you so much.’
‘You do not need to disclose anything further, Miss Wythenshawe—’
‘But I want to!’ she said quickly. ‘I thought it might help you to understand why, why I acted as I did. Why I was so rude to you when we first met.’
‘Very well. If you wish to talk, I will listen.’
She paused, gathering her thoughts.
‘I was very excited by the thought of coming to London. The gown I was wearing the day we met was a new one. It was my only walking dress. At that time I did not know Lady Leaconham, that she would buy me another gown and positively shower me with gifts and clothes. She is so very, very generous. I was nervous, you see: so eager to make a good impression when I arrived in London that I am afraid I quite forgot my manners on the journey.’ She looked up suddenly and said with spirit, ‘You will admit, sir, that you were extremely dirty!’
‘I cannot deny it. I had spent a night on the moors, in the rain.’ He spoke gravely, no hint of a smile, but she perceived the softening of his look.
‘I thought you very ill mannered, and I was afraid that … contact with you would make my gown dusty.’
His lips twitched.
‘I did much more than that, and I am very sorry for it.’
She waved aside his apology.
‘If I had not been so uncivil to you—! I was puffed up with conceit, as if I had been a very fine lady, which I am not.’ She settled into her chair, determined on a full confession. ‘If you will allow me to explain: Mama is the widow of a gentleman, a very good man, but unfortunately a series of ill-judged investments meant that when he died suddenly, poor Mama was left with almost nothing and we were obliged to live with my aunt in Fallridge.’ She held up her head and added, a hint of defiance in her voice, ‘Mama and Aunt Jane earn a living with their sewing.’
‘Very commendable,’ remarked Daniel.
‘Yes, it is,’ agreed Kitty. ‘Mama used all her savings to ensure that I had an excellent education and that I learned all the accomplishments a young lady might require—dancing, singing, playing the pianoforte. I speak French excellently and know a smattering of Italian—’
He put up his hand to stem this recital.
