Sally James (15 page)

She was brought up short by the sight of Adam in riding clothes, standing beside the fireplace. 'What are you doing here?' she demanded, suddenly breathless.

'Miss Byford! Pray demonstrate some manners,' Mrs Johnson exclaimed while Adam stared at Kate, a slight frown between his eyebrows.

'I did not come here to listen to excuses,' he said after a few moments of unnerving silence. 'There can be none for such unseemly behaviour. I came at Mrs Johnson's request to discuss how to deal with you.'

Kate stared at him defiantly. She had convinced herself that their only course was to send her away, and she could see no need for any discussion. But if this was to be his attitude she would not waste her breath with explanations, and she would most certainly offer no excuses or apologies.

Adam appeared quite oblivious to her deliberate silence, and after a moment went on, emphasizing each word with great precision.

'You will remain here, under closer supervision, and not be permitted out of the house, even into the gardens, unless accompanied by one of the mistresses. Any further attempt at disobedience will be reported to me at once and I shall take steps to ensure that you are not permitted any freedom whatsoever. If that puppy Limmering is involved again I will myself deal with him in the way he deserves. He is regarded by many as a rather pretty young man. I suspect that with his beauty marred he would be less attractive to you, and he would certainly blame you for it. That is all.'

Kate opened her mouth to throw defiance at him, then snapped it shut. Her shoulders drooped. She was not to escape after all. There was no point in arguing. She knew him well enough to know he would not change his mind, and in addition be quite capable of carrying out his threats towards Darcy.

Little as she cared for any punishment he might inflict on her, for she could fight back, she did not wish to involve Darcy openly in her quarrel with Adam.

After a few moments of silence Mrs Johnson, looking rather puzzled, for she had no doubt expected Kate to be as fluent in her arguments as she had been the previous night, spoke.

'Return to your own room, Miss Byford. You will remain there for the rest of the day, reflecting on your sins. Tomorrow you may resume your studies apart from the restrictions now imposed.'

Kate turned on her heel and left the room without a further glance at Adam. There was no one in the hall, and for a crazy moment she wondered whether to make an effort to escape at this very minute.

She could throw herself on Amelia's mercy, but a moment's reflection told her that with no money, no cloak, and with Adam right behind her, the chances of her reaching Park Street were nil. And Adam would be bound to revenge himself on Darcy. But there would be other occasions, and as she went slowly up the stairs she vowed she would take every opportunity of defying Adam, so long as Darcy could be free of involvement.

Prudence came up to the room they shared some hours later, to change for dinner. Kate was rather surprised to learn that no changes had been made to prevent her from continuing to share the room, but presumably no one suspected she had any part in the escapade.

In low tones they discussed what had happened, but could think of no solution. Kate knew that for the moment, anyway, she would have to endure it.

For a week Kate behaved with impeccable discretion. Her opportunity came when, for the first time, she was permitted, just before dinner, to accompany two of the other girls and a Mistress on a short walk outside the grounds.

'Prudence, when we get to that copse of trees can you pretend to hurt your leg? Then while they are fussing over you I can slip away,' she whispered as they walked decorously along the lane where a few houses and cottages were scattered amidst the fields.

Eager to participate in the excitement Prudence agreed. 'What will you do?' she demanded.

'If I can reach the village I hope to be able to find a hackney carriage. I shall go to Park Street, to my cousins. I brought all the money I have, but I couldn't bring any clothes.'

'How exciting! You will write to me and tell me what happens?'

'Of course, if I get away. Hush, now, they mustn't hear us.'

Prudence gave Kate's hand a squeeze as they came to the trees. Then she stumbled in a most artistic fashion, and fell to the ground uttering heartrending wails of agony. Kate hoped her performance wasn't too overdone to be convincing. As the Mistress and the other girl bent anxiously over her friend, she slipped into the copse, sped along a narrow path, and was soon out of sight.

An hour later, having persuaded a reluctant hackney carriage driver to accept her custom by paying him an outrageous fare in advance, she was conveyed to Park Street. As she alighted she saw Darcy walking along the street towards her and ran towards him, waving to attract his attention.

'Kate! What are you doing here?' he demanded. 'What did that old dragon do to you the other night?'

'Locked me up. I've run away, I can't bear it any longer,' Kate said vehemently. 'I came to beg Amelia and William to help me.'

'But what about Adam Rhydd?'

'Oh, he's abominable! But this time he won't know where I am, he won't expect me to return here, and once I'm inside the house with Amelia I shall be safe. They will give orders not to admit him again. Darcy, please hurry, let's get inside. Or don't you wish to help me? Are you afraid of Adam?'

'Of course I mean to help. I'm just wondering what's best to do.'

'Let's go in the house. It's dark and I'm exhausted and I shall swoon if I don't get inside immediately,' Kate declared.

'But - oh, very well, I suppose that's the only thing to do,' Darcy said with what Kate thought was some reluctance, but she was by now too tired and overwrought to wonder about it, just thankful when he began to walk towards his sister's house. He hurried Kate up the steps and quickly fitted a key into the door.

'Come, we must be quiet and not disturb the servants,' he whispered, pulling her inside. 'William and Amelia have gone out and until they have given orders Adam is not to be admitted we won't feel safe.'

Kate was surprised the hall was not lit, but too tired to care. She waited as Darcy fumbled on the hall table until he found a tinder box, then he lit the candle waiting there.

Kate shivered, for the house felt cold. It was just her fear that somehow Adam would once more catch her, she told herself.

'I do hope Amelia won't mind my coming so suddenly,' she whispered. 'Where are all the servants?'

'In the kitchen, I expect. But it would be best not to let them know you're here.'

Kate was only too willing to maintain the secrecy. 'I'm tired, do you think I could go to bed?' she asked.

'There won't be a fire lit in your bedroom, but I'd rather not call anyone, if you can manage.'

'If there is one laid I can light it,' Kate reassured him, 'but I shall be thankful to get into bed. It's so cold.'

'The guest room is on the third floor,' Darcy said, beginning to lead the way upstairs.

Kate followed him carefully until he threw open a door into a large, well furnished room. Darcy lit several candles from the one he carried, and then put a spill to light the fire.

'Goodnight, and thank you so much,' Kate said. 'Will you tell Amelia I am here in the morning?'

'Of course, you just go to sleep and stop worrying,' he said comfortingly, and after a slight hesitation, when he seemed about to add something, nodded and turned to leave the room.

It was only then that Kate recollected she had no night clothes, but she could hardly demand some from Amelia's maid. With a shrug and a brief rueful thought that in the morning she would once again have to borrow clothes from Amelia, she slipped out of her gown. Still wearing her shift, she climbed shivering into the big but cold and rather damp bed, blew out the candles, and immediately fell fast asleep.

It was still dark when she awoke, but she felt so rested she was certain she had slept for many hours. Peering about her she discerned faint cracks of light to one side, and realised the shutters must be closed, and the cracks were glimpses of daylight.

She eased herself out of bed, reluctant and shivering, for the fire had long gone out and no one had come to relight it, and padded in bare feet across to the window. She wrestled for a moment with the bar, and managed to push the shutters open. From the height of the sun, pale and wintry, she realized it was late in the morning. She flung up the window, leant out, and looked down into the street. Then as the cold air rushed in she hastily shut the window, wrapped a coverlet about her for warmth, and investigated the fireplace.

No maids had been near her, but that might well be because Darcy had himself not yet awoken, and no one else knew of her presence in the house. It was a rather eerie feeling, but she was reluctant to explain herself if she rang for a maid. She would light the fire herself, and wait with as much patience as she could muster for Darcy to wake and announce her presence to his sister.

To her relief she found kindling and a stock of seacoal in the scuttle, so was able to coax the fire back into life. After she had sat before it for a while, warming her toes and soaking in the delicious heat, she decided she might as well dress. Even though she'd had no water to wash she would feel better able to face Amelia than if she were still in her shift and wrapped only in a coverlet.

She dressed and dragged her fingers through her short curls, thankful she did not have long tangled locks to make tidy without a brush or comb. Then she sat down again to wait.

Alternately sitting beside the window looking down over Park Street, and pacing the floor impatiently, Kate waited for two or more hours. The fire was burning low, there was no more coal for it, and she was feeling cold again. She was tempted to ring for a maid, but hesitated, and finally decided to wait a while longer. Darcy must wake up soon.

She was startled to hear a vigorous hammering on the street door, and ran across to open the window and lean out. A liveried footman was waiting there, and Kate drew back out of sight. After a further bout of hammering she heard footsteps retreating, and peered out to see the footman walking rapidly away down the street.

That was odd, why had no one answered the door? And why had the man not used the knocker? But perhaps it had been the door of the next house. These terraces were very confusing, it was not always clear which door belonged to which house.

Kate leant further out of the window to try and see whether it had been the neighbouring house where the footman had been knocking, and frowned in sudden puzzlement. All the shutters of the windows below her were closed.

Slowly she sank back onto the bed to think this out. Knockers were removed and shutters closed when people were away from home. If William and Amelia had left the house that would explain the chill she had felt last night, and the dampness of the bed.

Yet Darcy had whispered, had said not to wake them. Had he brought her to an empty house?

Chapter Thirteen

The thought sent her hastening across to the door and she dragged it open. No light came onto the landings, for all the windows were shuttered. Running back to find and light a candle, Kate was about to go once more out onto the landing when it occurred to her there might be a caretaker, or a few servants left to guard the house. She tugged the bell, but there was no response, and she could not hope to hear the bell in the distant kitchen regions.

She went out onto the landing and began calling loudly. 'Darcy! William, Amelia! Where are you all?'

A door behind her opened suddenly, and she swung round to see Darcy, his eyes bleary, fastening a vividly patterned dressing robe about him.

'Kate. God, my head! What in the world are you shouting like that for?'

'Is Amelia here?' Kate demanded abruptly.

'Amelia? No, they had to go back to Yorkshire, Mama is ill again.'

'Why didn't you tell me last night? You went on about not waking everyone, and there doesn't appear to be anyone, even a caretaker, here.'

'There isn't. They were given leave to go while Amelia's away. But I didn't think it would do any good to tell you, you'd only have jibbed at staying here for the night.'

'Yes, I certainly should,' Kate agreed sharply. 'Darcy, it was a despicable thing to do, deceiving me like that.'

Darcy rubbed his eyes wearily. 'Lord, what's the time? It can't be daylight yet.'

'I'd suppose it was nearly midday.'

He groaned. 'It's far too early for all this excitement.'

'Where is your valet?' Kate demanded. 'Surely he's here, at least?'

'Roberts? He'll be here later. But it doesn't matter, you can make breakfast.'

'That isn't the only reason for them to be here,' Kate said sharply, and Darcy grinned across at her.

'Afraid your reputation will be damaged?' he asked mockingly. 'There's no need to be worried,' he added more gently. 'So far only Adam Rhydd is likely to have any idea where you are, and it would be his word against ours.'

'Why didn't you tell me?' she repeated.

'Because there was nowhere else for you to go,' Darcy said plaintively. 'You were desperate and I thought it was the most sensible thing to do.'

'I could have gone to an hotel,' Kate said.

'What respectable hotel would have taken you in, without any baggage, and with your dress torn and dirty - '

'Where? I haven't torn the dress,' Kate exclaimed in dismay. Perhaps she'd snagged it on a tree as she'd escaped through the copse.

'Yes, you have, at the back,' Darcy corrected her. 'Don't take on, it's not a bad tear,' he went on as Kate twisted round in a vain effort to see, 'but you can be sure they'd have noticed it. And who would have paid the shot?'

Kate opened her mouth to reply, but closed it again without speaking. Although she was entitled to receive the income from her grandfather's legacy, her aunt controlled it. She had been forced to send all her main bills to Miss Byford, and had only a small amount of spending money for other items. Most of it had gone on the hackney fare, and she had only a few shillings left.