The Elusive Heiress (10 page)

‘Pray won’t you reconsider your decision to speak to Alicia?’ Kate sensed his unease and pressed on, aware that Lady Edgeworth might come in on them at any moment. ‘I know it is a lot to ask, but you must admit that you are partly responsible for my dilemma.’

Did she imagine he wanted to keep the old man’s fortune? ‘Do you censure me for taking heed of Gerald Sullivan’s letter?’

‘Not at all.’ Kate smiled easily, wishing she was as confident as she sounded. ‘However, you cannot deny that without your opposition everything could have been sorted out quickly and I should not have needed to accept Alicia’s hospitality.’

‘You lack funds?’

Kate nodded, glad of his perspicacity. ‘I did not anticipate a long stay in England.’ She paused delicately. ‘If Alicia asks me to leave it will be…difficult.’

He stared at her in silence and Kate wondered what he was thinking. His handsome face was impassive, but her instinct told her that his rigid opposition was beginning to weaken.

Conscious that there was no time to waste she fluttered her eyelashes demurely in a gesture she had perfected for the role of Lydia Languish in
The Rivals
. ‘Won’t you at least agree to wait until we have an answer to Mr Hilton’s letter?’ she begged softly. ‘I swear I don’t want to hurt Alicia.’

Guilty until proven innocent? In his determination to prove himself impervious to her beauty, was he in danger of forgetting justice? ‘What of my family? Do you expect me to deceive them too?’

‘Of course not!’ Kate schooled her patience. ‘I do not expect you to tell lies for me. All I am asking for is a little forbearance.’

He steepled his fingers together, obviously deep in thought, and Kate caught her breath. Let him say yes and she would do all she could to make it up to Alicia once Kitty had won her fortune!

‘Very well. I shall keep my doubts from Alicia until further evidence presents itself.’ Randal smiled at her suddenly. ‘You have my word on it…cousin.’

‘Thank you!’ Kate’s eyes lit up. Their truce was on again!

Randal ignored the faint disquiet which tugged at the edges of his mind and told himself that she really was much too beautiful a girl to be consigned to some cheap inn with only a maid to protect her. Any buck might ogle her or offer her worse insult! Liar or not, she had obviously been bred a lady and it went against the grain to subject her to that kind of discourtesy while they waited for her fate to be decided.

‘May I ask if you have seen much of Chester yet?’ he asked, abruptly changing the subject and consigning his doubts to the devil.

‘Not a great deal so far, I’m afraid.’ Kate smilingly accepted the olive branch he held out to her. ‘My wardrobe is limited and Alicia insists that I cannot wear the same clothes too often. So I must contain my impatience until the dressmaker has completed my new gowns.’

She bent down to pick up the journal she had dropped earlier. ‘Luckily, Madame Celestine doesn’t deem it necessary to trim bodices with sable or use bejewelled fastenings,’ she said with a little chuckle, holding the volume open so that he could see what she meant.

Randal looked at the willowy goddesses depicted in the fashion sketches and grinned. ‘Very fetching, but not exactly practical.’

Kate felt her spirits lift. It was reassuring to know that they shared the same sense of humour. When he came in she been engrossed in trying to work out the cost of the elegant toilettes sketched in
The Ladies’ Monthly Museum.
It had depressed her to think how much money she was going to owe Alicia, even though she had insisted on the plainest styles.

But when he smiled at her with that warmth in his brilliant eyes she couldn’t continue to feel anxious or low-spirited!

‘Ah, Randal! Thorpe told me you were here.’ Lady Edgeworth sailed into the room, a militant expression on her face. ‘Come to apologise, have you?’

Kate winced. However, to her infinite relief, Randal showed no sign of taking affront at this cavalier greeting.

‘How do you do, Alicia,’ he said calmly, rising to his feet and making her a polite bow.

Lady Edgeworth eyed him uncertainly, rather regretting her belligerence. For all that she had known him since he was in short coats, he was a man who commanded respect. ‘Why are you here?’ she asked in a less hostile voice.

‘I came to see how Miss Nixon was getting along.’ Randal’s tone was bland. ‘Obviously, I needn’t have worried. I perceive you are taking excellent care of her.’

‘An odd way you have of showing your concern!’ Alicia retorted. ‘Why didn’t you invite the child to stay at the Hall, eh?’

Kate decided it was time to step into the breach.

‘Dear God— Ma’am, don’t be cross! Lord Redesmere has explained everything to me and we have agreed to settle our differences.’ She turned to Randal. ‘Isn’t that so, my lord?’

‘Indeed.’ Randal inclined his head in her direction.

‘Oh well, in that case, I shall say no more!’ A delighted smile broke out on Alicia’s plump features and she waved Randal to resume his seat.

Sitting down next to Kate on the sofa, she patted her hand. ‘There, didn’t I tell you there must be some mistake,’ she whispered behind her raised fan. ‘I knew he would apologise.’

Kate’s soul burned with embarrassment. It was only natural Alicia should be pleased at what she imagined to be a happy reconciliation, but Kate prayed she would say no more.

Risking a glance at Randal she saw that he had overheard. His finely-moulded lips had tightened, but as their eyes met his expression softened.

A strange little quiver danced down Kate’s spine and she couldn’t drag her gaze from his face as he and Alicia began to exchange small talk.

‘Do you intend to honour the Leghs’ drum with your presence tonight, cousin?’

Becoming aware that he was speaking to her, Kate dismissed her absurd desire to run her fingers through his thick blond hair and forced herself to concentrate.

‘I do, sir. Unless you have changed your mind, ma’am?’

Thus appealed to, Alicia laughed heartily. ‘Of course we are going, child. Why Celestine has promised to deliver your new gown this very morning!’ She paused and then shot their visitor a crafty look. ‘Are you going, Randal?’

Guessing what was coming, Randal hid a smile. ‘I have accepted the invitation.’

‘Excellent. Kitty won’t know a soul there save for us. You can introduce her to a few of your friends.’ Lady Edgeworth chuckled. ‘Maria Legh has held out the lure of cards and dancing so I expect we’ll see plenty of you young gentlemen there.’ She threw out another broad hint. ‘You’re still keen on dancing, ain’t you, Randal?’

Knowing what was expected of him, Randal agreed and, directing his gaze at her young companion, continued, ‘Will you do me the honour of standing up with me, cousin?’

Guilt warred with her longing to accept as Kate sought for an answer. In all her plotting, it hadn’t occurred to her that she might want to dance with the man she was intending to deprive of a fortune!

‘Did you get much opportunity to attend parties in Massachusetts?’ Randal asked, feeling ridiculously disappointed at her silence and hoping to find an alternative reason for it than the one which immediately sprang to mind.

Kate wondered if she ought to deny it and then remembered just in time that she had already told Alicia she knew most of the popular steps when her hostess had asked her if she would like to have dancing lessons.

‘I attended a few, sir, but they were small events and I’m not sure if my skill is equal to that of the ladies you know,’ she prevaricated.

‘You are too modest I’ll be bound, Kitty dear.’

Randal was inclined to agree with Alicia. He’d wager that a girl who possessed the proud deportment of a queen was certain to be a good dancer.

‘I should like the chance to begin again,’ he said softly, knowing that she would understand even if Alicia did not. ‘Say you will consent to save the supper dance for me?’

Torn between delight and alarm, Kate could only nod silently.

* * * *

The gown promised by Celestine had still not arrived by the time Lady Edgeworth arose from an afternoon nap taken to recruit her energies for the evening ahead. Kate had declined to rest before the party and was engaged at the handsome little rosewood escritoire which graced her bedroom when Alicia came hurrying in to see her.

Quickly concealing her letter to Ned, she set herself to soothing Alicia’s alarm. Fortunately for her nerves, the older woman was soon interrupted by a knock at the door.

‘There, ma’am,’ Kate said cheerfully. ‘That is probably Mary come to tell us the delivery boy is here.’

To her surprise it wasn’t Mary who entered, but Susan, the parlour maid, who was carrying a box much too small to hold a dress.

‘For you, Miss.’ Susan bobbed a curtsey and handed the box over to Kate. ‘Just been delivered.’

It felt very light and Kate suddenly knew what it must contain.

‘Do open it, my dear,’ Lady Edgeworth encouraged.

From the broad smile on her face Kate knew she had also guessed that the box contained flowers.

‘How charming! From Crawford, I assume?’

Kate stared down at the exquisite bouquet and her heart did a peculiar flip-flop as she discovered the accompanying card.

She held it out to Lady Edgeworth, who scanned it with satisfaction.

‘And tied up with pink ribbons too!’ Alicia smiled happily. ‘They will match your new gown.’

Her smile faded abruptly as she remembered what had brought her post haste to her goddaughter’s bedchamber. Ordering Susan to remove the posy, she exclaimed, ‘I shall send to Celestine directly! It is too bad of her to keep us waiting when she knows that this is your very first evening party!’

In the event it did not prove necessary to badger the modiste for the dress arrived before Alicia had completed her angry note and Kate had plenty of time to prepare for the drum.

‘And remember to watch your tongue, Kate! Don’t forget you are supposed to be a shy young miss,’ Mary warned when Kate was at last ready to go down for dinner.

Kate grinned at her. ‘I dare say that there aren’t many American ladies in Chester. If I overstep the mark, let’s hope they think me an eccentric foreigner!’

* * * *

‘Very pretty, my love!’ Alicia gazed at her in approval when she entered the drawing room. ‘Celestine may be a very irritating woman, but she certainly can sew! You will outshine every other girl present!’

‘Thank you, ma’am,’ Kate laughed.

Alicia beamed at her, conveniently forgetting that she had been doubtful when Kitty had first explained how she wanted the modiste to alter a dress that had caught her fancy amongst the shop’s stock of ready made-up gowns. The dress would need only minor alteration for a perfect fit, but the colour was unusual for a debutante and it seemed to her that it would be very plain once the trimmings Kitty disliked were removed.

She had allowed herself to be overruled, giving way to Kitty’s determination and Madame Celestine’s discreet urging, but she had feared the result might not show off her goddaughter to advantage. Fortunately, she had been wrong! Nothing could become the girl’s exotic beauty more than that deceptively simple sheath of deep rose satin!

Another quarter of an hour passed and Alicia glanced anxiously at the cloisonne clock which stood upon her white marble mantelpiece.

‘I do hope Godwin isn’t going to be much longer,’ she said. ‘Or I shall have complaints from Cook!’

Mr Crawford was to be their escort to the Leghs’ and had been bidden to dine in Abbey Square beforehand.

‘If he is half the trencherman you told me of, I’m sure he will be here soon,’ Kate replied soothingly.

She had barely finished speaking when they heard the sound of the front door opening and then voices in the hallway.

‘My dear Alicia, pray forgive my tardiness! An unfortunate problem with one of the carriage lanterns, but all is now well and here I am at last!’

Kate surveyed Randal’s uncle with interest. He was a tall, well set-up man who was just beginning to run to fat, a tendency his elegantly-cut dark brown coat helped to disguise. His fair hair was receding from his forehead and it was liberally streaked with grey, but his blue eyes were alert and his smile lively. She judged him to be around fifty.

Alicia performed the introductions and Godwin bowed over Kate’s hand with a graceful flourish.

‘Enchanted to meet you, my dear! I remember your father well. You have a look of him, you know.’

Kate suppressed a giggle.

Dinner was a protracted meal. Mrs Hibbert had excelled herself, producing a delicious mulligatawny soup for the remove followed by two elaborate courses which included several of Mr Crawford’s favourite dishes.

‘Pray give my compliments to Mrs Hibbert, Alicia,’ Godwin begged as he sampled the splendid haunch of venison roasted to perfection. ‘I swear her cooking gets better every time I dine with you.’

Kate could only marvel at the amount of food he managed to put away while at the same time conducting a thoroughly entertaining conversation with both his neighbours.

‘Let me help you to some of this syllabub, Miss Kitty.’ Godwin waved his spoon at the large glass dish set in the centre of the table. ‘It is extremely good.’

Kate, whose appetite had been satiated long before the second course had been set before them, thanked him prettily, but shook her head. ‘If I eat another mouthful, sir, I fear I shall not be able to dance one single step tonight.’

He laughed jovially. ‘I see I must not tempt you then else all the young fellows will be out for my blood.’

When he had at last eaten himself to a standstill Alicia signalled to Kate and they rose to their feet and left him to his port.

‘Godwin enjoys his food, but he is not a heavy drinker. I doubt if he will keep us waiting long,’ Alicia said as she led the way back to the drawing room.

Kate perched upon the edge of a chair and let out a restless sigh. She hoped Alicia was right. Dinner had lasted almost three hours and it was now well after nine. They were going to be late.

‘Do not worry, my love! The Leghs won’t expect us before ten.’

Kate was sorry that her impatience had been so obvious. ‘I meant no criticism of Mr Crawford,’ she murmured.