The Elusive Heiress (19 page)

‘Randal!’

At the sound of his name, Lord Redesmere turned away with relief to behold a tall, boyishly-slender girl, who came hurrying towards them with both hands outstretched.

‘Emma.’ He took her hands in his and smiled at her with a warmth that stung Kate’s heart. ‘I didn’t think you were coming.’

‘Oh I am quite recovered from that dreadful journey!’ Emma Lattimer laughed, revealing excellent white teeth.

‘Let me introduce you to Miss Nixon.’

Kate found herself being regarded by a pair of candid blue eyes.

‘How do you do.’ Emma held out her hand, a friendly expression on her pretty face. ‘I’m so sorry to have missed your arrival. I could scarcely believe it when Randal told me that our long-lost cousin was here in Chester.’ She smiled. ‘It was such a surprise, but I expect Randal has been making you feel at home.’

Kate almost choked. Struggling to gather her wits all she could manage to produce was a faint nod of assent.

Luckily, Randal’s sister didn’t seem to notice anything amiss. ‘Uncle Godwin said you were still out here. He asked me to tell you that he was about to judge the strawberries.’ She stared at the basket, which lay at Kate’s feet. ‘Heavens, but you have been working like a Trojan, Miss Nixon!’

Kate blushed.

‘Shall we go in?’ Randal suggested smoothly, stooping to pick up the basket.

‘Oh yes, let’s hurry or we shall miss the prize-giving!’ Emma fell into step by Kate’s side and after requesting permission to use her new relative’s given name rattled on in high spirits. ‘What a pity you didn’t arrive a few weeks ago, Cousin Kitty. You could have attended my wedding and met all the rest of the family.’

‘I hope to do so eventually,’ Kate murmured, desperately wishing she knew what Randal, who strode along in silence at his sister’s side, was thinking.

Emma beamed at her. ‘At least I can introduce my husband to you straight away.’

Even in her preoccupied state, Kate noticed the shy but proud way Emma said husband and felt a pang of memory. She had spoken of Francis in just that manner once!

Her dream hadn’t lasted, but Kate found herself hoping Emma’s evident happiness would endure. She seemed a very likeable girl and Kate thought that they might have become firm friends if the circumstances had been different.

‘Did you know we went to Wales for our honeymoon, Cousin Kitty?’ Emma enquired.

‘Lady Edgeworth mentioned it,’ Kate replied. ‘The Northern coast is close, is it not, and I understand it has become a popular destination since Boney’s antics put paid to travel on the Continent.’

‘Oh yes, indeed. We found it charming.’ Emma began to elaborate on her travels across the border as they walked back to the house.

Listening to her bubbling chatter of ancient castles and romantic mountain views, Kate decided that Emma was much more outgoing than her brother. There was a distinct family resemblance and they shared the same colouring, but it was a lot easier to tell what Emma was thinking.

They reached the house just as a stocky, dark-haired young man came out into the garden, a slightly anxious expression on his pleasant-featured face.

‘Matthew!’ Emma broke off her discourse and hurried forward, leaving Kate and Randal behind in her haste to reach her suddenly beaming husband.

Alone for the first time since their kiss and knowing that their solitude would be short, Kate risked a glance in Randal’s direction and found that he was staring at her, a peculiarly intent expression on his handsome face.

‘Do you want me to apologise?’

His directness took Kate’s breath away. Surprised into unthinking honesty, she gasped, ‘No!’

‘Good. Because I don’t wish to.’ A wicked smile flickered over Randal’s face.

‘Then why did you offer? Are you worried that I might have changed my mind about coming to the Hall tomorrow?’ Kate challenged, half-irritated, half-amused by his impudence.

‘I don’t think there is much likelihood of that, is there?’ he countered in a lazy drawl that was at odds with the passion glittering in his eyes.

Kate glared at him furiously for an instant and then turned on her heel and stalked off to rejoin Emma, who was beckoning to them.

Fiend seize the man! His presumption deserved a severe set-down. She ought to have flung his wretched invitation back in his face!

Unfortunately, even in the midst of her anger, Kate knew she would find it easier to fly to the moon than give up the chance to spend an entire day with Randal Crawford.

* * * *

‘So you’re still set on going then?’ Mary dumped Kate’s valise down by the bedchamber door as she spoke, her expression frowning. ‘It’s not too late to change your mind. I could pack the rest of our stuff in a twinkling and we could be on the next stage north before anyone was the wiser.’

‘I can’t just run off, Mary!’ Kate picked up her hat from the bed and sighed. ‘The carriage is expected at the door any minute. It’s too late to do other than go ahead with the plans we’ve already made.’

‘You could leave if you wanted to,’ Mary insisted stubbornly.

Kate was almost sorry she had shown her Ned’s letter.

Mary had taken the news hard. She had been all for leaving last night when the house was quiet. Exhausted after the effort of appearing in good spirits at Godwin’s party, Kate had barely had enough energy to persuade her out of the idea.

‘You owe Ned more than Lady Alicia.’ Mary folded her arms across her ample bosom, eager to continue the argument. ‘He’s always helped you, Kate. You wouldn’t have done so well without his support.’

‘I know!’ Angrily, Kate sat down at the dressing table and tied the ribbons of her bonnet, wrenching them into a lopsided bow.

‘Well?’ Mary stared at her, her gaze worried.

‘I know he wants us back.’ Kate turned away from the mirror and shook her head wearily, her annoyance evaporating as she took in Mary’s anxious expression. ‘But we are only this far away from success,’ she gestured with her finger and thumb, miming an inch. ‘It would be stupid to give up now.’

‘You want to stay because you are dangling after Crawford,’ Mary snapped and then regretted it as Kate’s exquisite face paled.

‘It’s all right,’ Kate interrupted her muttered apology. ‘I know I’m behaving like a idiot.’ She gave a forlorn little shrug. ‘I’m sorry. I can’t seem to help it.’

Mary’s expression softened. ‘I wish things could be different, lass.’

‘I may be lovelorn, but I swear I haven’t forgotten my friends.’ Kate’s tone rallied. ‘I won’t let Ned and the rest of the company down. I’ve already written to tell him to send me word the minute he gets that booking and I’ll come immediately no matter what.’

Mary let out a sigh of relief. ‘Thank God for that!’

‘And you needn’t worry that I’ll let my feelings give me away while we are at the Hall. I’m well aware of the risks, believe me!’ Kate stood up and smoothed down the skirts of her pomona green travelling costume in a gesture that betrayed her strained nerves.

‘Then why torture yourself by going, lass?’

‘I hope to use our visit to persuade Redesmere to give his seal of approval to my claim,’ Kate answered quietly.

Seeing that her friend looked sceptical she continued in a more forceful tone. ‘Don’t you see, Mary? Now that Sullivan has cried off they can’t accept his story. Redesmere must concede that there is no further reason for delay. With luck, the whole thing will be settled in a day or two and we shall be able to leave.’

Mary nodded, her expression brightening. ‘It might work.’ With renewed energy, she set about collecting up the last of Kate’s belongings. ‘Come on. Or we’ll have Lady Edgeworth wanting to know why you are so tardy.’

Grabbing her scent bottle and thrusting it into the dressing case Mary held out, Kate closed her mind to the possibility of failure. She had to succeed in convincing Randal, she simply had to! That way at least, one good thing would come out of this whole sorry mess.

* * * *

Alerted by the sound of approaching carriage wheels Lord Redesmere came out to meet his guests. His smile of welcome was the first thing Kate saw as she descended from Lady Edgeworth’s barouche and the uncomfortable memory of her last visit was instantly washed away on a tide of happiness.

‘Good morning.’ Randal stepped forward and kissed each lady’s hand in turn.

If she noticed that he lingered somewhat longer over his salutation to her young companion, Lady Edgeworth discreetly ignored this lapse and chattered brightly of how pleased she was to be visiting the Hall again.

‘Do come in.’ Randal paused to instruct the footmen to take the bags straight up to the rooms which had been allocated to his guests. ‘I’m sure you must feel in need of some refreshment.’

Alicia agreed that it had been a hot drive.

The north-facing entrance hall with its stone-flagged floor felt blessedly cool as they stepped inside. Kate, who had been too nervous to take much note of her surroundings last time, noticed a carved heraldic escutcheon set into one of the timber-framed walls. Her attention caught by its bright painted colours, she tried to make it out. There were two golden lions rampant and what looked like a bear standing between them, but she couldn’t translate the accompanying motto—
In Bone Foy
—at all.

Curious, she asked Randal what it meant. ‘Is it Latin?’

He shook his head. ‘Actually, it’s Medieval French. It means
In Good Faith
.’ He smiled slightly. ‘One of my less reputable ancestors was renowned for taking violent revenge on anyone who betrayed his trust.’

A little chill feathered down Kate’s spine.

By the time they had moved on to the morning room and finished a refreshing glass of iced orgeat Kate’s guilty sense of unease had vanished and she was able to take part in the conversation without feeling as if the sword of Damocles was liable to descend upon her head at any minute.

The housekeeper was summoned to show them upstairs to their bedchambers.

‘You’ll find me in the Long Hall when you are ready to come down,’ Randal told them.

Determined not to linger upstairs too long, Kate was nonetheless enchanted by ornate squared plaster ceiling and the diamond leaded windows which gave her room a quaintly old-fashioned air.

She climbed up onto the high, elaborately carved four-poster bed and bounced experimentally. ‘It’s a great deal more comfortable than it looks,’ she exclaimed in delight.

Mary, who was unpacking, was impressed by the Persian rugs scattered over the highly-polished oak floorboards and the beautiful silk curtains which matched the flower-patterned bed hangings.

Taking one look at her friend’s face, however, she held her tongue. No sense in ladling on more praise when the silly lass was already half-way bewitched by the place!

Pausing only to run a brush through her hair and exchange her travelling costume for the white muslin morning gown with the blue embroidery around the hem, Kate hurried down to the Long Hall, which lay just beyond the morning room. The open windows overlooked a flower-filled courtyard garden. Kate barely spared it a glance.

* * * *

‘Hello again.’ Alone with him for the first time since he had kissed her, Kate discovered her tongue had suddenly tied itself in knots of shyness. She couldn’t help remembering how eagerly she had responded to his touch. Did he really like her or did he merely think she was easy game?

Her awkward murmur of greeting brought his lordship instantly to her side.

‘You were very quick,’ he said, his gaze absorbing her exotic beauty with renewed wonder.

Kate smiled at him, her confidence soaring. When he looked at her like that she felt like singing! ‘I am eager for the tour you promised me.’

‘I think we must wait for Alicia,’ Randal murmured.

Hearing the regret in his tone, Kate undutifully wished Lady Edgeworth at the Devil.

She was sorry for her meanness when Alicia joined them for the older woman’s genuine pleasure as they moved through the rooms was obvious. She took an interest in everything Randal showed them and exclaimed aloud in delight several times, even though she had been conducted over the house before.

‘Perhaps we should leave the Curio Room for now,’ Randal remarked, coming to a halt and drawing out his watch as they completed their examination of the first floor of the house. ‘As I thought. It has gone two o’clock. Shall we call a halt and resume later?’

Kate, who was feeling a little overwhelmed by what she had already seen, was quite happy to fall in with this suggestion.

Randal had ordered a nuncheon for his guests and to Kate’s surprise it was served out on the terrace of the courtyard garden she had observed earlier.

‘What a charming idea,’ Alicia remarked, regarding the table which was laid with several light, delicious-looking dishes. ‘And we needn’t fear for our complexions, Kitty, if we sit over there.’

Kate nodded. The angle of the sun coming over the far wing of the house meant that the table was in shade.

Randal had explained to her how the Hall had been built in 1557 on the site of a former dwelling of the Crawfords. The new house was in the shape of a long central block with two extending wings, forming an inner courtyard. These wings had been considerably reduced in size when restoration and remodelling work had been carried out some twenty years ago.

At the same time the courtyard had been turned into a wide flagged terrace opening directly onto a small informal garden. A flight of shallow broad steps set into its centre led down to the rest of the grounds. Kate thought it a particularly pretty place with its old stone sundial and sweet scented roses.

‘A very clever notion, my lord,’ she said to Randal as they took their places. ‘We might almost be enjoying a picnic.’

‘I’m glad you approve.’ Randal grinned at her. ‘It did seem a pity to waste this glorious weather.’

The food was as good as it looked and Kate particularly enjoyed the veal patties, although she eschewed all offers to fill her glass with chilled hock and drank only lemonade.

‘Heavens, I don’t think I should have eaten quite so much,’ Alicia whispered to Kate as they rose from the table. ‘I feel quite sleepy!’