The Elusive Heiress (21 page)

‘I thought you might like it,’ he retorted wickedly.

Remembering her shameless response to his embrace, Kate was rendered speechless for a moment before managing to stumble on. ‘My sentiments are hardly the point. We both know it is wrong to behave…oh you know what I mean!’

She couldn’t let him kiss her! If she did, she might not be able to tell him to stop!

To her dismay, he not only retained his hold on her hand, but his long brown fingers began to gently caress hers.

And, somehow, she couldn’t quite summon up the strength to pull free!

‘Friends ought to be honest with one another,’ she rushed on blindly, determined to make him understand that she had not come to the Hall in order to flirt with him. ‘If we can’t trust each other our friendship is meaningless!’

The bright blue eyes narrowed as he digested her hasty remarks.

‘I stand corrected.’ Abruptly, he let her hand go and a
frisson
of alarm shot along Kate’s nerves at his sudden frown.

‘You remind me of my obligations as a gentleman, but can I trust
you
, sweet Katharine? Just how honest are
you
being with me?’

Kate barely managed to restrain a wince of dismay. What a fool she was! Why had she reminded him of his suspicions just when things were going so well!

* * * *

‘There.’ Mary secured the last yellow silk rosebud into the upswept pile of gleaming curls atop Kate’s head and gave a satisfied nod. ‘Exactly how a demure young miss should dress for a quiet country dinner!’ She beamed at Kate. ‘You’ll melt his lordship’s resistance for sure tonight!’

Kate stared at her own reflection in the dressing-table glass. Her friend had fashioned the primrose crape evening gown she was wearing to match Kitty’s description of her favourite gown and its simple lines lent her an air of innocent fragility.

‘Thank you, Mary.’ Kate forced a smile and, picking up her fan, rose to her feet.

She hadn’t told Mary about her stupid
faux pas
this afternoon. It was pointless worrying the older woman, but, as she made her way to the drawing room, Kate could feel the colour rushing into her cheeks at the embarrassing memory.

She had managed to laugh off Randal’s demand for honesty, employing every coquettish trick she knew to turn the conversation into safer channels and, true to his obligations as her host, he had not forced the issue.

But the warmth had died from his eyes and he had brought their tour to a rapid close.

He had politely offered several other forms of entertainment for her amusement, but she had declined and retired to her room. How could she have enjoyed a walk in the gardens or a row on the placid lake when she knew that he must be contemptuous of her beneath his icily controlled demeanour?

Dreading the evening ahead, Kate was glad that Alicia was down before her.

‘Kitty, my dear! What an age you have been!’ Lady Edgeworth greeted her warmly and tilting her elaborately becurled head to one side she surveyed Kate with short-sighted intentness. ‘However, the end result was worth the wait, don’t you agree, my lord?’

Lord Redesmere, resplendent in an evening coat of Scott’s making, had risen to his feet at Kate’s entrance and now he made a punctilious bow in her direction. ‘Miss Nixon.’

Kate dipped an answering curtsey and moved with apparent calm to sit next to Alicia.

‘Would you care for a glass of sherry?’

No one hearing the scrupulous civility in his deep voice would ever guess that he thinks me an adventuress
, Kate thought to herself, as she quietly refused this offer.

‘We were just talking about what stories this old room could relate if it was able to speak,’ Lady Edgeworth announced brightly. ‘Only imagine, Kitty! We might hear Sir Robert Crawford describe his exploits in repelling the Armada!’ She pointed to a rather small and dark portrait hanging near the fireplace. ‘That’s him over there, isn’t it, Randal?’

Lord Redesmere nodded. ‘It’s supposed to be a very good example of the Carracci school.’

Kate dutifully turned to look at the portrait, but her mind wasn’t on art.

What was going on in that wheat blond head of his? His manner was that of an attentive host as he listened to Alicia rattle on and yet her senses, acutely attuned to his slightest movement, warned her of the tension coiled within his big frame.

The suite of brocaded furniture which graced this elegant room was modern and her chair was comfortable, but Kate felt she might as well have been sitting on a heap of nails as the conversation wore on. Was he deliberately ignoring her or was it merely a coincidence that he was devoting all his energies to answering Alicia, who was extremely interested in the genealogy of local prominent families?

‘I remember your Uncle Godwin saying that one of Sir Robert’s grandsons fought against the Dutch in the time of King Charles.’ Lady Edgeworth was in her element. ‘And several other Crawfords have been renowned sailors, have they not?’

‘It is something of a family tradition to go into the Navy,’ Randal affirmed with a polite smile that hid his boredom. Hellfire, how he wished the dear woman at Jericho!

With Alicia out of the way, he could have it out with that baggage sitting over there looking as if butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth! He should have obeyed his instincts this afternoon and to hell with polite obligations!

‘Then why did you go into the army?’ Kate spoke up boldly, tired of being ignored.

The bright blue gaze turned on her. ‘I had my reasons.’

‘Won’t you share them with us?’ invited Kate sweetly.

‘My motives can hold no interest for you.’ Randal’s velvet tones were cold. ‘And I make it a point never to satisfy vulgar curiosity.’

Kate took a deep breath and was about to make a blistering retort when she realised that Alicia, who had been startled by his lordship’s savage set-down, was staring at the pair of them with puzzled anxiety.

Reining in her annoyance, Kate managed a cool smile. ‘Then I shall say no more, sir.’

‘Thank you, Miss Nixon.’ Mockery infused his smooth reply.

Fortunately for Kate’s temper, Blake arrived at that moment to announce that dinner was served.

She barely tasted a mouthful of the exquisite meal which followed. The fine old refectory table which graced the oak panelled dining room was spread with several of her favourite dishes and a small part of her mind registered the fact that Randal must have gone to the trouble of asking Alicia what she liked best, but she was feeling too angry and upset to appreciate the gesture.

It was all she could do to respond to Alicia’s attempts to keep the conversation flowing smoothly!

The second course was brought in. Strawberry fritters, salamangundy, boiled soles, green peas, a glazed gammon, a raised chicken pie and several other assorted dishes were carefully arranged by the footmen under Blake’s eagle-eyed supervision.

‘Try a little of this whim-wham, my love. It is delightful,’ Alicia urged.

Kate accepted a small helping of the rich trifle, but half of it still remained untouched on her plate when the covers were removed and the dessert set upon the table.

‘We shall leave you to your port, my lord.’ Alicia gave the nod as soon as it was seemly and, glad to abandon the handful of almonds and raisins with which she had been toying, Kate followed her from the room.

Lady Edgeworth managed to contain herself until they reached the drawing room but as soon as she sat down she exclaimed, ‘What on earth is the matter, Kitty? Why are you and Randal at daggers drawn?’

‘I don’t know what you mean,’ Kate answered stiffly.

‘Nonsense, child!’ For once Lady Edgeworth’s amiable tones were sharp. ‘Why, the pair of you barely exchanged a word over dinner! I hardly knew where to look!’

‘I’m sorry, ma’am.’ Kate sat down opposite the older woman, her expression suddenly penitent. ‘It was not my intention to embarrass you.’

Alicia reached out and patted her hand. ‘I know you would not wish to upset me, my dear,’ she said in a much warmer voice.

Guilt seared Kate’s soul.

‘Now, have the two of you quarrelled?’ Alicia’s painted chicken-skin fan fluttered with sympathy.

‘It wasn’t precisely a quarrel,’ Kate murmured awkwardly. ‘We…we just don’t agree about a certain matter.’

Curiosity brightened Lady Edgeworth’s hazel eyes and realising that she was about to be questioned further, Kate quickly stood up.

‘I fear I have the headache,’ she said hastily. ‘If you will excuse me, I won’t wait for the tea tray but will retire immediately.’

Alicia sighed. ‘Very well, Kitty. Run along if you must. I shall make your excuses to his lordship.’

Relieved to be let off so lightly, Kate fled.

* * * *

Moonlight flooded the library. Kate set down her candlestick on the large central reading table and moved towards the nearest bookcase.

Something light and entertaining, that’s what she needed.

Intent on scanning the shelves, Kate didn’t hear the soft footfall behind her.

Vathek
. Maybe William Beckford’s renowned oriental tale would distract her restless thoughts. Kate reached up and plucked the leather-bound volume from its place.

‘A good choice, if you’ve a taste for exotic adventure, but not the most soothing of novels perhaps.’

Kate whirled round. Damn, damn, damn!

Clutching the book to her scantily-clad breast, she said in a slightly breathless voice, ‘I couldn’t sleep. I thought reading a book might help.’

‘So I gathered.’ Lord Redesmere’s tone was dry.

Collecting her scattered wits, Kate drew herself up. ‘I didn’t think you would object to my borrowing one of your volumes,’ she said with crushing hauteur.

A flicker of amusement passed over his regular features and, horribly conscious of her bare feet peeking out from beneath the hem of her lace-trimmed wrapper, Kate stiffened.

Oh why hadn’t she got dressed instead of sneaking down here in her nightclothes! Not that she had expected to encounter anyone, of course.

Anyway, what was
he
doing wandering about the house long after everyone else had retired for the night? Apart from the fact he had removed the coat and neckcloth he was wearing earlier, he was fully dressed so she didn’t think he could have gone to bed at all.

Perhaps he too was unable to sleep.

‘Borrow the book by all means.’ Randal set down his own candlestick. ‘I hope you’ll find it enjoyable.’

‘Thank you.’ Kate forced a polite half smile.

It was definitely time to make her exit. ‘If you’ll excuse me, I’ll leave you to make your own selection in peace.’

‘I didn’t come in here to choose a book.’ Randal lent back against the edge of the library table and folded his arms across his chest.

‘Then why are you here?’ Kate hoped he wouldn’t notice her discreet attempt to edge away.

‘I heard a noise and decided to investigate.’

Under his brooding stare Kate felt like a mouse trapped by a cat. ‘Well, now you know I’m not a housebreaker I’ll say good night.’

She gave him a bright smile and stepped forward to move past him.

So quickly that Kate didn’t see it coming, his arm shot out to bar her way.

‘No! By God, you’ll not run off again!’ he said in a low growl.

He straightened slowly to his feet and stood towering over her. ‘You are not leaving this room until I get to the bottom of this mystery.’

‘I haven’t the faintest idea of what you are talking about!’ Kate strove to ignore the cold prickle of apprehension feathering down her spine. ‘Please let me pass.’

‘Stop stalling, my girl!’ Before she could divine his intention he snatched the book from her and slammed it down on the table behind him. ‘I want some answers. Now!’

‘Oh how dare you!’ He was so close that Kate had to tilt her head back to glare up at him. ‘You are behaving outrageously!’

‘You have that effect on me, sweet Katharine.’

His eyes glittered in the candlelight and Kate suddenly realised two important facts. One was that, with the abrupt removal of the book she had been clutching, her loosely-tied wrapper had come open, and, secondly, Randal Crawford was not entirely sober.

‘Well, are you going to tell me why you are pretending to be my cousin?’

Kate decided to ignore this belligerent question. Francis had always got very quarrelsome in his cups and it had never paid to argue with him. He had blacked
both
her eyes on one particularly memorable occasion! She didn’t think Randal was likely to turn violent, but it seemed safest not to try his temper.

‘It is very late, my lord,’ she replied softly. ‘We can continue this discussion in the morning if you wish, but right now I want to go to bed.’

The bellicose expression on his face faded.

For one endless moment he stared at her in silence and then reaching out his hand he trailed one finger gently down her cheek and said softly, ‘So do I.’

There was no mistaking his meaning!

Kate sucked in a deep lungful of air and struggled to stay calm. ‘I shall ignore that remark, my lord. You are…not yourself.’

‘I may be bosky, but I ain’t lost my reason.’ There was a hint of indignation in Lord Redesmere’s voice.

‘Of course not,’ Kate murmured soothingly. ‘However, you may well regret this conversation in the morning.’

‘You think it’s the brandy talking, don’t you?’ His mouth curled in a self-mocking smile. ‘Maybe you’re right, but it don’t alter the fact that you are the most desirable woman I’ve ever met.’

Out of the frying pan and into the fire!

Now what should she do, Kate wondered frantically as his hand shifted its exploration to her hair, which lay loose upon her shoulders.

‘Soft as silk.’ Randal lifted up one shining sable lock and twined it around his fingers. ‘Such beautiful hair.’

His gaze dropped to her bosom, exposed in her low-cut nightgown. In the soft light her skin appeared to gleam like pearl. ‘And such a lovely body.’

Kate controlled a prim urge to snatch her wrapper together. She couldn’t afford to panic and, besides, it wasn’t the first time a man had seen her
en deshabille
for heaven’s sake!