Regency High Society Vol 3: Beloved Virago / Lord Trenchard's Choice / The Unruly Chaperon / Colonel Ancroft's Love

It hadn’t been difficult for Katherine to guess what had been passing through his mind when he had subjected her hair to a fleeting glance of irritation. Yet it was hardly her fault that she had been destined to inherit her father’s colouring and in consequence was, as Daniel himself had tauntingly pointed out earlier in the day, easily picked out in a crowd.

Successfully suppressing a feeling of pique, she immediately set about the rewarding task of satisfying her hunger. During the time it took to consume a bowl of heart-warming broth, and work her way through a selection of meats and a variety of pasties, she succeeded in blotting from her mind the danger the man seated at the corner table might pose. Unfortunately, she just happened to glance in his direction, as she was about to consume the last mouthful of the most delicious fruit tart she had ever tasted in her life, and the very real possibility that he might indeed be one of those assassins hired to discover their whereabouts returned to cause her no small concern.

‘I like to see a female with a healthy appetite.’ Daniel approved, as he leaned back in his seat, totally replete himself.

For her part Katherine couldn’t help but admire the way he always appeared so composed in the face of possible danger. However, he wasn’t quite impervious to their present situation, as his next words proved. ‘I think it is high time we were making tracks, don’t you?’

He regarded her in silence for a moment, his dark eyes assessing as he contemplated the modesty of a dress now sadly creased and travel-stained, and the arrangement of fiery curls. ‘You are by no means the only female in France to possess red hair, and it just might be that our friend over there in the corner admires your colouring. On the other hand, if he isn’t an innocent local out enjoying his evening tipple, there’s every chance that he’ll follow us when we leave. And to be perfectly frank with you, I’d rather not leave a trail of corpses littered across France, clearly indicating in which direction we’re heading, if I can possibly avoid it. So let us see if we can persuade him that we’re not the pair he’s been hired to locate.’

Katherine could find no fault in this course of action, until he calmly asked her to undo the buttons at the neckline of her dress, and release her hair from its restraining band. ‘Whatever for?’ she demanded, not unreasonably.

‘Because you, my little darling, are about to become my doxy.’

He could not have startled her more had he tried, and it plainly showed when she gaped across the width of the table at him, not one hundred per cent certain she could have heard aright. ‘I … beg … your … pardon?’

There was just a suspicion of a twitch at one corner of his mouth. ‘For the love of God, Kate, don’t go all missish on me now!’ he ordered in a voice which contained a suspicion of a tremor too. ‘I’m only asking you to act the part of a strumpet, not to take up the profession in earnest, for heaven’s sake!’

Katherine regarded him in silence for a moment, half wondering if he had taken complete leave of his senses, but very much fearing that he was in deadly earnest. ‘I shall take leave to inform you, Major Ross,’ she said with careful restraint, ‘that I am incapable of attempting such a portrayal. My experience of strumpets, and how they conduct themselves, is non-existent.’

‘Fortunately mine isn’t,’ he countered, with what could best be described as an evil leer, and, reaching out, he tugged the strip of material from her hair, allowing the auburn tresses to tumble about her shoulders. ‘All you need do is cling to my arm, and look at me as though you find me as delicious as that fruit tart you’ve just devoured with such relish.’

Although appalled at the mere suggestion, Katherine swiftly came to the conclusion that masquerading as a woman of easy virtue for a few minutes was a small price to pay in order to attempt to avoid a confrontation with a would-be assassin. Consequently she made no demur when Daniel slipped her arm through his, and proceeded to guide her across the inn towards the door, though she might have wished he had refrained from uttering a rather lewd remark in a carrying voice, the result of which induced several patrons to exchange knowing looks and several others to snicker behind their hands.

As they left the inn, still arm in arm, and began to retrace their steps along the street, Katherine was just beginning to think that the embarrassing little interlude had been entirely worthwhile when she clearly detected the sound of a door opening behind them. Before she knew what was happening, Daniel had her pinned against the stone wall of a house, and was smothering the squeal that rose in her throat by clamping his mouth down hard over hers.

For a few moments Katherine was too stunned by the speed of the assault to appreciate why he was behaving in this brutal and uncharacteristic manner, holding her so tightly that there was no possible hope of escape, and forcing an embrace upon her which was singularly lacking the persuasive tenderness she well remembered him displaying on that memorable night in Paris.

‘For the love of God, Kate,’ he muttered, dragging his mouth towards her left ear, and grazing her cheek in the process with the rough stubble on his chin, ‘don’t just stand there like a stock, girl! At least try to pretend you wish to bed me.’

A slight movement in the shadows succeeded in thrusting aside the last barrier of reserve. Reaching up, Katherine entwined her arms about his neck, and thought she detected a flicker of what might well have been surprise in his eyes before she took the initiative and forced his mouth down on hers in a kiss which began as little more than a mere meeting of lips, but which swiftly deepened as she instinctively parted her own, moving them back and forth beneath his. The fact that this was pretence, a mere show of passion for the benefit of inquisitive eyes, rapidly faded from her mind as a highly pleasurable but totally foreign longing began to spread swiftly through her limbs.

Without conscious thought she pressed her body closer until breasts, hips and thighs made contact with strong bone and well-honed muscle. They seemed to meld together so wonderfully, like two halves of a perfect whole, that she couldn’t say with any degree of certainty whether the sudden tremor that rippled through her, or the low earthy moan which followed, emanated from her or the man who a moment later brought an abrupt end to the intimate contact by almost wrenching his mouth away.

For several moments his breathing seemed faintly laboured, and there was a flicker of something quite intense in his dark eyes. Then he seemed to collect himself, and took a hurried step away.

‘Why, you’re a passionate wench, and no mistake!’ he announced, his strong teeth flashing in a sportive smile. ‘Come, take me to your bed, otherwise I’ll have you here and now!’

Like a cruel slap in the face, harsh reality returned with a vengeance, and was no less humiliating than the hearty smack he unexpectedly administered to the seat of her skirt, before linking her arm through his once more. Yet it took Katherine, still plagued by a wealth of unfamiliar sensations, several moments to come to terms with the fact that what had just taken place between them had been a sham, nothing more than mere pretence on his part. How she wished she could say with complete honesty that it had been likewise with her!

Wounded pride and bitter resentment was an explosive mixture. Yet Katherine steadfastly refused to give vent to her emotions and betray the fact that she was foolishly feeling unaccountably hurt by this display of seeming indifference on Daniel’s part to that passionate interlude which had just taken place.

It certainly did nothing to improve her state of mind when the sound of a footfall close behind suggested very strongly that her humiliation might all have been in vain, and she was just about to suggest that they should confront the stalker, when Daniel’s clasp on her elbow was suddenly increased and she was unexpectedly thrust down a side alley.

‘Await me at the far end,’ he ordered, releasing his grasp, and although she would have preferred to remain, she found herself automatically obeying the whispered command.

It was by now quite dark and Katherine, almost stumbling over the uneven surface, hurried along the narrow alley, not knowing whether it would offer a means of escape, and not caring very much either. She could not, would not, attempt to save her own skin and leave Daniel to face the threat of danger alone. She stopped and turned, clearly hearing the sounds of a scuffle, swiftly followed by a low groan. Then she almost cried out in relief, her former resentment completely forgotten, when she saw that tall, dependable being emerging from the gloom.

His grim expression, as he paused to slip an evil-looking knife inside the top of his boot, told her all she needed to know. He took no pleasure in taking a human life, of that she felt certain, and to do him justice he had done all he could to avoid the confrontation, so she chose not to ply him with unnecessary questions that would only add to his distress.

‘Needless to say we shall be unable to remain in this town overnight.’ He sounded quite matter-of-fact, but the flicker of anguish lingering in his eyes was unmistakable. ‘I doubt our friend back there came here alone. I very much fear there may be others about the place searching for us. Therefore we must resign ourselves to yet another night without any creature comforts.’

Katherine frankly didn’t care where they spent the night. A feeling of well-being, something that she had not experienced for several years, washed over her as they left the town and headed for the open countryside. As long as this man was with her she knew instinctively that she would never come to any harm.

Chapter Nine

Katherine awoke to find herself in unfamiliar surroundings yet again. Having had little choice but to lie on a dirt floor, with a thin pile of leaves beneath her, she had passed possibly the most uncomfortable night of her entire life. Yet she clearly remembered that, when they had quite by chance stumbled upon the woodcutter’s rustic shelter, she had been too tired to care where she had bedded down, and had fallen asleep almost from the moment her head had touched the ground.

Easing herself into a sitting position, she glanced about the rough wooden structure, which, boasting three sides only, was open to the elements at the front, and was surprised to discover herself quite alone. She immediately experienced a moment’s unease, not because Daniel was no longer propped in the adjacent corner, where he had settled himself the night before, but because she suddenly recalled that he had seemed strangely quiet, subdued almost, after they had left the small market town the evening before.

They had been obliged to walk quite some distance before they had chanced upon this shelter, nestling in the wood. Throughout the lengthy trek Daniel had not uttered above a dozen words. At first she had put his unusually subdued state down to the fact that he had been compelled to put a period to their stalker’s existence in order to effect an escape. That, however, could not account for the fact that he had seemed disinclined to be near her, to so much as touch her. Why, not once had he offered a helping hand over the rougher ground, which he had not hesitated to do earlier in the day. Furthermore, when they had finally discovered this shelter, he had settled himself as far away as possible from her, when it would have made more sense to have lain side by side in order to share bodily warmth.

Sweeping her hair back from her face, Katherine stared through the wide opening at the surrounding woodland, wondering now if his odd behaviour was not a means to an end: an attempt to protect himself. Perhaps he had no intention of placing himself in a position whereby he would feel obliged to offer her the protection of his name?

She recalled with embarrassing clarity the passionate interlude outside the inn. She hadn’t found kissing him, or holding his strong body next to her own, in the least distasteful. In fact, the opposite was all too embarrassingly true. Perhaps Daniel had sensed this and it had put him on his guard? Perhaps, also, he was afraid that she would expect him to do the honourable thing by marrying her once this venture was over? If so, she would swiftly disabuse him, she decided, experiencing a resurgence of that ever-present fear. She had made up her mind years before that marriage was not for her. She had no intention of ever putting any man’s life at risk, especially one of whom she had grown so inordinately fond. It had possibly been a grave mistake on her part to become so friendly with Daniel, though she failed to see how she might have prevented herself from doing so. Nevertheless, it might help to ease his mind a little if she followed his recent example and attempted to remain a little aloof herself from now on.

Hurriedly rising to her feet, Katherine went outside to scan the surrounding woodland more intently, but worryingly could detect no sign of him. Where on earth had he got to? Surely he hadn’t left her to fend for herself?

The instant the idea entered her mind, she dismissed it at once, ashamed for having had the mere thought. He would never do such an unchivalrous thing! Heaven only knew he could be the most irritating man on occasions—arrogant, overbearing and downright rude! But Major Daniel Ross was no coward. He was an exceptionally brave man who could be quite touchingly considerate on occasions. So where in the name of heaven had he taken himself off to?

Fortunately Katherine wasn’t left worrying unnecessarily for very long. A minute or so later she detected the sound of hoof beats, and turned to see Daniel, astride a large bay and leading a second mount, negotiating a safe passage between the trees.

Instantly forgetting her resolve, she ran to meet him, her expression clearly betraying delight, and it was only as she reached his side that she recalled her resolution. His returning smile was just too spontaneous not to be perfectly genuine, and she couldn’t help wondering whether she had merely read too much into his strange behaviour and that his former reserve might have stemmed from nothing more than mere fatigue.

‘Well, sweetheart?’ Looking very well pleased with himself, Daniel drew the horses to a halt. ‘What do you think of our latest acquisitions? Not precisely high-stepping thoroughbreds, but I believe they’ll serve their purpose by speeding up our journey.’

‘Sturdy and, yes, capable of doing the job,’ she announced, after a brief examination of both mounts, where she betrayed once more the knowledge she had gained from her father. ‘How on earth did you manage to acquire them?’

‘You might not have observed those two men propping up the counter at that inn. I, on the other hand, overheard one of them saying he would be bringing two horses to the market held in the town on Friday, and that there was no need for him to make an early start as he lived in a small village just four miles east of the town. That is why I came this way last night. The village is about half a mile away, just beyond the wood.’

Katherine couldn’t help admiring his superb sense of direction. Even at night he never seemed to get himself lost. He was immensely capable, equal to any challenge. Why, not only had he managed to acquire horses, but saddles and bridles too!

When he apologised for not having been able to provide her with a side-saddle, Katherine dismissed it with a wave of her hand. ‘Don’t give it another thought,’ she urged him, easily mounting without assistance. ‘I frequently rode astride as a girl, and much preferred it. Unfortunately, when I reached a certain age Mama objected, and I was obliged thereafter to ride like a lady. Believe me, I shall enjoy the experience again.’

It took Daniel a few minutes only to appreciate her skill in the saddle. She was an extremely accomplished horsewoman who handled her mount with ease. ‘Your father taught you well, Katherine,’ he remarked, not reticent to voice his admiration, but could not resist adding, ‘His only fault, I strongly suspect, was a reluctance to beat you often enough.’

Katherine wasn’t slow to detect the provocative gleam in dark eyes. ‘It might surprise you to know, Major Ross, that my father never once laid a violent hand on me. It might also surprise you to know he never felt that he needed to.’ Her smile faded. ‘He had a certain way of looking at me whenever I had displeased him, which always made me feel so guilty that I promised never to do it again.’

Anyone of the meanest intelligence couldn’t have failed to appreciate how deeply she had cared for her father. But was a desire to avenge his death the only reason why she had agreed to involve herself in Sir Giles Osborne’s machinations? Daniel couldn’t resist asking.

‘Good heavens, no! I did it as much for myself as anything else, I suppose,’ she was honest enough to admit. ‘I have become increasingly disenchanted with the life I have been leading in Bath. I am feeling increasingly restrained … suffocated, almost.’

Katherine released her breath in a resentful sigh, which matched quite beautifully the fleeting glance she cast him. ‘It’s all very well for you men. You can come and go as you please, but for a female it is quite different. I have inherited a companion who’s a dear person, but faintly scatty, and on occasions something of a trial. And then, of course, there’s Bridie, who will insist on treating me just as though I were still a child.’

Although he was smiling, he betrayed genuine sympathy as he said, ‘There’s one course of action which will enable you to sever those restraining ties. You could wed. Married women enjoy far more freedom.’

‘True,’ she agreed, ‘but I do not consider a desire for freedom reason enough to take the matrimonial plunge, at least not in my case. Besides which,’ she added, suddenly remembering her determination to put his mind at rest, ‘I am resolved never to marry. Remember, I’m a curse, Daniel. I could never reconcile it with my conscience if I were to shorten any man’s life.’

If she had expected this declaration to reassure him, and bring about a return of the wonderful camaraderie that had been surprisingly increasing between them, she was swiftly to discover her mistake.