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

‘No need for you to be troubling yourself, Miss Katherine,’ she eventually managed to squeeze past tightly compressed lips, clearly betraying disapproval. ‘He’ll be some time yet, I expect. He has a visitor.’

‘Oh?’ Katherine was mildly surprised. ‘I didn’t hear the door-knocker.’

‘You wouldn’t have. She arrived when the master was about to cross the yard to harness old Jonas to the gig. He took her into the front parlour. You’d best go through, miss, and let him know you’re ready to leave.’

‘Oh, no. I couldn’t do that, Janet. It will not hurt to wait until his visitor has left.’

‘You’d best go through in any case, miss, and make yourself known,’ Janet persisted, determined, it seemed, to have her way. ‘You can’t go hiding yourself away every time someone calls at the house. And it’s my belief this one will not be a rare visitor now that the master’s returned.’ She gave vent to an unladylike snort. ‘Though how in the world she found out beats me. The master ain’t ridden off his land since he’s been back, as far as I’m aware.’

Clearly the housekeeper, for whatever reason, wished to have the kitchen to herself. And perhaps Janet was right, Katherine mused, for unless she wished to skulk away in corners for the duration of her stay in this house, she was bound to come into contact with Daniel’s friends and neighbours sooner or later.

She hovered for a moment, uncertain, then made her way towards the parlour to discover the door slightly ajar. Once again she found herself hesitating, debating whether to knock or merely enter, and decided to compromise by pushing open the door and remaining on the threshold.

The pang of envy Katherine experienced at first sight of the female clad in a very stylish, dark blue riding habit was quickly swept aside by the sudden eruption of a far stronger emotion that left her feeling slightly numbed and reluctant to believe the evidence of her own eyes, as she gazed upon the intimate little tableau: the woman with her hands pressed lightly against Daniel’s chest; he with his long fingers clasped about slender wrists. So locked was their gaze that they seemed oblivious to the sights and sounds about them, having eyes only for each other.

Then, as though sensing they were no longer alone, Daniel turned his head towards the door and Katherine wasn’t certain whether it was a flicker of relief or embarrassment she detected in those dark eyes of his, or perhaps a mixture of both. He certainly didn’t seem totally displeased to see her, for he immediately released his hold on his visitor and came smilingly forward.

‘Your arrival is most opportune, Cousin Louise,’ he told her, his eyes now clearly darting a warning, which Katherine perfectly understood. ‘I should like to make you known to one of my oldest friends,’ he added, taking such a firm grasp of one wrist that she had little choice but to accompany him into the room to make the visitor’s acquaintance.

Katherine guessed, even before Daniel made her known to the woman regarding her with keen interest, that the visitor was none other than the female he had once hoped to marry. It was not at all difficult to understand why he had wished to wed her either, for Julia Ross was undoubtedly one of the most beautiful women Katherine had ever set eyes on. From the perfect arrangement of soft blonde curls to daintily shod feet, she was the epitome of lovely femininity. If there was a slight fault then perhaps it was a mouth that was fractionally too wide. Even so, it was difficult to imagine that the most hardened male could have withstood the allure of the thickly lashed, cornflower-blue eyes.

Beneath the crop of lustrous curls, fine brows rose in surprise. ‘Your cousin, Daniel?’ She did not attempt to hide her astonishment. ‘I didn’t realise you had any cousins.’

‘Several in France, Julia,’ he confirmed. ‘Have you forgotten my mother was a Frenchwoman?’

Full lips curled into an easy smile. ‘Of course, how very foolish of me!’

Katherine then found her outstretched fingers clasped briefly, while her own features were scrutinised. ‘I quite fail to perceive any resemblance between you and your cousin, though, Daniel.’

‘There wasn’t a great deal between Simon and me,’ he reminded her, quick as a flash, before inviting her to sit down. ‘Besides which, Louise and I are only distantly related.’

He then recaptured Katherine’s wrist, once again giving her little option but to sit beside him on the sofa. Not that she objected in the least to this cavalier treatment. She was quite prepared, for the time being at least, to play the part of his docile little cousin, and more than happy to follow his lead.

‘I went over to France to bring my cousin to England,’ Daniel enlightened his visitor, after watching the cornflower-blue eyes flicker momentarily over Katherine’s attire. ‘You must be aware by now of the unfortunate events taking place across the Channel. It was utter chaos at the ports. Unfortunately, all Louise’s baggage went missing, and she is having to wear some of my mother’s old clothes.’

There was undeniably a flicker of sympathy in the blue eyes now, but Daniel was not slow to note that it didn’t quite disguise the suspicion which continued to lurk there. ‘Louise’s elder sister married an Englishman, a soldier, shortly after our troops entered Paris last year. Once they had settled in England, it had been their intention to send for Louise. Unfortunately she hasn’t heard from them for several months. I called upon her when I was in Paris, and assured her that she could always contact me if she were ever in need of my help.’

Katherine was quite amazed at the wonderful tale Daniel was concocting, but decided, having already wearied of her docile role, that it was high time she added something to the conversation. ‘My brother-in-law, he has a house in Der—Derb—Bah! What is the place called, Daniel? My English, madame, it is not good, you understand,’ she added, turning to Mrs Ross and raising both hands in a helpless little gesture. ‘My big cousin I find is a boar, and orders me always to speak the English now.’

A soft gurgle of laughter rose in the air. ‘I believe you mean bear, my dear,’ Julia offered helpfully.

‘Do I?’ Katherine turned her head on one side, as though considering this, while masterfully suppressing a chuckle of her own at the darkling look she received from the man beside her. ‘Perhaps you are right, madame.’

‘As you have probably gathered by now, Julia, my young cousin has a somewhat perverse, Gallic sense of humour. Which,’ he added, smiling sardonically, ‘I’m inclined to believe she’ll moderate before too long, especially if she knows what’s good for her.’

‘You see what I mean, madame?’ Katherine was beginning to enjoy herself hugely, safe in the knowledge that Daniel could do little in retaliation whilst his guest remained. ‘He is a brute, no? Ever since the day he came over to collect me from Paris he has bullied me unmercifully. I yearn to be with my own people again!’

‘I’m certain you do,’ the visitor agreed, sounding genuinely sympathetic. ‘Have you had any success in locating their whereabouts, Daniel?’

‘No, not yet, and possibly shan’t for some considerable time,’ he answered with a certain grim satisfaction. ‘So my cousin must reconcile herself to remaining with me. In the meantime, Julia, I must see what I can do about replenishing at least part of her wardrobe. I have promised to take her into town this morning. In fact, I was on the point of hitching up the gig when you arrived.’

If she was offended by Daniel’s obvious wish to bring her visit to an end, she betrayed no sign of it, and rose at once to her feet. ‘What a pity I have called at such an inconvenient time!’ She paused for a moment to slide her slender fingers into a pair of leather gloves. ‘I was hoping to persuade you to escort me back to the Hall. Your uncle unfortunately suffered a further mild bout of gout recently, and is feeling a little depressed. But no matter. Perhaps you might ride over to pay us a visit some other time?’

Although uncertain whether it was the promise he had made to escort her into the local town that held Daniel mute, or there was some other reason why he seemed faintly reluctant to escort the lady he had once hoped to marry back to her home, Katherine didn’t hesitate to assure him that she was quite willing to await his return, if he did wish to pay a visit to his uncle.

Mrs Ross was quite obviously delighted by the generosity of this unselfish gesture. Daniel’s reaction was not so easy to judge, for he betrayed neither enthusiasm nor disappointment before he escorted his visitor out of the room, merely saying that he would return as soon as he could.

There was no mistaking Janet’s feeling on the matter when Katherine rejoined her in the kitchen a few minutes later in time to see Daniel riding out of the stable-yard with his beautiful companion beside him.

‘Now why on earth is he going off with her? I thought he was supposed to be taking you in to town?’

‘I assured him I didn’t object to delaying my shopping trip if he wished to escort Mrs Ross back to her home.’

‘Well, I could have wished you hadn’t, miss.’

‘But why, Janet?’ Katherine was at a loss to understand the housekeeper’s obvious displeasure. ‘After all, an hour or two makes no difference. Besides which, Mrs Ross informed Daniel that his uncle is wishful to see him.’

‘Ha!’ Janet scoffed. ‘A likely story!’

More than just mildly curious, Katherine joined the housekeeper at the table. ‘What are you saying, Janet? Is there some bad feeling between Daniel and his uncle?’

‘Oh, no, miss. I weren’t meaning that. They’re fond of each other, right enough. Both Sir Joshua and Mr Edwin were very close and their sons were destined to be the same, more like brothers than cousins.’

Setting aside her sewing, Janet relapsed into a reminiscent mood. ‘I have to say I was very fond of Master Simon myself. He were a good-natured boy. I have to say too, it was always Master Daniel who was responsible for getting them into a scrape. Forever into mischief he was. Still …’ she sighed ‘ … if his father had spent more time with him when he was a boy, he might have been more settled.’

‘Were they not close?’ Katherine asked gently.

‘Oh, the old master loved him right enough. But after the mistress died there’s no denying he withdrew into himself and concentrated all his efforts on improving his house and lands. It was a blessing Master Daniel’s grandmother was here. She doted on him.’

‘Whenever he has spoken of her it has always been with deep affection,’ Katherine remarked.

‘Oh, yes, miss, there was a real bond between them. But it’s small wonder the young master grew restless, and showed little interest in the place. Perhaps if his father had spent more time with him, it might have been different.’

Katherine frowned at this. ‘He seems contented here now, Janet. He was talking only the other evening of his plans to improve the land, and his intention of extending the house by adding a separate dining room and a library, and two extra bedchambers.’

‘Oh, the love of the place has come to him, miss,’ Janet agreed. ‘But there was a time when I thought it might never do so. Years ago, when it was suggested that the young master should see something of the world and go out to India to work for the company Mr Edwin had a small share in, I thought it were no bad thing. His grandmother had passed away the year before, and he seemed more unsettled than ever.’ She shook her head sadly. ‘When I waved him off in the carriage, I never imagined the poor boy would be returning to an empty house … and everything.’

‘You mean to discover the girl he loved had married his cousin during his absence,’ Katherine remarked, not in the least reticent to reveal that she knew something of Daniel’s history to Janet. ‘My aunt Lavinia told me a little of his past.’

It seemed so strange, Katherine mused, clearly recalling that cold morning in early February, when she had sat with her aunt and cousin in the parlour, that her aunt’s disclosures had had little effect upon her then, save a moderate feeling of sympathy towards the man whom she had so foolishly maligned. How differently she felt now! Daniel had come to mean so much to her … Perhaps more than she cared to admit.

Swiftly thrusting this disturbing reflection aside, she said, ‘If my memory serves me correctly, my aunt seemed to suppose that pressure might have been brought to bear upon Julia to marry Daniel’s cousin?’

‘Pshaw!’ Janet dismissed this with a wave of one hand. ‘I heard that tale myself, and never believed a word of it! The Melroses doted on their daughter. They may have wished her to wait a year or two before becoming engaged to Master Daniel, and I cannot say I ever blamed them for that. She were only seventeen and he only just turned twenty when he set sail for India. But I don’t believe for a moment they forced her into marriage with Master Simon. No, I reckon she just fancied becoming Lady Julia Ross when the old man died and Master Simon came into the title. There’s no denying that some say that Sir Joshua served his nephew a bad turn by blessing the match, and that at least he ought to have insisted the wedding be delayed until after his nephew had returned.’

But not you, Katherine thought, but said, ‘I imagine that Simon must have been very much in love with Julia.’

‘Oh, yes, miss. He loved her right enough. And although Master Daniel might have bore him and his uncle some ill will when he came home from India, that’s no longer the case, and he was genuinely sorry to hear of his cousin’s death in that riding accident two years back.’