'It is very … grand,' she managed at last and drew a soft laugh from her companion.
'It is indeed, but you must not let that deter you. The house is run by an army of servants and there are housekeepers and stewards a-plenty to attend to everything.'
'If that is the case, ma'am, then what would there be for me to do?'
Lord Leaconham, sitting opposite, found the question highly amusing.
'Why, there will be nothing for you to do but to please your husband and enjoy yourself!'
The carriage drove past the first of two flights of steps leading up to the first-floor entrance and stopped at a wide doorway at ground level, where a series of liveried servants waited to hand them out of the coach. Kitty would have found their presence very daunting if at that moment Ann had not flown out of the house and enveloped her in a warm embrace.
'Oh, Kitty, I am so glad you are here! You are the first of our guests to arrive. It has been so very dull here with only Bertram and Mama to talk to! And Aunt Leaconham, too: welcome to you, dear Aunt! And Garston! I am delighted you could join us, Cousin. Now we shall be a merry crowd! Come in, come in, all of you! Bertram is out riding and Mama is resting in her room. She gave instructions that you were to be shown to your rooms first so that you might rest and change before we all met up at dinner, but I could not wait for that so I came out to meet you!'
Bemused by this enthusiastic but unconventional welcome Kitty was not sure how to react, but a glance at the butler's face showed her that that august personage was smiling benignly upon his young mistress, so she allowed herself to be marched off, leaving Lady Leaconham and Garston to follow at a much more dignified pace.
'Oh, I have missed you so,' declared Ann, leaning happily on Kitty's arm. 'I know it is only two weeks since we were in London but it feels so much longer than that! Tell me all that I have missed. Has everyone left Town now?'
'It is much quieter,' responded Kitty, adding with a twinkle, 'I think your departure signalled the beginning of the mass retreat!'
'No! Have all the gentlemen gone, then? I expected Mr Duffey to propose to that plain Jane he was courting, and Mr Ashley seemed determined to pay court to you at my party … '
Kitty did not wish to be reminded of Mr Ashley, but it was clear that she would need to give some sort of answer.
'He was interested only in a flirtation, which did not please me at all-'
'Oh, my poor little Kitty, did he try to make love to you?' Ann laughed. 'He is a rattle, but quite amusing.'
'Well, I did not find him amusing at all,' retorted Kitty, remembering her torn dress, and the lies she had told. 'I wish you had not introduced him to me.'
'Oh, dear, you are really upset. Pray do not be angry with me, I thought he might amuse you. Did you send him away? I cannot recall seeing him at the house after the dancing.'
'I think he left early,' said Kitty, eager to change the subject. 'As for Mr Duffey, I believe he has gone into Devonshire, following his plain Jane.'
'Well, I wish him luck. He has been head over heels for her all Season, which made him very poor company, I can tell you. He was convinced everyone would think he was marrying her only for her fortune, because he has not a penny to fly with, but I told him no one cares for that any more! But enough of that-here is your room!'
It seemed to Kitty that they had walked miles up stairs, through elegant chambers and along echoing corridors to reach a large sunny bedroom.
'It is next to mine,' continued Ann, leading the way in. 'We are quite a distance from my Aunt Leaconham, but I hope you won't mind that, and I thought my maid could look after you, if you would not object. Then Meakin won't have to trail all the way up here from my aunt's chamber every time you change your dress.'
'You have thought of everything,' Kitty, responded, a laugh trembling in her voice. 'And, no, I have no objection at all to being here, if that is what you wish. As for a maid, I am very used to dressing myself, you know. I never had a maid until-' Even as the words spilled out, Kitty had a vision of her godmother's horrified countenance. With barely a pause she continued, 'I mean, I never had a maid of my own until very recently.'
'Norris will be more than sufficient for us both. And you know she is very discreet,' added Ann with a naughty twinkle.
She continued to chatter for a while longer until she saw Kitty trying to hide a yawn.
'Oh, dear, here I am talking non-stop and you will be wanting to rest before dinner!' She stepped up to give Kitty another hug. 'I shall leave you now, and I will send Norris to unpack your trunk while you sleep!'
If Kitty did not actually go to sleep before dinner she did at least rest, and when Ann came to collect her to take her down to the dining room she was feeling much refreshed and ready to see more of Kirkleigh.
Many of the windows had been opened and a cool breeze flowed through the house. Kitty might never have moved in such exalted circles, but she had grown up with the reminiscences and instructions from Mama and Aunt Jane, so the high rooms with their gilded ceilings and thick carpets, the bustling activity of the servants, even the call of the peacock coming in from the open window, seemed familiar. Ann had told her that several other guests had been invited to join them at Kirkleigh later that week, and she was relieved to think she would have a few days to become accustomed to the house and its ways before meeting new people.
Dinner was served in the small dining room, and although the mass of silver in the centre of the table resembled a small mountain range to Kitty, she knew this was an informal dinner. Everyone appeared to be in the best of spirits, even her godmother making light of the long journey north with its lame carriage horses and unaired sheets.
'It is even worse if one is travelling without a gentleman,' observed Lady Harworth. 'Bertram wanted me to bring Ann here on my own while he stopped off in Derbyshire, but I would not agree to it. I said if he could not come here directly with us then we would go with him.'
Lady Leaconham turned a smiling enquiry upon her nephew.
'And what was there in Derbyshire that required your presence, Bertram?'
'Mr Blackwood wanted him to visit Cromford and see Mr Arkwright's cotton-spinning mill,' put in Ann. 'Mama and I did not go into the mill, of course, but Bertram said it was a vast, noisy place, and everything is powered by water.'
'And you'll soon see we have plenty of that here,' declared Lord Harworth. 'Water and the hills make Kirkleigh ideal for a mill.'
'But you will not be building your mill anywhere near the house, my dear,' put in Lady Harworth. She turned to address her sister. 'I have never seen such a place as Cromford, Sister. The mill stands like a huge stone fortress, grey and forbidding.'
'It could well be the Castle of Otranto,' giggled Ann.
'And is Cromford itself a pretty village?'
Lady Harworth shook her head.
'Everywhere is dust and noise, because they are forever building. We were obliged to put up at the Greyhound. I have to admit it was very comfortable, nothing like the usual coaching inn. It is far more commodious: Mr Arkwright himself built it for his many visitors. I understand his mill attracts a great deal of interest, although I cannot see why that should be.'
'It is the future, Mama,' said Lord Harworth. 'With the new mills and machinery to spin cotton we can make cloth better and quicker than anywhere else in the world, and make a fortune to boot. Several fortunes!'
'I am not sure it is quite as easy as it sounds,' remarked Kitty.
Lord Harworth smiled at her.
'You are quite right, Miss Wythenshawe, which is why I have engaged Blackwood to help me! In fact, he will be riding over next week to look at the new plans my man is drawing up, so you will be able to renew your acquaintance with him-I shall ask him to stay for dinner!'
The news roused mixed feelings for Kitty. Much as she wanted to see Daniel again, was it wise, when he awoke such passion in her yet she knew nothing could come of it?
She had struggled with the problem throughout dinner, but when she carried a dish of tea across to Lady Leaconham later in the evening she discovered that her godmother was also unhappy.
'I cannot understand Bertram inviting that young man to eat with the family,' she said, drawing Kitty down beside her on the sofa. 'He says himself he has engaged him, so he is in some ways an employee. And to have the man mixing with his own sister, who is at a very impressionable age!' She shook her head. 'I do not understand it,' she said again. 'And my sister, to allow it with never a word of reproach. She is usually such a stickler for propriety.'
Kitty listened to her in growing dismay. It seemed that as her godmother's hopes of a match between Kitty and her nephew had grown, so had her prejudice against Daniel Blackwood and despite her attempts to remain neutral, Kitty found herself more and more wanting to defend him.