To Catch a Husband…(31)

'You will of course be taking Selby?'

Ann wrinkled her nose.

'Oh, no, he is far worse than Bertram, always criticising! We should not  have a minute's peace if we take him with us. No, this will be a party  of pleasure. We shall be free to do as we wish for the day!'                       
       
           



       

'Well, I am not sure I shall be able to ride well enough … ' began Kitty, but Ann stopped her.

'Of course you will. You must not worry about that. We will all look after you, won't we, Garston?'

'You may be sure of it,' declared Lord Leaconham, coming up. 'A gentle ride and a good lunch, it will be a splendid day.'

'Well, not too gentle a ride,' put in Mr Hamilton, grinning. 'George and  I will want to try our horses over a few fences. But the ladies need  not follow,' he added hastily, when Ann hissed at him and glanced in  Kitty's direction. 'We shall all please ourselves!'



Kitty could not be easy. She had thought that Lady Harworth would not  allow them to ride out unaccompanied, but when they all met in the  drawing room before dinner she was surprised to find that Lady Harworth  had already given her permission.

'Leaconham will be with them and I am sure the rest of us have no wish  to drive out to Titchwell.' She smiled around at the assembled group.  'Young people have so much more energy, and they must be allowed to use  it up. And after all, there are enough of them to look after each  other.'

'I cannot like it,' opined Lady Leaconham. 'I am not at all sure that  Kitty should go, not without a maid to give her countenance.'

'Oh, Aunt, none of the maids can ride,' cried Ann. 'And you know how  tedious you would find it if you were obliged to come with us! We are  only riding out to the Star. We will send ahead and have a luncheon  prepared for us and when we have done we shall ride back.'

'And we will not be obliged to leave Harworth land at any time,' added Martin Hamilton. 'It will be quite unexceptional.'

'So you see, Letitia, there is nothing for us to worry ourselves over,' said Lady Harworth, smiling serenely at her sister.

Kitty had to admit that none of the older occupants of the room looked  keen to join the young people on their outing. Most of the other guests  were considerably older than their hostess and liked to spend their  afternoons reading or dozing in the morning room until the dinner hour.  She wondered if Lizzie and George's parents might object to their  children riding off unattended, but when Kitty glanced in their  direction she saw that they were both smiling and nodding benignly at  Lady Harworth. Since they were both so corpulent that they took up a  whole sofa each, Kitty had to stifle a giggle at the thought of either  of them on horseback. She wondered if Lord Harworth might refuse his  permission, but when their host did at last join them and Ann told him  of the proposed expedition, he did no more than pat her arm and bid her  enjoy herself.

'I would come with you myself, but I am meeting Reverend Miller and the  churchwardens that day: we are to discuss a new church roof.'

'Poor Lord Harworth, he works so hard,' gushed Mrs Camber, beaming at her host. 'My dear sir, we have not seen you all day.'

'Business, ma'am,' returned Lord Harworth. 'Out riding on the estate for  most of the day. But it's done now so I am free to enjoy myself. And we  have an extra guest for dinner! I said I would ask him and Blackwood  has agreed to join us. No need to trouble yourself, Mama, I saw Strutt  on my way in and told him to lay another place at the table.'

Even as he finished speaking the door opened and Daniel entered. Lady  Leaconham's countenance tightened with disapproval, but Kitty observed  that Lady Harworth was showing no concern and her son was cheerfully  introducing Daniel to his other guests. She had to admit that there  could be no fault found in Daniel's appearance. His tight-fitting dark  coat was beautifully made, not a wrinkle or a puckered seam in sight.  His buff-coloured waistcoat and knee-breeches enhanced his athletic  figure and the snowy froth of linen at his neck was immaculate. When he  turned to greet her she could not resist asking him if he had been  expecting the invitation to stay to dinner.

'Lord Harworth usually asks me so I always come prepared with a change  of clothes.' He hesitated, as if he might move away, then he said, 'You  are looking very well, Miss Wythenshawe. The country air agrees with  you.'

'I think you are right, Blackwood,' said Lord Harworth, overhearing his  comment and coming up. 'Plenty of fresh air and exercise, eh, miss? And  m'sister tells me you are learning to ride, too!'

'Yes, sir. Ann has kindly loaned me one of her riding ponies.'

'Selby says she is an excellent student,' said Ann. 'We are making up a party to ride to Titchwell next Tuesday.'

'After only a week's tuition?' said Daniel. 'I am impressed.'                       
       
           



       

A smile tugged at Kitty's mouth, responding to the gleam in his eyes.

'Ann has promised me it will be a very easy ride. I shall not be expected to jump any fences.'

'I am sure you will manage very well,' he told her.

'And if you are at the Star around noon on Tuesday, Mr Blackwood,' put  in Ann, 'you will be able to see for yourself, for we are taking  luncheon there. You might even join us … '

Lady Leaconham stepped up.

'I have no doubt Mr Blackwood is far too busy to ride out on a whim.'  She took Kitty's arm and led her away. 'Mrs Camber was complimenting me  upon your gown, my love,' she murmured. 'She was most impressed with the  embroidery. If she asks you about it pray do not tell her that your  mama made it herself!'

This reminder of her humble state effectively robbed Kitty of all power  of conversation and she was thankful when they went through to the  dining room, where the elegant settings and superb food commanded  everyone's admiration and attention.

Kitty found herself sitting between Mr Hamilton and Mr Camber. Since the  former flirted with Ann for the duration of the meal and the latter  devoted himself to his food, Kitty was left to enjoy her meal and her  thoughts in peace. Daniel was too far away to converse with her, almost  hidden from sight by a large silver epergne, but he seemed to be at  ease. Whenever she looked at him he was engrossed in conversation with  one or other of his neighbours. She was relieved. They, at least, did  not seem to share her godmother's reservations about his suitability as a  dinner guest.

Kitty heard her name and looked up to find Lady Harworth was asking a  number of questions of her sister about Kitty's family and birth, all of  which Lady Leaconham deftly turned aside. Kitty had to admire her  tactics. She gave the impression that Kitty's parents were very rich but  eccentric, refusing to give their daughter the lavish presentation she  deserved and hinting that such a come-out was unnecessary for someone of  Kitty's birth and fortune. It was subtly done and it satisfied her  hostess, but it made Kitty uncomfortable, especially when she realised  that Daniel was listening to the conversation, a sceptical look in his  hard eyes.



What in hell's name am I doing here? Daniel was beginning to wish he had  not accepted his host's invitation to stay for dinner. The knowledge  that Kitty was at Kirkleigh had been gnawing away at him ever since  Harworth had mentioned it. He had returned from London determined to  forget Miss Kitty Wythenshawe. She had set her heart on marrying well,  so let her get on with it. There were many girls far prettier: Miss  Harworth, for example, with her generous figure and golden hair was  generally acknowledged to be a beauty, but Daniel found his eyes drawn  towards Kitty, with her dusky curls and expressive mouth and those deep  green eyes that could darken and flash with anger.

When they had parted in London he had vowed he would never see her  again: at the time it had seemed an easy promise to keep, since he was  leaving Town. He had hoped that once he was home he would be able to  forget her by throwing himself into his work, but he had not succeeded.  She was always in his thoughts. It did not matter if he was surrounded  by the deafening clatter of machinery in the mill, silently poring over  the ledgers in the office or even riding over the moors, he found  himself thinking of her, wondering what she was doing, if she was happy.  Harworth had mentioned that she and Lady Leaconham were amongst his  summer guests so he had not been surprised to see her in the park that  morning, but he had been taken aback by his own soaring elation when he  had ridden up and she had smiled at him with such obvious pleasure. She  had looked very good sitting on the horse, too, the tight-fitting riding  jacket accentuating her tiny waist and straight back. He smiled  slightly, remembering her nervousness. That would go in time, of course.  He had no doubt that she would be a good horsewoman. In his imagination  he saw them riding out together over the moors in high summer,  galloping along the paths lined with purple heather, the sky a vivid,  unbroken expanse of blue …