To Catch a Husband…(32)

Daniel caught himself up. What was he thinking of? That would only  happen if she remained in the north-as Lady Harworth. He looked at his  host, sitting at the head of the table. Harworth was sitting back in his  chair, his eyes fixed on Kitty and a faint, satisfied smile on his  face. A shiver rattled Daniel's spine. Had he offered for her already?  No, he thought not: Lady Leaconham was still fending off her sister's  questions about Miss Wythenshawe. If an offer had been made and accepted  Daniel was certain Lady Leaconham would be looking much more  complacent. But it was only a matter of time. He ground his teeth in  frustration.                       
       
           



       



After dinner they gathered in the drawing room, where it was expected  that the young ladies would each take their turn upon the pianoforte. He  watched Ann drag Kitty forward, insisting that she should play. Daniel  chose to stand at the edge of the room where he could watch her without  being observed himself. As her fingers flew over the keys he was  impressed. She played well, due no doubt to a good teacher and a  willingness to apply herself-he was well aware of the tussles between  his mother and Bella when it came to music lessons! All too soon the  performance was over and Ann bounced up, declaring that they had been  practising a duet. It was not yet dark enough for candles but the summer  evening was drawing to a close, the setting sun casting a golden glow  over the drawing room and adding an extra radiance to the two young  ladies seated together at the pianoforte.

'Do they not make a beautiful picture?' murmured Lord Harworth, coming  to stand beside him. 'Two fine girls, one so dark, the other fair: I  would like to have their likeness captured, just as they are now. What  do you say, Blackwood, they would look well hanging on the wall here,  eh?'

'Very well, my lord.'

'Aye, I think so.' Lord Harworth turned towards him, saying  confidentially, 'I am minded to offer for Miss Wythenshawe, you know.'  Daniel clenched his jaw, not trusting himself to speak. 'I have been  thinking for some time that I should settle down. There's the title to  think of, I need an heir, you see. And Miss Wythenshawe is a pretty  little thing. Besides, my mother likes her.'

'Does she?'

'Oh, yes. Well, she's her sister's godchild, so we know she comes from a  good family. It's an anxious time,' continued Lord Harworth, shaking  his head. 'Her godmother is very obliging, of course, but you said  yourself the gel was above your touch: I only hope she doesn't turn her  nose up at a mere baron! Oh, bravo, ladies, bravo!'

A smattering of applause told them that the duet was ended and Harworth  walked away, clapping loudly. A bank of heavy cloud had blotted out the  sun, and there was a break in the entertainments as servants hurried in  to light the candles. Daniel remained in the shadows. He wished the  evening was over so he could take his leave, but to set out before the  moon had risen would cause comment. He must endure this torture a little  longer.

The room was settling again. Over by the piano he could see Kitty  shaking her head, politely declining to play more and she moved away as  Miss Harworth prepared to display her expertise at the harp. Daniel drew  a sharp breath: she was coming towards him.

'Do you play for us tonight, Mr Blackwood. Or sing, perhaps?'

'No, not tonight.' Thank heavens she had not asked him what he thought  of her performance, he could not recall a note, only that he had been  spellbound.

'I understand you have been out riding all day with Lord Harworth.'

He relaxed slightly. This was safer ground.

'Yes. We were looking at sites for his new mill. There are several that would be suitable.'

'It would require many men and women to work in such a place, would it not? Where would they come from?'

'From the surrounding farms and villages. Harworth is already improving  the farming methods used on his estates so there is less work on the  land. The people will make a better living in the mills.'

She nodded. Her eyes were fixed upon Ann, playing the harp, but he could  tell that she was thinking of other things, and he watched her,  entranced by the tiny crease in her brow, the slight quirk of her lips  as some new thought came to her.

'Mr Blackwood, may I ask you a question?' She turned her disconcertingly  clear gaze upon him and his heart skidded erratically within his chest.  His brows snapped together: better that he should frown at her than she  should know the effect she had upon him! She ran her tongue over her  bottom lip in that nervous little habit of hers, rousing the demon  desire in him. He had to steel himself not to reach out for her. She  started to turn away. 'I beg your pardon. I can see you think it an  impertinence … '

'No!' He put his hand on her arm. 'No,' he said again. 'Please. Ask me.'

His fingers seemed welded to her flesh. It took an immense effort to remove them when he saw the startled look in her eyes.

'Please,' he said again, giving her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. 'What is it you wish to ask me?'

'I wonder, sir, why you are working for Lord Harworth? From what I know  of you … ' She blushed a little. 'And I confess it is not very much! From  what you have told me, you do not need this employment. And will not  another mill be competition for you?'                       
       
           



       

'It will be competition, yes, but the industry is young, there is room  for more manufactories. But if Harworth is determined to set up a mill, I  am concerned that he should set about it in the right way. Soon he will  need to bring in extra workers-whole families. I want to make sure they  have proper housing, a school for the children, a doctor to look after  them.'

He read approval in her face, but even as it made his heart soar he knew  he must defend himself. He said curtly, 'Do not think of me as a saint,  Miss Wythenshawe. This is not charity, it is good business sense. If  men are sick, or ill fed, or worrying about their family, they do not  work so well.'

There were more questions in her head, he knew it, and part of him  wanted to draw her aside and continue their discussion, but that was  madness: the longer he spent in her company the harder it was to tear  himself away. A movement caught his eye and he looked up to see Miss  Harworth approaching with her brother and Martin Hamilton at her side.

'Well, now, Blackwood, what did you think of that?' demanded Lord  Harworth. 'Hamilton here says she plays like an angel, what?' He threw  back his head and gave a loud laugh. 'Harps, angels-what a good joke.'

Ann tapped his arm with her fan and tried to frown.

'Martin meant it as a compliment, Bertram, and I shall take it as such.'

Kitty looked around, startled. Daniel wondered if she had even noticed that her friend's performance had ended.

'Having heard you perform on the pianoforte, Miss Wythenshawe, I know  you are musical, too,' remarked Hamilton, in what Daniel considered to  be far too familiar a fashion. 'What did you think of Miss Harworth's  performance?'

Kitty stepped away a little before replying.

'It was delightful,' she said. 'I did not notice one wrong note.'

'And you are truly delightful to say so, Miss Wythenshawe,' chuckled  Lord Harworth. 'Ann has only been learning the harp for a few months and  I tell her she needs to practise more if she is to become really  proficient.'

'But there are so many other things to do, Bertram, especially when we have company.'

'You cannot expect your sister to neglect her guests, my lord,' said Hamilton with a little laugh.

'Of course not, and I, too will now devote myself to our guests.' Lord  Harworth bowed towards Kitty. There was no mistaking the warm, intimate  smile he gave her. 'A task that will give me no small enjoyment, I  assure you!'

Daniel thought it a clumsy compliment but it made Kitty blush rosily.  She murmured, 'We must not take up all your time, my lord.'

'Nonsense! What are we here for if not to enjoy ourselves! In fact, I am  thinking I should put off the meeting on Tuesday and ride with you to  Titchwell.'

'Oh, no, my lord,' said Kitty faintly. 'If you are otherwise engaged … '

'I thought that meeting was arranged for some weeks,' put in Daniel,  irritation sharpening his voice. 'Surely you will not rearrange it to  accommodate an outing of pleasure?'

Lord Harworth blinked at him.

'I do not see …  Well, perhaps not, I shall have to consider carefully, of  course.' He bent another beaming smile at Kitty. 'I admit the  temptation is very great!'

'We should of course be delighted to have you join us,' said Ann, not  quite truthfully. She gazed up more hopefully at Daniel. 'Perhaps you,  too, would like to ride over and join us, Mr Blackwood? It promises to  be a very jolly party.'

Ann's smile awoke no response in Daniel. He scarcely heard her, his mind  working out an excuse to get away before he said something he would  regret.