To Catch a Husband…(33)

'Alas, no,' he said shortly. 'I have engagements that day that cannot be  put off. In fact, I have work tomorrow that requires an early start so I  must take my leave of you now. If you will excuse me.'

Kitty's feelings were mixed as he gave a stiff bow and walked off. His  presence unsettled her, but with his departure the room seemed a little  less bright. Ann gave an uncertain laugh.

'Well, do you think I frightened him off, that he dashed away so suddenly? He looks so serious.'

'No, no, sister, Blackwood always looks serious!'

'He is a manufacturer,' said Mr Hamilton, raising his quizzing glass to  watch Daniel's retreating figure. 'Such men would have us believe there  is no time for anything but work.'

'I believe supervising the proper running of a mill does take a great deal of effort,' observed Kitty.

Ann pouted.

'Then I do not think you should build one, Bertram, if it leaves you no time for pleasure.'                       
       
           



       

'Pho, that is why we have managers and overseers,' declared her brother.  'Have no fear, Ann my love. Once the mill is up and running I do not  expect it to take up much of my time at all. In fact, I mean to ask  Blackwood to find me a good man to run the mill for me.'

'So you are serious about this mill business,' remarked Mr Hamilton.

'Yes, most certainly. The improvements I have made on my estates here  mean that we no longer need so many people. Best to employ 'em to my  benefit than to have them a burden to the parish. Blackwood's invited me  to see his own mill over at Hestonroyd tomorrow. Perhaps you should  come with me, Hamilton, to see for yourself how these new manufactories  are run.'

'Not I, my lord!,' laughed Hamilton, throwing up his hands. 'I never had any head for business.'

Ann shook her head and laid a hand on her brother's arm.

'Oh, Bertram, surely you saw enough of mills and machinery at Cromford!  How can you think anyone would be interested in such things?'

'I am,' said Kitty, greatly daring. Her spirit quailed as every eye  turned in her direction. She swallowed. 'I would very much like to see a  spinning mill, my lord.'

'Would you now, Miss Wythenshawe?' After his initial shock, Lord Harworth beamed at her.

'Yes, I would,' she declared bravely. 'Very much.'

'But, Kitty, we are going to take our sketchpads and easels into the  park tomorrow and paint views of the house,' Ann reminded her.

'You can easily do that another day,' put in Lady Leaconham, coming up.  'I am sure Bertram would be delighted to have company tomorrow.'

'I would indeed,' declared her nephew. 'Perhaps we should make up a party … '

Kitty noted with wry amusement that this suggestion found little favour  with the other guests, who all found reasons why they should remain in  the luxurious surroundings of Kirkleigh Hall the following day.

'Well, if Kitty is determined to go then I shall go too,' declared Ann.  'You will not object to that, will you, Brother? And that way Kitty and I  can chaperon each other. There will be no need for Mama or my aunt to  come with us.'

Thus by the time the tea tray was carried in, the visit was arranged to  everyone's satisfaction and the carriage was ordered for early the  following morning.

'Well, what a clever little puss you are,' murmured Lady Leaconham,  tucking her arm through Kitty's and taking her off to sit with her on a  sofa by the window. 'I should never have thought of suggesting you go to  the mill with Bertram, but it was very well done of you. He could not  fail to be flattered by your interest.'

'I had no idea of flattering Lord Harworth,' Kitty protested. 'I truly want to see the mill.'

'Of course you do,' replied her godmother with a maddening smile. 'And  nothing could make it plainer to my nephew that you are just the wife  for him!' She patted Kitty's hands. 'Do not look so dismayed, my love.  It was a little bold of you, to be sure, but it may be just the nudge  Bertram needs to offer for you!'





Chapter Nine

After an early breakfast the next morning Kitty set off for Hestonroyd  with Ann and Lord Harworth in an open carriage. As the miles sped by it  occurred to her that they would not have to travel much further to reach  Fallridge and her home, but she kept these thoughts to herself,  remembering her promise to her godmother not to talk of her family. She  longed to see Mama and Aunt Jane, imagining their pleasure at all she  would be able to tell them, but it was not only Lady Leaconham's wish  that she should not visit Fallridge while she was a guest at Kirkleigh.  Mama too had expressly forbidden her to call.

Lord Harworth was addressing her and she looked up to respond. She was a  little embarrassed in his company, conscious that by expressing her  interest in visiting Hestonroyd everyone assumed she was determined to  become Lady Harworth. Kitty thought of her mother's letters, the  constant reminders that she should strive to find a suitable husband,  but even the thought that Mama would approve of her actions brought her  little comfort. Kitty sighed. Papa had always insisted that high rank  and titles counted for very little, but it seemed that everyone else she  knew, including Mama, thought they counted for a great deal. Her family  would be very disappointed in her if she threw away her chance to marry  a lord.

'Ah. We are nearly there now.'

Lord Harworth's words recalled her wandering thoughts. The carriage had  slowed and now turned off the main highway to follow a well-made,  winding road that led down into a thickly wooded valley. There was no  opportunity to see very far ahead as the road twisted back and forth in  its descent, but eventually they rounded the final bend and there before  her was Hestonroyd Mill. She gasped, staring wide-eyed at the huge  building that filled the narrow valley bottom. The stone walls were  punctuated with dozens of windows on each of its four floors and the  slate roof was surmounted by an elegant bell tower, not to call the  faithful to worship, she knew, but to summon the workers to their posts.                       
       
           



       

The road descended to run alongside the mill, separated from it by a  fast-flowing stream. They crossed the bridge and drove under the arch  that led into a large courtyard, bustling with people and wagons. The  clatter of hooves echoed against the stone walls, for the mill continued  on three sides, while on the fourth was a series of smaller buildings.  The carriage drew up outside the biggest of these, a square house that  looked very much like a gentleman's residence but which Lord Harworth  declared would be the offices. A sound like distant thunder reverberated  through the yard and Ann looked around nervously.

'What is that noise?'

'The machinery,' said her brother. 'Water frames that turn dozens, even  hundreds of spindles at a time, producing more yarn in a week than a  woman could spin in a lifetime.'

As Kitty followed Ann down from the carriage, Daniel appeared. Lord  Harworth hailed him, saying easily, 'Hope you don't object, Blackwood,  but the ladies wanted to come with me. Miss Wythenshawe especially is  eager to see inside your mill!'

Kitty's cheeks grew warm as Daniel's dark, unfathomable glance rested upon her.

'No,' he said at last. 'I have no objection at all, but I would warn you  that the noise and bustle of a mill can be overwhelming.'

'You employ women here, do you not, Mr Blackwood?' asked Kitty, brows  raised. 'I am sure if they can live with it day after day then we can  put up with the … noise and bustle, as you put it, for an hour or so.'

Daniel looked surprised, but she read approval in his hard eyes and felt a faint glow of satisfaction.

He nodded.

'Very well then. If you would like to come this way?'

They crossed the yard, keeping close to Daniel. Looking about her, Kitty  saw that everyone was working busily, loading wagons or pushing  handcarts across the cobbles, while all around them the mill rumbled and  growled like some huge, sleeping monster. The noise of the machines  grew louder as they stepped into the mill.

'We have spinning shops on all four floors,' said Daniel, leading them  towards a heavy wooden door. 'No need to see them all, but I'll take you  through a couple of them. Please be sure to stand clear of the mules-'

'Mules?' Ann repeated.

'The spinning mules-machines,' explained Daniel. 'They travel out over  the floor and have moving parts that can snatch at your gown if you  stand too close.'

He opened the door. As Kitty stepped into the spinning shop the  deafening noise was like a physical assault. She glanced at Ann, who was  clinging to her brother's arm, looking about her wide-eyed. The floor  shook beneath their feet and the whole room seemed to be one seething,  boiling mass of movement. It was very bright from the many windows on  all sides. Banks of machines-the mules-ran the width of the building,  each one carrying large spools of creamy-grey yarn.