To Catch a Husband(36)

The crowd was spilling out around them. A man cannoned into Ann’s mare, which reared and snorted nervously. Garston pushed his own horse closer and urged Ann to move away. Kitty fought down her nerves, trying not to snatch at the reins as Bianca sidled and fretted beneath her. A scream made her look round. A woman with a baby in her arms was being pursued by a black-jowled man in a leather waistcoat. The woman was turning, using her body to shield the child from the blows he was aiming at her with his short staff. The man was gaining on his victim; another few strides and his huge paw would close on her shoulder and she would be lost.

Without thinking Kitty kicked Bianca, forcing the horse between the woman and her attacker.

‘No! Leave her alone, you fiend!’

The man pulled up quickly and narrowly avoided crashing into Bianca. He raised his head and glared at Kitty, his face contorted with rage. With a snarl he lifted his stick, whether to attack Kitty or Bianca she did not know, but even as she tried to move the mare out of the way, a huge black horse thundered up, its rider kicking out one booted foot to knock her assailant to the ground.

‘Daniel!’ Kitty gazed at her saviour, dizzy with relief.

He said nothing, merely grabbed at her reins and led her away from the immediate danger. Ann and the others trotted up. Kitty noticed that George Camber was riding very close to his sister, who was sobbing quietly.

‘Blackwood, thank heaven—’ began Mr Hamilton, but Daniel cut him short.

‘We need to get out of here, immediately.’

Garston nodded, looking pale.

‘I know,’ he said, ‘but the gateway is blocked with carriages and men fighting…’

‘We will have to jump the hedge,’ said Daniel shortly. ‘The longer we delay the more chance that we will be attacked. Go on,’ he ordered as George Camber began to protest. ‘We must get the ladies out of here!’ He held Bianca’s rein to prevent her following as the others set off towards the far corner of the field. He turned to Kitty. ‘You will have to jump, too. What practice have you had?’

She swallowed, her eyes fixed on Ann as she galloped up to the hedge and flew over it, skirts billowing around her.

‘A few small jumps with Dapple, nothing at all with this horse…’

‘This is Miss Harworth’s mare, is it not? I cannot imagine her keeping a horse that could not clear a barn.’ Daniel let go of the rein and rested his hand briefly over hers. ‘You can do it, Kitty. Follow me, hold on tight and leave everything to the mare.’ Kitty nodded and Daniel squeezed her fingers. His eyes crinkled as he gave her a quick smile. ‘Good girl!’

Another shout told them the mêlée was closing in on them again. Daniel kicked his horse into a trot and Kitty followed. Soon they were cantering across the grass. They were obliged to swerve to avoid a running man, but Kitty kept her eyes fixed on Daniel riding ahead of her, trying not to think of the hedge looming like a solid green wall in the distance. It was not high; she could see the others gathered on the far side, waiting for them. She forced herself not to pull on the reins and instead tried to push down on to the saddle, tightening her leg firmly around the pommel and struggling to remember everything Selby had taught her.

Daniel’s horse took the hedge with barely a break in its stride, then it was Kitty’s turn. She felt Bianca check slightly and gave her a little flick with her whip, urging her forwards. Suddenly the mare pushed off from her haunches and they were flying through the air, clearing the hedge easily and landing gracefully on the far side. The jolt as they hit the ground almost unseated Kitty, but she clung on, aware of her friends’ cheers as they applauded her. She realised she had been holding her breath and let out a huge sigh as she straightened in the saddle and pulled on the reins to bring Bianca to a walk.

Nothing happened.

Bianca continued to canter across the field with Kitty pulling ineffectually on the reins. She heard Lizzie Camber scream, her brother shouted in alarm, but Bianca’s pace only quickened. They were galloping away from Harper’s Field and Kitty could do nothing to stop the mare’s headlong flight.

Kitty tried to relax her tense hands on the reins and commanded herself not to panic. She needed to concentrate upon keeping her balance and staying in the saddle. Bianca showed no inclination to swerve or buck but she had the bit between her teeth and was in no mood to slow down. Kitty managed a quick look behind and was relieved to see Daniel pursuing her. She settled into the saddle: his horse was so much bigger and faster, he could not fail to catch her very soon, she knew it.

By a cruel twist of fate the short turf was giving way to bracken and rough heathland with a narrow track through it, wide enough for a single horse. Kitty’s heart sank a little: Daniel would only be able to follow her. She tried tugging on the reins again, but Bianca’s neck was rigid, her ears flattened and she had no intention of stopping. There was nothing for it but to hang on.

‘Very well,’ muttered Kitty. ‘Run if you must, you will tire eventually.’

On and on they went, the mare negotiating the twists and turns of the path with sure-footed ease. The others would follow her, she was sure, even though she dared not look around: she needed to keep her eyes on the path if she was not to be thrown off balance with any slight change of direction. The shouts and screams of the crowd had long ago disappeared and now the only sound was the thud of hooves and the creak of leather. The wind tugged at her bonnet, the ribbons came loose and she was unable to take a hand from the reins to prevent it being whipped away. As they rode further on to the moors she felt its chill seeping through her riding jacket. The path took a sudden upward turn and the mare’s headlong pace began to slow. Kitty seized her chance. She pulled hard on the reins and felt the mare respond, slowing to a walk just as the track widened.

Almost immediately Daniel was beside her. He reached over and caught the mare’s bridle, bringing both horses to a stand. Kitty realised she was shaking.

‘I c-couldn’t stop her.’

‘You did very well not to fall off.’

She managed a small smile.

‘Yes, I think so, too. Where are the others?’

‘I sent them home. If none of you arrives in time for dinner there will be panic at Kirkleigh.’

She nodded, then frowned at him.

‘But what were you doing in Harper’s Field?’

‘I know several members of the Anti-Slavery Society in this area. I had heard there was to be an open-air meeting at Chapeltown but it was only this morning that I realised how close you would be if you rode to Titchwell.’

‘So you came to join us?’

‘No! I came to get you away,’ he retorted. ‘These outdoor gatherings often end in rioting. I rode to the Star to tell you that you should avoid Chapeltown on your return journey, but I arrived too late. The landlord told me you had already set out for the meeting.’

‘I did not realise.’ Kitty shivered. ‘Everything started so well…’

‘Aye, that’s the devil of it. The innocent and the curious find themselves caught up in violence. Those opposed to the movement often pay gangs of men to break up open meetings such as this one. There’s more than one man in this area that would not be above such tricks.’

‘Do—do you mean they c-came with the sole purpose of fighting?’ Kitty shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. ‘I thought it was merely the heat, and too much ale…’ She swayed in the saddle and Daniel quickly slipped from his horse.

‘Come,’ he said. ‘You should rest a little.’

She kicked her foot free of the stirrup and slid down into his waiting arms.

‘I d-do not think my legs will hold me.’

‘They will not need to.’ In one smooth movement he swept her up, just as everything went black.



When Kitty opened her eyes she could not at first remember what had happened. She was lying on a bed of soft bracken, the smell of peat and hum of insects filling her senses. She moved her head and saw Daniel standing beside the horses. He had removed his jacket and waistcoat and was wiping the sweat from Bianca with handfuls of dried grass, his arm sweeping over the mare’s flanks in a smooth, graceful arc. As if aware of her eyes upon him he turned, and after giving the mare a final pat he threw away the makeshift brush and strode towards her.

‘So you are awake.’ He dropped down beside her. ‘How do you feel now?’

She did not answer immediately and instead looked sleepily at the way the slight breeze rippled the fine linen of his shirt, outlining the muscled body beneath. She closed her eyes again as the pleasant image was marred by returning memory. She struggled to sit up and immediately his arm was around her shoulders, supporting her.

‘Oh, dear,’ she muttered, ‘how…how feeble of me to faint off like that. I must get up…’

‘Do not try to stand just yet. There is no hurry.’

‘But there is! I must get back to Kirkleigh before dark.’

‘Impossible.’ Kitty stopped struggling. He said, ‘It is at least two hours’ ride and the sun is setting. We will ride as far as we can while it is still light, then we must take shelter until the moon rises. You are very pale,’ he added quietly. ‘I wish I had something for you to drink…’