She dragged up a smile.
‘I will be very well again in a moment. You have done more than enough for me already, coming to my rescue.’
He shrugged. ‘That was nothing; you had already regained control when I reached you.’
‘No, not for following after me, although I am very grateful to you for doing so! I meant back at the meeting, when that man was about to attack…’
She shivered and as his arm tightened around her it seemed quite natural to shrink towards him and rest her head against his chest.
‘I would not let anyone harm you.’
His words and the solid, steady thud of his heart beneath her cheek was very soothing. She closed her eyes, breathing in the familiar, reassuring scent of him, a mix of wool, soap and spices.
‘You are a good friend to me, Daniel.’
He did not reply, merely squeezed her fingers and for several minutes they sat together in silence, staring out across the heath. It was so peaceful that Kitty was almost disappointed when Daniel suddenly jumped to his feet.
‘We should move on, if you are able.’
He put on his waistcoat and shrugged himself into his jacket. His tone was brisk and Kitty felt a stab of guilt. No doubt he had made plans for this evening and they would now be ruined.
‘Yes, of course,’ she said quietly. ‘I feel much better now.’
Silently she took the hand he held out to her and allowed him to pull her up. He walked her over to the grey mare and without ceremony he put his hands about her waist and threw her up lightly into the saddle. She looked down at him, a slight frown creasing her brow as he adjusted her stirrup. His face was stern, almost forbidding, but as if aware of her gaze he glanced up.
‘Do not look so anxious,’ he said gently. ‘You will be back at Kirkleigh soon after midnight.’
‘Yes, of course. It is very good of you to give up your time for me like this.’
His brows rose.
‘Would you have preferred to find your way alone?’
‘No, of course not, but the others…’
‘They were all shaken by what they had witnessed. Miss Camber especially was very distressed. I thought it best they should return together. Besides, Marnie was by far the fastest horse, so it was logical for me to come after you.’
His answer was so matter of fact she felt quite daunted and did not venture to speak again. He scrambled into the saddle and led the way across the heath towards the road that could be seen snaking through the valley below them. As they rode Kitty watched a line of thick grey cloud bubbling up in the west. As soon as the path widened she brought Bianca alongside Daniel’s black mare.
‘When the sun drops behind that cloud it will very soon grow too dark to go on.’
He nodded. ‘We have a little time yet: we will head for the road. It will be easier to find shelter down there. I doubt you had anticipated such an adventurous day’s ride, Miss Wythenshawe.’
‘Certainly not!’ She tried to match his bantering tone. ‘I expected the most exciting part of the day would be a short gallop.’
‘Lord Harworth will take care not to let you go out alone in future.’
‘Will he be very angry, do you think?’
‘No, no. He will be anxious, of course, but you may have noticed that his sister can wind him around her finger.’ A smile tugged at one corner of his mouth. ‘My own sister is just such a minx!’ He paused. ‘Harworth is a good man at heart, and a responsible landlord. However, there is a lot he has to learn about running a mill.’
‘And can you teach him that?’ she asked, turning her head to look at him.
‘I shall try. It is something I have grown up with.’
‘Has your family always been involved in spinning?’
‘With cloth, certainly. My grandfather was a merchant. He was obliged to travel widely throughout the north, collecting pieces—woven sections of cloth—from the weavers who lived in the little villages throughout the area. He traded in all sorts of cloth, calimancoes, serges, camlets and so on. Grandfather encouraged his younger sons to build a mill, just over the Pennines in Lancashire. Using Arkwright’s new cotton machines they soon had a thriving business. My uncle still owns that mill, but my father wanted to return to Hestonroyd so he built his first mill there. I grew up with the business. I have worked beside my father in each new venture.’
‘It must be very rewarding.’
‘It is, but it is not to be undertaken lightly.’
Daniel began to explain to her about the responsibilities of a mill owner and she listened, fascinated as he told her how his father had built sturdy new cottages for the workers, schools for the children, about the doctor he employed to make regular visits to his mills. She put in questions occasionally, but they were hardly necessary: he was eager to talk.
‘Why are you telling me all this, Mr Blackwood?’ she asked him, when at last he fell silent. ‘Do you explain your business to everyone in such detail?’
He did not answer her immediately, but kept his eyes fixed on the road ahead of them.
‘Lord Harworth has excellent intentions,’ he said at last. ‘But I fear that he may not understand that a mill requires constant supervision. It is easy to be tempted into cutting costs and making short-term profits at the expense of the workers. I believe that you will be in a position to remind him of his duties, when other interests distract him.’
‘I—I fear I do not understand,’ she stammered.
‘You will be able to look after the welfare of your people, when you are Lady Harworth.’
The sudden disappearance of the sun made Kitty aware of the chill breeze cutting through her riding jacket.
‘I…I think you are mistaken,’ she muttered. ‘L-Lord Harworth has not made me an offer.’
‘Perhaps not, but it is his intention to do so.’ He glanced at her, his face shuttered. ‘It is what you want, is it not?’
‘I—’ Kitty swallowed. ‘Why…yes, I suppose…’
‘As Lady Harworth you will be in a position of influence,’ he said. ‘You will be able to ensure your mill-workers are treated well. Yours will be a very important role.’
Kitty was silent. So Daniel, too, thought Lord Harworth would offer for her. She bit her lip. Surely she should be happier than this at the prospect, but all she felt was confusion. The darkness that was enveloping them seemed to enter her very being, weighing her down.
‘We will have to stop soon.’ He pointed to a rocky out-crop looming over them. It had been quarried away to form a large semi-circular space beside the road. ‘We could shelter there for an hour or so, or we could go on; there should be an inn somewhere along this road…’
‘Let us stop here,’ Kitty begged, exhausted as much by the tumult raging within as by her ordeal.
They moved into the shelter of the rocks and Daniel lifted Kitty from her horse. This time he released her almost before her feet touched the ground, increasing her feeling of desolation.
While Daniel saw to the horses she walked over to sit on a low ledge that formed a natural bench, the stone rising smooth and sheer at her back. Night fell rapidly. Bianca became a vague grey shape and she could not make out the black horse at all. When Daniel turned and walked towards her she could see only the pale blur of his face and his white neckcloth.
‘What if the cloud moves in to cover the sky?’ she asked him, a slight edge of panic in her voice. ‘What if there is no moonlight?’
‘There will be. The cloud is breaking up already.’ He sat down beside her and they both leaned back against the hard stone. Kitty was very conscious of the gap between them. It was only a few inches but it was as if Daniel had put up a barrier between them. He continued, ‘The moon will rise in a couple of hours. As soon as it is high enough to light our way we will move on.’
‘Until then we must sit here.’
‘Yes.’
Kitty shivered.
‘Are you cold?’
‘A little.’ She put out her hand, saying quickly, ‘No, I would not take your jacket! If we could sit a little closer…’
He put his arms around her.
‘Is that better?’
‘Yes, thank you.’
She leaned into him, resting her head on his chest. Would any other man make her feel so comfortable? she wondered.
‘You are always coming to my rescue, Daniel,’ she said sleepily. ‘In another life you would have been a knight, I think. A knight in armour. Rescuing damsels.’
There is only one damsel I would ever wish to rescue.
Daniel glanced down. He could see very little in the darkness but he felt her curls tickling his chin. Desire stirred within him and he cursed silently. Damnation, did she not realise the temptation she presented?
‘I am not as chivalrous as you think me,’ he muttered.
She raised her head.
‘Why do you say that?’
Her face was very close, a pale blur in the darkness. He could feel her warm breath on his cheek.
‘Because being here with you in my arms, I want to…’
He turned his head slightly and his mouth brushed her soft lips, as he had known it would. She trembled but did not recoil and he kissed her gently, savouring the taste of her, the scent of fresh flowers that clung to her skin. Her lips parted beneath his even as she melted against him, the movement slight but deliciously inviting. Slowly and with great care he lowered her down on to the ledge, half-hoping, half-dreading that she would protest and he would be obliged to draw back. Instead she gave a little moan and clutched at his coat, pulling him down with her. They were stretched out together and Daniel thought he would never want a more comfortable bed than this stone ledge with Kitty nestled against him. Passion threatened to consume him. By sheer force of will he contained it. With infinite tenderness he kissed her eyes, her cheek. He had no idea when she had removed her gloves but he felt her fingers driving through his hair, tormenting him with thoughts of how it would feel to have those same hands on his skin, stroking his chest, the fingers raking down his back. He sought her mouth again and while he kissed her he smoothed his hand over the tightly fitted riding jacket, following the curve of her waist up to the swell of her breast. Kitty shivered and arched towards his hand. His pulse leaping, Daniel unbuttoned the jacket. He gently pulled aside her neckcloth and opened the mannish shirt she wore beneath. It was too dark to see anything but shadows so he lowered his head and pressed his lips to the bare flesh of her neck. Kitty moaned as his fingers slipped beneath the shirt and found her breast. She shifted restlessly against his hand, her body arching when his mouth slid downwards, his tongue circling and teasing one erect nipple while his fingers caressed the other. Kitty gasped. Her hands clutched at his hair but she did not try to pull him away, rather she held him closer. She moaned and writhed beneath him, every movement an invitation for him to go further. If only she knew it.