To Catch a Husband(46)

That wiped the smile from his face, but his consternation cut even deeper into her heart.

‘I did not cry off, Kitty, you have my word on it. You see—’

She said quickly, ‘I made a solemn vow that I was done with you for ever, so whatever tricks you used to force Ann to jilt you they are wasted! I will not have anything more to do with you!’

She began to move again, hurrying along the riverbank. For a short while she thought Daniel had stopped following her, but a quick glance behind showed that he had merely paused to remove his coat and throw it over the saddle.

‘Do you know, it is far too hot for so much exertion. I wish you would slow down.’

He spoke in a conversational tone, as if they were enjoying a gentle stroll together. Anger was warring with frustration in Kitty. How dare he torment her in this way? Ahead she could see a bridge across the stream, a series of flat stone slabs supported on boulders in the stream bed. If she could cross that, the path wound up past a small cottage where a wisp of smoke trailed from the chimney. Perhaps the owner would allow her to rest inside and shut the door upon Daniel.

‘Kitty, will you please stop and allow me to explain!’ He reached for her and she sprinted away from him.

‘Go away, Daniel. Go away and leave me in peace!’

She had reached the bridge. Gingerly she stepped on to the first slab. It wobbled slightly beneath her. A few more steps took her to the centre, but Daniel had caught up with her. His hand shot out and gripped her arm, stopping her in her tracks. She tried to shake him off.

‘How dare you touch me? Let me go this instant, you…you fiend!’

‘I will let you go, if you promise to listen to me and to stop acting like some angry fishwife!’ Kitty froze, furious at his insult. He was scowling down at her, his chest heaving. ‘Well,’ he said at last. ‘If I let you go will you promise not to run away?’

‘Yes.’ The word forced itself out between her clenched teeth.

He nodded and released her arm. Kitty glared at him as he stood beside her on the narrow bridge. Every slight, every insult she had suffered at his hands returning to her mind, magnified tenfold. Deliberately, she put her hands against his chest and pushed.

If Daniel had not been about to step away from her it would never have happened, but he was momentarily distracted and Kitty’s push caught him off balance. He twisted, his arms thrown wide as he toppled into the river. Kitty watched in a mixture of horror and fascination as he disappeared beneath the water, only to surface a few moments’ later, coughing and spluttering. He rose to his feet, standing thigh-deep in the fast-flowing water.

Kitty’s hands flew to her mouth. A fleeting, sickening dread that he might have been seriously hurt on the stony river bed was replaced with fear for her own safety as he stood braced against the current, glaring up at her through the heavy curtain of wet black hair that clung to his forehead. She swallowed, transported back to their very first meeting, when she had addressed him as a servant and he had scowled at her so blackly that she had been afraid he would drag her from the gig and strangle her. That fear of reprisals returned to her now. Then, to her astonishment, she saw the gleam of amusement in his eyes. He threw back his head and laughed. A deep, rich sound that drew a reluctant smile from her in response. ‘Touché, madam! No doubt you think that a sweet justice.’ He grinned up at her. ‘Do you consider yourself revenged now for my dropping you in that muddy ford?’

‘Well, yes,’ she replied frankly. ‘I do!’

She reached down her hand to him, but as soon as his fingers curled around hers he gave a tug and she toppled off the bridge, landing with a splash in the water beside him.

‘Oh! Oh, you…you…!’ She spluttered and coughed as he pulled her to her feet beside him.

‘You did not think I would let you get away with that, did you?’

Kitty put up her hands to wipe the wet hair from her eyes, a furious retort rising to her lips, but it died when she saw him laughing down at her. A gurgle of laughter bubbled up inside her and instead of pushing Daniel away she found herself clinging to his arm, giggling helplessly.

Still laughing, they struggled to the bank and dragged themselves out, lying side by side on the short grass. Daniel reached for her hand.

‘I did not cry off from my engagement,’ he said, suddenly serious. ‘Neither did Ann. It was her brother who withdrew his consent.’

She sat up.

‘Lord Harworth? Why should he do that—oh, poor Ann!’

‘He objected to my liberal views. And you must not think Ann was heartbroken, I suspect she was as relieved as I was to be released from the engagement. She is thinking of marrying Leaconham.’

‘Garston!’ Kitty stared at him, astounded. ‘How could she prefer Garston to…?’

‘I am only too thankful that she does prefer him,’ retorted Daniel, pulling her down to him. ‘But that is not important now. What is important is that I am free.’ He reached up a hand and cupped her face, her wet hair clinging around his fingers. ‘Since neither Ann nor I cried off, you are not bound to refuse me.’ He gently pulled her face down and kissed her. ‘I love you, Kitty,’ he whispered. ‘Say yes. Say you will marry me.’

‘Oh, Daniel!’ Kitty stopped, unable to say more because of the constriction in her throat. Silently she nodded and with an exultant gasp Daniel pulled her back into his arms, rolling her beneath him as he covered her face with hot kisses.

‘Kitty, you are crying.’ He broke away. ‘Dearest, what is it?

She sat up, shaking her head.

‘N-nothing,’ she managed, smiling mistily through her tears. ‘It is j-just that I am s-so happy!’ The salty tears on her cheeks were hot and made her aware of her wet gown, which was rapidly cooling. ‘We must move, and quickly,’ she said, struggling to get up. ‘It will not do to grow chilled.’

‘We will call at the cottage,’ said Daniel, scrambling to his feet and nodding towards the little house at the top of the bank.

‘Your horse is still on the other side,’ she remarked.

Daniel gave a long whistle.

‘Marnie, come on, girl! Come!’ With a toss of her fine head the black mare stepped up to the bridge and daintily trotted across. ‘Horses are like women,’ he said, mischief glinting in his eyes. ‘Better when they are well trained.’

With a laugh he dodged the blow she aimed at him. Then, as she began to pummel him he caught her wrists and whipped her hands behind her back, pulling her against him and kissing her soundly.

‘How on earth am I to quarrel with you,’ she said severely, when at last she could speak again, ‘when you take such advantage of me?’

‘I do not want us to quarrel,’ he said, lightly kissing the end of her nose. ‘I want only to make you happy for ever more.’ He put his arm about her waist. ‘Shall you walk up the bank or would you like me to put you up on Marnie?’

‘Walk, I think. The exertion will warm us.’

With Daniel’s arm around her they started up the bank. An old woman in a grey dress hurried down towards them, trailing a large shawl from one hand.

‘Oh, my goodness, whatever has happened to you?’ She demanded as she drew closer. ‘Oh, my poor dears, took a tumble in the beck, did you? You must come in and dry yourselves. Quickly now.’ She wrapped the shawl around Kitty’s shoulders and took her arm to hurry her towards the cottage.

‘Thank you, mother,’ said Daniel, falling into step beside them. ‘We saw the smoke from your chimney and were going to ask if we could warm ourselves by your fire.’

‘Aye, of course. And you’re very lucky that I have kept it in, only I fancied a drop o’ soup before settin’ off for t’village. It won’t take a minute to get it blazing again.’ When they reached the small gate in the wall that bounded her garden the old woman turned to Daniel. ‘You can tie that great brute of a horse to the gate. No one will take him while you and your lady are indoors, and I don’t want ’im eatin’ my herbs!’

Meekly Daniel did as he was bid while the old woman led Kitty into the house. After the bright sunshine the room seemed very dark at first, but Kitty’s eyes soon grew accustomed and she saw that they were standing in a small but very tidy chamber, most of the space being taken up by a large spinning wheel. The room was bare of comforts save for a small cushioned settle and a colourful rag rug before the fire. The old woman immediately set to work stirring up the coals before taking a few small logs from the basket to place on the top.

‘Please, mother, do not use all your fuel for us,’ said Daniel quickly.

The old woman waved aside his protest.

‘Lord love ye, sir, if ye don’t get warm you’ll be catching your death, right enough. Besides, my son Jack brought me over a sack o’ coal only last week, so we’re not short o’ fuel.’ She pointed to a door behind them. ‘Beyond there is my bedroom, sir. If you and your lady will remove thy wet things I’ll hang ’em out to dry. An hour or so in the sun and with this breeze they’ll be good as new. And don’t you be afraid to give me your shirt and britches, young man: I have sons of my own, so you’ve nowt I haven’t seen before!’