LITMIR.BIZ

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‘I was coming to look for her and saw her approaching down the corridor. I do not think she was aware of me, as I had just come around the corner and this end of the corridor is somewhat shadowed. She stopped abruptly at the door of his Grace’s study, hesitated and appeared to listen. She only stood there a moment, but she put up her hand to her mouth, as though in distress, and when she came up to me I saw she had tears in her eyes.’

      Nick stared at the butler blindly. The door had been ajar, he had noticed it just now as he left. What had they been saying that she could have overheard? Then he realised just how their conversation about Arabella could have been misunderstood, especially if only partly heard.

      What had he said? Something about having realised that Arabella was not the right wife for him, but feeling honour bound—feeling trapped—into asking her to marry him. His father’s words came back clearly. A nice enough girl, Miss Somersham, but in no way fitted for the role of your wife. Such a marriage would have been disastrous, and I think you knew it in your heart from the beginning, but, once committed, your honour would not let you turn away from her, I know that. If the name had been inaudible, as indeed it might, for the Duke had been pacing up and down the room as he spoke, then Kat could well have believed everything he said applied to her.

      ‘Her ladyship began to say something,’ Heron ventured. ‘I thought it might have been her brother who had written.’

      ‘Hell,’ Nick said softly. He had always felt confident that Kat would not take it into her head to simply leave him and try to obtain an annulment at a distance because she had no one to go to and no resources. But her brother, however unsatisfactory, was at least a male protector. ‘Thank you, Heron.’ He strode towards the hall, taking the stairs two at a time and burst out of the front door just as Robert rode past on the grey stallion Xerxes. The animal shied violently, then reared, almost unseating Robert, who got it under control with an effort and the use of language most unfitting to a candidate for the church.

      Nick grabbed the rein. ‘Off, Robert. I need him.’ ‘What for?’ Robert dismounted. ‘Is something wrong?’ ‘Kat.’ Nick swung up into the saddle and reined in hard while he found the stirrups. ‘She’s run off.’ He was not wearing spurs, but the grey did not need them; with a snort it gathered its haunches under it and set off at the gallop.

      ‘Phil, you look so thin!’ Katherine put her arms round her brother and hugged him, appalled at how the ill-pressed coat hung off his frame. She released him and stood back to look at him anxiously. ‘Have you been ill? Or not eating properly.’

      He shrugged sulkily. ‘No money. France ain’t all it’s cracked up to be, Katy. The inns are the devil of a price, the food’s awful unless you pay through the nose and the gaming’s crooked.’

      ‘Then why play?’ she asked despairingly.

      ‘How else was I supposed to live?’ he demanded petulantly. ‘It’s all right for you—you’ve been living in your palace with your marquis, dining off gold plates, no doubt.’

      The sheer unfairness of it stung her into retaliation. ‘I had no idea who he was until we got here! You left without even waiting for the execution, without a word to me other than that you had gone to France—and you stole my clock and ear-bobs.’

      He looked shiftily ashamed, but continued to whine. ‘I couldn’t stand it, I told you that. You do not know how bad it was for me.’

      ‘For you? I faced debtors’ prison, marriage to a man I thought was a common felon, the prospect of widowhood—and you could not stand it? There are times, Philip, when I despair.’

      He shifted around the room, fidgeting so as not to meet her angry eyes. ‘Well, I’m back now, and you’ve fallen on your feet. Your marquis will have to do something for me.’

      ‘Oh, no, he will not,’ Katherine said vehemently. ‘I am getting the marriage annulled, so do not think you can sponge off Nicholas.’

      ‘Annulled?’ Her brother’s face broke into an unpleasant grin. ‘After you spent a night in a cell with him, goodness knows how many on the journey up here and have been living with him ever since? I know all about the Dower House—the goings-on at the big house are the main topic of gossip hereabouts.’

      ‘I will rely on medical evidence,’ Katherine said stiffly.

      Philip sneered. ‘Virginities are restored daily in every brothel in the land, no one is going to believe—’

      He did not finish the sentence. The door slammed back on its hinges and a tall figure took one stride into the room and hit him square on the jaw.

      ‘Do not,’ said Nicholas, Marquis of Seaton, massaging his grazed knuckles, ‘do not ever speak to my wife like that again. Get up and apologise.’

      Philip struggled to his feet and backed away. ‘Katy, you know I didn’t mean it … ‘

      ‘Apologise.’

      ‘I am sorry, Katy.’

      ‘Now, listen to what I have to say, and listen to it well.’ Nick pressed Katherine gently down into a chair and smiled reassuringly. The caressing look was strangely at odds with the cold anger in his voice. ‘Tomorrow you will come to Seaton Mandeville and you will ask for Mr Wilkinson, the steward. He will arrange a quarterly allowance for you and will advance you the first quarter.’ He named a sum that made Katherine start in surprise and a slow smile to spread itself over Philip’s pasty features.

      ‘If my wife feels able to receive you tomorrow, she will tell Mr Wilkinson so. If not, you will leave the district immediately. If you attempt to visit Katherine without her express permission, the allowance will be stopped. If you try and run up debts using my name, it will be stopped. If you say or write anything to Katherine that causes her the slightest distress, it will be stopped. Is that clear?’

      Philip nodded dumbly.

      ‘My wife, your sister, is a lady whose only fault is her loyalty to you and her persistent love for a man who has let her down, betrayed her and insulted her. You may believe she will forgive you and indulge you, but understand this: I do not forgive you, I do not trust you and, if I have to, I will break you.’ He turned on his heel without looking further at the shaken man. ‘Come, Kat, it is time to go home.’

      Katherine held out a hand to her brother. ‘I will see you tomorrow, Philip, I promise.’ Then she was out of the door and being walked firmly downstairs. This was the crowning humiliation in a day of humiliation. Katherine managed to keep her expression calm as Nick spoke to Durren who was waiting outside, warily holding the grey horse.

      ‘How did you drive here?’

      ‘In the gig, my lord, it is in the yard.’

      ‘Very well, I will drive her ladyship back, you can ride Xerxes.’

      ‘I’ll lead him, if it’s all the same to you, my lord,’ the man said with some feeling. ‘Shall I get the gig, my lord?’

      ‘No, we will walk round. Thank you, Durren.’

      Katherine got up on to the leather seat and sat silently while they drove out of the yard, past Durren and on to the road that led to Seaton Mandeville. What can I say to him? she wondered miserably. How can I apologise?

      ‘Kat, I am so sorry.’ He took the reins in one hand and clasped the other over hers. ‘That must have been so distressing for you. I should have handled it better, but I am afraid I lost my temper.’

      ‘You are sorry? Nick, I was wondering how I could start to apologise. That you should feel you have to give Philip an allowance.’ Her voice faltered and she stiffened her spine. ‘Tomorrow I will speak to him. He must understand that of course he cannot accept what you have offered.’

      ‘I am not going to have my brother-in-law in and out of debtors’ prison. This seems the best solution,’ Nick replied calmly.

      ‘But he will not be your brother-in-law!’

      ‘Kat.’

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