Daughter of Dark River Farm (29 page)

He nodded. ‘I don’t want him to risk hurting himself again. I’ve ruined enough of his life.’

‘You won’t get an argument from me,’ Evie said, coming back into the room. ‘He’ll be back in a while. He’s gone for a little walk.’

‘In this rain?’ Frances groaned. ‘How am I going to get those clothes dry?’

Her familiar complaint cut through the last of the tension, and we all smiled. No doubt that was her intention; I noticed a little smile on her lips as she rose to fetch the biscuit tin, and a happy warmth crept through me at the thought of this life I had found. I jumped as I felt a soft breath on my cheek, and realised Archie had done what I had somehow refrained from doing, and closed the gap between us. His lips brushed my ear, and his teeth closed gently on the lobe, making me tingle.

‘I’d like to go for a walk too,’ he said in a voice low enough so only I could hear. ‘Just to talk. Can we, later?’

I turned towards him, my lips hovering over his. ‘When everyone’s gone to bed,’ I murmured.

His smile almost made me groan out loud; I’d never seen such strong, intensely male beauty up so close—his thick dark eyelashes were almost touching mine, his breath was still grazing the corner of my mouth, and the pulse in his throat beat strong and steady beneath my fingers as I took his jaw in my hands, heedless of everyone else in the room. We didn’t kiss, our lips barely touched, but the nearness of him almost stole my ability to think straight.

‘I wish they’d all go to bed,’ I whispered, and he was unable to prevent a little laugh escaping. Then he withdrew, and I realised everyone was deliberately looking anywhere but at us. Belinda was chatting to Evie, both of them turned away showing exaggerated interest in the contents of the Welsh dresser that stood by the door, Frances was wrestling with the lid of a tin I knew very well needed only a blunt fingernail inserted beneath the rim to release it, and Nathan had picked up an ornamental pig and was paying it close attention. Even Jessie was staring at her indoor shoes, as though they held some deep secret they wouldn’t give up.

I swapped another glance with Archie, and he grinned and sat back in his own seat. Then he looked at the table where Frances had finally put the tin, and put his head in his hands in mock horror. ‘Och no, Frances… Tell me those aren’t Lizzy’s biscuits?’

‘You leave Lizzy alone,’ Frances said. ‘Those biscuits are…well, they’re…’

‘Yes,’ Evie agreed, her mouth twitching. ‘Don’t be rude, Archie. The birds enjoy them.’

‘Aye, perfect for building a good, solid nest,’ Archie agreed. Even Frances laughed then.

‘Don’t be horrid,’ I said, feeling bad for poor Lizzy. ‘It’s not nice to laugh at her behind her back.’

‘Oh, it’s not behind her back,’ Evie assured me. ‘We’ve talked about this before, and I’ve begged her to give up, but she’s determined to keep at it until she gets it right. She considers it our punishment to eat the practice ones.’

‘Punishment?’

‘For poking fun. Don’t feel sorry for her, Skittles. She’s perfectly aware of what she’s doing to us. I’ve seen her grinning when someone new tries one and has to find something nice to say about it.’

‘Anyway,’ Frances said, ‘we gave hers to Seth Pearce. He’s too polite to turn them down.’

‘That reminds me,’ I said, ‘have you managed to get a padlock yet, for the barn door?’

‘Not yet. Colin Trebilcock says he may have an old one he doesn’t need any more though.’

‘Padlock?’ Nathan asked, also reaching over to the tin.

‘Apparently some people are getting desperate,’ I said. ‘Breaking in, stealing tools and selling them on, so Mr Pearce told us.’

‘I’ll fit the lock for you, if Colin brings one,’ Nathan told Frances.

‘I can do it,’ she said, echoing Jessie, ‘but thank you.’

As talk turned to the lengths people would go to, now that rationing was so severe, I found my attention straying once more to the man beside me. Had he changed too? I watched his strong, lean fingers holding his whisky glass, rolling it in the light of the nearest candle and studying the tawny liquid as he had three years ago, on the eve of his departure, occasionally lifting it to take a sip. My eyes went to the breadth of his shoulders beneath his uniform shirt, and the deep swell of his ribcage, rising and falling as he laughed at something Belinda was saying. Then my gaze travelled down his long, powerful legs, one ankle resting casually on the opposite knee—no elegant crossing of his legs here. He was comfortable and at ease. My fingers itched to slide onto his thigh and trace the shape of the muscles that flexed there when he moved, and to travel up across his hip and rest at his waist, to feel him breathing…

I yawned widely and looked at the clock, hoping others would take my lead. ‘It’s been a long day,’ I said. ‘I’m so tired.’

‘Rest tomorrow,’ Frances promised. ‘Perhaps you and Archie would like to take Amy for a picnic?’

‘Amy?’ Archie said, but Evie’s eyes opened wide.

‘Kitty! You didn’t!’

‘What else could I have done?’ I asked.

‘Who’s Amy?’ Archie wanted to know. I glumly watched our evening walk fade further into the realm of unlikelihood, as I started to explain, in as few words as I could and leaving out the details of the McKrevie incident.

‘So here she is,’ I finished. ‘Mr Markham is going to fetch her when he can take her away somewhere safe.’

Before I could add any more, or Evie could express what she thought of the idea, Will came back in. Nathan tensed slightly, and Evie looked at her husband closely, gauging his mood, but we knew he was back to his usual self as he stretched a hand towards the biscuit tin, then hesitated, drew it back, and looked at Frances.

‘They’re not Lizzy’s, are they?’

A short while later Jessie too gave a jaw-cracking yawn. I could have hugged her. Even more so when I saw Archie flick his attention to me, suppressing a smile. I wanted to ask him where he would be sleeping that night, just so I could imagine him in his bed and know how far away he was from me, but it would sound dreadful. So I did the next best thing.

‘Are Evie and Will in their old room?’ I asked Frances. ‘Because I’m happy to bunk in with Amy if we’re short of beds.’

‘Don’t worry about that,’ Frances said. She ticked off on her fingers. ‘Four bedrooms and Harry’s storeroom: Nathan in the store, Evie and Will in their old room, you, Amy and Belinda in yours, and Archie will stay in mine. I’ll move in with Jessie; it’s only a couple of nights.’

‘My bed’s quite big enough,’ Jessie put in, glancing at me, and the urge to hug her fell away; there was no need to have been so pointed about it. I knew that bed perfectly well; Evie and I had shared it earlier in the year, when it was mine. But the resentment was faint, and short-lived. I had too much to be happy about. And now I’d be able to picture Archie too, in the room just two doors down the corridor from mine.

Before long everyone had decided the time had come to turn in for the night. Evie and Will had been travelling for a good part of it, and Evie was still concerned enough about Will to flatly ban him from sitting and catching up with Archie.

‘Plenty of time tomorrow,’ she said. Then she glanced from me to Archie, and I saw her lips close on a smile. ‘Goodnight,’ she said, and led an unprotesting Will out into the hall. They were quickly followed by Bel, Nathan, Jessie and Frances, and then at last Archie and I were alone.

He looked out of the window. ‘Do you still want to go for that walk? Or do you want to talk here?’

‘Let’s walk,’ I said. My skin was flushed, and the idea of a cool breeze, and even the rain, was extraordinarily appealing. ‘If you’re not too tired?’

Archie stood up for the third time, and this time he pulled me with him. His hands looped loosely around my waist, and his chin rested on top of my head. ‘I’m bloody exhausted, but if you try and convince me not to go out there with you, right now, I can’t promise I won’t drag you out by the heels.’

Chapter Sixteen

The rain had stopped, and the thunder long since died away. The smell outside was fresh and sharp, a combination of hay and animals, and clean, clear air. Archie had slipped his greatcoat on, but he left it open when he realised the storm had well and truly passed. I too wore my coat open, and we walked side by side across the yard towards the little field where Pirate usually stayed. He was in the stable tonight, however, clean and comfortable after his busy few days. I heard a whicker from his stall, and the swish of his tail as he turned at our approach, and then his long white nose was poking over the half-door.

Archie stepped up to him, his voice low and appreciative. ‘So,
you’re
the one doing all the hard work here, aye?’ I poked him in the ribs, and he chuckled. ‘Well, I grant you have to harness him up, Kittlington, but after that it’s plain sailing for you.’

‘What are you talking about?’ I protested. ‘Those bales don’t lift themselves into the cart, you know. Frances and I spent…’ Then I saw him laughing silently, and prodded him again, this time less gently. He gave Pirate a last pat on the neck, then turned to me, putting his hands firmly on my shoulders.

‘All right,’ he said, his voice serious now, ‘I want to know why it was you said you didn’t love me.’

‘I didn’t,’ I began, but of course it had sounded like that to him, with no explanation.

‘Please,’ he said. ‘I’d thought maybe you didn’t, but I hadn’t wanted to believe it. Then, when you turned me down I felt…’ He broke off, letting go of me and turning back to Pirate, as if he could find the words more easily if he didn’t look at me. ‘I felt lost. I’d had this incredible revelation of m’own feelings for you, and I’d thought about it, and thought about it, and then after that kiss in Dixmude I was sure you felt the same. When I realised you didn’t, I—’

‘I did!’ I reached out to him, touching his shoulder, and he turned back again. I could feel the tension in him. ‘Archie, I’ve loved you far longer than you’ve loved me. But after what happened, my reputation… You deserved better than me.’

‘Reputation?’ he repeated, nonplussed. ‘We’re not stuck in the dark ages! Why on earth would I care what anyone had to say about something they don’t understand?’

‘I know that now,’ I said, struggling to find the right words. ‘But at the time all I could think about was how my family had reacted, and how yours would hate me for destroying you. Even if it didn’t matter to you it would end up making you miserable, and resentful—’

‘My family will love you,’ he said softly. He pulled me close to him, with both arms tight around my shoulders, so I couldn’t pull back even if I’d wanted to. ‘Uncle Jack already adores you, and whoever Uncle Jack adores, my mother adores.’

‘And what about you?’ I asked. Relief was making me want to tease a little bit, but I wasn’t the only one, and I felt him shrug.

‘Aye well, you’re okay I suppose. You’ll do for housework.’

I sagged against him in mock protest, but couldn’t help laughing. To my surprise, he didn’t hoist me up again, but instead dropped to a crouch with me, holding me away from the ground so I stared up at him in the almost-full darkness. His finger traced my cheek, and all the playfulness went out of me as I felt my skin burn beneath his touch. The trail of heat continued down the side of my neck, and with his thumb brushing my jaw, and his other hand sliding beneath my shoulders, he lifted me slightly and brought his mouth down. The kiss was deep, and searching, alternately warm and cool, and my hand came up to curve around the back of his head, holding him there. My other hand supported me at first, until I realised his hold on me was strong and steady, and then it lifted to slide beneath his coat. I could feel his breathing quicken, and let my fingers explore the contours of his broad back, tightening my hold so my hand curved around his side, where the hardness of bone gave way to the firmness of muscle.

I don’t know how long we remained there, locked together in the chilly evening air, but when we finally parted I had no strength left. He shifted, dropping one knee to the ground to steady himself, and pressed his lips to my forehead. ‘Ah, Kitty,’ he murmured, sounding as breathless as I felt. He didn’t say anything more, but as my eyes adjusted to the darkness I saw his own, and they were closed. He breathed slowly, and I copied him and felt my heartbeat returning to a normal rhythm, the trembling in my limbs easing. Eventually I stood up, but he remained on the ground, his head lowered. When I crouched down in front of him, he opened his eyes and smiled sadly.

‘It’s going to be so hard to leave you,’ he said, touching my face, and let out a trembling breath. ‘God, it’s going to hurt.’

His words sliced deep, but I couldn’t think about it now. ‘We’re just going to have to make the most of the time you have here.’ I urged him to his feet. ‘Come on, stand up. Let’s go for that walk.’

He put his hand in mine and allowed me to pretend I’d pulled him upright, and by the time we’d walked to the bottom of the lane that strange burst of melancholy had faded, and he was making me laugh again. His hand was in mine, and we swung them like children, not even turning back as a fresh, cool rain began to fall again.

‘Frances will have your hide,’ he warned me, ‘gettin’ your clothes all wet.’

‘Yours too,’ I pointed out, ‘and you’ve got to explain that muddy knee.’

‘Ah, she’ll not be rough on me,’ he said confidently. ‘I’m a guest. You’re the daughter.’

That reminded me. ‘I wonder if Mother has finally given up on getting me to go back to Ecclesley?’

‘Oh, I’d forgotten. You’re to marry wee Aleister Crowley.’

I giggled, a little bit shocked. ‘Alistair Corwood!’

‘Aye, him.’ He raised my hand to his lips and kissed it. ‘Don’t worry, young Kittlington, I willnae let the wicked witch steal you away to wed the evil heir to the Corwood–Maitland empire.’

‘It should be Oli who inherits,’ I pointed out.

He sobered. ‘It should. But it isn’t, and we must remember how it could have gone. He’s lucky to be alive.’

‘Thanks to Evie and your Uncle Jack.’

‘And you.’

‘Well, if it wasn’t for me he’d never have—’

‘Oh, no you don’t!’ He put a playful hand over my mouth, but I stiffened, and he snatched it away quickly. ‘God, I’m sorry, I didn’t think…’