The Elusive Heiress (13 page)

‘Bravo!’ Randal joined in Alicia’s applause, stifling the small voice in his head which whispered that it was odd that an American girl should know Boyce’s patriotic tune off by heart.

Kate tilted her chin at him, her eyes sparkling with mischief. ‘And you, sir, will you not reveal your own talent?’

‘Alas, I cannot play the pianoforte.’ Randal’s finely-moulded lips twitched. Unless he was very much mistaken, that was a challenge!

‘Then perhaps you will sing for us?’ Kate asked sweetly.

Somewhat to her surprise he agreed and she discovered that he had a very fine voice. Her initial chagrin fading, she offered to accompany him when Alicia begged him to sing
Piercing Eyes
, one of her favourite Haydn canzonettas.

‘Thank you.’ He smiled down at Kate when the song was finished. ‘You play as beautifully as you dance.’

Kate inclined her head in a demure fashion as she accepted the compliment, but her appearance of calm belied her inner delight at his praise.

Her mood was so elated she forgot her earlier misgivings and when he offered to take her out for a drive she gladly accepted.

‘Then I shall bid you farewell until Tuesday, cousin.’ Randal bowed over her hand with exquisite grace.

His kiss still tingling upon her skin, Kate watched his elegant figure depart.

She began to collect up her music, but her busy hands stilled as Lady Edgeworth, who had escorted him out into the hall, came hurrying back into the room.

‘Oh my dear! I am so pleased for you!’ she exclaimed, her voice rising in excitement. ‘He is quite smitten, I vow!’

Her broad smile revived all of Kate’s earlier suspicions and she stared at the older woman, her heart sinking.

‘Just because he asked me to go driving with him, dear God— Ma’am?’ She shook her head airily. ‘I think you are mistaken. Lord Redesmere is merely being polite.’

‘Fiddlesticks! Randal Crawford wouldn’t waste his time on mere politeness.’ Alicia tapped the side of her nose significantly. ‘Believe me, Kitty, I know him! He is a man who goes after what he wants. Why, I hardly need have bothered trying to encourage him for I swear he has made his mind up already to have you!’

‘Indeed!’ Kate’s eyes flashed dark fire. ‘And am I to have no say in the matter?’

Alicia blinked at her in startled dismay. ‘Whatever is the matter, Kitty? I thought you liked him?’

Kate bit her lip. ‘I do,’ she muttered at last, knowing it was impossible to deny it.

What girl wouldn’t find him attractive? In the prime of life, he was handsome, intelligent and extremely virile. He was also overbearing and far too fond of getting his own way, but his arrogance was tempered by a self-depreciatory sense of humour and an innate kindness.

‘Well then, what is troubling you, my dear?’ Alicia asked. ‘He is a great catch, you know.’

‘I did not come to England looking for a husband,’ Kate interrupted hotly.

‘I realise that, Kitty. However, it is time you were thinking of marriage and your Mama could not possibly object to an alliance with Lord Redesmere. Indeed, she could not find a better match in America.’ Her plump face took on a beatific glow. ‘You would have everything, an ancient lineage, fortune, title. No mother could wish for more.’

Knowing her words to be true, Kate was silent.

Puzzled by this lack of response, Alicia sighed. ‘Oh my dear, surely you can see that marriage to Lord Redesmere would be the perfect solution?’

Kate’s fingers clenched upon the sheet of music she held, crushing it. ‘Solution, ma’am? I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean.’

But she did. If Kitty married Lord Redesmere then the rift between the two branches of the Nixon family would be finally healed and all the difficulties caused by the old Nabob’s will would be smoothed away.

Unfortunately, much as Kate found the man attractive, she couldn’t allow her impersonation of Kitty to go that far!

* * * *

As predicted by Lord Redesmere, a change in the weather took place. Watching the rain fall all during Monday morning, Kate’s spirits were as gloomy as the downpour.

Her plan had seemed so simple. Poor Kitty had been terrified after the attempt on her life and she had jumped at Kate’s offer to take her place. Ned hadn’t been keen on letting his best actress go, but Kitty’s plight had touched his kind heart and he had allowed himself to be persuaded after Kate had promised to return quickly.

‘After all, Ned, how long can it take to sign a few documents?’ she had declared cheerfully. ‘I’ll be back with the money before you know it.’

Well, she had been wrong. Claiming the Nixon fortune had turned out to be more than just a formality. She had already been away from the company for a week and had made no real progress. All she had done was to embroil herself in a web of lies and deceit that made her nights uneasy.

‘Give over moidering, Kate. It ain’t like you to look on the black side,’ Mary scolded on their way home from posting Kate’s letter to Ned that afternoon.

Lady Edgeworth had offered to send a footman with this missive, but Kate had been wary of curious eyes noting its destination and in any event had felt a need to get out of doors, even though the sky was grey and still spitting drizzle.

‘I’m sorry, Mary, I know I’m as blue as a megrim,’ Kate apologised. ‘But I feel that I’ve let both Kitty and the company down.’

‘Aye, lass.’ Mary gave her a sympathetic smile. ‘Still, maybe Gerald Sullivan will take fright at that lawyer’s letter. I reckon he’s a coward and won’t dare show his nose in Chester.’

Kate nodded thoughtfully. From what Kitty had told them, Gerald had taken care not to get his hands dirty. It was Sean who had carried out the attack and pushed her into the river.

‘If he doesn’t come, Mr Hilton won’t believe he is telling the truth.’ Kate’s face brightened. ‘And then the locket and letter might be proof enough.’

‘What about Crawford? Do you think he will throw another rub in your way?’

‘I’m not sure.’ Kate’s dark eyes took on a dreamy expression. ‘I think his opposition to me is weakening.’

Mary sniffed. ‘You’d best watch out then, Kate, that your own feelings don’t change. He’s an
oaf
, remember?’

Kate had told her all about the Leghs’ drum and his lordship’s affability. Mary wasn’t sure she’d liked that note of happiness in her young friend’s voice. She had never seen Kate behave this way before. Usually, she ran a mile if a man showed interest in her. Now she seemed eager for Crawford’s company.

It was worrying, particularly as Mary could see no reason for his lordship to have had a change of heart, unless, like many another man before him, he fallen victim to Kate’s beauty. In other circumstances, Mary might have encouraged Kate to toss her cap over the windmill and take him for a lover. She deserved a taste of happiness, God knows, but, given the situation, how could a liaison with Crawford end in other than disaster?

‘I was over hard on him that day.’ Kate shrugged awkwardly. ‘He had reason to mistrust me, but we are getting along famously now.’

‘He has a fancy to you, lass, but it won’t last.’ Mary shook her head dolefully. ‘Lust never does and there can be naught else between the pair of you, not unless you tell him the truth.’

‘How can I?’ Kate’s voice was unsteady. ‘He would despise me.’

Alarmed by the regret in those dark velvet eyes, Mary exclaimed, ‘Don’t let him touch your heart, Kate!’

‘I’m not such a fool, I hope!’ Kate swerved to avoid a puddle of rainwater, her colour high. ‘I know he isn’t serious and I don’t intend to let his compliments go to my head.’

A disbelieving snort answered her, but to Kate’s relief Mary held her tongue.

This conversation was still at the forefront of Kate’s mind when Lord Redesmere arrived to take her driving on Tuesday afternoon. Combined with a desire to make it clear to Alicia that she was only interested in a polite friendship and nothing more, it rendered her greeting to him as cool as the overcast weather.

Randal, who knew perfectly well what Lady Edgeworth was about, suspected that embarrassment lay at the root of this aloofness and did not allow her lack of enthusiasm to ruffle his temper.

‘Are you warm enough? Would you like a rug for your knees?’ he asked after handing her up into his curricle.

‘No, I am quite all right, thank you.’

Randal gave his greys the office to start. ‘It is fortunate, is it not, that the rain relented?’

‘Indeed.’

Abandoning this unprofitable topic, Randal nonetheless continued to confine his conversation to similar innocuous small talk and was rewarded by a gradual relaxation of her stiff formality.

‘I had thought to drive out to Broughton,’ Randal remarked as they proceeded down Northgate Street. ‘There are pretty views of the river and the countryside is pleasant. However, since the day is somewhat inclement, a shorter excursion seems preferable.’

He glanced at her stylish carriage dress of fine French cambric. ‘It would be a pity to risk spoiling such an elegant outfit.’

That deep amber colour was striking and he thought it suited her extremely well. She had, it seemed, the courage to rebel against the conventional pastels deemed suitable for girls of her age.

Now he came to think on it, she was surprisingly mature in other ways too. Unlike most young fillies let loose on society, she didn’t giggle or hang her head shyly or simper in that arch manner he detested. Her poise and confidence equalled his elder sister Milly’s and her conversation was a great deal more sensible.

Admittedly, she was slightly older than the average debutante, but he had a feeling her self-assurance owed its origins to a different explanation, to something in her past.

‘Tell me,’ he asked, apropos his musing. ‘Do you miss working for your living?’

For one horrible moment his unexpected question turned Kate cold all over. Then, thankfully, she remembered she had told him that Kitty had worked with her mother in their bookshop. ‘Sometimes, yes I do,’ she answered, her heart still thumping.

Deciding it might be dangerous to probe his motive for asking, she continued lightly. ‘Of course, it is pleasant to have the leisure to enjoy myself, but I don’t believe I should like to be a social butterfly forever. A constant round of parties must become boring in the end.’

Randal was intrigued. He had formed this same opinion years ago, but he had never heard a woman share it. ‘What should you like to do instead?’

Kate gave him a quizzical look, but reading nothing but genuine interest in his expression, allowed herself the luxury of being completely honest. ‘I should like to marry a man I could love and have his children.’

Randal smiled. ‘Somehow I expected you to declare a more extraordinary ambition.’

Kate shook her head firmly, setting the feathers on her frivolous hat dancing. ‘I have no desire for adventure, sir,’ she said, hiding a wry amusement.

She could hardly confess that having been a vagabond for seven years the idea of a settled life in her own home seemed like heaven.

‘You surprise me.’ Randal’s tone was so dry that Kate laughed and forgot her vow to stay aloof.

‘Do you believe domesticity to be dull, my lord?’ she teased him with a saucy look of challenge in her dark eyes.

‘I imagine it depends on one’s partner.’

Kate grinned. ‘Is that why you have never wed?’

His shout of laughter caused heads to turn in their direction. ‘You, cousin, are a minx!’

She dimpled at him innocently. ‘Plain speaking is much favoured in America, sir.’

‘Then to give you a plain answer, I am a bachelor because I have never found a woman I liked enough to want to marry.’

‘What? No lost romance which has blighted your life? No dark secrets of the soul?’

‘Not one,’ he agreed mournfully. ‘You must think me a very boring fellow.’

Kate thought nothing of the sort, but she didn’t dare admit even to herself what her true feelings regarding Lord Redesmere might be.

Randal saw the shadow pass her over enchanting little face and wondered at it as he was forced to break off the conversation and give his attention to the busy traffic.

Were her ambitions really so simple? With her looks she could aim high, but she had said nothing about wanting to marry a rich man. She appeared to value love above wealth.

Somehow, against all the odds, he found himself believing she meant it.

‘Besides, I am sure that marriage need not mean one’s brain must wither,’ Kate announced thoughtfully, breaking her silence.

Randal cocked one eyebrow sceptically at her.

‘I know many ladies do become immersed in their own domestic sphere, but surely marriage does not automatically preclude an interest in wider affairs,’ Kate persisted. ‘If my circumstances were affluent enough to allow me the leisure to cultivate pursuits outside the family, I do not believe I should forget my interest in music, architecture, and the theatre.’

Kate had been hesitant whether to include this last. It seemed like tempting Fate, but, luckily, Randal did not question her taste in plays or actors, but asked instead how she came to be interested in architecture.

‘America is a young country. There is always construction work going on. I enjoy watching how buildings take shape,’ she replied, hastily adapting her own feelings to suit Kitty’s experience.

‘Then, in that case, I know where we should drive today,’ Randal said. ‘I shall show you Harrison’s work at the Castle.’

In response to her look of enquiry he explained that Thomas Harrison, one of England’s greatest exponents of the Greek Revival style, had won a competition to rebuild the county hall and gaol at Chester Castle in 1785. ‘He’s been hard at it ever since and I dare say it will take several more years yet before he has finished, but it is a magnificent achievement.’

‘I should like to view it.’ Kate’s eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. ‘We don’t have such a wide variety of architectural styles at home. Chester is quite fascinating. There are so many old houses here.’

She chuckled. ‘Yesterday when I was out for a walk I saw a most curious house in the Rows. It was one of the old timbered sort and it had
God’s Providence Is Mine Inheritance
carved into one of its front beams.’