Elizabeth Rolls - Regency High Society Vol 3 - Beloved Virago / Lord Trenchard's Choice / The Unruly Chaperon / Colonel Ancroft's Love

Katherine could quite cheerfully have boxed his ears for noticing that she had not spoken with a marked French accent when she had first addressed him. Fortunately his father did the next best thing by reminding him of his manners. ‘James, that is not at all polite. This young lady, unless I much mistake the matter, has recently come from France and is a—er—native of that country.’ He reached for Katherine’s hand. ‘Permit me to introduce myself, mademoiselle. My name is Cranford … Charles Cranford. And this young imp is my son James.’

‘I am pleased to make your acquaintance, monsieur. And you too, James. My name is Louise Durand.’

Katherine had by now guessed that the gentleman with the piercing gaze was none other than the present owner of the house in which her grandfather had once resided, and thought it behoved her to apologise for trespassing on his land.

‘Do not give it another thought, mademoiselle. The middle of the wood forms the boundary between your cousin’s property and mine, but we do not quibble, and are both quite happy to permit the other to walk freely across the entire area.’

His reassuring smile went some way to soften his probing gaze. ‘You have walked a goodly distance, mademoiselle. Can I not persuade you to come up to the house and partake of some refreshments? My wife would be delighted to make your acquaintance.’

Katherine hesitated. She knew she ought to return to Rosslair without delay, but the invitation to set foot inside her grandfather’s old house to see how much it had changed since she had resided there was just too tempting to refuse. Besides which, it would grant her the opportunity to marshal all her resources before coming face to face with Daniel again, for the days ahead would undoubtedly prove the greatest challenge she had ever faced in her life.

Daniel arrived back at his home shortly before noon. He had remained at the Hall far longer than he had intended, mainly because Julia had seemed reluctant to allow him to take his leave, and had insisted on taking him up to the nursery to see her son. That part of the visit had unquestionably proved to be the most enjoyable. Young Geoffrey was the image of his father in both looks and nature. He was a charming boy, and it had been a pleasure to pass half an hour or so sitting on the nursery floor, keeping him entertained by playing with his toy soldiers.

If only the rest of his visit had passed so agreeably! he mused, dismounting and leaving his horse in the care of the stable-lad. He was forced to admit that by the time he had ridden over to the Hall he had surprisingly wearied of Julia’s company. He had found her stilted conversation tiresome in the extreme and her evident curiosity about Katherine, quite frankly, distasteful.

Trying to converse with his uncle, whose hearing had become increasingly impaired since attaining middle age, had not proved particularly satisfying either. Yet he would far rather have preferred to remain in the library, forced to shout his every utterance, than be dragged into the parlour to spend a further half-hour with Julia and her mother who, since becoming a widow four years before, had taken up residence with her daughter at the Hall.

He had not set eyes on Eleanor Melrose since before he had embarked for India, and he had been shocked at the changes he had perceived in her. Although she had never been what one might describe as a vivacious, outgoing female, she had seemed a mere shadow of her former self, painfully lachrymose and decidedly jaded.

He well remembered that she was a woman who had always set great store by good manners and correct behaviour at all times; strict codes of conduct that she had instilled in her sole offspring from an early age. Daniel could well imagine that when Julia’s looks began to fade, which undoubtedly they would in time, she would turn into a mirror image of her woebegone mother.

Dear Lord! What a lucky escape he had had when Julia decided to marry his cousin, Daniel reflected, shaking his head in wonder as he strode across the yard towards the house. Looking back, it was hard to imagine that he had been so set on marrying her himself once, and had been utterly heartbroken when he had discovered that she had chosen Simon instead.

One must put it down to the folly of youth, he supposed. Thank heavens he had acquired some sound common sense during the intervening years! He and Julia simply wouldn’t have suited. He was far too outspoken and brusque for her delicate sensibilities. He needed a female who would not dissolve into floods of tears each time he raised his voice above a whisper and one who, moreover, was not afraid to stand up to him. And thank the Lord he’d found the very little virago for him!

Entering his home by way of the rear entrance, Daniel went striding into the kitchen to discover, much to his surprise, only his housekeeper present, for Katherine had made a point, since her arrival at Rosslair, of always helping Janet prepare both luncheon and dinner.

‘Where’s Kate?’

‘She went out into the garden shortly after you left with Mrs Ross,’ she answered, giving the broth a stir. ‘I must say, sir, she has worked hard on those rose-beds since she’s been here. She’s green fingers like your dear grandmother, and no mistake! You can see the difference she’s made already.’

‘Mmm,’ Daniel murmured, running impatient fingers through his thick, slightly waving brown hair, as he experienced a pang of conscience. ‘I suppose I ought to be thinking of employing a full-time gardener and general handyman. I can’t expect McGann to cope with everything.’

‘Now there’s a considerate soul for you, Janet!’ McGann announced, entering the kitchen, with a pile of logs for the stove, in time to catch his master’s final remark.

‘If the truth be known, I was thinking more of Katherine than you,’ Daniel enlightened him. ‘I don’t want her working her fingers to the bone attempting to get the garden in order.’

‘She enjoys herself out there, sir,’ Janet assured him. ‘Besides, she ain’t one to be idle. If she didn’t work in the garden, she’d be doing something else.’

Janet smiled to herself as she detected her master’s low growl of disapproval before he went stalking out. She turned in time to see him pass the window, heading in the direction of the garden, and was a little startled when he returned a minute or so later, carrying Katherine’s cloak, and looking decidedly grim.

‘She isn’t there. Are you certain she didn’t come back into the house?’

‘She might have done,’ Janet conceded. ‘I’ll go and check.’

‘No, I’ll do it!’ Daniel responded curtly, leaving Janet now in little doubt as to his frame of mind.

She exchanged a concerned glance with McGann as she heard her master’s raised voice calling Katherine’s name filtering through from the hall. ‘Dear Lord, I hope nothing has happened. The master did say to keep an eye on her.’

‘Yes, damn it!’ Daniel snarled, returning to the kitchen. ‘So why the hell didn’t you?’

‘Easy, sir. Easy,’ McGann soothed. He had seen the Major rant and rage at raw recruits who had done something foolhardy, but he had never heard him speak so sharply to Janet before. ‘There’s no saying that Miss Katherine didn’t just take it into her head to go off for a wee walk, the day being so nice an’ all. You can’t expect Janet to watch her every moment.’

‘It’s all right, McGann.’ Although touched by this staunch show of support, Janet was not in the least offended by her master’s harsh reprimand. In fact, if it had not been for the qualms she was now experiencing herself over Katherine’s well-being, she would have given vent to a whoop of pure joy, for she was more than willing to make allowances for the understandable concern of a man very much in love. ‘The master is right. I ought to have kept a better watch over her. I’m sorry, sir.’