Page 15 of Loyalty (The Chaplain’s Legacy #5)

A s soon as it was light, Katherine slipped out of bed and curled up in a chair beside the cold fire. On the small table, the wine bottle and two glasses still sat. After a while, Ellen crept in to relay the fire.

“Ooh, you’re up already, miss. Anything you want?”

“No, thank you.”

After a moment’s hesitation, the maid said, “You all right, miss? Heard the screams last night.”

“You did not think to investigate?”

“Orders, miss. From the mistress. We’re to keep well out of the way when he’s here and not interfere. He’s never done anything… well, you know, anything really bad, but if you ask me, she should stop him wandering at night. You’re the fourth companion she’s had since the young ladies married and went away, miss, and it’s no wonder, is it?”

Katherine could hardly believe it. So this was not merely an isolated incident, but a habit of Mr Ryker’s. When Daisy woke, Katherine dressed and then waited until she heard the sounds of Mrs Ryker leaving her own room on the floor below. Then she went downstairs to the little parlour where Mrs Ryker filled the time until breakfast.

He was there. She had half expected that, having heard his valet arrive and then the sound of both of them going downstairs, but she hoped Mr Ryker had gone out for his morning walk and she would not have to face him at all. He was sprawled at his ease in a chair by the fire with a newspaper, while Mrs Ryker was seated at the table, letters, pens, wafers and ink pots spread over its surface. As Katherine entered, the two of them were laughing together — laughing! As if nothing untoward had happened at all.

“Ah, Katherine, there you are,” Mrs Ryker said. “You have had something of an adventure in the night, I understand.” And they both laughed again.

An adventure! Was that how she saw it? What on earth had Mr Ryker told her of the night’s events?

“You must not mind William, you know,” she went on. “He means you no harm, quite the reverse. In fact, he has plans for you, don’t you? If things work out, that is, but he’ll need to get to know you a little better first. But you’ll get used to his ways soon enough, I’m sure.”

“I doubt I shall ever get used to a man entering my bedchamber uninvited at midnight,” Katherine said.

They both roared with laughter at that. “Uninvited!” Mr Ryker said. “Why, you have been encouraging me in that direction from the moment I arrived, Katherine.”

“I have done no such thing! And I have not given you permission to address me by my Christian name, sir. Mrs Ryker, I cannot accept a man wandering in and out of my room whenever he pleases. Either I must have a new lock fitted to my door, or Mr Ryker must leave at once.”

“Now, Katherine, dear, you mustn’t be so melodramatic. We’re just like family here, aren’t we, so my nephew may come and go as he pleases. He likes to talk over a glass of wine late at night, that’s all, and as my companion, I don’t expect you to make all this fuss. It would be well worth your while, I assure you, and you can keep your maid with you to maintain the proprieties until you’re married.”

“I see.”

Katherine spun on her heel, ran upstairs to her room and rang for Daisy, while donning her bonnet and pelisse.

“You wanted me, miss?”

“Yes, Daisy. Please pack all our things. We are leaving.”

“Now, miss? Today?”

“As soon as I have obtained a post chaise. Just throw everything into the boxes, and we can sort out the mess later, for I cannot stay another moment in this house of wickedness.”

***

T he leaves surrounding the house had all turned, that was Katherine’s first, irrelevant thought. In the month she had been gone, the trees had been transformed from a green only lightly tinged with brown to full-blown gold and red and orange, some branches already almost bare. But otherwise, Cathcart House was unchanged, its familiar facade bringing tears to her eyes. Here at least she would be safe!

The family was still at breakfast, so they were all there, pouring out of the house with bewildered expressions to greet her.

“Katherine, dear! Whatever has happened?” Aunt Cathcart cried, as James strode forward to hand her down from the chaise before the footman could reach it.

“I could not stay any longer,” Katherine said. Then, seeing the concern on their faces, she added, “Do not be alarmed, I am quite well. Everyone is well.”

Divesting herself of her bonnet and pelisse, she allowed her aunt to shepherd her into the breakfast parlour, the rest of the family crowding in behind them.

“Now, dear, tell us all about it,” her aunt said, in such gentle, sympathetic tones that Katherine burst into tears, and it was some minutes before she could compose herself sufficiently to speak.

“Mr William Ryker was staying with his aunt. I believe I said as much in my last letter. He seemed… he seemed… but last night… he offered me insult. And… and Mrs Ryker saw nothing wrong in it and would not send him away, and I could not stay so I came home.” Then, seeing consternation in her aunt’s face, she added, “But if you do not wish me to stay, I can go to Branton… I have friends who—”

“We are very glad to have you back with us,” Uncle Cathcart said firmly.

“Of course,” Aunt Cathcart said quickly. “But we thought you were settled. It seemed to be working out well, and I cannot believe that Mrs Ryker would permit you to be… insulted under her roof. Is it possible that you may have misunderstood?”

Katherine lifted her chin. “I do not know what there is to misunderstand about a man entering my bedroom in a state of undress at midnight,” she snapped.

“Did he touch you?” James said sharply. “Did he hurt you in any way?”

“No. Thank you, but I am unharmed. I had Daisy with me, and she set about him with the bolster and I took up the poker, and between us we drove him out of the room. But there was no key for the lock on my door, and I could not obtain an assurance that the event would not be repeated, and Mrs Ryker would not ask her nephew to leave — she said I should not make a fuss! As if I could possibly agree to such a thing, so I hired a post chaise from the inn and came away. But if it is inconvenient—”

“Katherine, dear,” Uncle Cathcart said, “you have a home with us whenever and for as long as you need one. We are delighted to have you back.”

“We have missed your playing at the instrument,” James said. “The house is so quiet without you.”

“Oh! My music!” Katherine said fretfully. “In my haste to leave, I have left my music behind, that the Athertons were at such pains to bring to me. How vexing! But at least I still have most of my collection. Aunt, may I go to my room now? If I still have a room, that is.”

“Of course, dear. What a trying time you have had of it. Come, now, I will see that everything is in order for you, and then perhaps a tray in your room with some breakfast, and a little sleep? You look exhausted.”

Upstairs, Aunt Cathcart chased out the maids hastily making up the bed, and the footmen with the travel boxes, and sat Katherine down on the chaise longue by the window.

“Now, my dear, tell me the truth — did he touch you at all?”

“No.”

“Not even briefly?” She shook her head. “That is something, then. And when you say he was in a state of undress… shirtsleeves? Neckcloth unfastened?”

“In his nightshirt, aunt.”

Her aunt’s intake of breath was audible. “No robe?”

“Just a nightshirt, bare feet, bare head. He brought a bottle of wine and two glasses, just as if— Well, I do not know what he was thinking. He said he wanted to talk to me, but that is ridiculous. At midnight!”

“That is quite disgraceful! I hope you know that I would never, ever have sent you there had I not supposed… I thought he might make a good husband for you, to be honest. Audrey told me he was keen, and looking for a suitable girl, someone quiet and well-mannered. Well, it seemed ideal, for Audrey has a hundred thousand and he will have the lot, in time. And such an agreeable situation for you, or so I thought. Audrey seemed such a pleasant, sensible person.”

“Oh, she is… was… in every other way. Aunt, I understand what you were trying to do for me, putting me in a situation where I could feel comfortable… with someone who is from the same sort of background as I am, and it was lovely at first. I missed you all, of course, but Mrs Ryker was so easy to be with, and let me help in the kitchen, and even the meals… she ordered good, plain dinners, just what I was used to in Branton. I truly thought it would suit me very well. Until he arrived.”

“But you had Daisy with you, I think you said, so you must have had some inkling that he was not a gentleman.”

“It was the way he looked at me, making me feel… oh, I cannot explain it. I did not like it at all. It made my skin crawl, and then his bedroom was right next to mine.”

“Oh! And here you are next door to Alex and Neil… perhaps I should not have done that, and left you alone on this floor with the boys.”

“No, no, I have never had a moment’s concern about either of them,” Katherine said. “They have never looked at me that way.”

“What about James?” she said sharply.

Katherine shook her head. James had certainly shown admiration on occasion, but not that unpleasant leering look that had so unsettled her.

“Ah. Good. You have had a most unpleasant experience, but you have survived it very well.” She chuckled suddenly. “Daisy hitting him with the bolster — that I should like to have seen! And you would not tamely submit… even got yourself home. You are a sensible girl, and I can only hope my own girls would be so stalwart in a crisis. It is a pity that they know the whole story, for there will be no keeping it secret now, but we can simply say that Mr Ryker’s entering your room was a mistake, and you were too shocked to stay. And you had Daisy with you to protect your reputation. We must be sure to mention that — and the bolster! She defended you admirably, and Mr Cathcart will be sure to see that she has a little reward for her loyalty. Now then, dear, I shall have Mrs Travis put up a tray for you, and then you can go to bed for the rest of the day, for I doubt you got much sleep last night.” She kissed her, and murmured, “Welcome home, my dear.”

Katherine slept much of the day away, and the sky was already darkening when she finally descended the stairs and sought her usual refuge, the pianoforte. Her aunt came in, smiling, but sat quietly until she had finished her first short piece.

“Ah, how lovely to have you back at the instrument, where you belong,” Aunt Cathcart said, kissing Katherine. “Are you feeling better now? You looked so pale when you arrived.”

“Thank you, I am much better.”

Just then, the sound of horses arriving at some speed, followed by her cousins’ voices calling loudly for grooms, echoed through the house, followed almost at once by the same voices in the hall, and many booted feet stamping about. Aunt Cathcart winced at the noise.

The door opened, and James, Alex and Neil jostled their way into the room, grinning widely.

“Boys, please!” Aunt Cathcart said sharply. “No mud on my rugs, if you please, and do not come barrelling in here like ruffians on market day! Katherine deserves peace and quiet after her ordeal.”

“But we have something to cheer her up,” James said, waving a package at her from the doorway.

“She will want it straight away,” Alex said, and Neil nodded.

Smiling a little, for they were so pleased with themselves, Katherine crossed the room to take the package. It was not very well wrapped, so as soon as she tugged at the strings, they unravelled, scattering papers all over the floor.

“My music!” she cried, bending to gather it all up. “You went to Helmsley to ask for it! How kind you are.”

“We demanded it,” Alex cried.

“We have had some fun. Are you pleased, Cousin Kate?”

“I am, very pleased. But James, what happened to your face? That is a nasty bruise.”

“Oh, I walked into a door,” he said airily, but the other two laughed so much that Katherine was struck by a hideous thought.

“Did you… see him? You did not call him out, did you?”

They all laughed. “Nothing like that,” James said, “but we wanted him to know that he cannot get away with such behaviour. He is a dreadful coward, did you know that? He hid behind his aunt, and Alex and Neil had to drag him out so that I could get a clean shot at him, for I did not want to draw Mrs Ryker’s cork by mistake. And then he just fell down at the first little tap, so they had to pick him up again before he put his fists up to defend himself. I let him get one pop at me before I hit him properly, but it was too easy. No challenge at all. Nasty little man.”

“Really, boys!” Aunt Cathcart said. “Brawling in the street like the veriest urchins!”

“We were not in the street,” Alex said. “He would not come outside, so we had to have a go at him in the drawing room.”

“Not much got broken,” Neil said cheerfully.

“Except his nose!” Alex cried, and the twins fell about laughing.

“Great heavens, whatever were you thinking!” Aunt Cathcart said distressfully. “We shall never live it down. Whatever will people say?”

She was trembling from head to foot, but Katherine laid a hand gently on her arm. “People will say that I am fortunate to have such chivalrous cousins to defend my honour. Thank you, James, all of you, and thank you for my music, too. You have made me very happy.”

***

K ent heard of Katherine’s return in the same way he had heard of her departure — by a letter from Emily.

‘Kent, Katherine is back! We are to call upon her tomorrow. Be here at noon if you wish to join us. Emily.’

It was rather a large group gathered in the hall at Westwick Heights when Kent arrived the next day, for the whole of Uncle George’s family were agog to know why Miss Parish had returned so abruptly, in a hired post chaise and with no warning, or so the servants had whispered. Apart from Uncle George and Aunt Jane, all six of his cousins were there, including six-year-old Philip, and also Bertram’s betrothed, Bea Franklyn, who happened to be visiting.

They walked in a straggling train down the hill and through the woods to Cathcart House, although Aunt Jane fussed the whole way about the dampness of the air, adjuring everyone to keep well wrapped up and walk briskly, to keep the chill at bay, but not too briskly, for fear of overheating. As usual, no one took very much notice of her. Having been ill for much of her early life, she had the greatest terror that one of her children would succumb to the same weakness and could never be reassured that they were in the rudest of health.

They were received with bright smiles by Mrs Cathcart, and by blushes and downturned eyes by Katherine, as they all crowded into the drawing room. She looked well, Kent thought, and when he managed to catch her eye she smiled at him so warmly that he could not doubt her pleasure at seeing him. Such a sweet girl, and so guileless that her affection shone as bright as a star. The contrast with Miss Cathcart was striking, the one all innocence and demureness, the other brash in her attempts to attract his notice. He had never been deceived by such flirtatious behaviour, but now that he had Katherine’s shining honesty before him, he was repelled by Aveline’s duplicity.

The Strongs were already ensconced in the drawing room, and in possession of Katherine’s person, Lady Strong sitting on one side of her, and Winnie on the other. No doubt they were also driven by curiosity, and since Lady Strong was holding Katherine’s hand in a motherly fashion, and Winnie had one arm round her shoulders, perhaps there was more to this sudden return than mere whim.

Kent could not have imagined the truth, however, for when Mrs Cathcart recited the whole of it, he was appalled that his Katherine should have been subjected to such ungentlemanly behaviour. The ladies gasped when hearing that Mr Ryker had entered Katherine’s bedroom, wearing only a nightshirt! Then they laughed at the maid hitting him with the bolster. They gasped again to hear that Mrs Ryker thought nothing of it, and clapped and cheered at Katherine refusing to give way, and hiring a post chaise on her own.

James Cathcart rather smugly described his own and his brothers’ part in events, and although Kent was relieved that Katherine had male relatives to step forward when she was ill-treated in such a despicable fashion, he wished with all his heart that it could have been his duty to defend her honour. And yet… surely that meant he wished he were her husband, did it not? Was that truly what he wanted?

When the Strongs rose to leave, Kent swiftly took the vacated seat beside Katherine, while Emily sat down on her other side.

“I am so sorry you had to endure such a horrible occurrence,” Kent said, “but I know I speak for all the Athertons when I say we are very happy to have you back amongst us.”

“Oh, yes!” Emily said. “Such a shocking thing… I should have been terrified! One never imagines a gentleman would behave in such a way.”

“I think we may safely say that this Ryker was no gentleman,” Kent said. “But how fortunate that you had a maid with you. Was that one of Mrs Ryker’s maids?”

“No, no,” Emily said. “Katherine has her own maid now, Daisy Marler.”

“Marler?” Kent said. “Related to Dan Marler, the farmer over at Welwood?”

Katherine nodded.

“She left there to stay with her uncle in the village here, and Katherine met her… somewhere, I forget where.”

“In church,” Katherine said, in a low voice.

“ Daisy Marler? In church?” Kent said. “That would be a novelty, by all accounts.”

“Oh, no, she was praying at the Lady Chapel, in great distress at some transgression… her conscience was troubling her.”

“Praying? Well, perhaps she has changed…” He frowned. “Or perhaps I am confusing her with someone else, for the Marlers are generally regarded as a respectable family.”

“I am sure they are,” Katherine said. “Farmers are such hard workers, are they not? Out in all weathers to tend their animals and crops, and always threatened by an unseasonal snowstorm or floods or pestilence.”

“Like the Bible,” Emily said.

“Although perhaps there are not so many plagues of locusts in Yorkshire,” Kent said, and was pleased to see that his modest jest raised an answering smile from Katherine. When she talked, she forgot to be self-conscious and the blushes died away, revealing the creamiest skin he had ever seen. Lord, she was pretty when she smiled at him in that artless way! How was he supposed to decide what to do when she was so… so enticing.

Mrs Cathcart came bustling over, with that over-bright smile on her face. She was excited to have her drawing room filled with well-wishers, no doubt, but then she always seemed a trifle excited to him.

“Miss Atherton, Mr Atherton, we are planning to hold a small celebration dinner in honour of Katherine’s safe return to us after her ordeal. It will just be a few of her friends, young people like yourselves. I hope I can depend on you to honour us with your presence?”

“That would be lovely,” Emily said at once. “We are engaged at Birchall House on Wednesday, but we have no other engagement, that I know of.”

“Next Tuesday, perhaps?” Mrs Cathcart said. “Mr Atherton, would that suit you? And perhaps the Lady Olivia would like to come, too?”

He agreed to the date, and thought that very likely Olivia would be agreeable too, for she never missed an evening out if she could possibly help it. Like her older sister Izzy, she was a sociable creature, who came glowingly alive in company. Katherine was the very opposite of those two. Kent had decided many years ago that he would never marry a woman like Izzy, for it would be too exhausting for words, whereas Katherine’s quiet ways and gentle demeanour were just the thing to make him feel like royalty. To her, he was not merely the youngest son, a man of no account and with no prospect of advancement.

And here he was making comparisons again, and daring to wonder what it would be like to marry her. He really must make a decision soon.