after, come to that. So, in the meantime, we must make do as best we can. I’m afraid, though, that you are not going to find this journey particularly comfortable.’
‘Do not concern yourself over me, Major Ross,’ Katherine responded, feeling unaccountably resentful because he no doubt considered her some pampered ninnyhammer who couldn’t do without her creature comforts for a few days. ‘I cannot deny that I had not planned to leave Paris in such a fashion, but I do not hold you in any way responsible for that. Be assured that I shall do my utmost not to be a burden, and have no intention of causing you the least concern.’
She turned her head in time to catch a second rather secretive little smile playing about his mouth before he astounded her by admitting, ‘You have been causing me no little concern for quite some time, Miss Katherine O’Malley.’
Before she could enquire precisely what he had meant, he changed the subject by informing her that he dared not risk putting up at an inn that night.
‘I do not doubt that there are those already hot on our trail,’ he continued. ‘I strongly suspect that they will begin by searching for us in the inns along the main road we have just left. Which will buy us a little time, but not very much, I’m afraid. It will be dark in an hour, so we must find some form of shelter soon, for I have no intention of travelling at night and running the risk of getting us lost.’
It was then that he caught sight of billowing smoke in the distance, and turned off the road on to a deeply rutted track. ‘There is some form of dwelling just up ahead, possibly a farm. With any luck there might be a village nearby. I’ll have a scout around and see what I can find.’
Just for a second she thought she glimpsed a flicker of unease in his expression, before he handed her the reins and then jumped to the ground. ‘Can you by any chance handle firearms, Miss O’Malley?’
‘Yes, Major, I can,’ she assured him. ‘My father taught me, though not since I lived with my grandfather have I used one.’
Even in the rapidly fading light she could easily detect the glint of amusement in his eyes, and what might have been a hint of respect too. ‘In that case I shall leave this in your care,’ he announced, delving into the pocket of his cloak and drawing out a pistol. ‘Do not hesitate to use it if you feel at all threatened.’ There was a flash of white teeth. ‘But I would be grateful if you do not mistake me for one of our pursuers. I shall give a low whistle to announce my return, just to be on the safe side.’
It was as much as Katherine could do to suppress an angry retort, and yet the instant he disappeared from view she experienced fear for the very first time since setting out on what she was now beginning to view as a madcap venture. Given the choice, she might not have wished Major Daniel Ross to have been designated her protector. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind that he would continue to irk her unbearably during the days ahead. Yet she was forced to own that she experienced a most comfortable feeling of security when he was near, which was singularly lacking now.
She shivered and drew the rug that the Major had had the forethought to supply more closely about her legs. She was already feeling the loss of warmth which that large, muscular frame so close to her own had provided throughout what had been a mercifully dry day. She could only place her faith in the Major to find them some form of shelter, for she certainly didn’t relish the prospect of spending a night under the stars.
A rustling sound emanating from the small clump of trees off to her left caught her attention, and she instinctively felt for the pistol which she had placed on the seat beside her. She derived a modicum of comfort from having the lethally formed piece of metal clasped firmly in her hand, but she couldn’t deny that it was no substitute for a certain someone’s presence.
A further noise reached her ears, then another and another, each sounding much closer and more menacing than the last. She had never been afraid of the dark, not since she was a child, but as dusk arrived, she came perilously close to crying out in relief when at last she detected that low whistle.
No one would have supposed for a moment that she was overjoyed to see him, least of all Daniel himself, when he finally clambered up beside her again, and she demanded to know where he had been and why it had taken him so long to return.
Strong teeth flashed more brilliantly in the dark when he turned his head to bestow a wicked grin upon her. ‘Did you miss me, sweetheart?’
‘I certainly did not enjoy being on my—’ Stopping mid-sentence for the second time that day, Katherine favoured him with an angry look, her eyes flashing no less brilliantly than his smile. ‘And don’t call me sweetheart, you impudent rogue!’
She could feel that comforting frame shaking with suppressed laughter as he reached for the reins. ‘It’s a relief to know your spirit hasn’t deserted you completely, Miss O’Malley. And I apologise for taking so long, but at least I was successful in my endeavours. There is a village a couple of miles up the road. So you’ll no doubt be relieved to know you shall attain at least a modicum of comfort this night.’
Katherine was beginning to feel so weary after the many hours they had spent travelling that she would have been quite happy to sleep on a dirt floor. Daniel swiftly proved he was able to offer her something more comfortable than that, however, when they reached the outskirts of the village and he drew the gig to a halt outside a blacksmith’s premises.
After a swift glance up and down the deserted street to ensure that no one was about, he jumped nimbly down from the gig. Katherine saw him extract something from his pocket, and was rather surprised to see the large wooden door swing wide a few moments later. She succeeded in curbing her curiosity until they were safely inside and Daniel had provided further evidence of his resourcefulness by finding a lamp and lighting it.
‘How on earth did you manage to remove that padlock, Major Ross?’ she demanded to know, making herself useful by releasing the horse from its harness and leading the gelding into a stall.
After draping a piece of sacking over the one and only grimy window, Daniel satisfied her curiosity by extracting a cunningly fashioned thin piece of metal from the pocket of his jacket which, even in the dim light, she had little difficulty in recognising, for she clearly recalled being shown such an article several years before by a casual labourer who had worked for her father for a very short time.
Although she arched one fine brow, Katherine refrained from comment, and merely turned her attention once again to the gelding who was happily champing away on a substantial pile of hay. ‘You are certainly no fiery steed, and definitely not in the first flush of youth, but you did us proud this day, old fellow.’
Daniel noted the affectionate way she both stroked and spoke to the animal. Evidently fear of horses was not one of her weaknesses, even if a dislike of the dark was. ‘I’m afraid he and the gig were all I could manage to find in so short a time. I couldn’t afford to be choosy.’
‘You did very well in the circumstances,’ she responded, surprising him somewhat by the mild praise. ‘He’s certainly strong and healthy, and has been well cared for.’
‘Evidently you know something of horseflesh, Miss O’Malley,’ he remarked, collecting the basket of food and rug from the gig, before lowering himself on the mound of hay piled in one corner of the stone building. ‘We’ll finish off the food and then get some sleep. We must be away from here at first light.’
Hunger swiftly overcame her understandable wariness, and Katherine joined him on the pile of hay, reflecting as she did so that this was the first time in her life that she had ever sought refuge in a smithy. She had no cause to complain though, she reminded
