chill off the air. The bread and cheese might be simple fare, but it was wholesome, and her surroundings, though hardly palatial, certainly provided sufficient comfort and warmth.
The instant she had consumed the last mouthful of bread, Daniel rose to his knees and began to spread the rug over the hay. ‘Come, let us settle ourselves for sleep. As I mentioned earlier, we must be away at first light, before the owner of this establishment turns up for work,’ he remarked, before he noticed her staring down at the cover as though it were a hot bed of coals, and best avoided.
His lips twitched. ‘What is the matter, sweetheart? Don’t you trust me?’
Katherine transferred her gaze to those dark eyes glinting with sheer devilment. ‘Let me assure you, Major Ross, that I consider it immensely difficult to trust a man who carries a picklock about his person.’
‘Vixen!’ he exclaimed, laughing in spite of the fact that he experienced a twinge of resentment because she obviously continued to mistrust him.
But perhaps he had given her reason enough to continue to remain a little aloof, he reminded himself, wrapping his cloak about him and settling himself on the hay at a discreet distance away from the rug. His behaviour towards her the previous night could hardly be described as that of a gentleman, though it had to be said in his defence that she had sorely tried his patience, and badly needed someone to take her in hand. Undoubtedly she had been allowed far too much licence to do and say exactly as she pleased. She wasn’t spoilt, precisely, but was certainly accustomed to having her own way. Yet today he had glimpsed certain facets to her character that he couldn’t help but admire. Blessedly her tongue did not run on wheels and she betrayed no signs of succumbing to a fit of the vapours if subjected to hardship. All in all, he was beginning to feel that Sir Giles Os-borne, the cunning old rogue, had chosen well when he had selected Miss Katherine O’Malley for this venture. She might be an infuriating little madam on occasions, but by heaven she had certainly proved equal to the task thus far!
‘I’m sorry, Kate, what did you say?’ he asked, suddenly realising that she had spoken.
‘I said—what’s that noise?’
For a second or two all he could hear was the gelding contentedly champing away on the hay, then he clearly detected a scratching sound somewhere off to his left. ‘A rat, I should imagine.’
‘Heaven spare us!’ he heard her mutter before she edged a little closer. ‘And don’t call me Kate!’
Daniel’s response was merely to blow out the lamp, and then settle himself for sleep.
Chapter Seven
Although uncertain quite what had disturbed him, Daniel was suddenly wide awake and very conscious of something soft lying against him, and something softer still tickling his chin. Even in the dim light of early morning he could clearly see long tendrils of hair stretching across his chest and instinctively raised one hand to twist several of the gently curling strands round one finger; then just as quickly he released them and carefully edged himself away, before his suddenly aroused body tempted him to take further liberties, which at this early stage in their relationship would, he felt sure, be met with fierce resistance. The last thing he desired was for his soundly sleeping companion’s understandable wariness to deepen into fear. No, it was her complete trust he must win, then maybe …
Refusing to allow his thoughts to dwell on what hopefully would be the very satisfactory outcome to a closer relationship developing between them, Daniel carefully raised himself on one elbow in order to study the perfect arrangement of delicate features now framed in a tussled mass of fiery curls: the small straight nose, the infinitely kissable and perfectly moulded lips above a determined little chin, which tended to lift so stubbornly on occasions. Undeniably she was a most desirable young woman, beautifully packaged and utterly feminine. Which made her single state rather puzzling, though he strongly suspected that this was entirely through choice.
He detected the slight movement of ridiculously long, curling lashes, and a moment later those striking turquoise orbs were gazing up at him rather wonderingly, before a suspicious frown drew finely arched, dark brows together.
‘What on earth do you imagine you are doing hovering over me like some ravenous bird of prey, about to swoop, Major Ross?’ she demanded to know.
‘Spot on form again, I see.’ Shaking his head in disbelief, Daniel rose to his feet. ‘How is it possible, I ask myself, for someone to appear so beautifully angelic in sleep and yet possess the tongue of an adder?’
Katherine satisfied herself with flashing him an angry look, which only succeeded in igniting a rumble of masculine laughter. With narrowed eyes, she watched him walk over to the window and remove the piece of sacking. Tongue like an adder, indeed! She inwardly fumed. He had a crass nerve to criticise her when he wasn’t above uttering some barbed remark himself! she decided, scrambling to her feet and giving her cloak a vigorous shake.
‘You haven’t time to concern yourself over your dishevelled state,’ Daniel told her bluntly, turning in time to see her attempting to make use of the few pins that remained in her hair. ‘We cannot risk being found here by the blacksmith when he arrives. Which, if I know anything, will be quite soon. It’s already daybreak.’
Although she prided herself on her appearance, and never set forth unless perfectly groomed, Katherine appreciated that attempting to make herself presentable was hardly important in the circumstances, and merely thrust her reticule into her cloak pocket before swirling the fur-lined garment about her shoulders once more.
‘As you appear to have a way with horses, sweet Kate, perhaps you’d be good enough to collect our trusted steed from the stall so that I can hitch him up to the gig?’ Daniel requested, and received his second dagger-look of the morning.
‘Willingly, Major Ross … and don’t call me Kate!’
Grinning wickedly, he occupied himself, while Katherine went to do his bidding, by plumping up the pile of hay to hide all evidence of two people having used it as a bed. With his back towards it, he didn’t notice the large wooden door open a fraction. Katherine too was oblivious to the fact that an unkempt rascal was stealthily entering, or that three equally villainous rogues were at their compatriot’s heels. The first indication she had that they were no longer alone was when a shot rang out, by which time it was already too late to scream out a warning.
Katherine saw Daniel extract the pistol from his pocket and with unerring accuracy dispose of one of the intruders, before the other three, on him in a trice, knocked him to the ground, raining a barrage of kicks and blows down on him. Hidden by the gelding, Katherine looked wildly about for some weapon, and her frantic gaze swiftly fell upon a solid piece of wood. Without the least concern for her own safety, she joined in the fray, felling one of the attackers with a single blow to the head before anyone knew she was there.
‘You damnable coward!’ she screamed, delivering such a powerful blow to yet another assailant that he dropped the weapon he had been wielding, and made for the door with all possible speed, screaming in agony as he clutched his right arm.
Showing no mercy, Katherine scooped up the unwieldy firearm and gave chase like some avenging virago out for blood; while Daniel, having by this time managed to rise to his feet, easily disposed of the last attacker with a well-aimed blow to the jaw. He then turned in time to see Katherine, using both hands, striving to level the heavy weapon. Before he could yell out a warning, her finger had squeezed the trigger. There was the most almighty report, and a moment later, appearing dazed and not just a little embarrassed, she was sitting plump in the middle of the
