now if his odd behaviour was not a means to an end: an attempt to protect himself. Perhaps he had no intention of placing himself in a position whereby he would feel obliged to offer her the protection of his name?
She recalled with embarrassing clarity the passionate interlude outside the inn. She hadn’t found kissing him, or holding his strong body next to her own, in the least distasteful. In fact, the opposite was all too embarrassingly true. Perhaps Daniel had sensed this and it had put him on his guard? Perhaps, also, he was afraid that she would expect him to do the honourable thing by marrying her once this venture was over? If so, she would swiftly disabuse him, she decided, experiencing a resurgence of that ever-present fear. She had made up her mind years before that marriage was not for her. She had no intention of ever putting any man’s life at risk, especially one of whom she had grown so inordinately fond. It had possibly been a grave mistake on her part to become so friendly with Daniel, though she failed to see how she might have prevented herself from doing so. Nevertheless, it might help to ease his mind a little if she followed his recent example and attempted to remain a little aloof herself from now on.
Hurriedly rising to her feet, Katherine went outside to scan the surrounding woodland more intently, but worryingly could detect no sign of him. Where on earth had he got to? Surely he hadn’t left her to fend for herself?
The instant the idea entered her mind, she dismissed it at once, ashamed for having had the mere thought. He would never do such an unchivalrous thing! Heaven only knew he could be the most irritating man on occasions—arrogant, overbearing and downright rude! But Major Daniel Ross was no coward. He was an exceptionally brave man who could be quite touchingly considerate on occasions. So where in the name of heaven had he taken himself off to?
Fortunately Katherine wasn’t left worrying unnecessarily for very long. A minute or so later she detected the sound of hoof beats, and turned to see Daniel, astride a large bay and leading a second mount, negotiating a safe passage between the trees.
Instantly forgetting her resolve, she ran to meet him, her expression clearly betraying delight, and it was only as she reached his side that she recalled her resolution. His returning smile was just too spontaneous not to be perfectly genuine, and she couldn’t help wondering whether she had merely read too much into his strange behaviour and that his former reserve might have stemmed from nothing more than mere fatigue.
‘Well, sweetheart?’ Looking very well pleased with himself, Daniel drew the horses to a halt. ‘What do you think of our latest acquisitions? Not precisely high-stepping thoroughbreds, but I believe they’ll serve their purpose by speeding up our journey.’
‘Sturdy and, yes, capable of doing the job,’ she announced, after a brief examination of both mounts, where she betrayed once more the knowledge she had gained from her father. ‘How on earth did you manage to acquire them?’
‘You might not have observed those two men propping up the counter at that inn. I, on the other hand, overheard one of them saying he would be bringing two horses to the market held in the town on Friday, and that there was no need for him to make an early start as he lived in a small village just four miles east of the town. That is why I came this way last night. The village is about half a mile away, just beyond the wood.’
Katherine couldn’t help admiring his superb sense of direction. Even at night he never seemed to get himself lost. He was immensely capable, equal to any challenge. Why, not only had he managed to acquire horses, but saddles and bridles too!
When he apologised for not having been able to provide her with a side-saddle, Katherine dismissed it with a wave of her hand. ‘Don’t give it another thought,’ she urged him, easily mounting without assistance. ‘I frequently rode astride as a girl, and much preferred it. Unfortunately, when I reached a certain age Mama objected, and I was obliged thereafter to ride like a lady. Believe me, I shall enjoy the experience again.’
It took Daniel a few minutes only to appreciate her skill in the saddle. She was an extremely accomplished horsewoman who handled her mount with ease. ‘Your father taught you well, Katherine,’ he remarked, not reticent to voice his admiration, but could not resist adding, ‘His only fault, I strongly suspect, was a reluctance to beat you often enough.’
Katherine wasn’t slow to detect the provocative gleam in dark eyes. ‘It might surprise you to know, Major Ross, that my father never once laid a violent hand on me. It might also surprise you to know he never felt that he needed to.’ Her smile faded. ‘He had a certain way of looking at me whenever I had displeased him, which always made me feel so guilty that I promised never to do it again.’
Anyone of the meanest intelligence couldn’t have failed to appreciate how deeply she had cared for her father. But was a desire to avenge his death the only reason why she had agreed to involve herself in Sir Giles Osborne’s machinations? Daniel couldn’t resist asking.
‘Good heavens, no! I did it as much for myself as anything else, I suppose,’ she was honest enough to admit. ‘I have become increasingly disenchanted with the life I have been leading in Bath. I am feeling increasingly restrained … suffocated, almost.’
Katherine released her breath in a resentful sigh, which matched quite beautifully the fleeting glance she cast him. ‘It’s all very well for you men. You can come and go as you please, but for a female it is quite different. I have inherited a companion who’s a dear person, but faintly scatty, and on occasions something of a trial. And then, of course, there’s Bridie, who will insist on treating me just as though I were still a child.’
Although he was smiling, he betrayed genuine sympathy as he said, ‘There’s one course of action which will enable you to sever those restraining ties. You could wed. Married women enjoy far more freedom.’
‘True,’ she agreed, ‘but I do not consider a desire for freedom reason enough to take the matrimonial plunge, at least not in my case. Besides which,’ she added, suddenly remembering her determination to put his mind at rest, ‘I am resolved never to marry. Remember, I’m a curse, Daniel. I could never reconcile it with my conscience if I were to shorten any man’s life.’
If she had expected this declaration to reassure him, and bring about a return of the wonderful camaraderie that had been surprisingly increasing between them, she was swiftly to discover her mistake.
‘Don’t talk such rubbish, girl!’ he snapped, his expression no less harsh than his tone. ‘You’re no more a curse than I am. Your parents’ deaths were tragic, but had absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with you. And how you can suppose you were responsible for your grandfather’s heart attack when you were in Bath at the time beggars belief. And as for your aunt Augusta,’ he went on, without granting her the opportunity to edge in a word, ‘she was an elderly spinster who died of old age, and would have done so had you lived in the house or not. It is much more likely that you made her last years much happier with your presence.’
His expression, if anything, darkened. ‘So I want to hear no more of such foolishness, understand? Otherwise I shan’t hesitate to shake some sense into you!’
Stunned by the vehemence of the outburst, it was as much as Katherine could do to watch him steer a path through the last few yards of woodland towards the open countryside. By the time she had gathered her scattered wits together sufficiently to formulate a response, he was already some distance ahead.
She quickly discovered that, although her own mount was both healthy and strong, the gelding possessed a decidedly stubborn streak and was determined to progress at his own pace. Consequently she found herself always trailing those few yards behind, a circumstance which didn’t appear to bother Daniel to any great extent, for apart from taking the trouble to inform her that they would stop
