case a ghost suddenly appeared. She was already frightened out of her wits enough, without having to contend with some ghostly apparition!
When another bout of tapping broke the uneasy silence that had descended, this time with a bit more force, Kit remembered that Hal’s room was next door. What if he was in urgent need of her help? She was mortified that it hadn’t registered before that the knocking on the door was probably coming from him.
Shoving aside the counterpane, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and hurried across the rug-covered stone flags to open the door. Her heart was already bumping anxiously against her ribs even before she set eyes on the man who waited outside. When she did, her heart bumped even harder. He was sleepy-eyed and tousle-haired, with a fresh growth of dark beard studding his chiselled jaw, and gazing into Hal’s golden eyes was like stumbling onto a never-to-be forgotten glimpse of heaven.
‘What’s wrong?’ she asked.
His answer was a provocative lopsided grin. ‘Nothing now that I’m looking at you, angel.’
The smoky cadence of his voice somehow transmitted itself to Kit’s muscles and made them feel dangerously weak. ‘How long have you been knocking on the door?’ she asked huskily. ‘I thought I was dreaming.’
‘I wasn’t keeping track of the time. I just thought I’d stay here until I wore you down with my dogged persistence, got you to come and see who it was and hopefully let me in.’
Unconsciously clutching her pyjama top, agitatedly twisting the material into a knot in the process, Kit stared at him in disbelief, suddenly realising the only reason he was standing was because he was using his crutches to help him. Hadn’t his father had the sense to get his wheelchair for him? She’d left him the car keys and had strongly emphasised that he shouldn’t let his son rely solely on his walking aids to get to his room. He’d already told her that the guest rooms on the ground floor were right at the back of the house.
‘Are you crazy? You should never have stood out there for so long. You’ll have to come in and sit down on the bed for a while.’
‘That invitation is music to my ears, sweetheart. I’m certainly not going to argue.’ He winced a little, as though the strain of standing upright had unquestionably taxed him.
Again Kit berated herself for not doing her job properly—for leaving him. It didn’t matter that he’d been with his father...no one knew better than she did what he needed. The impassioned thought sent a scalding, searing heat surging through her bloodstream that was like a swell of molten honey.
Biting down on her lip, she waited until Hal had passed her before shutting the door behind them. She noted he was still dressed in the clothes he’d been wearing to travel in. She had no idea of the time but it was obvious he hadn’t been to bed yet. What did he think he was doing, staying up so late, when his surgeon had told him it was extremely important he got as much rest as possible while his leg healed?
‘That’s better.’ Expelling a grateful sigh, he dropped down onto the rumpled green counterpane and handed her his crutches. ‘Can you put these somewhere?’
‘Sure.’ Kit laid them against the striped green couch at the end of the bed, where they would be easily accessible. Then, folding her arms over her chest, she asked, ‘Why on earth have you stayed up so late? Is there something you want to discuss that can’t wait until the morning?’
His avid gaze intensifying a little, for a long moment Hal looked to be deep in thought. ‘As a matter of fact, there is. But first I wanted to tell you something. My dad and I have been having a father and son talk—probably the first genuine discussion we’ve had for years. God knows it’s long overdue. Turns out he doesn’t think I’m such a disaster after all. In fact he tells me he’s more than a little awed by my success and my courage at pursuing my “hair-raising stunts” as he calls them—even though he can’t always understand it. He’s always thought that the reason I’m so reckless is because I don’t value my life enough—that I must be suffering from some sort of depression brought about by my mother leaving when I was little. That seriously grieves him.
‘He blames himself for not being there for me as often as he would have liked after she left, and he said that he wished it could have been different. But as well as making sure he’s protecting mine and Sam’s legacy he’s so focused on taking care of the estate and the people who work for him because it’s their livelihood too. He has to make those things his priority. Who could have predicted that he’d be so honest with me? You were right when you said I should come to see him, Kit. I’m glad that I did. Hearing the truth about how he really feels about me has helped lay a lot of the ghosts from my past that have haunted me to rest. Like any good parent, he just wanted the best for his children—even if I couldn’t always see that that was his intention. Anyway, it feels good to clear the air and have the chance to repair things.’
‘Then I suppose I shouldn’t moan at you for staying up so late, since something good has come out it. But I don’t think you should stay up for much longer. Not unless you intend to spend the whole of tomorrow resting and taking it easy. I think it’s time you turned in and went to bed.’
One corner of Hal’s engaging mouth lifted intriguingly. ‘That brings me nicely to the main reason I knocked on your door sweetheart. I do indeed need to go to bed—but not on my own. I’d much rather have some company tonight and the company I want and need most in the world—not just for tonight—is you, Kit.’
Nothing could have prepared Kit for the dizzying joy that swept through her at his unexpected confession. In fact her feelings so overwhelmed her that she couldn’t find the words or the actions to express how much they meant to her. But tainting her unexpected happiness was the distressing memory of the conversation she’d overheard between Hal and his father about him taking up his inheritance.
‘I can’t be the company you need most in the world, Hal,’ she said soberly. ‘Not when one day soon you’ll be married to someone else...someone much more suitable than I am.’
‘What on earth are you talking about? Who told you I’m soon going to be married to someone else?’
‘It’s obvious, isn’t it? I didn’t realise the extent and importance of your family legacy until I came here. It’s understandable that you’ll need to marry someone from your own class when one day you’re going to inherit this estate.’
Frowning, Hal stared at her as though she were speaking a foreign language he didn’t understand. Then comprehension dawned on him.
‘Did you by any chance overhear a conversation between me and my dad? Specifically the part where he asked me if I would one day come back to take up my inheritance?’
Feeling uncomfortably guilty, Kit nodded. ‘I did. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. It’s just that I was on my way back from the bathroom and your father—well, he doesn’t speak quietly.’
To her astonishment, Hal threw back his head and laughed.
‘He certainly doesn’t speak quietly,’ he agreed. His expression quickly became serious again. ‘What else did you hear?’
‘I heard you tell him that you would marry one day and return, but only when the time was right. Then, when he asked you when that would be, I heard you tell him he had to be patient.’
‘That’s all? You didn’t hear anything else?’
‘No. That was enough.’
