at the two men who rose courteously, and allowed Nick to usher her out.
‘Why do I need to speak to Mr Wilkinson?’ she hissed as they made their way along yet another corridor, this one panelled in handsome oak wainscoting. There were too many servants about to allow for a proper, blazing, argument, which is what she was longing for.
‘Because he has information you will wish to hear.’ Nick paused before a door and opened it. ‘Wilkinson, good morning. My dear, may I introduce Mr Tobias Wilkinson, who has been our steward and much else here for many years. Wilkinson, the new marchioness of Seaton.’
The steward was tall, thin, slightly stooping and of indeterminate age. Sixty, Katherine guessed, liking the quiet humour in his eyes and the genuineness of his smile as he shook hands.
‘Many felicitations, my lord! And, Lady Seaton, may I wish you every happiness in your new estate.’
Katherine responded appropriately and sat where Nick showed her, prepared for a boring wait while he discussed business.
‘I have summarised how your affairs stand, my lord.’ Wilkinson passed over two sheets of foolscap and folded his hands together on the table while Nick read.
Katherine watched as Nick’s eyebrows rose and his lips pursed in a soundless whistle. ‘You have done well by me these past years, Tobias, I can only thank you for your care and diligence.’
The other man smiled modestly. ‘If I may say so, my lord, achieving a good return on investment is always easier if the principal is not in a position to spend the capital.’
Nick gave a snort of laughter. ‘Not spending it on gambling, women and racehorses, I assume you mean? No, do not answer that. We will talk over detail later. Meanwhile, have you been able to deal with that other matter?’
‘Yes, my lord, I have sent details of the loan to our London agent with instructions to pay both the principal and the interest in full.’
That was her debt paid; Katherine tried to catch Nick’s eye, but he was attending to the steward. How did she feel about it? Part of her was distressed and embarrassed that Nick had been put in a position where he felt he must pay it, part was relieved that the interest was no longer accumulating. Now all she had to do was to convince Nick that she should repay him. Not an easy task, she acknowledged ruefully, forcing herself to listen to Mr Wilkinson again.
‘And the other bills and dunning letters I sent as a summary to the agent, asking him to settle those as well, with all speed.’
Katherine was aware of Nick’s sudden movement, swiftly suppressed, and saw from the arrested expression on the steward’s face that this was an subject not intended to be discussed in her presence. For a moment she was puzzled, then light dawned. Nick had paid Philip’s debts as well. She had left them behind in London, knowing she could never hope to pay them and feeling that, finally, her brother must acknowledge his own responsibilities. Nick must have taken them, brought them with him to Northumberland.
Why? she puzzled, ignoring Mr Wilkinson’s rapid change of subject. Then, with a wave of shame, she realised. Philip was Nick’s brother-in-law now; he must have decided that no connection of the Lydgates must be in a position to be publicly exposed for his debts.
She could say nothing here, not in front of the steward. Feeling sick, she forced her attention back to the conversation between the men.
‘… the Settlements,’ Mr Wilkinson was saying. ‘I have drawn up something based on the usual provisions—widowhood, remarriage, children and so forth. If you would care to scrutinise it, my lord, and make any notes of changes you wish made, I will have it notarised as soon as possible.’
Katherine opened her mouth, realised this was another argument it was impossible to have before an audience and shut it with a snap. Children! The thought of Nick’s children made her feel slightly dizzy. There was nothing, other than hearing him tell her he loved her, that she wanted more, she realised. And all she had to do was to stop protesting, give in and allow the marriage to stand.
Chapter Seventeen
‘And her ladyship’s allowance,’ Mr Wilkinson continued, unaware that one of his audience was fighting a battle with her conscience just the other side of his desk. ‘I have made arrangements with Coutt’s bank as you directed, my lord. I have a portion of the first quarter here, my lady, and I have put in a note with details of how you may draw on the balance at your convenience.’ He handed a fat packet to Katherine, who took it with an automatic murmur of thanks.
Conscience won. Katherine pushed the thought of children with Nick’s eyes out of her mind with a pang and thought about the money instead. Another debt. Her instinct was to hand it back to Nick the moment they were alone. Common sense told her that she must pay Jenny and John and that was more important than her pride. She must buy some clothes for the time she was here, for she could not fail to present a seemly appearance in a ducal household. And when she left she must leave vails for the servants. None of this common sense made the slightest difference to the way she was feeling. Katherine realised she was angry, but who with—herself, Philip or Nick—she could not analyse.
Finally Nick was standing, thanking the steward again, holding the door for her. Katherine said all that was proper, managed a pleasant smile and swept out into the passage. The moment the door closed behind them she rounded on Nick.
‘You have paid Phil’s debts! How could you do such a thing?’ Her voice broke and she fought to get a grip on her feelings. ‘And a settlement! The marriage is going to be annulled—why is there a settlement?’
‘We cannot speak out here.’ Nick took her arm and guided her through a door into an empty room, which appeared to be part of the estate office, for stacks of dusty ledgers stood on the tables and shelves of dockets and bundles of papers lined the walls.
‘I had not intended telling you about your brother’s debts yet,’ he admitted.
‘Indeed?’ Katherine managed to instil a certain icy quality into her voice. ‘Did you ever intend telling me?’ He opened his mouth to speak and she swept on, ‘I know why you feel you must pay them, of course: the embarrassment of a debtor as a brother-in-law. Please do not think I do not understand. Do you think I am not as ashamed of it as you, to know that I risk bringing scandal to a household such as this?’ Her anger began to fail her and her voice shook. ‘I think that perhaps I could have borne anything, even his deceit over the loan, better than the humiliation of this.’
Nick stared at her, his face appalled. ‘Kat, never say that. Sweetheart …’ Then she was held against his chest and he was stroking her hair. ‘Kat, think. He does not know who you married—no one in London knows my true identity. I have no need to protect the family against the small scandal he might evoke, even when the connection is known. For goodness’ sake, Cousin Hereward has been in debtors’ prison three times, my great-uncle believes himself to be the Tsar of all the Russias, and I have earned my bread playing cards and taken the King’s shilling as an outcast. And that is just a sample of our family scandals. Your brother’s foolishness is nothing against that.’
It was seductively pleasant to be held by strong arms against a broad chest and to be reassured. Katherine tried to tell herself that under the circumstances anyone offering comfort would be welcome but she could not deceive herself. This was the man she loved holding her, resting his cheek against her
