Page 24 of The Marriage Debt
Rather too late she realised just how close it brought her to him. He smiled down wickedly. ‘You do tempt me to show you how perfectly fit I feel, Kat. I have had my neck stretched for me a little, that is all. If I had been suffering from consumption or gaol fever that would be another matter.’
Frustrated, Katherine fell back on another argument. ‘You cannot sit on the box and drive a coach. You are a gentleman.’
‘And I have been a common trooper for several years and a highwayman and felon for some weeks.’ He pinched her chin and turned away to the door before she could retaliate. ‘Now I really must go and lie down and rest or my managing wife will read me a lecture.’
‘Insufferable man.’ Katherine glared at the door as it closed behind him, then reluctantly smiled. Theo Lydgate was certainly proving difficult to manage. But it was intriguing to be matching her wits with a strong man and not a weak one.
She shivered. She was growing dangerously fond of him, she could recognise that fact only too well. What effect would being cooped up with him in a carriage for over a week have on her emotions?
It was too disturbing to think about. Katherine opened the door and walked briskly down the passage to the kitchen. ‘Jenny! We have a lot to do, and only a day to do it in. We are going to Northumberland.’
Chapter Nine
Katherine regarded the sleeping man opposite her in the carriage with mixed feelings. Part of her was relieved that, after stubbornly refusing to rest all the previous day, Theo was doing so now and part of her was frustrated that having anticipated the long journey together with mixed trepidation and pleasure she now had no opportunity to talk to him. Was it exhaustion, or an excellent defence against questions?
He sleeps like a cat, she brooded. Theo had no sooner sat down, made sure the two women were comfortable and exchanged a few words with John, than he had simply closed his eyes and fallen asleep.
It did give her the chance to study him unobserved, because Jenny had twisted round to watch the passing scene from the window.
Theo was certainly an elegant sleeper. His lips were parted slightly and his breathing was heavy and regular compared to Philip’s habitual slack-jawed snoring.
Katherine sighed inwardly and wondered where her brother was at that moment. Had he the sense to husband his resources and secure modest lodgings or was he already seeking out whatever gambling and drinking dens the French coastal towns offered? Was he happy now there was no-one to remind him of his obligations, no-one to expect him to exercise self-control? Or was he lonely?
She sighed and resumed her study of her temporary husband. His colour was better and he certainly looked perfectly respectable. His shopping trip the day before had produced not only a supply of shirts but he had stopped at the barber and was sporting a positively fashionable Brutus cut.
So… She assessed the man in front of her. High cheekboneswhich gave him a slightly saturnine expression when he narrowed those dark eyes, a very decided chin, mobile and expressive lips and a straight nose. All very handsome, no doubt, although this perfection was disturbed by a scar which sliced across his right eyebrow leaving a fine white line through the black hairs. He had been fortunate not to lose that eye.
Still, handsome looks were not so uncommon and doubtless she had seen men equally as good-looking before now, even some who combined looks with a fine physique. So why had none of them stirred any particular interest in her? Why did this one make her heart beat harder? And why, when he touched her or looked at her, did she feel that strange hollow ache inside?
Because you are not married to any of the others, the tart voice of common sense reminded her.You have not slept with any of them and none of them have kissed you.
Theo’s eyes opened suddenly without any clue from his breathing that he was awake. Katherine found herself staring straight into them, convinced her thoughts must be plainly written all over her face. The blush which swept over her seemed to reach from her crown to her toes but she could not unlock her gaze from his.
‘I was just trying to decide whether you looked better,’ she said finally. ‘I think you do.’ Concern for his health was the only legitimate excuse for staring. ‘You must be sleeping well.’
‘As you can see,’ Theo said with a smile. ‘I apologise for being poor company, but time in the army taught me to sleep when I could.’
It was a statement, not an invitation to discuss his service as a trooper. Katherine bit back the string of questions she had and smiled brightly. ‘Very sensible. Jenny and I have been well entertained watching the passing scene.’
‘Where are we?’ He leaned forward to look out of the window.
‘Stevenage,’ Jenny replied, having been the only one who hadactually been paying the slightest attention to the outside world.
‘I thought we should stop at Baldock, rest the horses and have some luncheon,’ Katherine suggested.
Theo nodded, settled himself more comfortably in his corner and slept again.
Four days later Katherine found herself sitting in exactly the same place and seething with suppressed indignation. The wretched man was purposely avoiding her, she was certain of that now. Not that it wasn’t prudent to preserve a certain distance as they were soon to have their marriage annulled, but surely he could at least take the time to tell her about this unknown family she was about to be pitchforked into?
Theo had slept the first day and been politely distant and discreet at dinner time before he and John had departed for their bedchamber, leaving her and Jenny to theirs.
The next day he had sat on the box with John and on the third he had taken the reins as they progressed slowly, sparing the horses as much as possible. Every evening had been as quiet as the one before and on every occasion Theo had been as uncommunicative. And again today the two men were up on the box sharing the driving as the Midlands of England slowly gave way to the unfamiliar Northern counties.
Tonight they would lodge in York and Katherine was absolutely determined that she was going to achieve some communication with Theo if she had to lock herself in his bedroom to do it.
‘Are you all right, Miss Katherine?’ Jenny asked.
‘Yes, of course. Why?’
