The Reluctant Heiress

by Dilly Court

  Kate took her cue from the woman with the pearl necklace and she signalled to the conductor, who dutifully led the musicians back to their places. Acknowledging him with a nod and a smile, Kate beckoned to a waiter.

  ‘Please serve the members of the orchestra with drinks. I think they’ve earned them.’ She glanced round the ballroom to see some ladies being led away by their husbands while others had resumed their seats and were sipping champagne as if nothing untoward had occurred. A police constable was trying to convince one of the titled ladies that her jewels were evidence and police property until after the trial, but Kate could see that he was losing the argument. She was hardly surprised when the imposing dowager wrested the diamond tiara from him together with a sapphire and diamond choker, which she clasped to her large bosom.

  ‘Take them, if you dare, but the Duke will hear of this and you will lose your job, my good man.’

  The constable looked to his superior, who shrugged and rolled his eyes. ‘Don’t worry, Perkins. We’ve plenty of evidence to go on. Allow the lady to keep her jewels.’

  ‘I should think so, too.’ The dowager turned her back on them, addressing herself to a pale young man who had accompanied her to the ball. ‘Eustace, fetch me a brandy and something to eat. I’m not leaving until I’ve had supper, and despite everything, the food looks delicious.’

  Kate went in search of her mother, half expecting to find her prostrate with shock, but Arabella and Giles were seated at a table in the supper room, toasting each other in champagne.

  ‘Are you all right, Mama?’ Kate asked anxiously.

  ‘Oh, yes, Kate. It was frightening at first, but Giles had warned me what to expect.’

  ‘You did understand that this was an elaborate trap to catch Monks?’

  ‘Of course I did, Kate. Don’t forget I met that dreadful creature when he broke into our house, and I endured months and months in the country because of him. I even had to put up with Ivy’s brood of children, but that’s all in the past now. Giles and I plan to live part of the time in Pomeroy Park and we’ll spend the season here, in Berkeley Square.’

  ‘But first we’re going to have a honeymoon in Italy,’ Giles added, patting Arabella’s hand.

  ‘Although we’ll be home in time for your wedding at Easter,’ Arabella said happily.

  ‘My wedding?’ Kate turned to Harry, who had just joined them. ‘Do you know anything about this?’

  ‘I haven’t had a chance to propose yet,’ Harry said mildly.

  ‘But you will, of course.’ Arabella smiled benignly. ‘At one time I would have said that you could do better, Kate, but now I have to admit that Harry Lyndon might make a good husband, and as Giles and I are already wed, I suggest you take our place at St Mary’s for an Easter wedding. We’ve decided that you may use Pomeroy Park for the wedding breakfast.’

  Kate held up her hand. ‘Mama, I’m very happy for you and Giles, but please will you allow me to run my own life? After tonight all I want to do is to go home to Warren House and enjoy a good night’s sleep.’

  ‘You still call Warren House home?’ Harry said softly.

  ‘I meant Finsbury Square, of course. I’m exhausted after all this excitement.’

  ‘The house in Finsbury Square belongs to you, Kate,’ Arabella said firmly. ‘After all, you inherited it from your uncle and I no longer need to live there. You are a woman of means, and won’t have any reason to return to Walthamstow.’

  Kate was about to answer when Lady Lyndon bore down on them, holding Annie by the hand. ‘Harry, there you are. I want you to take us home. After all the excitement poor Annie is exhausted, and I don’t know where Perry has gone.’

  Harry hesitated. ‘I should take Kate home first, Mama. Perry is probably dealing with the police but he’ll see you and Annie safely back to Finsbury Circus when he’s ready.’

  ‘I hope that young man isn’t simply amusing himself with you, Annie,’ Lady Lyndon said wearily. ‘The youth of today seem to think they can do what they please, and never mind the consequences.’

  ‘Aunt Margaret! How can you say such things about Perry?’ Annie’s cheeks reddened and her eyes flashed. ‘Perry has already proposed to me, but I said he must ask your permission first. He would have done so this evening if it hadn’t been for all the excitement.’

  ‘Oh, well, that’s different.’ Lady Lyndon beamed, patting Annie’s hand. ‘Of course I want to see you happy, my dear. We’ll talk about it in the morning.’

  ‘You could stay here for the night, my dear.’ Arabella turned to Kate, smiling. ‘The rooms have been made ready and you don’t want to return to an empty house, do you, Kate? I know we’ve had our differences in the past, but we can start afresh.’

  ‘Of course we can, Mama. But you needn’t worry about my safety. There are plenty of servants to look after me in Finsbury Square. Ivy, Ted and Augustus will be staying, too. We can all fit into the barouche and Goodfellow will drive us.’

  ‘You can’t travel in the same carriage as your servants, Kate.’ Arabella’s eyes widened in horror.

  ‘They are my friends, Mama. Anyway, I’m too tired to argue.’ Kate turned to Harry. ‘Look after your mother, I’ll be perfectly fine.’ She reached up to kiss his cheek. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow.’

  He nodded. ‘All right, if that’s what you want. We have a lot to talk about.’

  Despite the fact that she was exhausted, Kate could not sleep. The house in Finsbury Square seemed even larger than ever, and haunted with echoes from the past. The memories it held were not particularly happy ones: living with a domineering father and a mother who had shown little interest in Kate as a child had not made for a warm and comfortable home. What she had found in Warren House was priceless, and that was where her true destiny lay. She fell asleep eventually but awakened early and she knew exactly what she must do. Harry would understand.

  She dressed quickly and sent a startled kitchen maid to the mews to rouse Goodfellow and tell him to be ready to leave for Walthamstow in half an hour. Kate made her way to the morning parlour where her mother’s workbox had been left open, and an abandoned piece of embroidery was still stretched on its hoop. She smiled to herself – Mama was too busy with her new life to bother with such trivialities now. It was a good thing, but without her mother’s presence the room was cheerless and oddly impersonal, like a stage set or an arrangement of expensive furniture in a shop window. Kate closed the door and went to wait for Goodfellow in the entrance hall. There was nothing to keep her here now that her mother and Giles were married and had their own home, but one day she would find a good use for the house in Finsbury Square. Perhaps it would be a shelter for widows and their children, or a home for women who had fallen upon hard times. To make use of her uncle’s legacy for charitable purposes would be a fitting tribute to a good man, but for now she would leave everything in the capable hands of Mrs Marsh and the remaining servants. No one would suffer from her sudden decision to leave London.

  Kate went to her mother’s escritoire and sat down to pen a quick note to Harry, explaining that she had left for Warren House. She rang the bell for Agnes, but it was the young housemaid who appeared at the door, her face and apron smudged with soot from cleaning out the grates. Kate gave her the note and asked her to make sure that she gave it to Sir Harry Lyndon, but she did not have time to go through her instructions again as the girl scuttled off in the direction of the servants’ staircase. Then, through a side window Kate saw the carriage come to a halt outside and she picked up her reticule. Taking one last look around the grand entrance hall she let herself out of the house, and closed the door firmly behind her.

  Goodfellow climbed down from the box and assisted her into the carriage. ‘You’re up bright and early, Miss Kate.’

  ‘Take me home, please, Goodfellow.’

  ‘Of course, miss.’ He glanced over his shoulder. ‘Are we to wait for the others?’

  ‘No. Let them sleep. You can come back for them later.’ Kate set
tled herself in the corner and as the carriage set in motion she turned her head to catch the last glimpse of the old house. This was goodbye to the past. Her new life beckoned.

  When Kate entered Warren House later that morning she felt the warmth of home wrap itself around her. Martha fussed over her, insisting that she must have something to eat, while Arthur saw to her luggage. Tilly regaled her with stories about the children’s antics during their parents’ stay in London, while Kate sipped a cup of tea in the kitchen and toyed with a slice of bread and butter. It was Martha who came to Kate’s rescue by sending Tilly off to make the drawing room ready, and then Marie Goodfellow burst into the kitchen, beaming with pleasure.

  ‘Seth told me you’d come home, miss. He had a bite of food and now he’s gone off to London to fetch Ivy and Ted. Shall I take some hot water to your room? I expect you’d like to wash the dust of the road off and change out of your travelling clothes.’ She bustled into the scullery before Kate had a chance to respond.

  ‘She wants to be a lady’s maid,’ Martha said in a stage whisper. ‘You could do worse, miss.’

  Kate smiled. ‘It’s good to be home, Martha. I’ve really missed your cooking.’

  ‘Get on with you, miss.’ Martha’s plump cheeks reddened. ‘We was all afraid you’d stay in London.’

  ‘No, never! This is where I belong.’ Kate rose from the table and made her way to her room, where Marie pounced on her. With boundless energy and good humour Marie helped her to wash and change out of her travel-stained gown.

  ‘Martha suggests that you might like to have me as your maid, Miss Kate,’ Marie said hopefully. ‘I done well when I looked after her ladyship. You won’t have no cause to complain.’ She took a deep blue merino gown from the clothes press. ‘You look a treat in this colour, miss. It matches your eyes.’

  Kate smiled at Marie’s eagerness to please. ‘I dare say you and I will do very well together.’

  ‘I promise you won’t regret it, miss.’ Marie stood back to admire her handiwork. ‘No doubt you’ll have a gentleman caller before the day is out.’ She tapped the side of her nose. ‘I have the gift of second sight. My grandmother was a gypsy.’

  ‘Then you know more than I do,’ Kate said tiredly. The excitement and pressure of the past few days was suddenly overwhelming. Harry had promised to come for her, and she could only hope that the young maidservant had given him the note. Perhaps she should have waited for him in London, but the desire to come home had been overwhelming.

  Marie took a woollen shawl from the press and wrapped it around Kate’s shoulders. ‘Some fresh air is what you need now, miss, if I may be so bold. It will put the colour back in your cheeks. My grandmother always swore that good country air was the best medicine.’

  ‘I’m sure she was right.’ Kate had a sudden desire to see the gardens that she had helped to rescue from the wilderness.

  The view from the terrace was breath-taking now that Ted had pruned back the overgrown shrubs and bushes, and the sun was shining. The air was redolent with the scent of spring flowers and damp earth. A cool breeze ruffled Kate’s hair, but her mother was not there to tell her she must wear her bonnet in order to protect her complexion against the sun and she felt a wonderful sense of freedom.

  She came across Morrison outside the walled garden and received such a warm greeting that she felt like hugging the old man, but she did not want to embarrass him. She smiled and listened attentively to his ideas for planting new rose bushes, standards and climbers. He beamed with delight when she told him to order what he thought they needed, with no thought to the cost. She adored roses and could not think of a better way to spend her money. She wandered on, admiring the cultivated beds with plants ready to burst into flower, and she ventured into the spinney at the bottom of the garden. It was carpeted with daffodils, and she could not resist picking a large bunch, even though they would last just a few days indoors. Their glorious scent made her feel drunk with delight as she made her way back to the terrace, where she came to a sudden halt at the sound of horse’s hoofs on the gravelled carriage sweep. Her heartbeat quickened and she stood very still. It seemed as though she had spent her whole life waiting for this moment.

  Seconds later Harry rushed onto the terrace. He paused, gazing at her as if seeing her for the first time. Kate took a step towards him, and as she opened her arms a shower of daffodils cascaded onto the paving stones.

  Harry crossed the terrace in long strides, taking her hands in his. ‘The sight of you in that blue dress, surrounded by a sea of golden daffodils will stay with me for as long as I live, Kate my darling. I want an artist to paint your portrait just as you are now.’

  Her eyes filled with tears, but they were tears of sheer happiness. ‘I didn’t know you were such a romantic, Harry.’

  ‘There’s a lot we don’t know about each other, but it will be wonderful finding out.’ He took her in his arms. ‘I was worried about you staying in London on your own last night, but when I called this morning Mrs Marsh told me that you had sent for Goodfellow and had left without telling her where you were going. Why did you run away?’

  ‘I didn’t run away, Harry. I left a note.’

  ‘I didn’t get it.’

  ‘I’m sorry, Harry. I just wanted to come home.’

  ‘You must have known that I would come for you.’

  ‘I had to get away. I couldn’t bear to stay in London a moment longer.’

  He answered her with a kiss that said more than words. ‘We should be together,’ he said softly. ‘I need you with me now and always, my darling.’

  She leaned against him with a contented sigh. ‘I know. I feel that way, too.’

  ‘Then marry me, Kate. We’ll live here, at Warren House, if that makes you happy.’

  ‘Won’t you get bored with country living?’ Kate smiled, raising her hand to trace the outline of his firm jaw. ‘You led such a different existence in London. How will you fill your days?’

  ‘I’ll do what I was always meant to do, and I’ll run the estate. I might even buy more land and take up farming. I’ve sold my clubs in London and money will never be a problem from now on. Besides which,’ he added, chuckling, ‘I hope to marry an heiress.’

  ‘I never wanted to inherit my uncle’s money, but I’ll try to do some good with it.’ Kate gazed up at him, frowning. ‘I know you said you’ll be happy living here, but are you sure you won’t find it dull after a while?’

  ‘Life with you will never be dull, my darling. I don’t imagine you will sit by the fire with your embroidery. You are a born reformer, Kate, now you have the means to make a difference in the world.’

  ‘And you don’t mind?’

  ‘I’d be very surprised if you haven’t thought of a project to help those who are not as fortunate as we are.’

  Kate wound her arms around his neck. ‘You know me so well, Harry. I saw what a struggle Ivy had when Ted was sent to prison, and there must be many more women like her who have young families to raise on their own. The house in Finsbury Square would make a wonderful home for dispossessed and desperate women. My mother can make it one of her charities, and all those wealthy ladies who attended the ball last evening will be able to salve their consciences by contributing to such a good cause.’

  ‘You’ve thought it all through, haven’t you?’

  ‘It took me a long time to go to sleep last night, but all I wanted was to be with you and live here for ever, Harry. The first time I saw Warren House I knew that I’d come home.’

  ‘Is that an answer to my question, Kate? I love you with all my heart. Will you marry me?’

  She smiled up at him. ‘I love you, too, Harry. Of course I’ll marry you.’

  Read on for a sneak peek at Dilly’s brand-new novel …

  The first in a spellbinding six-part series set in crumbling Rockwood Castle.

  Meet headstrong and passionate Rosalind, who will do anything and everything to protect the one place she calls home …
/>   Don’t miss the first book in this captivating new series – coming summer 2021!

  Chapter One

  Rockwood Castle, Devonshire, May 1839.

  ‘Wait for me, Bertie.’ Nine-year-old Rosalind Carey stumbled over the rocks in the cove as she tried in vain to keep up with her elder brother. The moon had gone behind a bank of clouds, throwing the beach into a sea of shadows, and a south-westerly had blown in from the Atlantic hurling waves onto the shore. All Rosalind could see were the white soles of Bertie’s bare feet as he scampered towards the cliffs, leaping across pools of salt water like a mountain goat. Suddenly he was gone and she was alone in the darkness with the waves crashing on the foreshore as the incoming tide swallowed up the strand. She could hear the shouts of men riding the waves in a small boat as they prepared to leap out and drag it onto the shore. There were flashes of light from oil lamps in the mouth of the cave that had been carved into the red sandstone by centuries of high tides, where local men prepared to receive the bounty from the sea. It had been her brother’s idea to catch the smugglers red-handed, but she realised now that it had been the foolhardy boast of a twelve-year-old boy, who should have known better.

  The voices were getting closer and she could hear the keel of the boat grinding on the pebbles as it landed on the crest of a wave. She glanced over her shoulder and the clouds parted, allowing a shaft of moonlight to reveal the men dragging kegs and tubs onto the beach.

  ‘Bertie,’ she cried on a sob. ‘Where are you?’ But her brother had disappeared into the scrubby foliage that grew at the base of the cliff and she knew that she was on her own. With a last burst of energy, but hampered by her wet skirts she tried to follow him. If she could reach the cliff path that led to Rockwood land she would be safe. Then the sudden staccato report of a gun being fired from the clifftop was followed by the barked orders of the preventive men. Rosalind made a grab for the branch of a thorn bush, but it snapped, sending her tumbling backwards onto the hard-packed sand and stones. Stunned and winded, she lay there gasping for breath.