The Lady's Maid (46 page)

‘Kate, I heard you was here.’ Robert stood on the doorstep, clutching the bowler hat that Honoria had insisted was more fitting for a man in his position than a cap. He shifted from one foot to the other. His
face
was flushed and beads of sweat stood out on his brow. His Sunday best suit fitted so tightly round his corpulent belly that the buttons strained and seemed in imminent danger of flying off in all directions.

‘You’d best come in,’ she said, holding the door open. ‘What do you want?’

He stepped inside. ‘Can we talk in private, maidy?’

‘Come into the parlour.’ She led the way in silence, waiting to speak until he was seated somewhat uncomfortably on the edge of a chair. ‘Can I get you some refreshment?’

He stared up at her with a sorrowful expression. ‘Time was when you called me Pa.’

‘You turned me out of the house to please Honoria. Why have you come here now?’

‘I’ve come to beg your pardon, Kate. I wronged you, and all because of that woman.’

She took a seat opposite him. ‘Do you mean Honoria?’

‘I was an old fool, maidy. Taken in by her flirty ways and flattered that a younger woman wanted me. But she tricked me – led me up the garden path, she did.’

‘So what happened?’

He reached out and clasped her hands in his. ‘The child was not mine. She had been with a man afore she went with me. The long and the short of it is that he come for her the day afore yesterday. His regiment had just returned to Dorchester barracks and he come riding into the farmyard on a big black horse in his scarlet uniform with brass buttons a-blazing like the sun. For two pins, I think he would have run me
through
with his sword, but then Honoria goes all limp and floppy-like, swooning in his arms and telling him as how she thought he had deserted her. That woman could have earned her living on the stage, she could. Then she turns on me: “You poor old fool,” says she. “Do you really think I’d choose you over my brave army sergeant? I had to have a father for my baby and so I married you.” Then he steps forward, grabs me by the throat, and tells me that we wasn’t married at all. He had married her a full year before I even asked her to step out with me.’ Robert hung his head and his tears splashed onto Kate’s fingers.

She saw him then as he had always been: her kindly Pa who had raised her as his own. Even in the bad old days when his drinking had sometimes led him to extremes of temper, she had known that he loved her. She threw herself down on her knees and hugged him. ‘Oh, Pa, I am so sorry. Truly, I am. You didn’t deserve such treatment.’

He wiped his eyes on his sleeve. ‘I was a besotted old fool, Kate. I treated you bad. Can you ever forgive me?’

‘Of course I can, Pa.’ She released him, allowing herself to smile for the first time since he had arrived. ‘You were a good father to me, until Honoria came into our lives.’

‘I’m sure I don’t deserve your forgiveness, maidy, after what I did to you.’

‘I know that you always loved me, Pa. You raised me, and if you hadn’t come looking for me I might have been murdered on the road to Dorchester. You
just
married the wrong woman and I’m glad she’s gone, but I’m sorry she took your son.’

‘I never had a son. Like I said afore, it was his, the big burly army sergeant’s, and she wasn’t in the family way for a second time neither. That was all part of her scheming to get you out of the house. I only ever had one child, and that is you, Kate.’

She rose to her feet. ‘I’m going to make you a nice cup of tea. And then you can stay for Sunday luncheon and meet the Reverend John Hardy, who has been kindness itself.’

‘Thank you, but no.’ Robert stood up, reaching for his hat. ‘I’ve made my peace with you, maidy, so I’ll be on my way. I can’t face other folk, not just yet.’

She laid her hand on his arm, gazing anxiously into his face. ‘But you will be all right, won’t you?’

‘I will, in time.’ He managed a crooked smile. ‘And if you ever wants to come home, you’ll be as welcome as the first swallow in summer.’ He hesitated on the doorstep. ‘And maybe you could sort out that mad Nanny Barnes. Sir Joseph has put her in the pigman’s cottage because she was driving them all daft up at the big house. Now she haunts me day and night, sometimes turning up in her nightgown or taking a bath in the cattle trough with all her clothes on. I’d give anything to have you and young Molly back on the farm, if only to take her in hand.’

‘I’m sure that Molly would be glad to have the cottage back, Pa. Nanny Barnes just needs company, that’s all.’

‘And I’ll always need you, daughter,’ he said gruffly. ‘Remember that.’

She reached up to kiss him on the cheek, but she could not bring herself to tell him that she knew the truth about her parentage; that would keep until another time. When all was said and done, Robert Coggins was her father and always would be. She owed him a debt of gratitude and love. Her real parents were simply shadows from the past. Their sad story would always be a part of her, but they were as much strangers to her as were Sir Philip and Lady Hardy. She would always be glad that she had met and come to know John, but she was still Kate Coggins at heart. She waved goodbye, feeling suddenly at peace.

She did not mention Robert’s visit when everyone returned from church. Josie appeared to be in a buoyant mood, and Kate did not want to spoil things by reminding her of times past. John went straight to his study and Josie sent Molly to the kitchen to fetch a jug of lemonade. She drew Kate aside. ‘Guess what?’

Kate shook her head.

‘Harry’s back at Copperstone. Charlie Beauchamp was in church and he told me afterwards that Harry had returned last evening. I’ll lay odds that he’ll visit us before the day’s out. If he doesn’t come today I’ll borrow John’s horse and ride over to Copperstone and demand that he take me to Guernsey. You’ll have to come too, or it will look very odd.’ She took off her bonnet and tossed it so that it landed on the hall stand. ‘Pack a few things in readiness, Kate. I have a good feeling about this. Perhaps I’ve inherited some of
Dena’s
second sight.’ She danced away, leaving Kate standing in the hall. The thought of seeing Harry again filled her with misgivings. Suddenly she wanted to go home. She longed for nothing more than to disappear into the anonymity of living and working on the farm.

She barely managed to eat a thing at luncheon, but Josie ate ravenously and Molly ran her a close second. John hurried through his meal and retired to his study to prepare for Evensong. Having scraped her plate clean, Molly decided that she would go for a walk, but Josie said that she did not feel very energetic and had decided to while away the afternoon playing the pianoforte. ‘One of the few things I miss from home,’ she said as she parted from them in the hallway.

‘Well I want some fresh air.’ Molly rammed her bonnet on her head and rushed out into the sunshine.

Kate followed at a slower pace, heading for her favourite spot beneath the oak tree. She sat on the bench, closing her eyes and listening to the strains of a Chopin waltz floating through the open drawing room windows. The music, together with the hypnotic sound of bees buzzing in the rose bushes, gradually lulled her to sleep.

‘I hope they’re sweet dreams, Kate.’

The sound of Harry’s voice awakened her with a start. She leapt to her feet. ‘How long have you been standing there?’

‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you, but you make such a pretty picture with the sunlight shining on your hair. I couldn’t take my eyes off you.’

She felt the blood rushing to her cheeks. ‘You are
such
a tease, Harry. My shoes are dusty and my hair is all over the place, and …’

‘Kate, you are quite adorable as you are.’ He did not let her finish her sentence. He swept her into his arms, holding her so tightly that she could scarcely breathe. He brushed her lips with kisses until they parted with a sigh. She slid her arms around his neck and gave herself up to the sweet sensation of their first kiss, returning his embrace with an ardour that both surprised and shocked her. He drew away just enough to allow her to catch her breath and his eyes were dark with desire. ‘I’ve wanted to kiss you for so long, Kate. You wouldn’t believe how much willpower I have had to employ to stop myself from doing just this.’

She was drunk with delight. She felt as if her head was in the clouds. She ought to resist, but being held in Harry’s arms was like coming home. She laid her head against his shoulder with a deep sigh of contentment. Her heart was so full that she couldn’t speak.

‘I love you, Kate. I’ve loved you for a very long time but I couldn’t say anything before. Now I know that Josie is genuinely devoted to Loveday and expects nothing from me, I’m free at last to tell you how I feel.’

Reality smote her like a thunderbolt and she raised her head to look him in the eyes. ‘This is all wrong, Harry.’

‘Why do you say that? There is nothing to keep us apart now I know that you love me. You do, don’t you?’ A frown creased his brow, but he held her so close to him that she was not sure whether it was his
heart
she could feel thudding against her breast, or whether it was her own.

She tried to pull away from him but his arms held her like bands of steel. ‘I do love you, Harry. But there are things that you don’t know about me.’

‘I know that I worship you, Kate. Isn’t that enough?’

‘No, it isn’t. I mean – please, Harry, just take my word for it. There can never be anything more than loving friendship between us.’

‘That is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. I love you to distraction, I can’t get you out of my mind, and I think you feel the same about me. Why, for God’s sake, are you putting obstacles in our way? I want to marry you, Kate. I want you with me for now and always. Do you understand?’ He held her by the shoulders, giving her a gentle shake.

‘You don’t understand …’

‘I bloody well don’t understand, and I’m not apologising for swearing. What in hell’s name could keep us apart?’ His fingers dug into her shoulders and his eyes hardened. ‘Unless you are already married? You didn’t have a change of heart and accept Westwood, did you? You haven’t secretly married the damn fellow in my absence?’

‘No, never. It’s not that.’

His tone gentled and the angry look faded from his eyes. ‘Then what, sweetheart? What is so terrible that you cannot accept me as your husband?’

‘I’ve only just found out who I really am. I was born out of wedlock. The Coggins brought me up but I wasn’t their child.’

He drew her back into the haven of his arms. ‘Is that all? Have you been resisting me because of a stupid convention? Do you really think I care about details like that?’

‘You – you don’t mind?’ She blinked hard; surely she was dreaming? He looked almost boyish in his enthusiasm as he clasped her hands, lifting them to his lips and kissing them.

‘I don’t care who your parents were or whether you were born in or out of wedlock. I want to marry you, Kate, not them.’

‘Good man. I knew you were a fine fellow, Harry.’

Kate spun round to see John standing a little way from them down the path with Josie leaning on his arm. Both of them were smiling. ‘You’ve been listening,’ she breathed. ‘How could you?’

John held up his hands. ‘No, believe me, Kate. We only heard Harry’s last words to you, and I wanted to applaud his good sense.’

‘It was my fault,’ Josie said hastily. ‘I saw you from the window. When Harry kissed you I knew that you had sorted yourselves out at last. We came out to congratulate you.’ She ran to Kate, hugging her until she could hardly breathe. ‘I am so happy for you.’

‘You don’t understand,’ Kate said, pulling away from her. ‘I’ve just told Harry that I can’t marry him.’

‘And I won’t accept that.’ Harry caught her by the hand. ‘I don’t care if your parents were tinkers, tranters or felons – I love you, Kate, and I want to marry you.’

‘And you have my blessing,’ John said, laying a hand on each of their shoulders. ‘Kate, if you don’t
tell
him that I am your uncle …’ He broke off, laughing. ‘Oh dear! I’ve let the cat out of the metaphorical bag.’

‘Uncle?’ Harry stared at him in astonishment.

‘It’s a long story,’ John said, nodding. ‘I suggest we go indoors out of the hot sun and allow Kate to tell you everything we discovered about her past, and how we are connected.’

Harry slipped his arm around Kate’s waist. ‘With all due respect, John, I think this is between the two of us. Come, Kate, we’ll go for a walk by the river and you can tell me in your own way.’

It was over an hour later when they returned to the vicarage. They entered the drawing room, hand in hand.

Josie leapt to her feet and ran to them. ‘Well, then? What’s the news? Are we to congratulate you?’

Kate felt herself blushing. ‘Yes.’

‘I am so happy for you both,’ Josie cried, flinging her arms around Kate’s neck and hugging her. ‘I am really, really glad.’ She turned to Harry. ‘And you’d better look after her, Challenor. Or I’ll want to know the reason why.’

John rose from his chair to shake Harry’s hand. ‘Well done, my friend. I couldn’t be happier.’ He kissed Kate on the cheek. ‘I hope you will allow me to perform the ceremony, my very dear niece.’

‘I wouldn’t want anyone else to do it, Uncle. But we have agreed to wait until we find out what happened to Sam.’

Harry turned to Josie with a glimmer of a smile. ‘I
don’t
want to raise false hopes, but there is a slim chance that Sam might have survived.’

She sat down suddenly, the colour draining from her face. ‘What are you saying?’

‘I have a ship leaving for St Peter Port in the morning. Kate has agreed to come with me.’

‘Then I am coming too,’ Josie said firmly. ‘You’re not going without me. I’ll find my Sam or die in the attempt.’

‘And I.’ Molly rushed into the room, her bonnet strings flying. ‘I heard what you just said, Harry. You can’t leave me behind.’

‘I wouldn’t think of it, Molly. You must come too.’

‘I’ll start packing right now.’ She took off her bonnet and flung it into the air. ‘Sam is alive – I’ve never doubted it. When do we leave?’